The Suikoden series has never been easy to pronounce, (it’s sue-ee-koh-den, for the record) but it’s always been a joy to play. It has everything you could want in a JRPG, from a rich engrossing story to a massive cast of characters to addictive turn-based gameplay.
Now, some that charm is set to return in the newly announced Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
Eiyuden Chronicle may not be a new entry in the Suikoden series, but it is the next best thing. Although Konami still holds the rights to the franchise, key members of the Suikoden team have banded together to form their own studio, Rabbit & Bear. The all-star team, which includes Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama and Wild Arms composer Michiko Naruke, is determined to recapture the magic of the PlayStation era — and of the Suikoden series.
“Eiyuden Chronicle is about war, or more importantly, the intention and feelings of the 100 heroes who fight that war from a variety of perspectives and for a variety of different reasons,” says Murayama. “One of the core game loops in Eiyuden is to experience the wide variety of different characters and personalities in your 100-person army.”
So far, the Rabbit & Bear team has only revealed a handful of these 100 characters, but the designs they have showcased have been pretty amazing. I’m especially fond of Marisa, a forest guardian that loves herbed chicken, technology, and cute things.
Rabbit & Bear plans to seek funding for the game through Kickstarter, which might make some gamers wary. Thankfully, Murayama seems determined to address those concerns.
We chose Kickstarter in order to make an interesting game with the players in mind, hold the rights to the planning, world, and story of the game, all while keeping the fun of the project. Please lend us your support in this new challenge of ours! We promise to create something that heeds the call of your voices.
What Rabbit & Bear has shown so far is pretty impressive, especially the brief gameplay trailer below. Murayama has promised that this is “just the tip of the iceberg,” which hopefully means that there will be some exciting new reveals in the near future. Eiyuden Chronicles looks like a love letter to Suikoden and the PlayStation era, and we can’t wait to play it on current gen consoles.
