This game is good. Not Suikoden 2,3 or 5 good but its good.
Graphics 8.0
They aren't next gen by any means but the world is pretty detailed and the characters look nice especially in battle mode. The cinema is all in game but its nice with good lighting and effects. Not amazing but better than most.
Sound 7.0
..........I'm tossed up here. The main theme was really good. As was the battle theme and many of the event themes. But I just can't remember any of the towns or their music...which is bad. To me if there isn't at least 5 songs in a soundtrack that I find myself humming throughout the day afterwords or that if I hear on a mix cd or my friends OST then I'm not impressed. Plus the sound effects are nice...but unlike suikoden 3 they stepped back.....way back to sound effects and menu sounds of suikoden 1!
Gameplay 7.0
Ouch here is it....the gameplay. This game did wrong in the two main things that suikoden should do write in the gameplay area. Exploration is as bad as getting a steel spiked enema shoved in you. If you didn't like Zelda windwaker's boat gameplay...think of having that bad plus random battles. THIS IS AWFUL. I know the pirate and navel battles were really suppose to be stressed and they were building your ship instead of a castle rocked. But battling on your ship this much was horrendous. But at least it was remedied when you get Vicky who will do her job like in every other game and make your time much easier with teleportation...this makes it soo much better. The other thing this game does wrong is the recruitment ....the characters rock for the most part and the battles with them are good...but damn if they arent' waay to easy to get. That aside this is good.
Story 9.0
Last but not least I have the story. No it wont win any Oscars and it isn't final fantasy good. But its different. It has an unusual take on who your character is who everyone else is and the role your playing. Which makes it feel fresh.
Over all even if you dont find it spectacular the game is good. And if your a Gensousuikoden fan then you might as well add it to your collection.