Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars review

If you’ve wanted to play Suikoden 1 & 2 at any time in the last few decades in the west, you’ve had to pick up the Sony PlayStation versions, originally released in the 1990s. And let me tell you, dear reader, they cost a small fortune on the second hand market. It’s absolutely fantastic, then, that Konami has deemed it worthwhile to remaster the two classic RPGs for modern consoles and PC. Featuring enhanced visuals, new quality of life features, and more, whether you’re a fan of the series or a newcomer wondering what all the fuss is about, Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is utterly essential.

Suikoden 1 & 2 are both fairly traditional JRPGs in that they feature dungeons to explore, towns to visit, a world map to roam, and of course, many random battles. They have a number of features that make them stand out from the crowd, however.

For one, while they do have fantastical elements, they’re mostly grounded and have stories centred around politics, friendship, love and loss. In the original Suikoden, for example, you’re the son of a famous general, but find yourself going up against the empire he serves as the leader of the liberation army. Without spoiling anything, Suikoden II has a similar setup, with its protagonist also eventually finding himself at the head of the liberation army, fighting against a loved one.

Perhaps the biggest standout feature of both Suikoden 1 & 2, though, and the series in general, is that there are 108 Stars of Destiny to recruit in each title. Many of these join automatically as you play through each game, but some you have to seek out and complete certain conditions before you can convince them to join your cause. And you’ll want to recruit these Stars, too. Some will become available as characters you can place in your party, travelling around with you and taking part in battle. Others will provide new services and minigames back at your headquarters, which grows with the number of Stars you have recruited. And when it comes to large-scale wars, the more stars you’ve recruited, the more troops and options you’ll have at your disposal in battle.

Being the oldest title here, the original Suikoden is the most basic. It still offers a gripping adventure, but one that can be finished in around 10 hours (unless players are attempting to recruit all 108 Stars of Destiny). Jumping into this title will familiarise players with a quirky combat system that is enhanced and expanded upon in Suikoden 2, with players able to command up to six party members in battle and make use of spells via runes equipped to them. Special Unite abilities are also available, where multiple characters team up to perform an attack with added effects.

Enhancements to Suikoden in this HD Remaster include an auto-battle option, as well as the ability to increase the battle speed. Outside of combat, you can now move diagonally which you couldn’t do in the original game, and also run within dungeons and towns without having to have a specific rune equipped. A basic autosave system has also been implemented, and managing your equipment has been made much simpler thanks to being able to access the items carried by other party members. Along with visual improvements, including HD locations and redrawn character portraits, Suikoden has never looked or played better.

The same can be said for Suikoden 2, which benefits from all the same enhancements and more. Suikoden 2 is already a large step up from the original game thanks to having a bigger, more ambitious and engaging story, as well as allowing players to equip up to three runes to each party member and there being more more Unite abilities available. More effort has been put into making Suikoden 2 look more appealing to modern audiences, however, with some wonderful new visual touches such as improved lighting. There’s also a toggle to disable an in-game timer, which would normally lock players out of accessing certain content once passed.

Suikoden 2 is marred a little by some minor issues, however. The fresh localisation here might cause those familiar with the game to raise an eyebrow or two: while it’s fine for the most part, some changes don’t make a great deal of sense. I also noticed some missing text during an exchange near the beginning of the game where you’re given a task to complete. It’s not a game-breaking issue, but you might be left a bit lost when you return with the items you’ve been asked to collect only to be asked where the other required items are.

Even with these minor issues — which can be hopefully ironed out with a patch — this is definitely the best way to experience Suikoden 2. And so, Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a wonderful package, bundling up two classic RPGs that are still an absolute joy to play more than twenty years after they were originally unleashed upon the world thanks to thoughtful improvements. And while Suikoden 2 is undoubtedly the more fleshed-out experience of the two, both are likely to become favourites to JRPG fans depending on how they take to the characters and stories on offer.

This review of Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is based on the PS5 version, with a code provided by the game’s publisher. It’s available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC.