Suikoden 5

[Willy Elektrix]

Hello folks! Long time no see.

I just started playing Suikoden 5. I've never played the series before, but it was well reviewed on this site and I was looking for something new.

I'm about 3 hours in and I feel like I've been watching one giant cutscene. How long until the game actually starts? I'm willing to give it another hour or two, but this is getting ridiculous.

I'm at the Sacred Games right now.

Does it get more interactive if I stick with it?

[kkhohoho]

Hello folks! Long time no see.

I just started playing Suikoden 5. I've never played the series before, but it was well reviewed on this site and I was looking for something new.

I'm about 3 hours in and I feel like I've been watching one giant cutscene. How long until the game actually starts? I'm willing to give it another hour or two, but this is getting ridiculous.

I'm at the Sacred Games right now.

Does it get more interactive if I stick with it?

Yeeup. You just need to wait for it to get there. Right now, the game's introducing the cast and  the setting, and setting the stage for what's to come. After a certain life-changing event for our hero, the story will really get going, and so will the game.

[Arvis]

So... I never finished this game (it was a bit too challenging after a while and it was a time where I was less patient) but I remember being pretty impressed with it and the story.

[Hidoshi]

It's my fave after Suikoden II. In fact, it has some of the best characters in the series (like anyone from Raftfleet) and some amazing music.

I want more Suikoden, damnit.

[Hathen]

The very, very slow start was definitely something a lot of people pointed out when it was released. It probably takes like, 8 hours or something for it to really get going depending on how much you decide to walk around town and such. Personally I didn't mind it too much, the setting was one of the things that made Suikoden great.

That and people also mentioned the graphics being kinda bland. The cutscene work was great but the classic bird's eye camera they decided to go with didn't make the best of their assets. Suiko 3 feels a lot more colorful.

it was a bit too challenging after a while

The game's actually really easy if you know what you're doing (but I guess that kinda goes for any game).

I made this mistake when I first played the game, but for a long time I just plain didn't upgrade my weapons or buy new stuff and kept going along in the game. At some point I ended up at a boss where it took me like half an hour to beat it because I kept doing like low double digit damage to the thing. I did end up winning, but yeah, if you don't upgrade your stuff the game becomes painfully annoying. Then later the game throws a bunch of gamebreaker characters at you.

[Arvis]

^ Well, I also insist on trying every playable character, which can be... not recommended for a game like Suikoden... :P

[Willy Elektrix]

The very, very slow start was definitely something a lot of people pointed out when it was released. It probably takes like, 8 hours or something for it to really get going depending on how much you decide to walk around town and such. Personally I didn't mind it too much, the setting was one of the things that made Suikoden great.

I'm 6 hours in now and I'm exploring Lunas. I sticking with it because I'm curious. This game must be really good if people were willing to endure this crap.

[Artimicia]

Yeah I hated Suikoden 5, series was done at 3 as far as I could tell...

This was one of those games were fans raving somewhere (gamefaqs probably) made me do it, but while I don't regret getting it it was very tedious to get anywhere let alone try and finish it.

[Dice]

Yeah I hated Suikoden 5, series was done at 3 as far as I could tell...

This was one of those games were fans raving somewhere (gamefaqs probably) made me do it, but while I don't regret getting it it was very tedious to get anywhere let alone try and finish it.

First game I quit because the load times drove me stupid.  I really wanted to love it, but long load times + slow start?  Woof.

[Rook]

Suikoden 3 was so well received I dunno why Konami murdered it.

I thought the graphics in S5 were awful, but that's not a dealbreaker, the loading times were. 

[Artimicia]

Yeah I hated Suikoden 5, series was done at 3 as far as I could tell...

This was one of those games were fans raving somewhere (gamefaqs probably) made me do it, but while I don't regret getting it it was very tedious to get anywhere let alone try and finish it.

First game I quit because the load times drove me stupid.  I really wanted to love it, but long load times + slow start?  Woof.

How'd you like the other ones Dice?

I can actually understand criticism of any of the Suikodens, I guess just me and this friend we're really into the first two and it kinda helped define our childhood, so coming to 4 and 5 much later by myself I had really high expectations.

Incidentally one of the dealbreakers for me in Suiko 5 was the camera angles and the zoomed out nature of the fights... weird how these little things can sometimes be such a problem...

Well that and how incredibly hard it was to get 108 characters, so many missables and challenges..

[Agent D.]

Suikoden 3 was so well received I dunno why Konami murdered it.

This is the same company who now giving us Metal Gear Zombies...you're surprised they ruined something great?

[Mickeymac92]

...I still don't even know what you guys are talking about. Nothing about the later Suikodens gave the impression that they jumped ship...making more of the same, but less polished tends to be the norm for most franchises with more than 3 entries, at least until they try to reinvent itself with fresh ideas. As far as I can tell, though, Suikoden's reinventing did not go smoothly...

I made this mistake when I first played the game, but for a long time I just plain didn't upgrade my weapons or buy new stuff and kept going along in the game. At some point I ended up at a boss where it took me like half an hour to beat it because I kept doing like low double digit damage to the thing. I did end up winning, but yeah, if you don't upgrade your stuff the game becomes painfully annoying. Then later the game throws a bunch of gamebreaker characters at you.

I did the same in Final Fantasy X. I always wondered why people said it was easy, turns out I was ignoring a large chunk of the game. ^_^;

[Refresh]

I hope OP decided to stick with the game. Suikoden 5 is one of the greatest, and most underrated RPGs on the PS2. It's up there with S2 if you ask me.

[MonCapitan2002]

While going through my stuff recently I found my copy of Suikoden V.  Unfortunately, the thing is sealed brand new copy and I find myself reluctant to open it in order to play the game.