Nostalgic Gaming: Suikoden 2!

Released in 1998 Konami made a game that was a sequel to an original title that was loved by many gamers around the world. Suikoden 2 was about friends being torn apart because of destiny and power, and how everything was changed because of one faithful event.

This game has so much raw emotions because it starts so simple, you want to get stronger so that you could beat the villain but as you go through the story you'll know that it's more than that. You're trying your best to overthrow tyranny and fear that the Highland army invokes, sure they have their own ideals but ideals if not common to many, creates conflict and that conflict is what causes the casualties of war.

(Image from Kinja.com)

The main character Riou was just a young boy trying to earn a living by joining the army with his best friend Jowy not knowing that they were already involved in a mighty stream that they couldn't get out of. Being the bearer of the Bright Shield Rune and the Black Sword Rune both of them had their own goals though they weren't common and was at a complete opposite to each other.

The game was fast paced even if it was a JRPG, so many characters rich with their own reasons to fight the war, runes that envelope the fate of many and a lot of fun side quests that you could do in between all of the chaos the game brings.

First time I played this I enjoyed it because of the awesome runes and battle mechanics it had and when I got older I replayed the game again and I noticed that it was so much more than just that. The story grabbed me and pulled me in the game, I was happy even with all the problems I was suffering back then. Though this was just a video game, it helped me a lot in reality, it gave me hope that in the end, everything'll be alright. I think I'm not the only one whose struck by a game this hard, there are a lot of us that knows this feeling all too well.

The music was so engrossing! Happiness, sadness, deceit and everything else you name it and the game provides you a perfect background music with it. The music enhances your feelings to the game so much that just listening to one of the tracks brings us back to a time where everything was so simple yet true. Every once in a while I reminisce by listening to the music of Suikoden 2 regardless of my age and it will always have a special place in my heart as I grow even older.

My brother used to play this game a lot, I used to just sit back and enjoy watching and learning how to get characters and special runes. Fury + Double-Beat on Riou? Yes please! To everyone who's played this game and knows the value it holds, we're all fortunate to have played it and stick with it till the very end of the credits.