Never before have classic JRPG fans veered so quickly from “we’re so back” to “it’s so over.” Konami did the unthinkable and announced a new Suikoden game in the year 2025 and it looks beautiful. Yay! Then it confirmed it’s a mobile-only release with gacha monetization. Booo!
Suikoden Star Leap was revealed during a mini-showcase dedicated to the PlayStation 1-era role-playing games. It takes place a few years before the events of the original game and a few years after what transpired in Suikoden V. The cast consists of exquisite pixel art sprites running through 3D environments and the series’ flashy turn-based battles. And of course there are 108 characters to collect along the way. It looks exactly like what fans have long pined for.
Unfortunately, it’s only coming to mobile and will be burdened with all that entails, like limited-time events and paid loot box-style gambling, otherwise known as “gacha” mechanics. Producer Shinya Fujimatsu said the team wanted as many people to be able to access Suikoden Star Leap as possible, though it’s hard to imagine how paid RNG could be incorporated into the game without fundamentally upending the experience. A base-building mini-game in Star Leap looks ripe for premium currency and stamina cooldown congestion.
It’s an odd combo especially since Konami made it very clear that this isn’t a “what if” scenario or Suikoden-lite spin-off. Star Leap exists in the mainline history of the series, will include some reoccurring characters, and spares no expense when it comes to orchestral arrangements for the soundtrack and full voice acting for the main story. The monkey’s paw really nailed this one.
Suikoden Star Leap is part of Konami’s mission to try to revitalize the franchise about young heroes and warring nations that’s been on ice since 2012's Gensō Suikoden for the PlayStation Portable, which itself was never localized in the West. Other parts of this initiative include this week’s HD remasters of Suikoden I and II, as well as a newly announced anime adaptation of the latter.
Star Leap still doesn’t have a release date, but if it blows up maybe we’ll finally get a full-blown console sequel in the form of Suikoden VI. For now, fans have the remasters of the originals to keep them occupied, as well as late series creator Yoshitaka Murayama’s 2023 love letter to the games in the form of Eiyuden Chronicle, a decent but not great spiritual successor.
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