Japanese Suikoden IV release date announced

Konami announced today that its upcoming PlayStation 2 RPG title Suikoden IV will be released on August 19 in Japan. The game will retail for 6,980 yen ($65). Suikoden IV's story revolves around the rune of punishment, one of 27 runes in the Suikoden series. The game is set in an archipelago to the south of Toran, the continent last seen in the original Suikoden, and ships will be a major means of transportation in the game. The game will feature one main character, as opposed to the trinity system used previously. However, as with every Suikoden game, you'll find more than 100 other characters to both interact with and recruit for your party.