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Post by Ex on Feb 22, 2024 10:57:53 GMT -5
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Post by Sarge on Feb 22, 2024 12:30:03 GMT -5
I actually think Suikoden II is also there, you just have to get past that slow intro. Those two together are fantastic.
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Post by toei on Feb 22, 2024 21:23:51 GMT -5
Suikoden 2 is cool but it has some filler, while the first one doesn't. I remember random episodes like fighting a vampire in his castle, crossdressing to get into a town or something, basically just middle-of-the-road RPG stuff, while Suikoden 1 was so lean and mean. I also think the whole "108 party members" thing impressed me more the first time around. I'd probably like it more if I replayed it, my expectations may have been too high since everyone swore by it at the time and rarely mentioned the first.
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Post by Ex on Feb 22, 2024 21:44:04 GMT -5
That's how I remember the original Suikoden. 20 hours of pure JRPG fun that had zero interest in wasting its player's time. I played a couple hours of Suikoden II, but I fell off it bored. I guess I was expecting the same breakneck pacing of its predecessor, but that was not the case. I plan to give S2 another chance someday via the upcoming remaster.
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Post by Xeogred on Feb 22, 2024 22:17:26 GMT -5
The Dracula stuff is in Suikoden 1 as well I'm pretty sure. EDIT: Neclord.
I'll say it again, 2's story/characters are next level and some of the best in the business. But yeah it's got some pacing issues. 1 is no fluff and feels like an SNES JRPG in a cool way. But can you even name the main antagonist of Suikoden 1? I'd be surprised. Meanwhile Luca Blight is top 3 in the history of the genre. One never forgets Luca Blight.
I really just see them as one huge game. 10/10 package. Flik and Viktor rule.
I'm going to read the rest of the article when I'm not so tired. Looks like a nice tribute to a legend.
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Post by toei on Feb 22, 2024 22:24:45 GMT -5
I have to be honest, all I remember about Luca Blight is his name and that one battle where you fight him with three different parties as he tries to get away (that was him, right?). Cool concept. But you're right, I don't remember who it was in the first game, or really many of the RPGs I've played. It's usually more about the journey, with the antagonist serving as an excuse to get on it. I remember Zio and Dark Force very well because I've played Phantasy Star IV a ton of times and I was deep into the series, but apart from that, there's only a few. I kind of remember the Sinistrals in Lufia 2 because I liked that they sort of had a justification for what they were doing, at least from their viewpoint. That was still rare at the time and any kind of nuance in the villains was appreciated.
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Post by Ex on Feb 22, 2024 22:29:32 GMT -5
I'll never forget Kefka.
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Post by Sarge on Feb 22, 2024 22:36:04 GMT -5
I can, it's *whatever name* McDohl. You can even recruit him in the sequel, which is incredible.
Kefka one of the few villains that actually succeeded in what he wanted to do. Lots of manic Joker energy. That would actually make for a pretty solid base for his portrayal in a FFVII Remake-style game.
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Post by Xeogred on Feb 22, 2024 22:36:35 GMT -5
Yeah, him not even being the final boss is something I like a lot and don't mind. But he's kind of the iconic big bad of the second game. Kind of how like how stacked the Xenogears roster is too and you don't even fight the main antagonist in that one, whom I can name but won't. A lot more going on in these bigger stories than just "good vs evil". For the psychotic types Luca ranks pretty highly for me. Up there with Albedo from Xenosaga, whom is like a way better Kefka in my book. The Joker is awesome to me and I like Kefka alright, but the evil clown archetype... I don't want anymore beyond those two. Not a very "cool" mesh to me.
It wouldn't surprise me if Zio inspired Luca Blight a bit haha, even in usage. Going through PS4 was like dang, this guy and this moment in the game is so much like Suikoden 2 in ways.
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Post by toei on Feb 22, 2024 22:40:54 GMT -5
Yeah, I remember Luca Blight have a Zio-like black armor and everything. I loved Xenogears but I'm drawing a complete blank on the antagonists.
Final Fantasy popularized that trick where you have an antagonist for like 80% of the game and then the real villain is revealed, and it's been influential on the genre. But the result of that is you usually forget the "real villain" completely. One time, it was a tree. Then again, maybe it wasn't FF, now that I think about it. Even with the first Phantasy Star, it was Lassic and then Dark Force was revealed. DQ does that. I guess it's just a big Japanese RPG trope.
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