Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars Is Nostalgia Done Right [Review]

For gamers of a particular vintage, the roleplaying genre has always been a deep well of unforgettable experiences, and in the ’90s, the Suikoden series played a significant part.

While opinions are mixed from Suikoden III onwards, the first two titles are generally highly regarded. Now, with Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, there is a perfect opportunity for a new generation of players to understand the magic.

After a few dozen hours of war and gathering the Stars of Destiny twice over, it is safe to say that Konami has definitely fulfilled the brief. The HD remaster has given these classic JRPGs a fresh coat of paint, and together with several wise quality-of-life changes, these are easily the best versions that fans and newcomers can experience.

That’s all true from just the visual and audio side of things, as the actual gameplay, systems, and narrative have not been tweaked meaningfully. Save for some translation changes, this is still the classic Suikoden and Suikoden II adventures that captured the imaginations of many back in the day.

Fulfilling Destiny

A significant part of that is down to the storytelling that is present in both games, which have overlapping characters and themes, and stay steadfast to the idea of people coming together for the greater good.

In Suikoden I, that means putting together the Liberation Army and rising against the oppressive rule of a once-benevolent emperor. As for Suikoden II, a facade of peace is soon broken by the fires of war, and when the people you care about are caught in the middle, players will have to take up arms and save the day.

The hero’s journey in both games isn’t breaking new ground. Still, the real star is the recruitment of the fabled 108 Stars of Destiny, a design choice inspired by the classic Ming dynasty novel The Water Margin, where 108 rebels joined forces against the government. And there is a healthy variety of colorful characters that populate this world, each with their motivations and ideals, with players left to figure out just how to recruit them to the cause.

Some require a simple conversation, others may need more coaxing with the right party member in tow, and a few are rewards from completing more convoluted tasks and side stories. This chase, albeit optional, incentivizes players to pay more attention to the world and the people and, in turn, immerse themselves more into the narrative. With each new recruit, the world seemingly grows larger, and the impact of the pending conflict becomes heavier,

The way both games connect through consistent characters helps as well, as players attempting to fully enjoy Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars will get more context out of the adventures. Although character and story developments are often told through text and the occasional story scene, there is still a certain charm to the proceedings, helped by the much-improved HD visuals and reworked effects.

The Flames of War

You cannot have conflict without combat in JRPGs, and the grid-based system allows that kind of strategic nuance that still stands up even in today’s context. Characters have different combat ranges that affect who they can target on the front and backline, allowing for diverse six-person party configurations to suit your approach. You need to think about who your best attackers, support characters, or even tanks are, and how their attacks can target the enemy’s party of six. With 107 other potential allies to choose from, that can be a big headache.

That’s before we even talk about the Rune system, which takes the place of standard magic in the series. By equipping certain Runes, your characters gain access to potent elemental spells or other positive buffs, and can combine them to devastating effects. Characters with strong bonds are also capable of Unite attacks, flashy and often effective combos that can decimate one or the entire enemy formation. It was revolutionary for its time, and remains a robust enough system now.

Between the two games, Suikoden I is certainly more challenging, with difficulty spikes that can catch players off guard, while the sequel has benefitted from a more well-balanced approach that makes things more palatable. Either way, it is vital to think ahead of potential combat, and prepare well.

Eventually, army clashes will also take place, giving players a taste of rock-paper-scissors combat that involves more than just your ragtag group of rebels. The idea of larger-scale battles was a pleasant surprise in the old days, and it still largely holds true, especially with the more Fire Emblem-like design in Suikoden II. But the sense of freshness has undoubtedly been dulled with time, and the same goes for the solo duels. Thankfully, these moments are always accompanied by consequential narrative progression, alleviating the potential fatigue.

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Staying Old-School

As I have pointed out constantly, these are JRPGs of another time. Even with the new features added, both titles are still quintessentially old school, with little modern comfort that may come as a shock to new players trying out things for the first time.

For Suikoden I, the inventory system remains draconian and unintuitive, with no party-wide stash. Changing equipment means tiresome transfers in one menu and equipping them in the next. At least the sequel remedies this with an inventory that covers the party, but you still have to decide what is essential to bring into battle with the limited slots. So it could be either an extra Medicine to heal up or an accessory that buffs your defense, with erroneous choices leading possibly to disaster.

Your party also continually wears the scars of battles, with no helpful healing until you reach an inn where you can rest and save the game. If you fall in combat, that could easily mean hours of progress wasted, even with the added auto-save mechanic. Those hoping to grind your levels and become more powerful for the challenges ahead will also be in for a rude shock. Although your standard stats may increase, your attacking power relies on upgrading your weapons using blacksmiths. That requires spending Potch, the in-game currency, and even if you are swimming in cash, there are still progression gates to keep you in check.

It may sound strange, but I am not criticizing these systems. It is just as I remembered, where it made sense for that era of JRPGs, but now brought to the present for a different generation. Whether that is something you can stomach will determine if you will enjoy the few core systems under the hood of Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars.

For someone who was there in 1995 and 1998, this is, without a doubt, the best way to relive those memories on modern platforms. There is an argument for the need to update these systems, but leaving them as they are is another way of paying homage to a pure experience of how things were back then. Having deeper character development would have been nice, but it doesn’t necessarily take away from an already satisfying time.

A Foundation for the Future

The fact that modern players now have the option to play through both games with Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a blessing. It helps to demonstrate the progress made between the two games, and coupled with the added features like fast-forwarded battles and a conversation log to track everything, it both streamlines and expands the experience in a way that just wasn’t possible before.

The way the visuals and the sound design have been upgraded also ensures that the games get the care and attention to detail that keep the series’ legend alive. The hope is that renewed interest in Suikoden will eventually give Konami no choice but to invest strongly in a new entry, but at the very least, longtime fans have something new to look forward to and cherish as they bring the fight to Emperor Barbarossa and Luca Blight.

Verdict: Exemplary

Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars releases for PC and consoles on March 6th. A review code for the game was provided by the publisher. Reviewed on PS5.