Konami announces Suikoden I&II HD Remaster, coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2023
During the company's New Title Announcement Stage at Tokyo Game Show 2022, Konami has announced Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars, set to release worldwide for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam) in 2023.
Suikoden, known in Japan as Genso Suikoden, originally released for PlayStation in 1995, with its sequel coming a few years later in 1998. Totaling five numbered titles and a few spinoff entries, the Suikoden series is broadly recognized for its politically-driven narrative, as well as having a large number of recruitable characters to participate in battle or to provide various functions at your ever-growing base. The RPGs don't shy away from more character-driven themes, either, with Suikoden II especially having some of the most personal and moving character writing in the genre.
The remaster brings the pair to HD visuals, adds new visual & sound effects, fast-forward, an auto-save, conversation log, full area maps, and more. According to the Steam page, the game will support English, French, Italian, German, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, and Spanish subtitles. It's also worth noting the English lines in the trailer seem to indicate an updated localization for the game, though the extent of this is unknown.
The announcement trailer, description, and screenshot set can be found below. The official website is here. We've also placed a few comparison shots in the gallery.
Announcement Trailer
IGN Neclord Boss Battle Gameplay
Press Release
Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. today announced the return of the Suikoden series, with Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars launching on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam, and Nintendo Switch in 2023!
Announced during Tokyo Games Show 2022, Konami confirmed several fundamental improvements and quality-of-life features in the upcoming remaster collection:
Graphical Improvements
- Pixel sprites and environment art enhanced with new screen effects including lighting, clouds, shadow animations, flickering flames, smoldering smoke, the movement of leaves and insects, all add up to a lively in-game atmosphere!
- The effects and direction have been redesigned, bringing memorable scenes back to life in more beautiful ways!
New Character Drawings
- All character portraits have been updated in HD. Junko Kawano, who designed the characters for the original version of Suikoden released in 1995, has newly re-drawn all the character portraits for Suikoden I HD Remaster Gate Rune War.
Sound Improvements
- Field Sound – A large number of environmental sounds not found in the original version, such as the sound of running water in the river, wind, insects, and running footsteps, have been added. You can enjoy an immersive experience like never before!
- Battle Sound – All sound effects are now in HD. In addition to the impact of the 3D effects, the realistic sound greatly enhances the dynamism of the battles!
Game System Improvements
- Many new features have been added, such as dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles, etc.
Store Page Description
A hero's destiny is written in the Stars
The legendary Konami JRPGs Suikoden I and Suikoden II have now been remastered in HD!
The Story of Suikoden I
A once renowned hero turns into a violent tyrant, and an empire falls into decline.
A Liberation Army is rising up in an act of rebellion against an oppressive rule.
One by one the 108 stars of Destiny gather to shape the course of history.
The Story of Suikoden II
Our story's hero and his friend Jowy are members of the Unicorn Youth Brigade, which participated in a drawn-out border dispute between the Highland Kingdom and the City-States of Jowstown. A few months earlier, a truth agreement was signed between the two forces, both of which were happy to see an end to the fighting. However, hidden under the momentary peace the fires of a new war continued to smolder…Features of Suikoden I & Suikoden II HD
- All background illustrations have been upgraded to HD
- Updated effects breathe new life into the pixel art animation
- New environmental sounds effects to immerse yourself in this fantasy world
- Battle SFX are also now HD and add a new level of realism
- Newly added auto-save
- Battle Fast Forward
- Conversation Log
