Suikoden 3 - First impressions

After reading reviews which gave it high marks, I picked up suikoden 3 off eBay. Popped it in and the intro was exciting but then the game started. I've played it for a little over an hour wandering around to different towns but it seems a bit dull. There is hardly any music and without voice work the game is REALLY quiet and lifeless. The characters have no personality, and I don't like how they just kind of tossed the player into the story. Supposedly there's peace but the two states are in the brink of war. I don't even know who my character (Geddoe) is and what his role is in the story. He seems to know an important person in each town but the story hasn't revealed anything yet! I mean the game should present a conflict early in the game so I kind of have a general idea why I'm playing the game!!!

From what I've played, the battle system just standard RPG turn base - A weaker version of the Grandia 2 battle system?

I'm hoping the story gets more interesting and the story/conflict comes out soon, because I don't think I can continue wandering into different towns just so that Geddoe holds secret meetings, leaving me in the dark. If this doesn't get any better - I'm just going to stick with Square for rpg's.

I personally loved the game and the manga

If you expect the most interesting parts of an RPG's story to be fed to you after a mere hour, you shouldn't be playing RPGs.

I tried starting it this summer for the same reasons and I gave up after a few hours- don't get me wrong- I intend to try this again but being a person who's only played a handful of RPGs (mainly Square-Enix ones) it seemed like a lot to take in at once. I also found out that a strategy guide was never printed for the game. I don't know about everyone else but I REALLY hate having to sit by my computer and look at a plain text guide on the screen periodically, which is unfortunate because Suikoden III seems like the kind of game where it's a really good idea to have a guide unless you're a series veteran.

Suikoden 3 starts out very slowly. The story picks up after your 3 main characters get together.

If you follow the story of the other 2 Suikoden games, I think you'll find a pretty surprising twist in this game.

Anyway, can't wait for Suikoden 4.

[quote name='Surlaw']If you expect the most interesting parts of an RPG's story to be fed to you after a mere hour, you shouldn't be playing RPGs.[/quote]

I've played a lot of rpgs and all of them ALWAYS start off with a purpose/short mission, whether it's something as simple as getting to school (Shining Force 2), getting to a stadium(FFX), or sabotaging power plant (FF7). I'm not expecting the most interesting parts but I do expect it to give me a clear purpose, something to accomplish so that I'm interested in finding out the whole story. How do they expect to draw gamers in if there is no hook early in the game? Granted I'm still early in the game, but I've visited 3 towns and I still have no clear idea what I'm doing. The characters just tell me where I should go next and I just see new areas on the map to go to.

For example what's the purpose of having me trek through to the lizard's temple, have it attacked and then I do nothing about it and head off to the grassland village, where no story gets revealed - mysterious characters show up, the village gets destroyed and I leave with a new character that I know nothing about? Supposedly Geddoe is investigating the "Fire Bringer" (he seems to know quite a bit about it, but I have no clue what it is)

Maybe I just don't like the premise - about kingdoms and warring states. I didn't like other games with similar stories (ShForce3) and FFTactics.

Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!!

[quote name='suko_32']I personally loved the game and the manga[/quote]

I'm actually enjoying the Manga's alittle more than the game................. just alittle.

I agree, Suikoden 3 starts off very slow, even in RPG standards. But the game does come together the more time you put into it.

I also agree on the lack of music and voice acting making it very quiet and lifeless, especially in the beginning when you have no attachment to the characters.

[quote name='zionoverfire']Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!![/quote]

It's not a trilogy.

[quote name='RichD1'][quote name='zionoverfire']Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!![/quote]

It's not a trilogy.[/quote]

There are 3 of them so far so I call it a trilogy, and I did mention the 4th one but I guess I can call that a prequel. The first 3 involve some of the same characters so I group them together.

[quote name='RichD1'][quote name='zionoverfire']Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!![/quote]

It's not a trilogy.[/quote]

It was before Suko VI

Im enjoying the Manga VERY much. It actually makes the opening to the game itself a bit better since you know what to look for (at least some of it)

[quote name='Rodimus Donut'][quote name='RichD1'][quote name='zionoverfire']Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!![/quote]

It's not a trilogy.[/quote]

It was before Suko VI [/quote]

No it wasn't. They've always had the intent on making SIV.

Regardless, I'm a bigger Suikoden fan than all of you...combined. n00bs.

[quote name='RichD1'][quote name='Rodimus Donut'][quote name='RichD1'][quote name='zionoverfire']Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!![/quote]

It's not a trilogy.[/quote]

It was before Suko VI [/quote]

No it wasn't. They've always had the intent on making SIV.

Regardless, I'm a bigger Suikoden fan than all of you...combined. n00bs. [/quote]

You know you could get a custom rank now, such as suikoden douche, or maybe just big douche, I'd say unfunny douche but apperetnly we already have one of those.

I would be more interested in reading the manga, if it is in english. I have to admit that I like the character designs, the drawn pics in the manual looked really nice. Do they also have anime series?

Finished chapter 1 for Geddoe, starting on Hugo's story next. It seems like Hugo may be a better experience...maybe I shouldn't have started off with Geddoe first - after finishing a chapter I can state that he clearly has no personality.

For everyone who loves the game, which characters did you start off with? Same question for the people who didn't like it.

^_^

I played this game last summer. Probably not my favorite Suikoden game out of the series, but it is enjoyable. If you ask me, this game felt really short.

My only complain is how the stupid castle isn't a castle. It's a mansion! Not a very good one at that. I liked the battle system from the previous games, and I still don't know why they changed it a little.

I guess my favorite part of the game is the "bonus" chapter.

[quote name='RichD1'][quote name='Rodimus Donut'][quote name='RichD1'][quote name='zionoverfire']Well Suikoden 3 is the worst of the trilogy, btw Suik 4 in 1 month!!!![/quote]

It's not a trilogy.[/quote]

It was before Suko VI [/quote]

No it wasn't. They've always had the intent on making SIV.

Regardless, I'm a bigger Suikoden fan than all of you...combined. n00bs. [/quote]

I'm sorry, it was supposed to be a joke, I agre with you about the whole prequel thing. I did use the little "dunce" emoticon. Anyways good luck on being a really big Suikoden fan, that helps in picking up chicks.

[quote name='Panda']^_^

I played this game last summer. Probably not my favorite Suikoden game out of the series, but it is enjoyable. If you ask me, this game felt really short.

My only complain is how the stupid castle isn't a castle. It's a mansion! Not a very good one at that. I liked the battle system from the previous games, and I still don't know why they changed it a little.

I guess my favorite part of the game is the "bonus" chapter.[/quote]

Well in suikoden 1 and 2 it was an actual castle so they tried to keep the theme going.