RPG's are very hard to create and make successful. You have a story, characters, and plot twists that will keep audiences either glued to the screen, or shut you off completely. This is one genre that finds most of its titles in the love it or hate it frame of mind. For Konami, they found a formula in 1996 that fit the bill of love it. The franchise Suikoden was born, and with it came an underground success. It was not until Suikoden II where the franchise found a broader audience and stronger critical acclaim. The transition to the next generation system went rather well with their release of Suikoden III, which earned the best role-playing game award from many reputable websites and magazines. With all great success comes a down ward spiral, and with only a short time between sequels, you have to wonder if the developers through this one together to cash in on the success from fans of the last version. While Suikoden IV brings back the formula that kept this series fresh and innovative for the past decade, gamers are expecting more and unique ideas that Suikoden IV fails to bring to the table.

Suikoden IV's story line is centered on one character this time around as are all the characters you meet throughout the game. No branching storylines, just a basic point A to B pacing story while not too original, is still compelling nonetheless. You are a young knight trainee on the island of Razril. Your quest leads you finding a Rune that slowly steals the life of its bearer. Each character you meet has a Rune imbedded in their hands. You are to take these characters and runes and build an army strong enough to overthrow the one who carries the Rune of Punishment.

Visually Suikoden IV is above average, with a few exceptions of greatness here and there. Character design is crucial to this series, as each game tends to deliver over 100 critical characters that you not only meet, but also acquire. Suikoden IV is no different. You can expect plenty of cool and unusual characters that will enhance your experience 10 fold. Gamers will also love the rich and detailed backdrops that draw gamers into these fantasy locals complete with spectacular water effects. To round off Suikoden IV's visual attributes, the magic spells and effects are nicely done and distinctive in design. Overall a good-looking RPG, but do not expect anything totally breathtaking.

Audio is superb giving gamers a reason to keep the volume up. Starting with the musical score that is brilliantly orchestrated, and varies quite often throughout the game. What shines brightly in the sounds department is the well-done voice acting. It is a rare occasion when an RPG supplies strong acting throughout the game's cut scenes and storyline, and Suikoden IV performs in this aspect with near flawed results. May I also mention that this is a first for the series to provide complete voice work, and this is something I hope continues in the future. Other notable mentions are the sound effects that compliment the great music and voice work nicely.

The point where Suikoden IV misses the mark ever so slightly is the game play itself. Let me just start with the only original idea brought forth to the series, the Naval Battle sequences. Taking homage to old style RPG's where the controls were specific and simple, these ocean sequences offer up a bit of variety that helps keep the game a float. While these arrangements are not totally new or innovative, the fact that they break up the monotony is a breath of fresh air. This is mostly because beyond this new addition, Suikoden IV resorts back to the old school RPG style game play, while serves a purpose, has been played out far too often. What was a surprise to see was the creators resorting back to Suikoden II and allowing players to take on adventures and battles in solo potions without the burden of choosing who is best to pair up with whom. Additionally, the game offers a few nice mini games that will put a smile on the face of veterans to the series.

Granted, if you are a fan of this series, there will be no reason why you should not invest in this new adventure. It gives the fans exactly what they expect from the series. That also is the game's only real down fall, as it doesn't stray far from its "what works" ideas and can only result in the series becoming stale if more innovation and freshness aren't introduced into the next installment. Suikoden IV tries to return to its roots, but honestly I enjoyed the direction it was going with part III, as it kept some old ideas, but brought everything up to date with what today's gamers are use to. In the end, Suikoden IV will provide plenty of hours of entertainment for RPG fans, as long as do not expect anything too new or groundbreaking. The story is appealing, the battle system old school, and the presentation is on par with many of today's RPG titles. Not a masterpiece by any means, but a game that will not put a black mark on their collection.