Intro:
Suikoden 2, much like Suikoden 1, is also a role playing game but this time you assume the role of an orphan boy who was adopted by an old man. The old man trained the young boy until he passed away due to his old age. You assume the role of the young boy who is in the Unicorn Youth Brigade. Some things happen and, similar to Suikoden 1, you find your own destiny. The game is very similar to Suikoden 1 but with cleaner graphics, cinema, new music and a whole new story! Interested? You should be! Check out the opening here!

Overall: 10
This game is even better than it's 1st release! This game offers everything the first in it's series had and so much more. These 2 games would be the perfect example at what technology should be doing for a game in 3 years 1996-1999. This game's music is very energizing, the story is perfect, graphics don't give you seizures and very enjoyable. Almost nothing is too repetitive! You will not be disappointed in this game either. Very well constructed, very well thought out, very well organized and very fun.

Graphics: 9
It's safe to say that these graphics were great for Playstation at the time. 1999 was a good year for graphics of all consoles and really brought out the true talents of systems like Playstation and N64. Suikoden 2 brought out some great cinema, as you could see in the link I provided in my intro, and some great detail in the game. The graphics aren't eye-popping but they really work for this game. Being a 1999 release they really brought out the best in the game. Even the runes are cinematic and represent the true power behind their use. Amazingly entertaining to say the least.

Sound: 10
The overall music of the game is pretty epic. There are a few select songs that are perfect for the role they are meant to play for. The music isn't too repetitive and it doesn't give you headaches. This is much better quality than Suikoden 1. Each song represents each situation very well and combined with the gameplay really works.

Addictiveness: 10
Still a very unique game and very addictive one too. There are alot of new features in this game that weren't apart of the first and each enhancing each aspect so much more. If it's not the graphics and music that keep bringing you back, it has to be the war, the story or your pure entertainment from this game. There are many secrets in this game that keep you coming back and playing more!

Story: 10
Very well defined story with many twists, many turns and very entertaining. The story keeps you coming back and playing more and more! Each character brings out their own piece of the grand scheme of things, some of which you can actually get involved with. You'll have to play the game to find out what the side stories are. This game also offers choices, some of which alter the end result of the game. Very well written and it's a really great plot behind this master piece. One of the things I also enjoy about this game is that the creators had added a bit more humor into the mix.

Depth: 8
This expansion of the first Suikoden brings out many more features and plenty more to do. There's also alot more strategy brought into this game compared to it's previous game. Almost every feature triumphs over Suikoden 1 because it just works so well together. One of the things that remain the same is still having up to 108 playable characters. The game does require alot more time to complete than the first. The previous game only took up to 8 hours to rush through where this game can be completed in 12 hours. To fully complete everything, it may take you up to 20 hours or more and with having so much to explore you might just take your time! There's plenty to do in this game and several secrets to discover. It's no surprise to me that Konami would make it so appealing.

Difficulty: 7
Suikoden 2 is not a very difficult game but it does have moments when you can find yourself losing a good battle. All the controls work flawlessly. All in all in boils down to searching for everything and everyone and how you go about doing that which is the most difficult aspect. There is alot to do in this game and finding everything will require a large chunk of time. It's pretty cool having so much to do in such an old game! I rated this at a 7 because I don't like a game that is too hard or difficult or too long. 7 is my way of saying this requires just enough attention to keep you coming back for more and still maintain the enjoyment of such a well thought out game.

Conclusion:
With a whole cast of characters, a brilliant story, great graphics for the game that it is and every component brought to the table in this RPG brought to you by Konami, you'll really get into this game. Don't take my word for it, instead, grab the game, sit down and try it out for yourself. It left me speechless when I first picked up the controller on my console. Even today I still have this game locked away safe! Also, the value of Suikoden 2 is very high and very hard to find. Not a game you want to pass up! Enjoy.