Top 20 Best RPG Series of All Time

#4. – Suikoden

# of Good Games in the Franchise: 3

Active: No

Suikoden began life as Konami was trying to cash in on the RPG craze of the late 90s. It differentiated itself from Final Fantasy in that it had an absolutely huge roster of characters to join your side (108 to be exact) and outside of battles it was strictly 2D. The story based around politics and fantasy was also unique at the time. Konami followed it up with a sequel on the PS1 which refined the formula with the single best storyline in any RPG, and an incredible and accessible battle system. Suikoden III, IV, and V saw release on the PS2 and they didn’t quite hold up as well but continued the story and are decent in their own ways. Suikoden Tactics was an off-shoot strategy RPG which was pretty neat as well.

With only three good installments how did this franchise score so high you may ask? It’s because the first two games are insanely good. Particularly part two. There is no other RPG that had a story which drew me so far into its lore. Suikoden III was a huge misstep in my opinion with limited exploration and a pairing system that severely limited strategies in battle. Part IV reduced the party size, and had boring segments of exploring the world by ship. It’s still decent, and better than III, but you’re best off skipping it. Suikoden V was a true return to form with it’s battle system, exploration, and story. It’s easily the best RPG on the PS2. Suikoden Tactics is okay, but I do appreciate the take on the franchise mechanics in a strategy RPG format.

The Best Way to Play:

Suikoden I and II are rare and expensive. They were released for the PlayStation Network and can be played on the PS3 and Vita this way. I recommend this method because they haven’t been re-released elsewhere. Suikoden III was released via the same storefront but is only playable on the PS3. IV, Tactics, and V are only available on the PS2 so you’re stuck with that platform if you want to experience them.