Taking to Twitter, Konami has announced a Suikoden “Special Program” livestream. Set for March 3 (next Monday) at 3 PM Pacific, the “special broadcast” will bring “all the latest news on Suikoden,” Konami says.

Presumably, that means we can expect new details and gameplay footage on the upcoming remaster- though whether that will be the extent of what Konami talks about remains to be seen. Series fans will of course be hoping for something more significant.

Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster launches for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on March 6.

Join us March 3 for a special broadcast bringing you all the latest news on Suikoden 🌟

🎥Date and time of broadcast🎥
Monday, March 3, 3PM PST

Watch here 📺 – https://t.co/3m9zjdoMvI#Suikoden pic.twitter.com/0vFmrTTpyP

— @Suikoden (@Suikoden) February 27, 2025

The story follows three protagonists – Nowa, Seign and Marisa – against the backdrop of the Galdean Empire exploiting rune-lenses to further its power. When the fires of war break out, they must work together and gather allies to fight back. Cue the 100 playable characters, some tied to Nowa and Seign and others simply awaiting in the world.

You’ll even encounter characters like Mellore, CJ, Isha and Garoo from Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising. The cast is packed with talent, including Caleb Yen, the voice of Caelus from Honkai: Star Rail, who plays the “desperado” Daisuke.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is out on April 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch. Check out the overview trailer here.

Murayama started his career in game development upon joining Konami in 1992, where he would go on to create and oversee the Suikoden franchise until his departure in 2002. He later founded Rabbit and Bear Studios, and through Kickstarter, in 2020, successfully funded the development of upcoming Suikoden-inspired RPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, on which he also served as the main scenario writer. A prequel, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, was released in 2022.

Rabbit and Bear Studios’ statement reads as follows: “It’s with a heavy heart and deep sadness we must inform you that the scenario writer and head of Rabbit and Bear Studios, Yoshitaka Murayama, has passed away on February 6th due to complications with an ongoing illness.

“Murayama first began this journey of the creation of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes in 2020 through the support of his very loving fans on Kickstarter. Throughout the three-plus-year-development of the game, it was always the passion from his fans that continued to drive his creative vision and motivate him to put his all into the project.

“His hard work on Eiyuden Chronicle as scenario writer was finished but as his co-workers and friends, it saddens us to know that he won’t get to see the reactions from his fans.

“However, even with those feelings we need to accept the reality that he is no longer with us and continue to push his dream forward by releasing Eiyuden Chronicle to the world.

“We want to maintain his legacy and vision with this game and know that he would have wanted the rich world he has created with Eiyuden Chronicle to live on.

“His family sincerely appreciates your prayers and support but asks for privacy and that no flowers, mail, or other offerings be sent.

“We will have more information on organizational changes to Rabbit & Bear as well as changes to some of the Kickstarter rewards in the near future.”

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is due out April 23 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Mass Effect 2

BioWare made it pretty clear that the final mission of Mass Effect 2 was “The Suicide Mission” so it’s a given that bringing everyone back alive would be tough. However, actually accomplishing this meant recruiting all possible companions, completing their Loyalty missions and getting all of the ship upgrades. Oh and when you’re actually at the Collector Base? You need to choose the right person for each task, lest death take them. Do all of that and you’ll get the happiest ending…which is everyone finding out that the Reapers are coming to kill them all. Speaking of which…

Once, not so long ago, Konami was one of the most beloved publishers in the market, the standard bearers of quality games, and the makers of many renowned franchises. From Contra and Bomberman, to Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Silent Hill. But arguably their most intently beloved series, at least among a certain sect of fans, was Suikoden.

Suikoden was a series of Japanese RPGs, known for its great art and its rich writing and world building, which many hold has not been topped to this day. The series, much like most of the rest of Konami’s catalog, is now dormant. However, the unexpected revivals of Bomberman and Castlevania were already reasons to suppose that Konami could feasibly look at bringing the IP back— and now, we have something more tangible to work with on that front, too.

See, the series’ official website has been relaunched, with nary an official word or statement. This is the first change made to the website in over four years (the last update was when the first two games in the series were made available for PSP owners in Japan as part of a PS Plus trial). Why this update? Is a new release in sight? Maybe just a remaster? Maybe just a re-release? Maybe because Suikoden will be among the games on the PlayStation Classic?

Honestly, at this point, I am sure that Suikoden fans will take anything. Anything that implies a sign of life.

Shinobi

Of the many franchises that Sega has deigned to keep alive, Shinobi has been criminally left out. It’s a shame because in 2002, the developer had a chance to beat Team Ninja’s Ninja Gaiden to the punch with high paced ninja action and ultra violence. It unfortunately buckled under an (ironically enough) insane difficulty, lack of depth and poor level design. Shinobi 3D in 2011 attempted to reignite the 2D side-scrolling magic of old but it just couldn’t match the brilliance of the old-school Shinobi titles.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Knightfall Protocol – Batman: Arkham Knight

Ending your life as Batman (spoiler, by the way) isn’t easy. In Arkham Knight, you have to make sure all the villains are locked up, completing all the Most Wanted missions. “But wait” you say. “To get to the Riddler, I have to collect all the Riddler Trophies!” And in truth, all you really get for your work is an extended bit of ending that doesn’t make it clear if Bruce Wayne’s Batman is really gone or not.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock – or the latest in Vault-Tec living space – you’ll no doubt be aware of Konami’s situation. The company came out of a tumultuous 2015 with the departure of Metal Gear Solid series creator Hideo Kojima (who has since started his own independent studio Kojima Productions), cancellation of projects like Silent Hills and stories of ill-treatment of its employees. Needless to say, the company has lost face among a number of its loyal supporters.

Former online content producer Yuichi Haga who worked on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Suikoden, left the company earlier this year and shared his thoughts on fans losing faith in Konami. Replying to a fan who was venting his/her anger at Konami, Haga stated that that, “I understand how you feel. I’m a Konami game fan myself. Try and hold out hope a little more. If you can.”

Haga further states that, “I understand how you feel. But, almost everyone I ask say they can hold out and hope for a bit longer. Think you could too?”

Could Konami possibly redeem itself? Haga seems to believe so, stating that, “It’s hard I know. But let Konami redeem themselves and I’m sure over time they’ll earn your love again.”

As for whether we’ll see classic Suikoden series on the PlayStation 4 any time in the future, Haga said that, “I pushed all the Suikoden Games .. but those are the only ones I got to see released while at Konami.” Haga is referring to Suikoden 2 & 3 which released on PSN in late 2014 and mid-2015 respectively.

Haga will continue to make efforts to bring Suikoden to the PS4 though, despite no longer working at Konami. “I will still ask people at Konami to push for it. I still got some influence there I think.”

What are your thoughts on the whole situation at Konami? Is there a chance the company will redeem itself following its many foul-ups in the past year or more? Let us know in the comments below.

@Cortelia_x I understand how you feel. I'm a Konami game fan myself. Try and hold out hope a little more.. If you can

— Yuichi (@InstallBase) January 10, 2016

@TallulahSoie I understand how you feel. But, almost everyone I ask say they can hold out and hope for a bit longer. Think you could too?

— Yuichi (@InstallBase) January 10, 2016

@Luke_Less thank you. It's hard I know. But let @Konami redeem themselves and I'm sure over time they'll earn your love again.

— Yuichi (@InstallBase) January 9, 2016

@AziaeLion I pushed all the Suikoden Games .. but those are the only ones I got to see released while at Konami

— Yuichi (@InstallBase) January 10, 2016

@BrianBaskinSin I will still ask people at Konami to push for it. I still got some influence there I think

— Yuichi (@InstallBase) January 9, 2016

In fact, it could ironically be the first example of something that the Western RPG gaming industry loves these days: Player choice.

Spector states, “Without going into too much geeky detail, there are two moments in Suikoden where you are confronted with a choice. You are in the game world, and then a little box shows up in the corner that gives you a Yes/No choice. It’s ‘Do you leave your friend here to die or do you help him?’ And then at the end there is a ‘Do you fight your father? Yes/No.’ And, the thing was, in both cases it was a false choice.

“But I remember how powerful it was. I remember playing Suikoden, putting the controller down and going ‘Holy Cow, this has nothing to do with what the character would do, or the story, it’s who am I as a human being? Me? If that was a real choice, it would be the most amazing moment in the history of videogames, and I said ‘I’m going to make a game that has the most amazing moment in the history of videogames!’”

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Source: Siliconera

Someone needs to have a stern word with today’s Japanese role playing game makers. The thing is, the people who play traditional Role Playing Games are the same people who played them at the height of their popularity, two generations ago. People like nostalgia, but the haze of time makes us remember things with rose-tinted glasses. I was a big fan of the JRPG in the PlayStation era, and I have been hoping that they could one day be returned to the lofty heights of their glory days. All they need to do is update the old formula for a modern audience, much like the recent Fallout games updated an old series for a new generation of battle-worn gamers.

Some games manage to ape the success of their forebears, the recent Deus Ex is one example, it managed this by building on a strong foundation and updating it for a new generation. Imagine if the Deus Ex prequel stuck rigidly to the mechanics laid out by its predecessors: clunky menus, no checkpoints, sub-par shooting. Instead it managed to keep the bits that made the originals so compelling: sandbox gameplay, multiple choice dialogue, character upgrade choices. The trick is to keep the identity of the brand, but at the same time mutate the parts that feel dated.

In JRPG’s we are still reading text boxes, we still don’t get any say in the outcome and we are still walking into people’s houses (they don’t even care) and stealing meat out of a cupboard where meat has no place. The characters still all look the same, their eyes glassy and soulless, their hair like a bad advert for super-hold hairspray and we are still hitting living-lettuces with a giant sword. The stories still tell the same stale tale, a young boy/girl finds a hidden power and saves the world.

It is a shame then that JRPG’s seem to be stuck in the past, the only  innovation in the genre is from new Final Fantasy games, and in my opinion even Square Enix has been completely unsuccessful in this regard. Their idea of aping mainstream success seems to be to build a hyper-fast, button-mash happy fighting system, funnel the character down a corridor and restrict side missions to killing a set amount of monsters.

The ultimate JRPG – Suikoden 2.

Looking back to one of my favourite JRPG’s of all time Suikoden 2, the game that had it all: over 100 playable characters, a massive world to move through, a compelling story (for the time), huge battles containing strategy elements and base building. It really was a beast of a game, most of the 100 characters were optional and each of them brought something new to your base, most of them even brought some cool mini-games with them; like cook-off competitions or rock climbing.

The main difference between Western and Eastern RPG’s is that Japanese iterations tend to be strictly linear, the story is generally propelled forward via the medium of cutscenes, and Western RPG’s tend to feel much more sandbox. What Suikoden did to counteract that was to throw a huge number of optional distractions at you, this made the game feel much more open than it really was and many of these fun distractions seem to be missing this generation, replaced by travel to X location and kill Y amount of monsters.

Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most popular in the series, most people will say that they enjoyed the story the most, but part of its success is due to the amount of optional distractions in the game. There was the Golden Saucer where you could play a collection of mini-games, you could breed Chocobos (“read” giant, yellow chickens) and there were two hidden characters in the game. When these games were first released most people didn’t have access to the internet, so finding these secrets yourself was a great feeling, which will never be replicated by the ping of a Trophy or Achievement.

FF7 was a benchmark for RPGs.

Arguably there have only been two innovative RPG’s to come from the East this generation; Demons/Dark souls. The combat is all real-time and skill based, the story completely alien, the atmosphere ethereal and dream-like. The game expected you to learn its intricacies yourself, and it benefitted hugely from it. This created a dedicated online community for the games, and the two games will probably be remembered as two of the finest this generation.

From Software really showed how RPG’s can easily break the mould, they managed to incorporate one of the most innovative online mechanics into a genre where online play would normally have no place. Another thing that they managed to do, and is often overlooked, is create a massive diversity in the character creation. You can literally create 100’s of different character-builds, and each one feels totally different to play, bringing you back for more.

I’m hoping that other Japanese developers take some inspiration from the two games, turn-based battles should be banished to the past, or used in strategy titles. We want to learn about the world but we don’t want to read pages of immature dialogue; there are better ways to tell a story. RPG stands for role playing game, but we want to play our own role, not the stereotypical fare we are usually forced into. What I am trying to say is stop chasing past glories, times are changing and the industry is shifting, if the genre doesn’t shift and change too it will surely vanish in the West.