Replaying these games. Suikoden 3 can get in the bin.
I always thought Suikoden IV was the weakest on account of it's thin content, boring overworld and unfathomable choice to have only 4 party members when 6 people in a team was a clear part of the series DNA.
Oh boy, oh boy. Then I played Suikoden III.
This game isn't just a bad Suikoden game, it's a bad game.
The plot is stodgey and slow. Somehow it spends more time setting up the conflict than 1 and 2 combined, and yet feels less engaging and more shallow. Plot points are repeated, obvious secrets are danced around for hours, the dialogue is boring and flat. It's an utter slog to get through.
Thank goodness, with the move to 3D, the fighting is fun and engaging right?
No. The fight system is an utter bin fire.
It's almost like the devs decided to make changes for the sake of it, and what a mess.
So you control characters in pairs for some reason. Kind of odd, not very fun and limits player agency. You can direct the first character, but the second one just runs up and attacks physically. Could be anyone. So half the party does whatever it likes, often leading to damage being spread around while the enemy focus down your characts.
Well, at least we can position our characters where we want for tactical flexibility, right? Nope. Characters will run around as they please, which is excellent, because fire spells now damage friend and foe alike. You cast dancing flames and didn't tell the rest of the party to sit on their hands? They get burned. You didn't get to cast before the enemy run up to you? You get burned.
That's assuming you even get the spell off, because for some reason we're chanting before casting spells now? Utter nonsensical and heavy handed way to making magic less powerful in a series where the dominant characters have always been the physical bruisers with Rage / Double beat. Magic has never really been op. As salt in the wound the True Rune being focused on is the FUCKING TRUE RUNE OF AOE RUINATION. Aka: Fire.
Then we have the balance. The games difficulty is all over the place. Some fights can be really easy, and others in the same area can be a case of watching enemies spam AoE spells that destroy your party.
The fight against a certain white haired mage towards the end of the game is indicative of this; dodges a fully maxed ouit party, or tanks their hits without her casting being interupted, and then casts a powerful AoE spells. Does this 3 turns in a row.
Now I thought it might have been that I was, at level 60 across the board, underleveled, so I used cheat codes to max everyones levels to 99. Best armour, Level 16 weapons, best runes, Level 99.
Nope. She tanks every hit, or dodges, and then wrecks everyone. I have never felt more justified in using cheats.
And don't get me started on Yuber. Poor bastard got ruined by whatever 2003 edge lord go their hands on him.
End rant. I'm looking forward to playing Suikoden IV again!