Suikoden V

Did You Know?

• The game was directed by Takahiro Sakiyama, a newcomer to the Suikoden franchise.
• The opening theme 'Wind of Phantom' was composed by Yuji Toriyama and performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
• The complete soundtrack was released on March 24, 2006.

Gameplay

Suikoden V is a role-playing video game with typical genre traits. The player controls the Prince and travels across a world map, advancing the plot through tasks and conversations. Recruiting new characters often involves short sidequests. In towns, the player can gather information, sharpen weapons, learn skills, and buy equipment; wilderness areas feature random monster encounters. The game runs at 60 FPS and is the first 3D Suikoden to use a top-down camera similar to the first two games. The battle system uses six-person parties instead of the four-person parties of Suikoden IV, reversing a widely criticized change. Each character is individually controllable, unlike in Suikoden III. A skill system, similar to Suikoden III, affects combat ability; for example, the Stamina skill increases hit points. Characters have affinities for different skills, and only two skills can be equipped per character, though they can be switched between battles. If all six characters lose all hit points, it is game over, except in certain plot battles where losing is optional and the story continues differently. Characters can be arranged in formations on a 6x4 grid, granting stat bonuses or a special attack, sometimes with offsetting penalties. New formations are acquired over the course of the game. Cooperative attacks between certain characters can deal extra damage, never miss, but cannot receive critical bonuses or hit multiple times. An auto-battle function is available for easy encounters.

Story

Suikoden V takes place in the Queendom of Falena, 142 years after the events of Suikoden IV and six years before the first Suikoden. Falena is a rich land sustained by the Feitas River, which enables trade and communication. It is ruled by Queen Arshtat and her husband Ferid, who have provided stability since the death of Arshtat's mother. However, past tensions remain: Arshtat's mother and aunt had covertly struggled over succession, and powerful nobles maintain their own forces. Arshtat's marriage was seen as key to gaining power; a civil war was narrowly avoided when Ferid, a neutral outsider, won the Sacred Games and married Arshtat. Arshtat and Ferid have two heirs: the Prince (named by the player, called Freyjadour in the manga) and Lymsleia. At the game's start, the time has come for Lymsleia's Sacred Games, a gladiatorial tournament where the winner may ask for her hand. As a queendom, the first-born female inherits the throne. The two most powerful noble houses, the Godwins and the Barows, have special interest in the outcome. The Godwins favor centralization and expansion; the Barows seek trade and rebuilding. The Barows have declined somewhat after a recent war with the New Armes Kingdom, fought on their lands while the Godwins remained safe. The royal family fears that a Godwin or Barows victory could trigger another struggle.

Plot

Two years after Lordlake was razed by her Sun Rune, Queen Arshtat sends her son the Prince, her sister Sialeeds, and royal bodyguards Lyon and Georg Prime to inspect the ruined town. The Prince reports the grim state of the dried-up town, but Arshtat scorns the report, declaring the citizens deserve their desolation for stealing the Dawn Rune. Ferid calms her, and she dismisses the party. The next issue is the Sacred Games for Princess Lymsleia's hand, held early for the ten-year-old Lymsleia. The main contestants are Euram Barows and Gizel Godwin, Sialeeds' former fiancé. The royal family favors the outsider Belcoot as a neutral option; the Prince tries to aid him quietly. However, Gizel rigs the Games, and his champion Childerich defeats a drugged Belcoot. Lord Marscal Godwin is unimpressed, fearing the Prince and royal family are now enemies. The royal family takes the Barows champion Zegai into custody, potentially exposing the cheating. The Godwins launch a preemptive attack at the engagement ceremony in Sol-Falena. Arshtat and Ferid anticipated the attack but not the Nether Gate assassins, who overwhelm the palace. Arshtat and Ferid are killed; Lymsleia is captured. The Prince, Lyon, Georg, and Sialeeds flee.

Reception

Suikoden V had disappointing sales compared to earlier PlayStation 2 Suikodens, selling 194,780 copies in Japan in 2006, down from Suikoden IV's 303,069. Famitsu scored it 32 out of 40. The game received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. The plot was praised for its deep political maneuverings, though the start was considered slow; GameSpy noted it does not telegraph every twist. The cast of characters was found engaging; GameSpot stated that Suikoden has always been good at giving stars unique personalities. The game reversed unpopular changes from Suikoden IV, such as four-person parties, and offered tie-ins to Suikoden and Suikoden II. Graphics and loading times were criticized: IGN noted frequent loading between areas and battles, and Game Revolution described army battles and in-engine cut scenes as blocky, while CGI cut scenes were beautiful. Suikoden V won IGN's 2006 award for Best Story on the PlayStation 2 and Gamereactor's award for Best Story overall, and was named the 9th best game of the year by Gamereactor.