Overview
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.
Fast facts
- Developer: Konami.
- Year: 1995.
- Inspiration: Water Margin (Chinese classic).
- Characters: 108 recruitable.
108 Stars system
| Star type |
Recruitment |
| Plot-mandatory |
Story progression |
| Optional |
Side quests, conditions |
| Hidden |
Obscure requirements |
| Missable |
Timed windows |
Headquarters growth
| Expansion |
Trigger |
| New rooms |
Recruitment thresholds |
| Facilities |
Specific characters |
| Mini-games |
Specialist recruits |
| Visual growth |
Army size |
Combat modes
| Type |
Scale |
| Standard |
Six-person parties |
| Duels |
One-on-one |
| War battles |
Army strategy |
| Unite attacks |
Character combos |
True Runes
| Concept |
Function |
| 27 True Runes |
World’s power |
| Immortality |
Bearer’s burden |
| Series connection |
Cross-game links |
| Magic system |
Rune-based |
Series entries
| Title |
Year |
Platform |
| Suikoden |
1995 |
PS1 |
| Suikoden II |
1998 |
PS1 |
| Suikoden III |
2002 |
PS2 |
| Suikoden IV |
2004 |
PS2 |
| Suikoden V |
2006 |
PS2 |
Legacy
| Revival |
Status |
| Eiyuden Chronicle |
Spiritual successor |
| Fan campaigns |
Ongoing |
| HD remasters |
2023 |
See also