Suikoden II

PlayStation
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Sep 29, 1999
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 321 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 20 out of 321
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  1. Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Best story and theme in a RPG period, very underrated and very undersold........
  2. JiR
    Jun 4, 2023
    10
    Maybe one of my most favorite games the games is full of mini games Some good Ass stories good pixel animation and cool gameplay . Suikoden 2 is a materpiece
  3. May 30, 2023
    0
    This game is hands down the BEST JRPG ever, I like this even more then FF7 and the score of this should top high.
  4. Dec 7, 2022
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. It has a story rivaling the great RPGs such as Final Fantasy and Xeno Blade, if not better. The gameplay is simple but never gets old with new monsters every area. Mini games are better than every Mario Party ever. The cooking one is my favorite as it adds to the story. The game has a lot of characters and that's usually a bad thing as you are alienating someThis game is a masterpiece. It has a story rivaling the great RPGs such as Final Fantasy and Xeno Blade, if not better. The gameplay is simple but never gets old with new monsters every area. Mini games are better than every Mario Party ever. The cooking one is my favorite as it adds to the story. The game has a lot of characters and that's usually a bad thing as you are alienating some characters. Not here. The characters not being used still play into the story and gain EXP through other means. This may be the best game ever made. There are almost no flaws, and anyone could play it and have a good time. The game is so expensive nowadays ranging from 150-2000 dollars depending on the condition it's in. Expand
  5. Nov 29, 2022
    10
    This is the best RPG that I've played, it has everything, a great music, a superb story, and awesome graphics.
    It has everything that you could want in a RPG game.
  6. Oct 22, 2022
    7
    It's alright, though the villain's kinda an overrated cartoon edgelord. It is interesting though, there was this clown man named Kamek85 on gamefaqs forums for Diablo 3 using that game as an example for saying something stupid like "Yeah, I think video games have a good 50 years to go before they start to become riveting stories. It's funny how far visual novels have come in the pastIt's alright, though the villain's kinda an overrated cartoon edgelord. It is interesting though, there was this clown man named Kamek85 on gamefaqs forums for Diablo 3 using that game as an example for saying something stupid like "Yeah, I think video games have a good 50 years to go before they start to become riveting stories. It's funny how far visual novels have come in the past twenty years but story seems to be stuck in the 16 bit era." Of course, all of this he said is objectively incorrect garbage, games like Planescape Torment, Baldur's gate 2, Amnesia, Soma, Jade Empire, To The Moon, Finding Paradise, Mgs3 Snake Eater, Wandering, Chicory a Colorful Tale, Disco Elysium, Opus Echo of Starting, Rakuen, Edith Fitch, Night in The Woods, Kentucky Route Zero, Norco, Papers Please, Obra Dinn, Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Hades, Citizen Sleeper, Beacon Pines, Sephonie, Epiphany City, Stanley Parable, System Shock 2, Thief the dark project, Thief 2, Firework, Far Away, The Rewinder, 1428 Shadows over Silesia, The Plague Doctor of Wippra, Manafinder, Blood Nova, Roadwarden, Lacuna, The Case of the Golden idol, Deadeye Deepfake Simulacrum, The Last Hero of Nostalgia, Persona 4, Persona 5, Smile For Me, Agent A a Puzzle In Disguise, Shadow tactics, Cruelty Squad, Legend of Hand, Football game, The excavation of Job's Barrow, the Monkey Island games, The Witcher games, The first seasons of The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, and countless other story driven games that released the past few years or decade or longer that all prove that video games already do often have better than riveting stories. Video games will always be video games, there will always be gameplay, but there are people who triumph at both gameplay and story. Suikoden 2 itself has plenty of strength in it's own plot, but it was never the best game ever, and that's fine. Expand
  7. Oct 18, 2022
    10
    Best RPG ever! Have everthing you need. Only criticism, the difficulty level could be a little higher. Waiting for the HD Remaster
  8. Aug 14, 2022
    10
    There's still no JRPG to surpass this game in my book.
    Excellent story with war, political issue, ideology, and betrayal
    Every character has its own unique background story The soundtrack is one of the best by Miki Higashino and I've never found anything similar to that anymore. It use traditional instrument that hit you in the feeling and it's so relaxed, making the game cities feel
    There's still no JRPG to surpass this game in my book.
    Excellent story with war, political issue, ideology, and betrayal
    Every character has its own unique background story
    The soundtrack is one of the best by Miki Higashino and I've never found anything similar to that anymore. It use traditional instrument that hit you in the feeling and it's so relaxed, making the game cities feel more alive, scene is more emotional and hyping up the combat even though there's no VA in this game
    The combat is direct upgrade from the first one with faster pace since more than one character move at same time, its ahead of its time.
    Side content is fun and interesting, giving various thing to do and giving you more lore to explore.
    If you're JRPG fans, you'll be missing a lot if you skip this MASTERPIECE
    Expand
  9. Jun 11, 2022
    10
    One of the best games i have ever played. It's crazy to me how despite the limited hardware, this game is able to portray such an amazing world and story, while causing you to feel so much. Wonderful
  10. Apr 24, 2022
    10
    One of the best games that I've played!
    As a kid back then, it always amazes me how I played it multiple times trying to understand complex stories and discover new things in every run.
    This hidden gem really need new sequel!
  11. Mar 13, 2022
    10
    Probably the best PS JRPG game. The twist, quest, mini quests, The 108 stars of destiny, make Suikoden II as a legend of JRPG
  12. Jan 18, 2022
    5
    So after years ignoring the Suikoden series, I finally decided to give in and try out what people consider to be the best in the series. And to some, even one of the best JRPGs ever made. Many Top JRPGs lists out there have Suikoden 2 in really high positions, so I thought to myself I was in for a great time. Sadly, and to my surprise, that was not the case at all.
    Suikoden 2 fails to
    So after years ignoring the Suikoden series, I finally decided to give in and try out what people consider to be the best in the series. And to some, even one of the best JRPGs ever made. Many Top JRPGs lists out there have Suikoden 2 in really high positions, so I thought to myself I was in for a great time. Sadly, and to my surprise, that was not the case at all.
    Suikoden 2 fails to deliver a engaging and original story. What it has is a very average story about two friends eventually fighting against each other in a war for peace. I seen it before, you seen it before, it has been done many times, and in Suikoden 2 it is not done very different.
    But that is not the main problem. I could have enjoyed the story if the game had focused more in the protagonist relationship with his friend, instead of repeatedly sending you all over the map to meet uninteresting characters that have no personality at all. Suikoden 2 tries to introduce too many characters and ends up not developing the ones that actually matters.
    The dialogue, while not terrible, suffered from very rough translation to english, so many times during the game you read typos or straight up nonsense sentences, and at times dialogues are short and uneventful, like you are watching robots communicating. The main group of characters that join you all feel distant from one another and they never change, as if they are not comrades fighting together in a war.
    Now do I even dare to talk about everything else in this game?
    Graphics are nothing special, just the usual 2D sprite visuals, which are done well but thats about it. For the time it came out, jrpgs with 3D models like FF7 and Legend of Legaia already existed, so Suikoden 2 was already outdated compared to its competitors.
    The OST is just fine. I bet even the most hardcore fans of this game will not defend the bland music in this game.
    Gameplay is another point where Suikoden 2 just feels outdated. Combat system does nothing that hasnt been done before, cities and dungeons are just boring and not rewarding to explore at all, you spend a long time running from one place to another until you get fast travel way later in the story, random battles are constant and the combat system being so barebones really makes fights a real chore to do. One thing Suikoden 2 does that I can say is unique are the duel battles and the strategy battles, which actually fit well with the war plotline.
    I could go on and on but the review has a limit of letters and I think I don't need to expand further.
    Suikoden 2 is a low budget and extremely overrated JRPG that might be good as an entry level title of the genre, but when compared to other jrpgs it is just not worth the time to play.
    Expand
  13. Oct 26, 2021
    9
    Um clássico, belíssimo e maravilhoso clássico.
    O jogo possui um ótimo enredo, uma bela trilha sonora, e gráficos pixelados lindíssimos.
    O único ponto negativo que vou ressaltar é o fato de que as vezes o jogo te "deixa na mão", sem você saber para onde deveria ir, seja por falta de qualquer indicação ou por questões de diálogos que não te ajudam com essa questão.
  14. Jun 18, 2021
    10
    this game is a MASTERPIECE its one of the best games that i ever played dont let meta score fool you you have to play it so you will understand this MASTERPIECE
  15. Jun 29, 2021
    10
    The story is amazing, the charcters are rich, the gameplay is really fun for an rpg and the soundtracks are just excellent... this and suikoden V are why I love this series so much
  16. May 26, 2021
    10
    O melhor jogo da minha vida. acho que ja terminei umas 30 vezes e nunca paro de jogar de novo
  17. Dec 8, 2020
    10
    There are a hundred games that should be better than Suikoden 2. I can think of a dozen of RPGs that SHOULD be better than Suikoden 2.

    But that's just not the case. This game is timeless as my most recent playthrough in 2020 attests that my opinion has not changed of this game.

    I believe it is not only the greatest RPG created, it just might be the greatest game of all time.
  18. Aug 25, 2020
    10
    Hands down one of the most well-told story-driven jrpgs of all time. From start to finish you're hit with cascading layers of new game elements, characters, and plot developments. I've played it several times of over and still find something new to enjoy each playthrough. One of the best comparisons I've heard, that I completely agree with is that its Game of Thrones meets Final Fantasy.Hands down one of the most well-told story-driven jrpgs of all time. From start to finish you're hit with cascading layers of new game elements, characters, and plot developments. I've played it several times of over and still find something new to enjoy each playthrough. One of the best comparisons I've heard, that I completely agree with is that its Game of Thrones meets Final Fantasy. Trust me you will not be disappointed by this masterpiece. Expand
  19. Aug 4, 2020
    10
    This is the ultimate RPG for me. A quirky enjoyable cast of characters, a deep involved storyline of political intrigue, friendship and betrayal, the best base building ever, probably the best soundtrack ever in an rpg also. It's the best 40 hours I've ever spent gaming. That's why I make sure I beat it once every year.
  20. Jun 26, 2020
    0
    Nicht so großartig. Die Geschichte ist nicht ohne Löcher, aber die Anzahl der großartigen Charaktere, die tatsächlich entworfen wurden (mit Design meine ich die Motivationen und Hintergründe der Charaktere), ist viel besser als die meisten Charaktere, die man in modernen Videospielen finden kann ", dieses ganze Schloss mit großartigen Charakteren ist überwältigend.
  21. Jun 23, 2020
    10
    One of the most masterfully executed games of all time. One of the most well-written, maniacal villains ever but also a story that extends well beyond a simple heroes vs villain narrative. A sweeping political story full of intrigue and fascinating characters. The score is brilliant and the features, like castle development and recruitment of 108 heroes, are thrilling. The central themesOne of the most masterfully executed games of all time. One of the most well-written, maniacal villains ever but also a story that extends well beyond a simple heroes vs villain narrative. A sweeping political story full of intrigue and fascinating characters. The score is brilliant and the features, like castle development and recruitment of 108 heroes, are thrilling. The central themes run deep and this’ a sequel that builds upon and enhances the first (and the universe as a whole) in stride. Expand
  22. Jun 22, 2020
    10
    This is the best RPG game that I have ever played. Loved everything about this game, the characters, the story, the game play, everything!!!!
  23. Jun 22, 2020
    10
    all the feels,
    simply
    masterpiece,
    ..................
    may God bless us all~
  24. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Still one of the greatest JRPG's off all time. Greatest story with amazing characters. I've beaten this game countless times dating back to 1998 and i still play it at least once year. If you want to experience a timely classic with fantastic storytelling and great gameplay, Suikoden 2 is a must play for every JRPG lover
  25. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Greatest game ever. From the moment it begins until the moment it ends, you are captivated by the adventures of Riou, Jowy, and Nanami.
  26. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Best game of all time for me. Played it a lot as a kid and now playing it again I can appreciate the magic and battling systems. The story is what takes the cake though because of all the politics and different takes on the war. It really asks deep questions that are more in line with modern storytelling in games. I recommend playing the first one then the second but you don’t have to. IBest game of all time for me. Played it a lot as a kid and now playing it again I can appreciate the magic and battling systems. The story is what takes the cake though because of all the politics and different takes on the war. It really asks deep questions that are more in line with modern storytelling in games. I recommend playing the first one then the second but you don’t have to. I didn’t as a kid. But seeing the improvements makes me love it more. Also a lot of characters return to finish their arcs. Expand
  27. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Friendship. Politics. Revolution. War. A game ahead of its time. Graphics have aged well, the story remains captivating and the soundtrack is amazing. If you like JRPGs, this is a must and one of the all-time best.
  28. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    This is what i consider to be as close to perfect a video game can be. It is my all time favorite game and if love JRPGs and have not played this you are doing yourself a disservice.
  29. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Best game ever made! Hoping for a remaster! Not onky for Suikoden 2 but for the entire Suikoden Series! Expand
  30. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Best game ever made. Collecting characters, fighting monsters and GoT level politics. Crazy

Awards & Rankings

17
4
#4 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1999
5
#5 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1999
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. netjak
    97
    I would place this one up there with "Xenogears" and "Grandia" as the three must buy RPGs for the system.
  2. 90
    A true sequel in nearly every aspect, Suikoden II manages to achieve the rare feat of actually picking up where the former game left off, taking gamers for a familiar ride that proves to be deeper and much more detailed than the original.
  3. Recreates some of the humor and visceral energy of the Chinese novel that loosely inspired it. But the characters and dramatic movement in this story of war are given enough time, thought, and care to come into a life all their own.