Is the future of JRPGS the auto-battle? If developers are convinced that these games need pace-crushing turn-based battles, perhaps this is the inevitable outcome; level your characters to respectable strengths and let the game play itself. The genre is boiled down to simple exploration ... and maybe that's what we've always loved about JRPGs anyway; the locales, the environments, the characters, and the sweeping, heroic overlooks where we can contemplate destiny.
I've been playing Suikoden games since Playstation One, when I had the console sitting on top of a milk-crate in my room, the S-video output secured in the back of my GXTV. I worked at a video-game store, and used my hard-earned minimum wages to secure my copy of the game the day it came out. I replaced the American cover with a printout of the Japanese instruction booklet, and enjoyed every minute of the classic RPG. Suikoden got it early on -- these games are about broad heroics and a colorful cast of collectable characters. Beyond that, these games are about great music.
I'm happy to say that more than a decade later, Suikoden: Tierkreis has retained the soul of the first (and subsequent) games. The music is hopeful, the skies blue, and the plucky heroics un-embarassed and brash. There are 108 heroes to discover, a castle to build and occupy, and a world of sweet melodies and grassy plains.
It's not the first time I've played Suikoden on a handheld, but this new game feels like a reinvention, a re-introduction. It's not quite Suikoden, but more like a Suikoden-inspiried game, one that takes the themes of previous titles and drops them into a new, multiverse hopping story. I could do without the clipped voice acting, but at least the game's cutscenes can be flipped through at your own pace. What this means is, unlike our hi-def consoles' insistence on delivering dumb monologues lethargically, we can click through the simple story of Suikoden as fast as we can read it. A silly story doesn't seem so heavy when you can read it quick. The main character may be grating, but you can usually cut him off mid-sentence, which I greatly appreciate.
And though the game seems geared towards a younger audience, there's nothing here that's insulting to a teenage (or older) player. The difference between a young game, and one that talks down to its player, is obvious. There's nothing overly violent or sexual about Tierkreis, but there's nothing upsettingly saccharin, either.
Before I go, I do have a major qualm with the armor system. Visiting shops and purchasing equipment happens in every RPG, but often developers will allow you to preview status changes to your character before you drop your fantasy money on an item. Not so with Tierkreis. I'm typically a stat-junkie when it comes to these games, but I found myself winging it more often in Suikoden DS, simply because I didn't want to sell back armor I'd discovered wasn't quite what a specific character needed. It's a tad bit unforgivable, and more than a little annoying every time you have to head out to get gear.
score 8.5 out of ten
verdict A fantastic re-introduction to the charms of Suikoden, marred by crap voice acting. Thankfully, all the dialogue is skippable. Gorgeous, high-skied adventures await!
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