After 29 years, the secret best PS1 JRPGs finally return with the Suikoden HD remasters that were beginning to look like vaporware
Move over, Square - sure, all those Final Fantasy games, Chrono Cross, and Xenogears were great, but real ones know the actual best JRPGs on PS1 were the first two Suikoden games. After a substantial delay, the long-awaited HD remaster collection is finally set to prove the Suikoden fandom right.
Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars - as the absurdly wordy full title goes - is officially set to launch on March 6, 2025. The news was announced during today's Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, but the collection is coming to far more than just Switch, as it'll also hit PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Digital pre-orders are running at $49.99 USD, and retailers are set to start taking pre-orders for a physical edition on August 28.
It's been a long time coming. This HD remaster collection was originally announced back in 2022 and scheduled to release in 2023, but we haven't seen it since it was abruptly delayed back in August of that year. It features high-definition background and character art, additional animation effects, and improved sound to sell the whole HD thing. New quality-of-life features include a dialog log, auto-battling, and a double-speed battle option.
Suikoden, originally released by Konami in 1995 in Japan, stood out thanks to its roster of over 100 party members, many of whom have special unlock requirements. There's a subtle base-building mechanic as your home slowly develops over the course of the game, and even some big army fights with a unique battle system. Despite the grand scope, it remains breezy with blazing fast battles - something that got increasingly rare as the PS1's RPG library expanded. It never had the flashy visuals of, say, Final Fantasy 7, but that's part of why it's aged so well. Here's hoping the remaster can do it justice.
Hang on, gotta email my editors about why our list of the best PS1 games is missing Suikoden.
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