Suikoden adapted the classical Chinese novel's structure to JRPG form, tasking players with recruiting 108 characters to build an army and headquarters against tyranny.
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Gather your stars. Suikoden drew from the Chinese classic Water Margin—108 heroes uniting against corrupt power. Konami’s JRPG translated this into recruitment gameplay; players built a headquarters that grew with each ally, culminating in army-scale strategic battles. The series’ interconnected world and character transfers between entries created a saga spanning generations before Konami’s neglect ended it.