[DS] Suikoden Tierkreis announced

Suikoden Tierkreis has been announced in this week's issue of Famitsu. So far, all that's know is that it is for Nintendo DS. More information and scans should be coming later tonight or tomorrow.

I was waiting until actual scans popped up. For now, all there is is hearsay at GAF. Supposedly, this came from 2ch:

Quote:

Characters are 3D polygons
Field backgrounds are 2D
Battles are entirely 3D
Character portraits (bust up) in conversation scenes
There is a field map
Parties of 4 "＋α" with faces and stats on the top screen
Looks like an orthodox RPG

EDIT: Found the scan. Uploading now.

Artwork looks like shit, but the potential true rune looks interesting. Also looks like the game may take place in the Dukedom of Gaien, since the insignia on his shoulder looks vaguely like the boat on Gaien's flag (and because it's really the only established oceanic location in the series left untouched).

I'm honestly stumped if it's not Gaien. I'm not sure what nation's army has red as a primary color.

EDIT2: Oh shit, there's another two pages.

...They can do this well...THEY CAN!

Bah, who am I kidding. My hopes are slim, but nevertheless I'm very excited and pumped! <3 I'll do with any new Suikoden game at the moment (Rhapsodia II eh maybe not), just to show that the series is still viable and capable of pumping out games like SV. However that whole "Parties of 4" thing brings back memories of SIV. Not a good first impression; 6-member parties is Suikoden and vice versa. God I hope Konami don't screw this up.

Also, omg, I hope the silly name isn't indicative of the game's quality. </3 [Tierkreis = Zodiac in German]

(RE that scan posted: artwork looks questionable. The 108 stars are mentioned, I hope this isn't a game in the main series, I hope it's just a gaiden...)

The interesting thing is that, yes, they are mentioned right there in big letters, but it's saying that the 108 stars are destroyed. Take that as you will, but it sounds like a major plot device and an excuse not to be collecting 108 characters in the game.

Definitely a spin-off; it just happens to be a very large one that sticks to the RPG genre.

Also, I put up the second scan. Way more screens, locales, characters, etc.

Originally Posted by GB

it's saying that the 108 stars are destroyed.

Spoiler:

The locales actually look quite nice. I don't see any familiar faces yet in the characters (yet I do see an agitated mole thing wearing a headband >_>); I'd like an elaboration on the Yuber-Pesmerga subplot or something to keep me interested. =/

Konami needs to realise that if they produce a game that focuses on Neclord, they would be gazillionares.

There are clearer scans out now, which I don't feel like putting up.

So it's not a boat on his shoulder guard, but a spear-looking symbol. Hm, maybe it's not Gaien. Still trying to find a location in the scans, but I do need to be at work in five hours (and I haven't slept yet).

As far as the 108 stars being destroyed goes, the clear scans show there's pictures to back it up! A true rune going nuts, wounded soldiers sprawled all over the place, etcetera.

Additional Posting of Acceptable Quality:
Maybe there will be 108 star-collecting?

Quote:

Apparently the game begins with the 108 heroes engaged in their final battle with the villain, and all the heroes being taken down except for four. This game's hero is not one of them, and his quest involves reassembling the 108, as opposed to discovering them.

I think the person means the hero is one of the four who escapes from the battle. I haven't tried to read the article yet, so this isn't 100% confirmed or anything. Take with a tiny bit of skepticism, even though some of the screens back this up.

What, oh thank you so much guys for posting those wonderful news here. I thought we'd never get another Suikoden, and thankfully I was wrong. So, this is called Suikoden Tierkries right, and its due for Nintendo DS? Amazing news and for me, one of the best gaming news since Chrono Trigger was announced for the DS also.

Thanks for the update guys. I'll go take a look at those scans now

I think where he said "The game's hero is not one of them" he probably meant that the hero was not one of the four survivors. I mean, it's a pretty black and white sentence.

This looks kinda interesting but one can't help but fear that moving it to DS will result in something of a dumbing down of the standard games. Also, the chances of this coming anywhere near Europe are miniscule so it's lucky that the DS is region free if this turns out to be decent. I don't know if a Neclord game would quite make them gazillionaires but that and a Viktor and Flik based game would probably do it.

Originally Posted by Shin

I don't know if a Neclord game would quite make them gazillionaires but that and a Viktor and Flik based game would probably do it.

True. Throw Yuber and Pesmerga in there and you've got your next FFXIII in terms of hype. Hell, make Jeane a playable character in an optional beach-volleyball minigame and Konami dominate the gaming market for the next 10 years.

To hopefully cause more accurate speculation for you fuckers.

Quote:

Suikoden Tierkreis has been confirmed for the Nintendo DS by Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.
Here is the information supposedly contained therein.

- 50% complete
- Characters are 3d
- Backgrounds 2d
- Traditional rpg it looks like
- You tap the touch screen, making battles move at a fast pace
- The main headline of the article is "The Chosen 108 heroes have been destroyed?!" so maybe this game will be different from other Suikoden games in that regard?

Quote:
Much more detailed information regarding Genso Suikoden Tierkreis is now available for you to read. Spoilers abound, naturally enough, so only click Read More if you're not adverse to them. Be warned, character, gameplay, plot and setting spoilers are enshrined in here.

Spoiler:

Characters

The main character has no name, but apparently will be voiced by Takashi Hiroshi. It is unknown if this will just be in 'grunts' a la Lazlo and Freyjadour in Suikoden IV and V or like Kyril in Suikoden Tactics.

The character Jail (ジェイル) will be voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu. The female character Marika (マリカ) will be voiced by Sakamoto Maya. Ryu (リウ) will be voiced by Tetsuya Kakihara and finally, Dirk (ディルク) will be voiced by Konishi Katsuyuki who is also voicing Viktor in the Suikoden radio drama detailed on this site.

A porpoise race (I mean a species, not an athletic competition) has been confirmed for the game. All together now; grrrroan!

Actual character information; The hero is a youth from an idyllic village, Sidro. Jail is a quite, but sometimes brash young man who cares about the hero and others within the town guard. The character Dirk is the leader of the Sidro town guard, he teaches the others to fight and is very strong, etc. Marika is a friend of the hero from childhood and daughter of the village chief as well as a member of the town guard, while Ryu is a vagabound who arrived in the village some time ago. He doesn't like to fight very often.

Other characters shown include Yula (ユラ), a brown haired girl who appears in battle screenshots and Misrach (ミズラック), a tanned man with a small beard in the same battle shots.

Gameplay

The gameplay takes advantage of the Nintendo DS's touch screen. The top screen shows character status information. HP, MP, status effects and the like. Meanwhile, you can use the DS stylus to enter commands in battle on the touch screen.

Other observations include: The battle system is four person battle system, like Suikoden IV. As such, it is a traditional RPG, not a strategy RPG like Suikoden Tactics. Unite/Combo attacks are confirmed to be in.

Looking at the status screen it appears traditional Suikoden MP is OUT, to be replaced with standard MP numbers comparable to HP. Like in Final Fantasy VII, for example (and 90% of every RPG ever).

Setting

The game is set in the Kingdom of Salsaville. However, the hero's home village appears to be called Sidro Village (シトロ村). Other locations include; the town of Saad, Freseria Forest, the Marcina Plains, Septaflos (the home of the porpoise-based race) and El Kalaal, the palace of a nation (not Salsaville) ruled by Danash VIII.

Plot

Supposedly the game OPENS with the defeat of the 108 Stars of Destiny at the hands of the game's villain with only four survivors (not including the hero). The quest involves reassembling the 108 Stars of Destiny.

Originally Posted by Shin

Also, the chances of this coming anywhere near Europe are miniscule so it's lucky that the DS is region free if this turns out to be decent.

I would like to think that these days we'd get a bit more recognition over here in Europe, but sadly you're quite probably correct.

I don't think the move to the DS should really cause any level of dumbing down, but I can understand the fear. This certainly looks like one to keep an eye on.

Well they've already gone back to the villany of SIV's four character parties and moving to magic points rather than a set number of casts is a shame. Also my heart sank when I read "The gameplay takes advantage of the Nintendo DS's touch screen" but luckily it seems they only meant you can tap on commands rather than scrolling up and down with the buttons, rather than some kind of gay as anything scribbling on the screen to attack nonsense. Adding talking dolphins is, well, interesting. Surely Salsaville would be the name of a town rather than a whole country? Maybe that grasp of languages is why Konami never give their games European releases...

Man I was wondering when they would have got around to a new Suikoden game(since it took them long enough to reveal info). It feels like a spin-off type series though, but regardless, I'm gonna keep my eye open for it.

@Rotor: That does clear up quite a few questions I had on my mind there.

Official website is up. Nothing there, but you can take a look at the artwork for the protagonist and Marika as well as their respective bios (and voice credits).

Originally Posted by RPGFan

The main character is a member of a vigilante corps protecting a bordertown from thieves and monsters. The young man is an optimist who acts before he has thought through his actions. The female lead, Marika is the daughter of the town's mayor. She is a childhood friend of the protagonist and has joined the vigilante corps against her father's will.

*sigh* Sounds pretty damn cliché to me. Then again I could just be speaking as a jaded RPG gamer right there, I don't know. (It's just that whenever I hear something like "an optimist who acts before he has thought through his actions", alarm bells start ringing.

I guess you can't really judge a games' story based on the protagonist outline. Here's hoping the plot shapes up to be a good one.

Four character combat again? Oh boy -__-

Originally Posted by Muzza

*sigh* Sounds pretty damn cliché to me. Then again I could just be speaking as a jaded RPG gamer right there, I don't know. (It's just that whenever I hear something like "an optimist who acts before he has thought through his actions", alarm bells start ringing.

I guess you can't really judge a games' story based on the protagonist outline. Here's hoping the plot shapes up to be a good one.

Actually, much of the individual backgrounds in Suikoden are very cliche.

Right off the bat, people should be able to recall that the protagonist of Suikoden II was an orphan. For a lot of people here, that didn't really affect the game's quality (or even have any sort of impact on the greater storyline).

Very true GB, it's all about the story-telling. Even if a story is cliche, it can be lifted so much with gripping and involving story-telling. I have high hopes for this, and seeing as I also live in Europe, it will have to be an import, if you guys over in the states get it that is. I have always loved Suikoden, and I believe this game also has great potential!