Konami breathes new life into its Suikoden franchise, unveils mobile game and anime adaptation
Coming days before the Suikoden I & II remasters arrive in stores, Konami has big plans for the long-dormant series. #suikoden #konami #jrpgs
Suikoden STAR LEAP, a mobile game, and one of the new announcements made during Suikoden Live. Photo: Konami.
The cult classic JPRG series Suikoden has seen a tumultuous few years. After laying dormant for about a decade, the first two games of the series, Suikoden I & II, were announced to be getting HD remasters in 2022. Although they were originally set to be released in 2023, a nearly two year-long delay followed.
But now, we're just days away from the early March release date, and it seems that Konami is rewarding eager watchers for their patience. Ahead of the remasters' launch, the company announced a new Suikoden mobile game and a myriad of adaptations in its Suikoden Live broadcast. This comes as part of Konami's push to revive the franchise.
Suikoden STAR LEAP
The game is set to feature 108 new Stars, including the Hero. Photo: Konami.
The mobile game, titled Suikoden Star Leap, is the first game in the series to release on iOS and Android (though it's had flirtations with portable consoles in the past). Featuring 2D sprite characters in 3D environments, the game is set before Suikoden I, but a few years after Suikoden V, the former's prequel.
It's easy to see why they would pursue this. Star Leap producer Shinya Fujimatsu noted that a mobile game exposes the franchise to as many people as possible, no doubt due to the large size of the smartphone gaming market. However, one of the points that Fujimatsu and IP supervisor Takahiro Sakiyama were keen to emphasise was that they were giving it the same treatment as a console game.
This includes BGM consisting of 150 tracks, as well as a fully voiced main story. Speaking of which, care was also taken to incorporate Star Leap into existing Suikoden lore. Though its story is original, it's designed to provide new perspectives on past games. Details are vague, but Fujimatsu noted that STAR LEAP has a "trick that allows us to depict many different time frames". This might have something to do with the Rune of Change, one of Suikoden's 27 True Runes and an object central to STAR LEAP's story.
Story details for Suikoden STAR LEAP. Screenshot: Konami YT channel.
Additional details include 108 new Stars (including the Hero) to add to your party, a home base mechanic similar to previous games, and the chance to meet past Suikoden characters as well. Events and a gacha system are planned to be implemented, but are meant to be "additions" rather than a core part of the game.
There's no word on when Star Leap will be released, but you can watch the trailer here, which features the game's 2D/3D design, as well as some footage of its turn-based fighting:
Adaptations galore
Suikoden gets its first anime adaptation, following the story of Suikoden II. Photo: Konami.
Aside from Suikoden Star Leap, the franchise is set to add new adaptations to its list of titles as well. The first of these is an anime adaptation set to be done by Konami's in-house animation studio, which was just established last year. It will be co-produced with NBC Universal Entertainment Japan.
The adaptation is meant as an entry point for outsiders and new fans, and will adapt the story of Suikoden II, chosen for its dramatic fantasy war premise. Rui Naito, producer for the Suikoden I & II remasters, noted that anime was the best medium for accessibility as well as also doing Suikoden's world justice, and that the game team had worked with the anime team to shape the adaptation's story.
Take a look at the trailer here:
Additionally, a manga adaptation of Suikoden Star Leap was also announced. Mangaka Aki Shimuzu, who worked on the Suikoden III: Unmei no Keishousha manga back in the mid-2000s, is set to helm the adaptation. Lastly, a play adapting Suikoden I, titled Suikoden the Stage, has also been announced. It will be performed in Tokyo and Kyoto in December this year.
The release dates for the anime and Star Leap manga adaptation have not been announced yet, but it seems Konami isn't willing to stop Suikoden's newfound momentum, as it plans to hold more Suikoden Live broadcasts in the future for more news on these announcements.
If you're one of those on the outside looking in, it's a great time to join the JRPG franchise especially as the Suikoden I & II HD remasters will be released on 6 March. It'll available on Nintendo Switch, PS5 and PS4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, as well as on PC via Steam and Epic Games store. You can pre-order it here.
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