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A classic JRPG makes a grand re-entry in this year’s Tokyo Game Show 2022. Today, Konami announced the return of the beloved Suikoden series in a remastered collection named Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars. Konami’s upcoming collection launches on PlayStation 4, XBOX ONE, STEAM® and Nintendo Switch in 2023.
First released in 1995, Suikoden I is the first title in Konami’s original JRPG series. Based on the motif of the Chinese classic novel Water Margin, Suikoden I follows the son of one of the Scarlet Moon empire’s five generals as he gathers an army to fight against the Empire’s oppressive rule. The touching story depicting the bonds between family and friends was highly acclaimed around the world. The unique Suikoden system, including Rune magic and the 108 Stars of Destiny to recruit has been inherited by subsequent titles in the series. Other features include the Home Base management, which strengthens your army’s power and bases, and Army Battles in which armies face off against each other. The game also features an ambitious game system that complements the grandeur of the story.
Suikoden II released in 1998, following the story of three childhood friends as they are tossed about by a great whirlpool of destiny. The story, with its detailed psychological portrayal of each character, has moved many fans and has become an iconic title of the Suikoden series. Despite its status as a cult classic among fans, it was speculated that Konami had plans to abandoned the series due to its low sales. However, its latest announcement proved otherwise.
Konami showcased several fundamental improvements in the upcoming remaster collection. Firstly, Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars’ pixel sprites, environment art, and effects will be enhanced. The collection will also receive new screen effects including lighting, clouds, and shadow animations and more to liven up the world. Secondly, the character portraits in Suikoden I remaster will be updated in HD by Junko Kawano, the original character designer from the 1995 version.
Both remasters Field sounds and Battle Sounds will be enhanced as well, with environmental sounds such as the sound of running water in the river, wind, insects, and running footsteps will be added. All sound effects are now in HD. In addition to the impact of the 3D effects, the realistic sound greatly enhances the dynamism of the battles. Many new features have been added, such as dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles, etc.
Following the announcement, Konami developers Yasuo Daikai and Takahiro Sakiyama spoke with IGN at Tokyo Game Show 2022 regarding the collection and future plans for the series. Daikai noted the glaring flaws in the original games, most notably with its localization to English and other languages. They also discussed the decision to not to bring the remasters to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, saying “… that they prized the larger install bases of consoles like the PS4 over the technical improvements offered by current consoles.”
When asked about the future of the series following the remasters there wasn’t anything specific given but enough that’s likely to give fans excitement for the future of the series.
“I can’t say anything specific right now but we didn’t really want to have an end with just the remaster,” said Daikai, “So yes, I would really like to keep making more Suikoden games in the future. So we hope all of our fans will root for us and support us, and we hope that we can deliver on those promises and you guys can enjoy them.”