PlayStation 2

Suikoden III

"Suikoden III" é um jogo longo, cheio de surpresas e passatempos, com ótima trama e uma execução extremamente competente. Ao contrário de outros exemplares do gênero, esse jogo não é cheio de firulas desnecessárias, mas apenas elementos que somam algo à mistura. Se você tiver paciência para destrinchar as camadas dessa cebola, será recompensado com um dos mais originais RPGs do mercado.

It may not be a graphical wonder or even have much music, let alone any voice acting. But who cares? Suikoden III delivers what RPG fans love most: a great story, engaging characters and a ton of gameplay. Even despite its dated graphics and lack of a rich audio experience, it’s the best RPG of 2002. Simple as that.

Every RPG invariably gets compared to the Final Fantasy franchise. The Suikoden series, however, has always been different enough to avoid this. Its 2D artistry and ally finding put it in a class all its own. This third installment strays quite far from the path the first two had laid, but darned if it isn’t still one of the best role-playing games that I’ve ever played.

It’s amazing how much games have evolved in less than ten years. From story integration to most noticeably graphics, videogames have in a short time become a cultural phenomenon. You may be able to think back to the NES and Super NES days. Back then, Nintendo dominated the role-playing game market with releases of such games as Act Raiser, Final Fantasy III, Soul Blazer and Chrono Trigger. In 1996, Sony released their next-generation videogaming system, the PlayStation. It wasn’t long until the primary RPG developers and publishers started veering off from Nintendo and onto Sony’s new hardware. This is where console-style RPGs truly became redefined. Skim yet another few years and you find yourself with a PlayStation 2, the hands-down most dominant RPG behemoth (the others hardly put up a contest it’s so supreme).

Suikoden III is so gigantic, that it could have easily been two or three entirely separate games. Overflowing with character development and a high-quality story that's rivaled only by Squaresoft's equally impressive Final Fantasy X, Konami's latest effort reeks of major league production value. So impressed was I by the sheer size and fun of it all, I came to realize that there is just no way that a single play-through could do justice to this fantastic world.

Suikoden III is a little rough in spots, but it has the makings of a classic: The characters are both numerous and memorable, the setting and back story are amazingly well thought out and original for all of their classic fantasy trappings, and the plot is more mature than that of the average "bad guy threatens to destroy the world" RPG. For every small shortcoming, there are two or three little extra touches that give Suikoden III a depth beyond that of its peers. It's a must-buy for RPG fans, even those new to the series.

The best part of all? Undoubtedly the dialogue?it's actually well written this time, with no (okay, very few) typos and non sequiturs. It's great to see such an expertly crafted and epic title like this one get the English treatment it deserves.

All games have their rough spots, and Suikoden III is no different. If you can look past it's flaws like I did, you will probably find yourself insanely attached to the games many memorable characters, picking fights with monsters to find those antiques to decorate your mansion with, searching for that last character that you know must be there, and forgetting that the sun is going down outside.

Though it has its flaws, those flaws are easily forgettable in the face of an otherwise brilliant story. The translation is actually solid and well done, a surprise to many Suikoden fans, I'm sure. In short: Suikoden III is definitely worth playing, both for fans of the series and RPG nuts who've never played a Suikoden game.

Although it has some technical issues and has some dated gameplay features, Suikoden III's enormous breadth, creative triptych storytelling approach and monstrous character list give it a distinct edge. With so many RPGs out for the PS2 in this season alone, it can be tough figuring out which one is right for you. As far as I can see it, Suikoden III has enough to satisfy just about every RPG gamer.

The bottom line is: if you enjoyed the previous two games, you'll more than likely get on very well with this gem. Sure, a lot has changed since it's pixellated beginnings but that's evolution for you. While not every change has been for the better, many others manage to improve the experience - these are what keep the game fresh while remaining notably true to the Suikoden world. It's no way flawless but Suikoden III is as good an RPG as you`ll find on the PS2 at the moment, offering a huge and absorbing experience.

And that's my review for Suikoden III, a game badly in need of polish that manages to hook you anyway. I wasn't able to get all the little details, but at least I can confidently say I didn't need to rip off GameSpot to turn in a decent review. Thank you, and good night.