UPDATES! UPDATES! READ THE NEWS!

New info courtesy of Azrael1744! I was looking for any interesting info (reviews, etc.) I could find on the Internet pertient to Suikoden 2 and stumbled upon some information from Nick "Rox" Des Barres. Some of this could be considered minor spoilers (no major story information, however), so proceed at your own risk, but thought it was rather neat nontheless. Well, here it is...

-There seems to be more non-human characters this time. Among the playable characters are several kobolds, 5 flying squirrels, a kraken, a robot (one of those robots from Lepant's mansion that Juppo built in the original Suikoden apparently), a wolf, "a rastafarian werewolf" (???), a vampiress, and a few others.

- In addition to Flik and Viktor, other returning characters are Valeria, Kasumi, Vincent De Boule, Pesmerga, Clive, Stallion, Luc, Hix, and Tengaar.

- Keep those Suikoden save files. If you have a Suikoden save file with all 108 Stars of Destiny, Gremio makes a cameo appearance, and the hero of the 1st game is a playable character (although not as a Star of Destiny, like Sanchez, Ted, and Odessa from the original)

I can't wait 'til June, can you?

I know I can't =).

The Gaming Intelligence Agency lives up to its name, bringing a whole bundle of gameshots that no other site has. Go take a look!

More character artwork available! Sure, you've probably seen it by now at RPGamer, but Konami's artwork kicks so much @$$ you might as well look at it again =).

Information is finally available on Konami's sequel to its hit RPG for the Playstation, Genso Suikoden! After months of waiting on bated breath, fans can finally see screenshots and character information! Yoosha!

Just got this e-mail from a friend of mine in Japan. New information on Suikoden II! Very different! Read now!

• Suikoden II's story takes place three years after the original Suikoden's story, meaning it is a direct sequel, and not the original story seen through the eye's of the Red Moon empire.

• The new Hero (seen on the left) is a boy who lives in Hairando (Highland or Hiland), and his weapon is the tonfa (ancient weapon from Okinawa or Taiwang -- picture a policman's night stick and you've got it).

• There will once again be 108 Stars.

• Viktor, Flik, and Vincent(? unconfirmed) appear and are recruitable. See them in the picture?

• Slated for a winter release in Japan! Hurry up and translate the thing =)!!!

  Thanks Iino!

RPGamer has SCREEN SHOTS of Suikoden II up! The pictures are incredible -- the quality of graphics has greatly improved while still maintaining the feel of the original.

Konami's offical Suikoden II page is up here. Go there for nifty pictures! Too much kanji for me to read much of it, though =(.

• Just got this from Electronic Gaming Monthly, A Demo of Suikoden II Will be shipped with a special edition of Metal Gear Solid in Japan. The quantities are limited, and the game comes with a t-shirt, soundtrack, and some other things, as well as the suikoden 2 demo and another demo. Definately good news: It's on the way!

  Damn, if I had stayed in Japan a little longer I could have picked it up =)

• Characters from Suikoden will appear in the sequel.

• Data from the first game will be available to the second. Like the SSI AD&D games, your old files (characters, stats, items, etc.) can be transferred over to the sequel. Don't save over those Suikoden files!

• The game will be multiplayer.

• Tenative release date in Japan was April 1998, but this seems unlikely now...

• Gameplayer's reports that the sequel's name will be Akatsuki Teikokugawa, which they translate roughly as "Red Moon: The Emperor's Countryside."

• Though I think a more literal translation would be "Red Moon: The Emperor's Side" or "The Imperial Side."

• Club Squaresoft reports that the game will take place during the time of the previous one, but from the perspective of the Empire! Definitely sounds intriguing.

• RPG Homeland has more, including a picture of the Japanese cover!

Special thanks to Iino Kana and the members of the Patio and Jim Elkins for getting me much of the information I have.

Suikoden II Links

• From the maker of Icybrian's Suikoden Page comes Icybrian's Suikoden II Page. Good info, plus the screenshots from RPGamer.

• The Suikoden II Page