Suikoden II (Japanese: 幻想水滸伝II, Hepburn: Gensō Suikoden Tsū) is a role-playing video game created and released by Konami for the PlayStation console. It is the second game in the Suikoden series. The game was first sold in Japan on December 17, 1998, in North America on September 29, 1999, and in Europe on July 28, 2000. The game includes more than 100 characters that players can join, with over 40 of them able to fight in battles.

Suikoden II takes place three years after the events of the first Suikoden game. The story occurs in the northern countries near the newly formed Toran Republic, which was previously known as the Scarlet Moon Empire. The main character becomes involved in a war between the City-States of Jowston, led by Mayor Anabelle, and the Kingdom of Highland, led by Prince Luca Blight. The player’s character is also the adopted son of Genkaku, a hero who helped protect Jowston in a past war against Highland. Genkaku Jr. and his friend, Jowy Atreides, each receive one half of the Rune of the Beginning, one of 27 special Runes in the game’s world. They become involved in the conflict and the mysterious challenges faced by those who hold the Rune’s halves. Like other Suikoden games, the story focuses on recruiting the 108 Stars of Destiny.

When Suikoden II was first released, it did not sell well and received mixed reviews. Some critics noted that its use of older, 2D graphics style did not match the trend of 3D graphics in the late 1990s. Over time, however, the game has gained a large following and is now considered one of the greatest role-playing games ever made.

A collection of the first two Suikoden games, titled Suikoden I & II, was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on February 23, 2006. A remastered version of this collection, called Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, was released worldwide on March 6, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. An anime series based on the game, produced by Konami Animation, is scheduled to air in October 2026.

Gameplay

Suikoden II is a role-playing video game that includes planning and strategy parts. The game has different types of gameplay, from one-on-one fights to large battles between two groups. The player controls a main character who does not speak, and moves the story forward by completing tasks and talking to other characters. The player can also recruit more than 100 new characters, often by completing short side tasks. In towns, the player can gather information, sharpen weapons, and buy equipment and runes. In open areas, the player usually faces random battles with monsters.

Like other games in the series, Suikoden II uses a special way for characters to gain levels. Each level requires a set number of experience points, and the experience earned after battles depends on the difference in levels between the player’s characters and the enemies. This system helps lower-level characters catch up to enemies quickly later in the game, reducing the need to repeat battles for experience.

Runes, which are the source of magic in the game, work the same way as in the original Suikoden. Characters have a limited number of spell uses based on their "spell level." For example, a character with four level 1 spell slots and a Fire Rune could cast "Flaming Arrows" (a level 1 Fire Rune spell) four times. Some runes have special rules, such as unlimited use or use only once per battle.

Suikoden II includes updates from the original game, such as a grid-based tactical battle system, a system that allows characters to use three runes at once, a party inventory system, a "dash" button for faster movement, and better graphics. The game also includes mini-games, one of which is similar to Iron Chef. Players can transfer data from the first game, allowing returning characters to start with higher levels and better weapons. The game also includes references to the original Suikoden to improve the story’s continuity.

Suikoden II has three types of combat:

• Normal battles: These are the most common type of battle in the game. The turn-based system is typical of Japanese role-playing games, with options to attack, use magic (runes), or use items. Battles can happen randomly on the map, in dungeons, or at key story points. The player can have up to six characters in a party, fighting against up to six enemies. If all six characters lose all their health, the game ends, and the player must restart (except for some story battles where winning is not required). This is the only battle type where the player can earn experience, items, or Potch (the game’s currency). Special attacks called "unite attacks" are used by specific character pairs and show their relationships and traits.

• Duels: The main character fights one-on-one against another character. Each duel has three moves: Attack, Wild Attack, and Defend. The rules are similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors, where "Attack" beats "Defend," "Wild Attack" beats "Attack," and "Defend" beats "Wild Attack." The player must guess the enemy’s move based on on-screen dialogue before each round.

• Massive battles: This type of battle has more interaction than in the original game. While some rules from the original (like cavalry beating archers, archers beating magic, and magic beating cavalry) remain, Suikoden II uses a grid-based system similar to games like Romance of the Three Kingdoms or Fire Emblem. As the player recruits more characters, they gain more units. Some characters act as "unit leaders," while others are "supports." Each character adds attack or defense points to their unit. Some characters also give special abilities, such as taking more damage or healing others. Each unit can suffer up to two "losses" (based on the number of casualties). A battle might result in no losses, losses on one side, or losses on both sides. If a unit reaches its maximum losses, it retreats, and characters in the unit may be injured or killed. Characters who die in a massive battle are permanently dead.

Story

The story of Suikoden II follows the main character, Riou Genkaku (official name; players can choose a different name), his childhood friend Jowy Atreides, and his adopted older sister Nanami. The story centers on Riou and Jowy each receiving one half of the Rune of the Beginning, one of 27 magical powers called the True Runes that control aspects of the Suikoden world. This Rune, named after the creation myth of the Suikoden universe, governs war and conflict, causing Riou and Jowy to be destined to fight each other until one is defeated and the two halves are reunited. This conflict causes pain for Nanami, who hopes the three friends can escape together and live peacefully.

The main conflict involves a war between the nation of Highland and the City-States of Jowston. The main enemy is Prince Luca Blight, Highland’s heir, who is cruel and violent. He hates Jowston because he saw his mother raped by Jowston soldiers in a previous war. Other enemies include Neclord, an old vampire who uses another True Rune; Gordeau, a brutal knight leader; Leon, a secretive strategist; and the Beast Rune, which seeks Luca to combine their powers.

Like other Suikoden games, the story includes the 108 Stars of Destiny, characters who play important or minor roles. Key characters are Shu, a strategist who becomes Riou’s advisor; Eilie, Riou’s love interest; Teresa, a mayor who helps her father’s town; Kiba, a Highland general who switches sides after being defeated by Riou; Chaco, a young member of a flying humanoid race; and Apple, a student of Mathiu who secretly loves Shu and helps with logistics.

Some characters from the first Suikoden game, such as Viktor, McDohl, and Flik, return and play important roles. If players use save data from the first game, the previous protagonist can join the story.

The game begins with Riou and Jowy waking up as members of the Unicorn Youth Brigade in Highland’s army. That same night, Prince Luca Blight stages a false attack on Highland soldiers, blaming Jowston and using it as an excuse to invade Jowston. After seeing their fellow soldiers killed, Riou and Jowy escape by jumping off a cliff into a river, promising to reunite if they are ever separated.

Riou is rescued by Jowston mercenaries led by Viktor and Flik. He is held as a prisoner of Highland. Jowy is saved by shrine keepers in a nearby town. When Jowy learns of Riou’s imprisonment, he rescues him, and they return to Highland. After reuniting with Nanami and recruiting Mukumuku, Riou and Jowy are captured and sentenced to death by Highland’s army. They are saved again by Viktor and Flik, but the mercenaries cannot defeat Blight and must flee. As Luca destroys their region, Riou and Jowy return to the town where Jowy was rescued and discover the shrine is the resting place of the Rune of the Beginning. Inside, each receives one half of the Rune: Riou gets the Bright Shield Rune, and Jowy gets the Black Sword Rune.

The group flees to Muse, the capital of Jowston’s City-States, where Riou and Jowy are asked to spy on Highland’s army. During the mission, Jowy is captured but escapes, acting strangely afterward. Meanwhile, Jowston’s leaders fight among themselves. When Highland’s army attacks, Jowy kills Muse’s mayor and opens the city gates to let Highland’s forces in. Distraught by Jowy’s betrayal, Riou and Nanami flee with Viktor’s mercenaries.

The group drives the vampire Neclord out of Victor’s ruined hometown, North Window, and uses the castle as a base to fight Highland. With help from Apple, a student of Mathiu, they recruit Shu, a smart merchant, as their strategist. They learn that Leon Silverberg, a relative of Mathiu and a former rebel leader, now helps Highland. Leknaat, a magician from the first Suikoden who controls fate, tells Riou he must gather the 108 Stars of Destiny to change the world’s destiny. Riou and the Stars of Destiny unite the remaining City-States under the New State Army, forming alliances with Two River and the Toran Republic (from the first game). Gordeau, leader of the Knightdom of Matilda, refuses to join but many of his knights switch sides. When protecting the university town of Greenhill, Riou is shocked to see Jowy commanding Highland’s forces under Luca.

After capturing Greenhill without a fight, Jowy rises in Highland’s army, marries Luca’s sister Princess Jillia, and plots with Luca to kill Highland’s king. Jowy secretly tells some Highland officers that his support for Luca is a trick and that he plans to betray Luca. After poisoning his father and becoming king, Luca sacrifices Muse’s people in a ritual and attacks the New State Army. Jowy betrays Luca by warning Riou and helping the New State Army ambush and kill Luca. Jowy then becomes king of Highland through his marriage to Jillia.

Even after Luca’s death, Jowy refuses to make peace, believing war will continue as long as two nations occupy Jowston. Riou learns the Rune of the Beginning’s halves are meant to make its bearers fight, and that his adoptive father, Master Genkaku, shared the Rune with Highland’s champion Han Cunningham 25 years ago. They tried to reunite the Rune but failed due to hatred between their nations, sealing it in the shrine.

Riou defeats Neclord again to free Tinto and liberates Greenhill. While attacking Matilda to break its alliance with Highland, Nanami is seriously injured in an attack by Gordeau. Riou and Jowy briefly reunite to defeat Gordeau. Despite medical help, Nanami dies from her wounds. Riou leads his alliance to attack Highland’s capital, L'Renouille, where he fights and defeats Han Cunningham, who hopes Riou and Jowy will succeed where he and Genkaku failed.

Realizing he has lost, Jowy tells Jillia and their adopted daughter Pilika to flee the kingdom.

Development and release

During the winter of 1993 and 1994, Konami employees Yoshitaka Murayama and Junko Kawano were asked to create an RPG for a video game console developed by Konami. This project was canceled early in its development and was not used as the basis for the story of Suikoden, as some people believe. Instead, Murayama, Kawano, and ten other workers were assigned to develop Konami's first games for Sony's new console, the PlayStation. When given the choice to make a baseball game, a racing game, or an RPG, Murayama and Kawano decided to restart their RPG project. Murayama later said he would have preferred to create a shooting game, as he enjoys arcade-style action games like Taito's Metal Black. From the beginning, Murayama aimed to create a series that could compete with popular RPGs such as Enix's Dragon Quest and Square's Final Fantasy. He wrote the story for the first Suikoden. After the first game's success, a sequel was approved. Murayama read fan letters and decided the main strength of the first game was its story, so the second game focused heavily on storytelling. The story for Suikoden II was created after the first game and was mostly written by Murayama. Suikoden II became available for download on the PlayStation Network on December 9, 2014.

Reception

Suikoden II sold well in Japan. In the West, few copies were printed, and people did not show much interest at first, which stopped the game from being printed again. However, the game received "favorable" reviews on Metacritic, a website that collects game reviews. Francesca Reyes from Next Generation said, "One of the best RPGs to hit PlayStation this year."

Since the 2010s, looking at the game again has often led to praise from critics and players. Many consider it one of the best Konami games and one of the best console RPGs not made by Square Enix. It is also seen as the best game in the Suikoden series.

Anime adaptation

An anime version of the game Suikoden II, called Suikoden: The Anime, was announced during a live broadcast for the game series on March 4, 2025. Konami Animation is making the series, and Yūzō Satō is directing it. Ryō Hino from NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan is the producer and production manager. Michihiro Tsuchiya is writing the series, and Kōji Nakamura is creating the music. The anime will start airing in October 2026.