Suikoden IV Impressions

At its Gamers' Day today, Konami showed off a bit more of Suikoden IV, the latest entry in its popular RPG franchise. Producer Junko Kawano, who is also serving as a scenario writer and main character designer, was on hand to give a presentation on the game. In addition, a new trailer was shown that featured a collection of gameplay and story sequences.

This time out, the game revolves around the rune of punishment, one of the 27 runes that are well known to fans of the Suikoden series. This particular rune is bestowed with powerful magic that has one drawback: every time it's used, it drains the life of its host. When said host is dead, it randomly picks another. However, the rune has become the stuff of legend and rumor, given its flighty nature. While specifics on the plot weren't revealed, a few tidbits were offered. The game is set to the south of Toran, which was last seen in the original Suikoden. Ship travel will apparently be a major means of transportation in the game. The exact time period is being kept secret for the time being. The game will feature one main character, as opposed to the trinity system used previously. As with every Suikoden game, you'll find 107 other characters to interact with and to use in your party (if you play your cards right). As usual, the game will come packed with drama, as the characters you meet will help you or stab you in the back, depending on how things go.

The trailer for the game showed off a variety of different sequences, which included character interaction, cinemas, and combat. One of the most striking features experienced in the footage of characters interacting revolved around voiced dialogue. While the game will now incorporate voice into its play, the team's goal is to ensure that the game's experience is still quick and easy for play. As a result, they are currently deciding on the best method for balancing the use of voice in the game. The trailer showed off a bevy of characters and enemies who were quite varied. Several combat segments were shown in the trailer, which gave a sense of the variety to be found. Co-op attacks will once again figure prominently. Kawano stated that the combat will have some similarities to the combat systems used in Suikoden and Suikoden II but will also feature new content. Kawano also mentioned that some attacks will even be humorous. The foes seen in the clip ranged in size from massive flying creatures to midsized seafaring baddies.

The graphics in the game look good and feature an art style that's a bit more refined than the previous entry in the series. Proportions look a bit better, and the animation doesn't stutter so much. The special effects used for the various attacks and spells were nicely varied, too.

Suikoden IV is currently slated to ship late this year for the PlayStation 2. Look for more on the game in the coming months.