As most video game fans are aware, Konami is world enowned for their excellent software. Throughout the years, they have proven to have more beautiful swans than ugly ducklings. With that in mind, you could imagine the anticipation when it was announced that Suikoden would be making it stateside. Finally, RPG-starved gamers would have an opportunity to experience a good adventure, far and above the drek offered early on for the PS. (Beyond the Beyond anyone?)

From the beginning you'll notice that Suikoden bears quite a hefty resemblance to a popular 'George Lucas Trilogy'. Set in a medieval land where an all-powerful empire controls it's citizens, you assume the role of the nameless son of a respected general. Your father is called away on an important mission, leaving you in charge of his manor and servants. The Emperor asks a favor of you as well, to assess your future role in his kingdom. As the early part of the game soon reveals, all is not as it seems, and eventually you find yourself in a head-to-head struggle with not only the Emperor, but your father as well. Your mission? To rebel against the empire and liberate the countryside from it's evil clutches. You'd be hard pressed to find much of a difference if there were Wookies and Stormtroopers.

Although the game is not on the same level as the Final Fantasy series in terms of detail or "wow-factor", it still has enough of the important things to keep you interested from A to Z. Foremost has to be the range of characters to select from. Over 108 different personalities join your effort to overthrow the enemy. Granted not all of these people's backgrounds are fleshed out very well, and quite a few of them just seem to be palette swaps of other folk, but there is more than enough originality in most of them to keep you happy.

Other interesting twists include the ability to join forces with team members in character specific attacks, combining two powerful magic spells with each other to create an even more devastating incantation, and not only the characters, but their weapons as well can be sharpened and fine tuned to go up in levels as well. There are even gigantic army conflicts with thousands and thousands of participants fighting it out on the battlefield.

Perhaps the best feature of the game is the fortress building system. The more people that join your crusade, the bigger and more elaborate your home base becomes. A truly unique bonus to the conventional stronghold idea.

While most of the puzzles won't burn your brain, there is one particular section that is a twister. In the Great Forest is a set of stairs in the item shop that you are unable to ascend. From the first time you arrive there until the end of the game, you are never allowed to go up them. The biggest mystification in role-playing history has to be trying to figure out what the hell is up those damn stairs!

Musically the acoustic guitars and gentle flutes are some of the best I've heard in a long while. While I noticed some interesting skips and jumps in between certain scene changes, the tunes are still very pleasing. They overshadow the colorful yet pixelated visuals used to illustrate the action. But worry not, they aren't disappointing in the least.

In what can truly be called the PlayStation's first "epic" RPG, Konami's Suikoden has enough for everybody and is a must own for casual fans and hard-core adventure hounds alike.

· · · Makaze