Buyer beware : this is a game for children

[archilock]

The more you progress in the story, the more you realize that the developpers and publisher probably thought they had the Suikoden/nostalgia demographic locked down, and decided to aim for a target audience of 12 year olds in order to increase sales.

Early game can be mistaken as more serious in tone.

But as you progress, you realize that Eiyuden a cartoonish game that doesn't even take war seriously. The worst thing that happens is that some houses get burned down. It's a mock war for children, where the stakes are very low. There is no urgency because everything is safe and mellow. It's completely tone-deaf as well.

Suikoden was fantastic in part because the series took the tragedy and cruelty of war seriously. In Eiyuden, everything becomes increasingly silly.

The vast majority of characters are either children, or comic relief adults. Good luck if you try to assemble a team of adults who look and act like they're participating in a war.

To sum up the character design of this game : there's a character whose title is "the dark knight", with a badass armor and a flaming sword, but it's also an anime girl with pink hair. She's one of the more serious-looking characters.

Most of the minigames require no skill, no thinking, and some are a pure, pointless waste of time.

The worst part is, I don't even think kids will love it.

I was really looking forward to it. I'll replay Exit Fate instead. What a waste.

[Tr0w]

You just just described the genre as a whole

[UltimateTobi]

You didn't, by chance, play with any other language than Japanese? That may explain a lot. Characterization has changed for various characters; wouldn't be surprised if that weighs down on the plot as a whole.

[Jason Eroge]

There was a war??? i am like 40 hours in.......i been spoiled

[Overeagerdragon]

Originally posted by Jason Eroge:

There was a war??? i am like 40 hours in.......i been spoiled

40 hours in and you're not past the point where the Grum province gets invaded? You're taking your time huh? (I know you're not serious but this is more fun)

As for OP; sounds like he just doesn't like the general style of this game in combination with the anime tropes... maybe he should play Mount & Blade instead.

[ace-mos]

the original suikoden game is for children

[Dregora]

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

You didn't, by chance, play with any other language than Japanese? That may explain a lot. Characterization has changed for various characters; wouldn't be surprised if that weighs down on the plot as a whole.

Uhu ofcourse. There are changes in localization for sure but nothing that drastic.

[UltimateTobi]

Originally posted by Dregora:

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

You didn't, by chance, play with any other language than Japanese? That may explain a lot. Characterization has changed for various characters; wouldn't be surprised if that weighs down on the plot as a whole.

Uhu ofcourse. There are changes in localization for sure but nothing that drastic.

Well, it may not change a couple houses burning, but it surely changes the characters' reactions to seeing it, which would go a long way.

[修翼🤍🍺🚨😽]

Originally posted by Overeagerdragon:

As for OP; sounds like he just doesn't like the general style of this game in combination with the anime tropes... maybe he should play Mount & Blade instead.

I kind of agreed though. I am at 30 hrs mark, but I dont see any my friends die at all or some burned down villages. Even with the supposing burned down one, you can always go back and see almost nothing happen...
In Suikoden 1 or 2 at the half point, you already saw your friend sacrificed for you, or Luca Blight killed some villagers with cold blood. You felt the stake is out there.
For some reasons, Eiyuden just tone down a lot. It feels like there is no urgency.

Dont get me wrong, i like Eiyuden alright, i just expected more.

[ace-mos]

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

Originally posted by Dregora:

Uhu ofcourse. There are changes in localization for sure but nothing that drastic.

Well, it may not change a couple houses burning, but it surely changes the characters' reactions to seeing it, which would go a long way.

it does no such thing

none of the changes made are major

[UltimateTobi]

Originally posted by ace-mos:

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

Well, it may not change a couple houses burning, but it surely changes the characters' reactions to seeing it, which would go a long way.

it does no such thing

none of the changes made are major

One example that comes to mind from the top of my head would be Nowa's reaction to returning to his village; while in the Japanese, he sounds enthusiastic, while in the English, he sounds almost annoyed. If that isn't a major change to characterisation into the opposite direction, I don't know what is.

That is one example. Who knows what else has its characterisation changed.

[ZPE]

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

Originally posted by ace-mos:

it does no such thing

none of the changes made are major

One example that comes to mind from the top of my head would be Nowa's reaction to returning to his village; while in the Japanese, he sounds enthusiastic, while in the English, he sounds almost annoyed. If that isn't a major change to characterisation into the opposite direction, I don't know what is.

That is one example. Who knows what else has its characterisation changed.

If you played to that point, you'll know plenty of character personas have been completely changed in their mannerism with jokes that don't even land. I don't get why they went with this as it does the Japanese version a great disservice.

[ace-mos]

Originally posted by Wisp:

Originally posted by ace-mos:

the original suikoden game is for children

Across the original Suikoden series I did many things. I'll not name which game any of these happened in to keep things vague, but people who haven't played the series might want to skim past these.

I threw the body of a dying woman covered in wounds into a sewer, to honor her final wishes.
I mortally wounded my father and listened to his dying words.
I listened to the dying words of my surrogate father as his flesh was devoured to the bone.
I had the option to behead all my enemies.
I killed my best friend as an act of utmost mercy.
I watched a man butcher a bunch of children to instigate a war.
I watched a man surround a village, set fire to it and butcher the men and women on screen, humiliating them to their dying breath.
I watched a child be traumatized into silence, as she was one second from being beheaded.
I watched as a city was used in horrific blood ritual sacrifice.
I watched as helpless refugees of war fled to salvation, only to have the gate slam shut in their faces, abandoned to be run down by murderers.
I watched as a city was sieged to the point of weaponized starvation, a populace lunging at each others throats for scraps.
I watched as a good, honorable man got his head cut off and mounted on a wall for striving for a peaceful solution.
I watched as a boy was fed the remains of his pet to save his life.
I watched as a child was used as a human shield to deter arrows from raining down on me.
I watched as man and woman gunned each other down in the streets.
I watched as a woman was ritually sacrificed to the cheers of the masses.
I saw people throw away their lives and march to their deaths in a hopeless cause.
I watched as my sibling was shot to death and held her in my arms as she spoke her dying words.
I watched a good, honest politician be stabbed to death in their office in an act of ultimate betrayal.
I watched as people who trusted me were permanently (unless I reset) killed off if I made the wrong call.

Please don't denigrate the mature themes of the original series to make other games look better. The story of the Suikoden series is so beloved because it does not shy away from the horrors of war and respected the intelligence of the player. There are stories that are 'for children' and there are stories that are for 'all audiences', the difference between Boss Baby and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

ive played the suikoden games im well aware of what happens in them

the game was still rated E

and this game does not deny the horrors of war either so guess there is no problem then you just like to complain

[ace-mos]

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

Originally posted by ace-mos:

it does no such thing

none of the changes made are major

One example that comes to mind from the top of my head would be Nowa's reaction to returning to his village; while in the Japanese, he sounds enthusiastic, while in the English, he sounds almost annoyed. If that isn't a major change to characterisation into the opposite direction, I don't know what is.

That is one example. Who knows what else has its characterisation changed.

guess you have not actually played the game he was not annoyed at all about returning home

[UltimateTobi]

Originally posted by ZPE:

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

One example that comes to mind from the top of my head would be Nowa's reaction to returning to his village; while in the Japanese, he sounds enthusiastic, while in the English, he sounds almost annoyed. If that isn't a major change to characterisation into the opposite direction, I don't know what is.

That is one example. Who knows what else has its characterisation changed.

If you played to that point, you'll know plenty of character personas have been completely changed in their mannerism with jokes that don't even land. I don't get why they went with this as it does the Japanese version a great disservice.

Yeah, I know. But that was a specific example I could give the guy I quoted that shone a light on a change of characterisation not only in text, but also in tone (literally).

Originally posted by ace-mos:

Originally posted by UltimateTobi:

One example that comes to mind from the top of my head would be Nowa's reaction to returning to his village; while in the Japanese, he sounds enthusiastic, while in the English, he sounds almost annoyed. If that isn't a major change to characterisation into the opposite direction, I don't know what is.

That is one example. Who knows what else has its characterisation changed.

guess you have not actually played the game he was not annoyed at all about returning home

When he talked to Martha? There is a direct comparison, between Japanese English, available. And yes, it boils down to enthusiastic VS annoyed in that scene.

[StackzGaming]

Originally posted by ace-mos:

the original suikoden game is for children

It's mind-boggling how people just seem to ignore or overlook this answer when it's clearly the 100% correct one - and why this outburst is pointless.

It's inspired by a game you played as a kid. What'd you think was going to happen?

It's also boggling that Mario can release stuff with childish dialogue and it gets a free pass, but this one has a few over-the-top characters and people turn into "Cody Crybabies".

And saying that Suikoden was "serious"? The first one, sure. Don't you dare say the second. Or did you forget Nanami with her "Golden bird holy flower dragon tooth glory punch!"?