Suikoden II Collection Guide

This is a guide I curated & complied to help me collect all the 108 Stars of Destiny, Recipes, Ingredients, and other collectibles - in chronological order of the game. It assumes one takes advantage of the Matilda Glitch & the McDohl sidequest. It also lists every collectible as early as they can be accessed, not necessarily when one would naturally first come across them. In these cases, the collectible/Star may be listed in both occurrences). It does not list Stars that join automatically due to plot. Much of the information was collected from Suikosource, but much of it was completely developed by me during playthroughs. It has been of great use to me, and now I'm happy to share it with all of you! (Keep in mind, this is the way I like to approach the game, and may not work best for all.)

**SPOILER ALERT** I do refer to spoilers in this guide. Not intended for first-time players that wish to remain spoiler-free.

*Guide Curated by Joanna Sherlyn Dunlap for Mythic Geekdom*

COOK-OFF PRIZE RECIPE LIST

  [_]  Recipe 2 - Tomato Soup (Yu Kum)  

[_]  Recipe 8 - Buttered Clams (Goetsu)  

[_]  Recipe 17 - Cake (Shiki)  

[_]  Recipe 19 - Pasta (Ryuki)  

[_]  Recipe 24 - Fried Rice (Bashok)  

[_]  Recipe 22 - Gratin (Ryuko)  

[_]  Recipe 30 - Ramen (Antonio)  

[_]  Recipe 27 - Tonkatsu (Gyokuran; will steal some recipes during the battle, will return them after when you win)  

[_]  Retso - impossible to win, will trick you & take the moon bird recipe  

[_]  Recipe 33 - Sushi (Lester: you must do the McDohl sidequest before defeating Lester if you want him to tell you about Gremio’s Special Stew)  

[_]  Recipe 38 - Sashimi Combo (Retso)  

[_]  Recipe 40 - Kaiseki Dinner (Jinkai)

TOTAL RECIPE LIST

1. Tamago-Yaki

2. Tomato Soup (Yu Kum)

3. Ohitashi (From Dr.Huan after recruiting Tuta in Muse)

4. Salad

5. Gyoza (2nd Floor Coronet Inn, townsperson)

6. Chowder

7. BBQ Meat Bun

8. Buttered Clams (Goetsu)

9. Fish Fry (Kuskus Rich House bookshelf)

10. Ice Cream

11. Quiche (Kuskus Rare Finds)

12. Sandwich (dropped by EagleMan in Kobold Forest)

13. Meat Pie (Kobold Village villager in Elder’s House)

14. Simmered Fish (Radat tavern chef)

15. Fried Fish Balls

16. Sunomono (Lakewest, Taki's shelf)

17. Cake (Shiki)

18. Croquettes (Radat Rare Find)

19. Pasta (Ryuki)

20. Tempura (woman in Greenhill Inn)

21. Grilled Fish (dropped by Land Shark in Two River Sewer)

22. Gratin (Ryuko)

23. Rice Omelet (Two River rare find, Human Area)

24. Fried Rice (Bashok)

25. Pizza (Greenhill rare find)

26. Teriyaki (Highway Village rare find)

27. Tonkatsu (Gyokuran)

28. Curry Rice (Gregminster rare find)

29. Grilled Beef (dropped by Zombie Slug in Path to Matilda)

30. Ramen (Antonio)

31. Hamburger (Kobold Village rare find)

32. Obento (Kent's Mother, Highway Village after quest)

33. Sushi (Lester)

34. Japanese Stew (dropped by Yellow DoreMi Elf, Greenhill Forest Path during liberation)

35. Full Course (Muse rare find after Liberation)

36. Ghengis Khan (dropped by Highland soldier in RockAxe during mission)

37. Steak (Rockaxe mission, Bookshelf in Gordeau’s room)

38. Sashimi Combo (Retso)

39. Special Stew (Gremio, if completed the McDohl quest before defeating Lester)

40. Kaiseki Dinner (Jinkai)

RECIPE BUG!!!! TURN IN RECIPES 21, 12, & 34 AT THE SAME TIME! They will most likely be found in this order, and it’s only a short time to hold them in your inventory before turning them all in at once! If you turn in any of these before the others, it will make it impossible for enemies to drop them. Do not turn them into Hai Yo’s Restaurant! You can keep them in Barbara’s vault until it’s time to turn them all in.

• 21 - Grilled Fish: (found in the Two River Sewers; dropped by Land Shark)

• 12 - Sandwich: (found after the events at Two River, when HQ is at level 2, in the Path of the Unicorn in Kobold Village, during or after Hix & Tengaar Quest; dropped by Eagle Man)

• 34 - Japanese Stew - (found while liberating Greenhill, in the Greenhill Forest path, dropped by DoReMi Elf) **FARM ITEM BUGGive all seeds to Tony (or animals to Yuzu) ONE AT A TIME! Giving two or more at a time causes them to not show up in the farm, even though they are still counted in the restaurant. If you want that pleasing visual of a perfectly full farm, give em one at a time.

ABOUT ITEM DROPS

Each monster of the drop-type has a different item (different percentage for each monster to carry a different item each time a battle begins). The first enemy to be killed will drop their item at the end of the battle. When farming items from drops, save the EMU at the start of the battle, then have the highest-hitting, fastest character try attacking each of the drop-type enemy, while every other character defends. After the first round, ensuring that the one enemy has been killed before any other, then kill the rest of the enemies, finishing the battle. If the item is not received by the end of the battle, load again, and try with each consecutive enemy. If the item is with none of the enemies, then continue on, and repeat the process with the next encounter with the enemy type until the item is received.

ABOUT RARE FINDS

If waiting for a rare find to show up, buy out all the available rare finds, then leave town a few times, letting time pass, then return. New Rare Finds will not show up if there are still other unbought rare finds in stock.

ABOUT UNKNOWN ITEMS

They are organized by price, low to high. If you have to lighten your bag, get rid of things on the top first.

VIKI’S MISTAKE

She will randomly teleport you to the second floor in Radat for Mole Suit, Dragon Armor, Mega Medicine X9, Blue Gate Rune

STEAL FROM HANS

A glitch in Hans' equipment shop allows you to bring your potch below zero which tricks the game into thinking you have maximum potch!

• Step 1. Have enough money to buy one piece of armor but not 2 of that armor. Go to Hans (your castle's armor shop) with 1 character wearing this piece of armor, and 1 character with no armor.

• Step 2. Buy the armor. Select the character wearing the armor. When given a choice to put your current armor in the bag or exhange for potch, choose either one. At the confirmation screen, hit cancel twice. You will still be in the buy mode, ready to select who to buy it for.

• Step 3. Now select the character who has no armor. Select "yes' at the confirmation screen.

• Step 4. Now, select that character again, and choose either option (put in bag or sell). Now cancel out of all the menus. You should have 999999 potch.

Detailed example: Riou with armor, Viktor with none, 23,001-45,999 potch (let's say you have 24,999 potch) to use the trick with Dragon Armor.

1. Buy Dragon Armor.

2. Choose to equip on Riou.

3. Since Riou has Dragon Armor on already, you're asked whether you want to sell the previous armor or put it in the bag. Choose either of the two, it doesn't matter.

4. Before it really happened, there is a question to confirm whether you really want to do that or not. CANCEL (triangle button) twice.

5. Now you are back at step 2 (the screen to choose who would equip the Dragon Armor on). This time, choose Viktor.

6. Confirm the purchase. If you do it right, your money would not be reduced at all (so if you start with 25,000 potch, it will stay 25,000 potch).

7. After that, buy another Dragon Armor, and again choose to put on Viktor. Now that he already has the first Dragon Armor equipped, you'll be asked whether you want to put the old one in the bag or sell it. Doesn't matter what you choose, and confirm.

8. 999,999 potch.

Another way to think of it:

1. Person A has expensive armor, Person B has no armor. Have enough money to buy just one of the same type of armor that Person A has.

2. Buy that same expensive armor and equip on Person A. When Hans says “Decide. Is this ok?” Press the Cancel Button twice.

3. Go down till Person B is highlighted. Press the Confirm Button repeatedly till you’ve got 999999 potch.

STRONG/BALANCED LARGR-SCALE BATTLE UNITS

• Riou/Shu/Miklotov

• Viktor/Tsai/Camus

• Ridley/Tuta/Pesmerga

• Kasumi/Freed Y/Yam Koo

• Kiba/Huan/Annallee

• Hauser/Adalai/Hanna

• Georg/Chaco/Koyu

• Max/Lorelai/Gijimu

• Gilbert/Apple/Templeton

• Flik/Nanami/Jeane

• Teresa/Shin/Jess

• Ayda/Tai Ho/Emilia

• Luc/Klaus/Humphrey

• Mazus/Oulan/Lo Wen

108 BATTLES FOR COLOR OPENING

Riou & Jowy’s Level: 11 EXP: 679 Potch: 27450

UNTIL MERC FORTRESS BURNS DOWN

*KEEP SACRIFICIAL JIZO on BULGAN - will need to give to Adalai later.

KYARO

   [_]  Mukumuku (Examine Tree 3x before meeting Nanami)  

[_]  Old Book 1 (Genkaku’s dojo)   

[_]  Old Pot (genkaku’s dojo)

NORTH SPARROW PASS

  [_]  Double Beat Rune (dropped by cut rabbit, get enough for Riou, Nanami, Jowy, Flik Viktor)

RYUBE

   [_]  Rikimaru  

[_]  Millie  

[_]  Kinnison & Shiro

RYUBE FOREST

  [_]  Killer Rune (dropped by woodpecker; get enough for Nanami, Flik, Viktor, etc)

TOTO

   [_]  Zamza (w/Nanami)  

[_]  Hanna (after burning down)

WHILE ON ERRAND FOR PILIKA

CORONET(MUSE REGION)

   [_]  Recipe 5

HIGHWAY VILLAGE (MATILDA REGION)

   [_]  Rabbit Plans 2 (rare finds)  

[_]  Recipe 26 (rare find)  

[_]  Recipe 32 (from Kent’s mom after saving him from Rakutei)  

[_]  Mayo

MT. RAKUTEI (MATILDA REGION)

   [_]  Dragon Plans 2  

[_]  Unicorn Plans 2  

[_]  Turtle Plans 3 (dropped by Hawkman & Sky Knight)

FOREST PATH TO MATILDA (accessed from Matilda)

   [_]  Sound Set 2 (dropped by doremi elf)  

[_]  Potato (dropped by papa holly)  

[_]  Recipe 29 (dropped by zombie slug)

GREENHILL (GREENHILL REGION)

   [_]  Recipe 20  

[_]  Recipe 25 (rare finds)  

[_]  Old Book 5 (Academy; study room on the top-left side on the first floor, right side of the bookcase on the left side)

FOREST VILLAGE (GREENHILL REGION)

   [_]  Old Book 6 (Person in Trading Post)  

[_]  Sugar (Trading Post)  

[_]  Salt (Trading Post)

MAKE SURE you get enough cool armor & runes & stuff for Viktor & Flik! They won’t be in your party until after you’re out of the Muse area (access to Matilda)

MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MOVE ON BEFORE YOU DROP TSAI OFF AT THE MERC FORTRESS! After that, you cannot leave to level up, upgrade weapons/armor/runes, etc.

You will NOT be able to put Viktor or Flik in your party till much much later, so don’t save anything for them. Your party item space will be at a premium till you get your HQ.

MUSE PORTION

SINDAR RUINS

   [_]  Spark Rune (dropped by double head boss; put on high speed character, like Nanami)  

[_]  Fire Lizard Rune (put on Zamza; weapon)   

[_]  Old Book 2 (right path at double head statue fork; use square plate)

WORLD MAP (MUSE AREA)

   [_]  Gale Rune (dropped by sickle)

MUSE

   [_]  Clive (speak to him, recruit in South Window later) 

  [_]  Old Book 4 (city hall; storage room with Jess scene)   

[_]  Sound Set 1 (from Elza)  

[_]  Tuta (after meeting Anabelle)  

[_]  Recipe 3 (from Huan after recruiting Tuta; Huan joins automatically later)  

[_]  Anita (after meeting Anabelle; flatter her, leave town, repeat. SAVE before talking to her!! If you can’t fulfill a request due to not having a particular item already in your inventory, you will lose the opportunity to get her until much later!)

BURNT MERC FORTRESS

   [_]  Templeton (after being asked by Jess to go to the Highland Camp; find him at the Merc Fortress, then follow him to Toto)

MAKE SURE to get all cool runes OFF Jowy before going to the camp, & all armor OFF before going into Jillia’s tent (the larger tent).

Also, take Zamza with you in your party if you want to give him the Fire Sealing Rune before you have to leave Muse (or you keep carrying it until you get your HQ, and party item space is at a premium).

**After the events at the Highland Camp, you will be unable to change your party or leave Muse until after it falls.

HIGHLAND CAMP

   [_]  Fire sealing rune (put on Zamza)

3rd MAJOR BATTLE

  [_]  Gilbert (Injure, but do not defeat his unit)

BEFORE GETTING ON TAI HO’S BOAT, after beating him at dice, go get the Circus crew, and take them north to Matilda to level up & get good gear before heading South.

Make sure you have enough armor, runes, and weapon runes from Matilda for Flik & Viktor when you finally get them in your party in South Window! Then save their old armor for Freed Y & the Vampire Hunter!

**While you are up there, you can also pass through Two River now (apparently) and can recruit some folk early, which is funny cause you don’t have a castle yet!

TWO RIVER:

   [_]  Hans

LAKEWEST:

   [_]  Tetsu (Be Toasty, eat Fried Tacos from Kobold district in Two River)  

[_]  Taki

NORTH WINDOW PORTION

KUSKUS

   [_]  Recipe 9 (bookshelf in rich house with bridge)  

[_]  Recipe 11 (rare find)

RADAT

   [_]  Sound Set 5 (rare find)  

[_]  Recipe 18 (rare find)  

[_]  Recipe 14 (from cook)

SOUTH WINDOW

   [_]  Old Book 3 (rare find)  

[_]  Friendship Rune (bonsai - embed in Riou’s weapon)

*KEEP the WOODEN SHIELD from Freed Y in inventory to give to Adalai.

CAVE OF THE WIND

   [_]  Blue Gate Rune

NORTH WINDOW

   [_]  Darkness Rune (a child Rune of the Soul Eater; in the Statue Puzzle Room, hidden door by moving the far left statue up before moving the out-of place statue. Picture showing what to do is in the downstairs area that will become the prison/graveyard)   

[_]  Blue Ribbon (Candle Puzzle Room; Light all the lower candles except the one before the last one)

HQ LEVEL 1

After accepting leadership & giving HQ a name

KUSKUS

   [_]  Oulan (all female party; speak w/ woman near entrance then cross bridge)  

[_]  Tai Ho & Yam Koo (Beat at dice - auto plot recruit)

RADAT

   [_]  Amada (defeat in duel after recruiting Tai Ho)  

[_]  Richmond (after coin flipping with him, talk to the first guy in the tavern)  

[_]  Yoshino (Freed Y in party)

SOUTH WINDOW

   [_]  Alex & Hilda  

[_]  Adlai (Sacrificial Jizo from Bulgan, Wooden Shield from Freed Y, Wind Rune from South Window Rune Shop - thrown)  

[_]  Clive (after using the boat once)

LAKEWEST

   [_]  Taki   [_]  Tetsu (Be Toasty, eat Fried Tacos from Kobold district in Two River)  

[_]  Cabbage (Empty barrel between two houses up top)  

[_]  Recipe 16 (shelf in Taki’s house)

TWO RIVER

   [_]  Hans  

[_]  Resurrection Rune (Sewers)  

[_]  Recipe 21 (Landshark - Sewers) BUG Connected to Recipes 12 (Path of the Unicorn) & 34 (Path escaping Greenhill)  

[_]  Recipe 23 (rare find, human region)

KOBOLD VILLAGE

   [_]  Recipe 13 (cook in chief’s house, red bandanna, in the shadows)  

[_]  Recipe 31 (rare find)  

[_]  Exertion Rune (Big pot outside chief’s house)

HQ LEVEL 2

You are free to explore and fill your party with anyone after you get back from Two River, and Shu tells everyone to meet back the next morning. You will wake up, and instead of going to the Council Room to be told that Greenhill has fallen, you can go explore.

COOK OFF IS NOW ACTIVE! Recipe List at Top

RECIPE BUG!!!! TURN IN RECIPES 21, 12, & 34 AT THE SAME TIME! They will most likely be found in this order, and it’s only a short time to hold them in your inventory or vault before turning them all in at once! If you turn in any of these before the others, it will make it impossible for enemies to drop them.

• 21 (found in the Two River Sewers; dropped by Land Shark)

• 12 (found after the events at Two River, when HQ is level 2, in the Path of the Unicorn in Kobold Village, during or after Hix & Tengaar Quest; dropped by Eagle Man)

• 34 (found after the events in Two River, in the path escaping Greenhill the first time; dropped by DoReMi Elf)

RADAT

   [_]  Stallion (Run Away or Let Go over 50 times)

HQ

   [_]  Hai Yo (Kitchen)  

[_]  Turtle Plans 4 (Rope Climbing, 1st Pride, Castle League)

COOK OFF

   [_]  1 - Yu Kum (Recipe 2, Tomato Soup)

FISHING GAME

   [_]  Whitefish (3)  

[_]  Clams (3)  

[_]  Shrimp (3)  

[_]  Salmon (3)

WORD MAP - GREENHILL REGION

Castle must be at level 2

To recruit the squirrels, they must be recruited in order, must have an empty space for each in the party.

You do not need to have every previous squirrel in your current party, just previously recruited, in order. The only squirre that is a Star is Mukumuku. All others are optional and just for fun (& for an epic unite attack).

Stay on the path as much as possible, and enter the villages before returning on the path. It resets the randomized, bringing the wandering squirrels back closer to the path. Many have gotten them right after exiting a town. It helps if you have Stallion, to go fast, catching the squirrel as they wander on the map, before they stray too far away. Running from all battles helps, as they keep moving on the map during battles.

(Also, Chicks can be dropped by Ragged One in the Greenhill area; this is NOT a farm chick!!! This is a bath item!)

   [_]  Makumaku (path between Two River & Greenhill)  

[_]  Mikumiku (path between Greenhill & Forest Villlage)  

[_]  Mekumeku (path between Greenhill & Forest Path)  

[_]  Mokumoku (clearing south of Forest Village)  

[_]  Turtle Plans 1 (Two River area; dropped by Rockadillo)  

[_]  Turtle Plans 2 (Greenhill area, during occupation; dropped by Ragged One)

LAKEWEST

   [_]  Shilo (Beat at dice)  

[_]  Hix & Tengaar (bring Flik or Viktor for an extra scene; only if you’ve loaded in Sui I stuff)

COOK OFF

   [_]  2 - Goetsu (Recipe 8, Buttered Clams)

PATH OF THE UNICORN (KOBOLD - While recruiting Hix & Tengaar)

• Do NOT open the chest closest to the starting point in the forest. It makes it impossible to collect all of Yuzu’s sheep. After recruiting Yuzu, you can find her 4th sheep here. Going back, you’ll see that chest will be open.

   [_]  Recipe 12 (dropped by eagle man) BUG Connected to Recipes 21 (Two River Sewers) & 34 (Greenhill Forest Path - during liberation)   

[_]  Double Strike Rune (dropped by eagle man)

TWO RIVER

   [_]  Sid (Two River Sewers w/ Chaco)  

[_]  Gabocha (Kobold District w/Gengen)  

[_]  Spinach (from Suzu after getting Chaco)  

[_]  Recipe 23 (rare find, human region)  

[_]  Recipe 21 (sewers, dropped by land shark) BUG Connected to Recipes 12 (Path of the Unicorn) & 34 (Greenhill Forest Path - during liberation)

FOREST VILLAGE

   [_]  Wakaba (Riou Level 30)  

[_]  Tony (talk to him twice)  

[_]  Spinach (from elder after recruiting Tony)

MUSE/GREENHILL BORDER

   [_]  Meg & Gadget

GREENHILL

   [_]  Emilia (be honest w/ her after the tour)

GREENHILL FOREST PATH

   [_]  Chimera Rune

AFTER GREENHILL

COOK OFF

   [_]  3 - Shiki (Recipe 17 - Cake)

KOBOLD VILLAGE

   [_]  Yuzu (all animals must be collected after recruiting her)

UNICORN PATH (KOBOLD VILLAGE)

   [_]  Lamb (on the main path toward Siegfried’s tree, if that first chest hasn’t been opened)  

[_]  Mangosh (hidden chest behind tree; can get while recruiting Yuzu)  

[_]  Guard Ring (hidden chest behind tree; can get while recruiting Yuzu)

FOREST PATH TO MATILDA (could have gotten all of these - except Viki - before, during the errand for Pilika)

   [_]  Viki  

[_]  Sound Set 2 (dropped by doremi elf)  

[_]  Potato (dropped by papa holly)  

[_]  Recipe 29 (dropped by zombie slug)

TWO RIVER

   [_]  Jeane

FOREST VILLAGE

   [_]  Lamb  

[_]  Iron Hammer (in Weapon Shop)

LAKEWEST

   [_]  Chick

RADAT

   [_]  Piglet

HIGHWAY VILLAGE

   [_]  Calf

ROCKAXE

*Long Chan Chan is is still in the Rockaxe Inn, but if you bring Wakaba, he becomes suddenly absent. You can bring Wakaba later when you go to Muse for the council meeting, and use the Matilda glitch to go get him.

   [_]  Violence Rune (appraisal shop bookshelf)

ON THE WAY TO TORAN REPUBLIC

COOK OFF

   [_]  4 - Ryuki (Recipe 19 - Pasta)

BANNER

   [_]  Rabbit Plans 3 (rare find)  

[_]  Tomato (rare find)  

[_]  Rose Brooch (rare find; use to recruit Simone later)  

[_]  Potato (woman inside house)  

[_]  Alert Rune (barrel north of the docks)

PATH TO GREGMINSTER

   [_]  Window 1 (dropped by Tiger)  

[_]  Poison Rune

GREGMINSTER

   [_]  Blinking Mirror (from Lepant; automatic)  

[_]  Kasumi OR Valeria (recruit Kasumi to enter Rokakku early. Valeria has the same rune as Anita)

[_]  Copper Hammer (soldier in palace, first room on the right)  

[_]  Old Book 7 (McDohl shrine in palace)  

[_]  Red Pepper (trading post)  

[_]  Soy sauce (trading post)  

[_]  Tomato (person in the street)  

[_]  Recipe 28 (rare find)  

[_]  Recipe 39 (after the McDohl quest, defeat Lester in the cook-off. He will mention Gremio‘s Special Stew)  

[_]  Mother Earth Rune (rare finds)  

[_]  Flowing Rune (rare finds)  

[_]  Cyclone Rune (given by Sarah in Inn)

**After Gregminster; Radat, South Window, and Kuskus will also be inaccessible until after defeating Luca Blight. This means that many things that we’ve been waiting for HQ Level 3 for; we still can’t get until after defeating Luca, since HQ isn’t level 3 until after Gregminster, but we still can’t get to some of these cities until after Luca. So I will put those checklist items in the “after defeating Luca” part

HQ LEVEL 3

COOK OFF

   [_]  5 - Bashok (Recipe 24 - Fried Rice)

FOREST PATH TO MATILDA

   [_]  Badeaux (bring an animal)

FOREST VILLAGE

   [_]  Connell (bring sound set)  

[_]  Ayda & Feather (defeat griffins, use Listening Rune)

PATH OF THE UNICORN (KOBOLD)

   [_]  Sigfried (bring a pure maiden: Tengaar, Sierra, Mikumiku, Nanami; any young woman, use Listening Rune)

HQ/TOTO

   [_]  Tomo (Tsai asks to go to house, take him there)

ROKKAKU (if Kasumi was recruited)

   [_]  Mondo  

[_]  Sasuke   

[_]  Piglet (trading shop)  

[_]  Sound Set 6 (trading shop)  

[_]  Blinking Rune

GREGMINSTER

   [_]  Gordon (earn 50,000 trading)  

[_]  Lorelai (wait until after defeating Luca & bring Killey for extra dialogue)

BEFORE BATTLE WITH LUCA

AFTER SAVING RIDLEY FROM AMBUSH, now is a good time to prepare.

COOK OFF

   [_]  6 - Ryuko (Recipe 22 - Gratin)

SUGGESTED PARTY STRUCTURE for BATTLE w/ LUCA BLIGHT

I like to level everyone intended for my 3 parties to level 40 by grinding on the road to Greminster, and outfit them in the best armor, sharpened weapons, and runes as listed below. The stats listed after every name reflect what they are at level 40. These are just suggestions, but this is how I like to do it.

• Tank

• Offensive Rune

• Healing Rune

• Balanced Fighter

TANKS #ATT points

• S Sigfried 365 (Killer, White Saint) - 2 PARTY SPOTS

• S Feather 331 (Shining Wind, Double Beat)- 2 PARTY SPOTS

• S Bolgan 258 (Fire Breath, Down)

• S Zamza 231 (Fire Dragon/Fire Sealing, Fire Lizard)

• S Oulan 230 (Lion/Angry Dragon, Fire)

• S Wakaba 225 (White Tiger, Fire)

• S Mondo 224 (Mayfly, Down)

STRONG MAGIC USERS

• L Luc (Blue Gate/Cyclone/Pixie, Magic Drain) 9/5/3/1

• L Rina (Lighting/Fire/Water, Fire) 8/4/2/1

• L Tengaar (Resurrection/Darkness, Poison) 8/4/2/1

BALANCED

• M Nanami 169 (Double Beat/Spark, Down)

• S Camus 189 (Rage, Fire) 6/3/1

• M Futch 195 (Water, Earth) 6/3/1

• L Eilie 178 (Lightning, Earth) 6/3/1

• S Freed Y 172 (Lightning, Earth) 6/3/1

• L Kinnison 167 (Water, Earth)

PREPARE CHARACTERS

   [_]  Level 40 or higher (train up on Path to Gregminster)  

[_]  Highest armor   

[_]  High healing items (after leveling them all up, go to Hai Yo once, defeat the rival chef, then get a bunch of strong food for all the party members)  

[_]  Runes (balanced in party: offensive/healing; fire sealing if possible - to protect against Luca's many powerful fire attacks; runes for weapons too)

[_]  Weapons sharpened & runes embedded (Kuskus now sharpens up to 11, and though the rest of the town is blocked off, the blacksmith is accessible)  

[_]  Make sure everyone has stayed at the Inn & HP & magic is all the way up!

SUGGESTED PARTY 1

1. S Flik 201 (Lighting/Double Beat, Lightning) 8/4/2/1

2. S Sigfried 365 (Killer, White Saint)

3. S Camus 189 (Rage, Fire) 6/3/1

4. L Tengaar (Resurrection/Darkness, Poison) 8/4/2/1

5. *L Sigfried 365 (Killer, White Saint)

6. M Futch 195 (Water/Earth, Lightning) 6/3/1

SUGGESTED PARTY 2

1. S Viktor 239 (Violence/Double Beat, Down)

2. S Bolgan 258 (Fire Breath, Down)

3. S Oulan 230 (Lion/Angry Dragon, Fire)

4. L Rina (Lighting/Fire/Water, Fire) 8/4/2/1

5. M Nanami 169 (Double Beat/Spark, Down)

6. L Eilie 178 (Lightning/Earth, Lightning) 6/3/1

SUGGESTED PARTY 3

1. S Freed Y 172 (Lightning, Earth, Lightning) 6/3/1

2. S Feather 331 (Shining Wind, Double Beat)

3. S Zamza 231 (Fire Dragon/Fire Sealing, Fire Lizard)

4. M Riou (Lighting/B. Shield/Double Beat, Friendship)8/4/2/1

5. *L Feather 331 (Shining Wind, Double Beat)

6. L Luc (Blue Gate/Cyclone/Pixie, Magic Drain) 9/5/3/1

COOK OFF

(after leveling everyone up & making sure their armor, runes, weapons, and weapon runes are up to date; then go to Hai Yo once, defeat the rival chef, then get a bunch of strong food for all the party members)

   [_]  7 - Antonio (Recipe 30 - Ramen)

STRONG HEALING FOOD FROM HAI YO

• ***Cream Stew 8/600

• **Amazing Tempura 7/400

• **Terikayki 7/400

• **Fried Rice 6/500

• Cheesecake 6/450

• Rising Sun Bento 5/450

• Tintoburger 5/450

• BBQ Meat Bun 9/300

JUST BEFORE BATTLE WITH LUCA

• Talk to Shu FIRST the night before the battle with Luca. Your responses trigger an extra scene with Apple the next morning.

• Talk to Leona the night before fighting Luca

AFTER DEFEATING LUCA

KUSKUS

   [_]  Karen (Pressing the select button brings up a picture of the controller that indicates the next button(s) to press.

•Press the button immediately after Karen claps.

•Start the button sequence after Riou bounces 3-4 times.

SOUTH WINDOW

   [_]  Maximillian   

[_]  Annallee (first at the Inn)  

[_]  Killey (tell him about Alex, go back to HQ, talk to Alex, go back to South Window & keep talking to him)

RADAT

   [_]  Hoi  

 [_]  Lebrante (Celadon Urn) 

 [_]  Simone (bring rose brooch to sluice gate; brooch found in Banner Rare Finds)

GREGMINSTER

   [_]  Lorelai (if you didn’t get her earlier, bring Kiley for extra dialogue)

TWO RIVER

   [_]  Bob (must have 80 people)

DRAKEMOUTH

   [_]  Calf  

[_]  Cabbage (small bag on crates in storage house)

COOK OFF

   [_]  8 - Gyokuran (Recipe 27 - Tonkatsu) (Gyokuran will steal some recipes during the battle, will return them after when you win)

MUSE PEACE TREATY

ROCKAXE

(use Matilda glitch; it’s possible to get by the guards; but you’ll need to use the blinking mirror to get back, then the boat beck up to Cornet to get to Muse.)

  [_]  Long Chan Chan (bring Wakaba. If possible, put 6 Chinese dishes in the bath before going to recruit LCC, and he’ll show up in the bath; then there will be more funny dialogue when recruiting LCC in Rockaxe. You can get Chinese Dishes from the monsters in the path to Toran; you probably have lots from all the pre-Luca-Battle leveling-up)

WORLD MAP (Muse Area)

   [_]  Double Beat Rune (dropped by white tiger)

NECLORD ARC

COOK OFF

   [_]  9 - Retso - impossible to win, will trick you & take the moon bird recipe

PATH TO TIGERMOUTH

   [_]  Window 2 (dropped by air lizard) 

 [_]  Double strike rune (chest)

TIGERMOUTH

   [_]  Chick (wandering around outside)  

[_]  Old Book 8 (south house, tiny bookshelf)  

[_]  Tomato (person outside)

CROM

   [_]  Tenkou (northeast house, bring window set)

TINTO

   [_]  Raura

  [_]  Dragon Plans 3 (young man in a house over the south east cliff)  

[_]  Unicorn Plans 3 (old man in the other house over the south east cliff)

TINTO MINES

   [_]  Old Book 9  

[_]  Window 5

AFTER NECLORD

WITHIN STORY

  [_]  Jess (accept his apology or he leaves forever)

COOK OFF

   [_]  10 - Lester (Recipe 33 - Sushi) (You must do the McDohl sidequest before defeating Lester if you want him to tell you about Gremio’s Special Stew)

TINTO

   [_]  Mother Earth Rune (from Gustav)

MOUNTAIN PATH TO TIGERMOUTH/DRAKEMOUTH

   [_]  Georg Prime  

[_]  Window 2 (dropped by air lizard)  

[_]  Double strike rune (chest)

SOUTH WINDOW

   [_]  Gangetsu (party combined strength 400+)

BEFORE LIBERATING GREENHILL

• Talk to Leona the night before going to liberate greenhill.

GREENHILL FOREST PATH - DURING LIBERATION

   [_]  Recipe 34 (DoReMi Elves; the yellow one?) BUG Connected to Recipes 12 (Path of the Unicorn) & 21 (Two River Sewers)

AFTER GREENHILL LIBERATION

(You will go to the Great Hall and speak to Shu automatically. You can “wait a minute” before liberating Muse to go on a recruitment drive.)

COOK OFF

   [_]  11 - Retso (Recipe 38 - Sashimi Combo)

KUSKUS

   [_]  Tessai (bring Viktor)

GREENHILL

   [_]  Pico (Inn; Annallee recruited)  

[_]  Rabbit Plans 4 (rare find)  

[_]  Window 6 (rare find)  

[_]  Old Book 10 (villager in dorm basement)  

[_]  Piglet (outside academy)  

[_]  Rage Rune (Rune master)  

[_]  Silver Hammer (student in Academy; blacksmith room, after recruiting Tessai)  

[_]  Jude (Academy; talk to him, go get him clay from Forest Village)

GRENNHILL WORLD MAP

   [_]  Spinach (dropped by eye flower)

FOREST VILLAGE

   [_]  Sound Set 7 (Connell’s sister)

TINTO

   [_]  Alberto (Weapon Shop; Annallee & Pico recruited)

HQ LEVEL 4

(After all the recruiting after greenhill, your HQ will be at level 4.)

ROKKAKU (if Valeria)

   [_]  Mondo  

[_]  Sasuke   

[_]  Piglet  

[_]  Sound Set 6 (trading shop)

RADAT

   [_]  Vincent (bring Simone to Sluice Gate)

KUSKUS (BOAT TO CORNET)

   [_]  Genshu (at least one level 14 weapon, Tessai can with the Silver Hammer)

CAVE OF THE WIND

   [_]  Pesmerga (at the end, where you got the sword)

TINTO MINES

   [_]  Mazus

BY NOW, YOU SHOULD HAVE ALL 108!!!

There is a scene where Kiba meets Shu in his room. After that, you must make sure you have all 108 before moving on. Once you speak to Shu after that, it triggers a scene with everyone in the Great Hall. Leknaat appears here. If you don’t have all 108 by this time, you won’t get the proper ending.

SUGGESTED STRONGEST PLAYERS FOR THE FINAL BATTLESALL LEVEL 50 or ABOVE (level up on the Greenhill path, bring Needles)

MAGIC USERS

• S Luc (Blue Gate/Cyclone/Pixie, Magic Drain) 9/6/3/2

• S Mazus (Blue Gate/Thunder/Fire) 9/6/3/2

• L Rina (Mother Earth/Rage/Water) 9/5/2/1

• L Tengaar (Resurrection/Thunder) 9/5/3/1

FIGHTERS

• S Viktor 335 (Double-Beat, Fury, or Violence)

• S Pesmerga 341 (Counter) 7/4/2/1

• S Georg Prime 345 (Double-Beat)

BALANCED

• S Flik 310 (Thunder, Double-Beat) 9/5/3/1

• M Nanami 259 (Double Beat/Spark, Down)

• M Riou (Prosperity/Bright Shield/Double Beat, Friendship)

ALSO CHECK YOUR BATTLE UNIT FORMATION!

ROCKAXE MISSION

KNOW BEFORE ROCKAXE: HOW TO SAVE NANAMI

• In order to save Nanami and see the "best" ending, you must first gather the 108 Stars of Destiny before choosing to invade Rockaxe. You will know you have accomplished this task if Leknaat appears during the rally and unlocks the fourth level spell of the Bright Shield, Forgiver Sign. Then Nanami must have a total DEF value of 121 or greater (you can use equipment to boost her DEF) when she and Riou reach Gorudo during the siege of Matilda Castle.

• When confronting Gorudo, when Nanami tries to deflect arrows to protect you, you must select either dialogue option RIGHT AWAY (there is a time limit for this dialogue selection).

• You know you’ve succeeded if afterwards, Huan pulls Shu aside for a private word after he claims to have failed to save Nanami (Please note that Nanami will still be unavailable for the rest of the game).

• With that being said, in order to see Nanami alive you must get the "best" ending, which consists of not entering the meeting room in your castle but instead going to Tenzan Pass to meet Jowy at the place the friends swore to wait for each other if separated.

• Do not defeat Jowy in the duels he forces upon Riou, and when he tries to give you his true rune, keep rejecting it. Eventually, the end sequence will start.

ROCKAXE CASTLE

   [_]  Dragon Plans 4  

[_]  Unicorn Plans 4   

[_]  Recipe 36 (dropped by Highlands Soldier in the castle infiltration)

ROCKAXE (after liberation)

   [_]  Old Book 11 (armor/item shop basement; now accessible)  

[_]  Thunder Rune (speak to blue knight beyond the area where Gorudo was defeated)  

[_]  Recipe 37 (beyond the area where Gorudo was defeated)  

[_]  Turn Recipes 36 & 37 in AT THE SAME TIME

HIGHWAY VILLAGE (After Rockaxe liberation)

   [_]  Calf (yes, another one, now after the Greenhill, Matilda, & Muse liberation)

GUARDIAN DEITY OPTIONS (Head/Body/Legs/Tail)

• Fury Crystal (berserk) D/D/U/U

• Prosperity (x2 Potch) & Fortune Crystals (x2 EXP) R/T/R/T

(There are more options than these, but these are the ones I like. Only the first combination chosen yields a reward. For a complete list of combinations and their rewards, check suikosource.com )

COOK OFF

   [_]  12 - Jinkai (Recipe 40 - Kaiseki Dinner)

AFTER MUSE LIBERATION

MUSE

   [_]  Old Book 12 (villager in tavern)  

[_]  Recipe 35 (rare find)  

[_]  Flowing Rune (villager, rune Shop, 2nd floor)  

[_]  Fury Rune (rune shop rare finds)

WORLD MAP (MUSE AREA)

   [_]  Double Beat Rune (dropped by white tiger)

BEFORE INVADING HIGHLAND (where Shu uses himself as bait)

• Put Tsai in Viktor's unit. If you're lucky, the Fire Spear will defeat Leon, and you'll get to hear his very rare "defeat" speech.

KYARO (interact with the Home Tree)

   [_]  30 Potch  

[_]  Trio Painting 

 [_]  Hunter Rune

SAJAH VILLAGE

   [_]  Golden Hammer (rare find)  

[_]  Lamb (rare find)

L’RENOUILLE

   [_]  Window 7  

[_]  Fury Rune

My First Vocal Album - Drink Me & Morvryn

Yo. Guys. I did it.

I finally arranged, recorded, mixed, and released two songs that I wrote.

I cannot tell you how legit proud of myself I am.

People often talk about fear of failure, but what people don't often talk about is fear of success - the fear of actually fulfilling your hopes and dreams. It's so easy to spend your life wishing and desiring, and to never actually take that One Step that starts your journey into Something New - much less the Next Step after that, and the Next. Complacency is a drug.

And I was complicit in my complacence (but that's a lyric to a song I haven't released yet. 😉)

I have wanted to be a recording artist for as long as I can remember, and though I took lots of training in vocals, music theory, music production, performance, and other skills; even after releasing a lofi album a few years ago, and having written these two songs even before that, I still didn't release them.

I had more to learn, and I was afraid to go learn it, afraid to do the work, afraid to put it out there.

Fortunately, there exists in my life a beautiful cocktail of Therapy, Meds & Suppliments, Exercise, and a Powerhouse of a Support System of Loved Ones - with Shawna as the Captain of the Guard. And with all of that support, I finally found not only the strength, but the FIRE to learn the skills necessary to do the work, and finally release these two songs.

There are so many more songs I want to release, but in the age of social media & the plan I have with my distributor, why not release what I've got when I've got it?? I could tel myself excuses all day about how "I'll release it when I have more." No. Release the two you have now, then release more later. And even if these two aren't perfect yet, you can update them later and re-release them in a few years when your skills and resources grow. What's stopping you? YOU get to create your own rules. That's the benefit of being an independent artist.

I don't know what finally clicked in me, but I'm glad it did. And I'm happy that these two incredibly perosnal songs are here for you to witness.

Drink Me Lyrics Baby you don’t know how you make me sing.

I shudder at the flutter of your wings.

Bless me with the sweetness of your sting.

Your seductive shadow is all-consuming.

There’s traction in your passion and it’s getting hot.

Deliver me the ecstasy my soul just bought.

Quick before the 13th ringing of the clock.

Baby come and show me what you got.

I want to fall into you.

You light my candle, ring my bell.

Let me bathe in the spirit of you.

I’ll take you to heaven,

If you’ll let me into your personal hell!

Drink me.

I’m your poison, I’m your wine.

Drink me.

I am twisted and divine.

Just one taste and nothing can save you,

You’ll be craving me like I crave you.

Kiss me.

Taste your blood upon my lips.

Take me.

Dig your nails into my hips.

Worship me in ritual adoration.

You’ll be my doom and I’ll be your salvation

Drink me.

Set me as a silver chain about your heart.

Lay me in solitude of your graveyard.

A devil and an angel dancing in the dark.

Tell me it’s the nightengale and not the lark!

I want to fall into you.

You light my candle, ring my bell.

Let me bathe in the spirit of you.

I’ll take you to heaven,

If you’ll let me into your personal hell!

Drink me.

I’m your poison, I’m your wine.

Drink me.

I am twisted and divine.

Just one taste and nothing can save you.

You’ll be craving me like I crave you!

Kiss me.

Taste your blood upon my lips.

Take me.

Dig your nails into my hips.

Worship me in mutual adoration.

You’ll be my doom and I’ll be your salvation!

Drink me.

I’m your poison, I’m your wine.

Drink me.

I am twisted and divine.

Just one taste and nothing can save you.

You’ll be craving me like I crave you!

Kiss me.

Taste your blood upon my lips.

Take me.

Dig your nails into my hips.

Worship me in mutual adoration.

You’ll be my doom and I’ll be your salvation!

Drink me!

Take me!

Drink me.

About Drink Me

This song is my love letter to the Byronic Hero. Raise your hand if you've ever been attracted to the Dangerous Hot Sad Boi Type. 🙋‍♀️ I volunteer as tribute. For all of them. Not because "I can fix them," but because they're Hott AF and they need someone to love them and all that sad darkness inside of them. And that someone can be me.

"Drink Me" was a victory for me because I've always been afraid of my own sexiness - and of publicly sharing my desires. For years, I didn't know I was goth. I reached a place in my adult life where I was getting increasingly disillusioned and disempowered by feeling like I couldn't express my love of the dark, macabre, sexy, & slightly taboo things. It wasn't until my good friend T said "baby, you're a goth." And my world lit up. They gave me one of my first goth outfit pieces and took me to a goth club. I was a whole new person. I was still allowed to be a bright, happy fairie-tale girl, AND the dark princess - like the heroine of the movie Legend, like the goddess Kore/Persephone. This song is me expressing that dark, dominant side. And I relish it without guilt. It was a huge liberating experience for me. (Watching myself on the tik tok video I made to promote it is still a little uncomfortable, but I'm working on that too.)

The music in this song was inspired a lot by Janelle Monáe (especially the song "Make Me Feel"), and a lot of Trent Reznor's incredible Nine Inch Nails work. At the end, the piano does these super cool chord inversion hits that remind me a lot of the stuff that Yoko Shimomura does with the Kingdom Hearts & Final Fantasy VX soundtracks. Shawna calls it my "Childish Gambino" moment, because it also sounds a lot like the piano at the end of his "Redbone" track.

I love this song so much. I hope it's one that you enjoy too.

Morvryn Lyrics

My Shadow Companion hides his wings

He knows so many secret things

Like struggle, failure, guilt’s cold sting

And from his hidden place, I hear him sing

“Come here, my love, I’ll take your tears,

I’ve walked these halls, I know these fears.

I’ve made this grief into a home;

Come here, my love, you’re not alone.”

As I fall into his arms,

he tastes salt upon my face

And I feel a sense of comfort

In this strange and sacred place

Then I feel a mighty wind

And I hear a mighty sound

And I pull my Shadow closer

As my feet lift off the ground

All I see is rainbow blackness

As my Shadow’s wings unfurl

And I feel a sense of wonder

In this new, familiar world

And my shadow’s now an angel

As he looks into my eyes

And I suddenly fear nothing

As his voice rings out divine

“The dark is not a thing to fight

You needn’t fear your darkest night

Two wings of balance can take flight

A shadow’s born of brightest light

“When night is dark and night is long

I’ll prove your feelings aren’t wrong

Your greatest wound can make you strong

I’ll turn your sorrow into song”

And he transmutes my pain

into ecstatic beauty

And he says “Be not ashamed!”

As he tends to his sacred duty

Every scar becomes a masterpiece at his sight

As from each wound sprouts a plume of radiant night

And he transmutes my pain

into ecstatic beauty

And he frees me from my chains

And I feel his breath flow through me

I feel the stirring of delight

As crystal tears refine my sight

Upon my wings of darkness

We fly into the light, the light, we fly

Into the light, the light, the light!

My Shadow and I, we share our wings

We know that it’s a lovely thing.

About Morvryn

"Morvryn" is another perosnal victory song. Yet again, it's about exploring my Dark Side, or my Shadow. Many of us were raised to suppress the darkness within us, and it took me a long time to dismantle that, and realize that Dark =\= Evil. It is deliberate, cruelty perpetuated by willful ignorance (often born of unconfronted fear) that is evil. But the darkness within us isn't something to be avoided. Nor is it to be allowed to run free and rampant - but rather explored, loved, accepted, and eventually managed in a healthy way. Asking yourself "what external and internal forces are triggering these difficult feelings?" is one way to engage in the important practice of engaging with your shadow. I strive to find the balance between the dark parts of myself along with the light, rather than suppressing the dark until it explodes. This is why I call myself neither a Jedi, nor a Sith, but a Grey Jedi, that follows the middle path - much like Riku in the Kingdom Hearts series, who takes neither the path of darkness nor light, but the Middle Path, the Road to Dawn.

"Ok, the song is bout a balance of dark & light, and working with your shadow self. But why the name 'Morvryn?'" Well, when I started my Shadow Work, I did a LOT of work on the different archetypal personalities within me (these "personalities" more more like hats that I wear in different situations and are integrated wholeistically and are not disassociative like those that love with DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder). Through this introspective journaling work, I identified parts of me that were more motherly, more silly, more hedonistic, more introverted, more demonstrative, more heroic, etc. I gave them all names and associations, and I would sometimes write dialogues between them as a part of my morning "brain-dump" journaling (my Morning Pages, for those of you familiar with The Artist's Way). These exercises were very beneficial to me. When I was able to look at the Feeler of these Feelings as a unique person; able to step outside of myself and look at them as if they were a character in a story, I found myself more able to empathize with them, care for them, love them. It's so easy to hate ourselves for the mistakes we make, but we can often seem to find some empathy for others and say things like "well, you were acting out of pain. Let's find the source of that pain, and try and resolve it. I forgive you for what you have done. I hope you can ask forgiveness for who you hurt, and I would like you to try and forgive yourself as well." We will offer empathy and compassion so easily for others and so difficulty for ourselves. But I found that by stepping outside of myself for a second, I could better offer myself compassion and empathy for why I had acted the way I did, and then re-integrate, take ownership for my actions, and then move forward. I go into a bit more detail on these personality archetypes in our Heroic Self Care guide on our Empowerment page.

"Morvryn" was the name I gave to my Shadow Self, my own inner Byronic Hero, my own inner Dark Sad Boi. Through this journey, I learned not to hate my darkness, but to love him and want to comfort him and show him that he was a blessing to me, and that I could be a blessing to him. Together, we helped ourselves grow.

I also ended up playing him in a 3 year long D&D campaign, but that's another story.

I cannot tell you how much I love my Morvryn. When I am suffering from emotional pain, he is there to empathize, and he has the magic ability to take that pain and help me turn it into art - just like he did when we turned our own darkness into this song. And that is right there in the climax of the song: "He transmutes my pain into ecstatic beauty."

Although most of the instruments in this song are digitally created, the solo violin at the very beginning is me. I used to play all the way through school, though I haven't really picked it up much since I graduated from high school more than 2 decades ago. My bowing was shaky, and my fingering was pitchy, but of Morvryn can resonate beautifully in his imperfections, then so can I. And even though I was self conscious about it, I Did the Damned Thing, and I'm proud of myself. How can I write a song about vulnerability without being vulnerable? Perfection is a myth. Have the courage to Show Up even if you're a bit messy.

The Trumpet was another live instrument. What an absolute blessing to have my brother Josh lend his warm and smooth trumpet to my song. I couldn't think of a better way to help the song soar. I cry every time I hear it.

I hope you enjoy Morvryn as much as I do, and I hope it helps you engage in your own shadow work.

Listen to my album below:

https://open.spotify.com/album/3oUL8XwIgNZhyfPSYLQIaH?si=PKkQQ_1KRHa6x3y8aQ1XyA

Memories of Suikoden - 15 Years Later

Written Dec 9, 2014, for Suikoden’s 15th Anniversary

April 1997, almost a year after my brother was gifted a Playstation for his birthday, I asked my parents for a Role Playing Game for the system. I had been avidly reading PSM: Playstation Magazine; the best way at the time to get news about upcoming games, since the Internet was still such an infant and had not yet learned to sprint at our house.

I was roughly 13 years old at the time, and my childhood experience concerning video games was comprised mostly of "Super Mario Bros 3" on the NES and good old 16 bit "Kings Quest I, II, & III" for the old DOS IMB. When the Super Nintendo was released, my parents would have none of it. NES was enough. We did not need a second game system. So while people who I would later meet and befriend were playing Final Fantasy VI (called 2 or 3 here, not sure which), I lived in complete ignorance that games like this even existed.

My grandma and grandpa had an NES at their house. They played "The Pill Game" (Dr. Mario) exclusively, but they kept a few games around for us to play. They had a Dragon Warrior game. This was my first RPG ever. I didn't know it was called an RPG. All I knew was that it was the best type of game there was, and I wanted more of it.

Fast forward to 13-year-old me. I had been reading PSM, and had learned that the term "RPG" was a THING (outside of Dad's definition, that he continually reminded me of: "remote propelled grenade"). After months of research, I begged my parents for the only real RPG I had seen advertised.

"Mom & Dad, please get me 'Beyond the Beyond' for my birthday!

So when April 27, 1997 drew around, and I turned 14, and I got that deliciously wrapped 6inX6inX2in square in my hand, I anxiously awaited to open it and see the words "Beyond the Beyond" peeking back out at me. It would be my first real RPG experience that I could own for myself. Please keep in mind, this was still several months before the masterpiece that was Final Fantasy VII graced our shores.

But accompanying that precious package was a card from my parents. I opened it, and inside was my Dad's familiar left-handed scrawl:

"The guy at the store said 'Beyond the Beyond' was really dumb. He suggested this one instead."

I was a bit disappointed in that moment, to be honest, having spent months hyping myself up for that game.

But I was wrong. SO wrong. Months later, I found myself picking up 'Beyond the Beyond' in a bargain bin to see "what would have been." I ended up returning it a few weeks later, having never finished the game. The guy at the game store was right. I wish I knew his name, so I could thank him for encouraging my parents to buy a different game instead, to thank him for changing my life.

What was under that thin veil of wrapping paper on my 14th birthday wasn't 'Beyond the Beyond.'

It was "Genso Suikoden."

17 years later, I still feel the compelling story of a war-torn boy, thrust into fate to lead an army of revolutionists against his own father, a general in the Imperial army. I still dream of the colorful world; a melting pot of feudal Asia & medieval Europe. I remember all 108 characters that I painstakingly searched for, and completed obscure task for, in order to recruit them to my cause; characters that would fight for me, cook me dinner, sing me songs, build an ornate bath house, store my supplies, take my money in a dice game, upgrade my weapons and armor, soothe my jangled nerves, betray me, die for me. My iPhone still plays the music I bought from Japan; ah, the music! Glorious and beautiful; with themes of ancient Asia & the lilting Celtic isles. I remember the magnificent Gameplay, the strategic warfare, the story! Oh, how it made me THINK! I learned to ponder, to see things as more than just black & white. Oh, how it made me FEEL! The sobs that exited from me upon the death of a beloved companion were many.

From April 27, 1997 and on, that game was knit to my heart.

Two years later, October, 1999, Suikoden II was released. It was instantly on my Christmas list.

PSM said that if you had a completed save file with all 108 Stars of Destiny from the first game, you could unlock special secrets in the second one.

I checked my memory card for a file.

None was found.

Crap! How did I not have a game saved? Did I erase it to make room for another game? Those memory cards can only hold so many MB after all.

I had my mission: 2 months to play Suikoden again from the beginning, get all 108 Stars, and compete the game.

Before Christmas.

Christmas morning, 1999, I awoke at 3am, hoping to finish the final battle of the first game before opening the second one a few short hours later.

And I did, thankfully.

From the moment I popped in the disk and saw Luca Blight's mad face accompanied by fire & a dark, Carmina Buranaesque choir, I was in absolute heaven.

Everything Suikoden was, Suikoden II was too, only better. It is by far the best game in the series. Still, to this day, it is the best game I have ever played. The characters, the story, the music, the mini-games, the three different battle systems, the character recruitment, the castle-building; everything is incredible. Plus, there's an Iron Chef-style cooking game. How can you not love that?

In 15 years of talking about this game, I've heard the same thing. Everyone who has played this game says it is one of the best, if not the best RPG ever made, still to this day.

Unfortunately, not enough people played it.

It was poorly advertised, the weird sounding name (to American ears) didn't help, and it was released at the same time as Final Fantasy VIII, which already had quite a following. Social media as we know it did not exist in 1999, so it was much harder to find like-minded RPG players. Word-of-mouth didn't have enough oxygen to spread, and the fire went out.

But we loyal few kept or candles burning bright.

Over the last decade, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube took hold, and the Geek Revolution rose to power. We started coming out of the woodwork and communicating. Suikoden I & II had a grown a huge cult following. Whispers in the shadows about the best game no one ever heard about spread like wildfire, and this time, social media was the proper oxygen needed to spread it. As Suikoden III-V (and several spin-offs) were released for the PS2; more and more people were becoming engrossed in the series. From a small loyal few, the numbers of Suikoden fans were growing, much like the members of the social revolution armies you lead in the games.

"I love the Suikoden series!" One fan would say. "I've played III, IV, and V! They're awesome!"

"Have you played I and II?" another fan would ask.

"No. I came to the party late. Where can I find them?"

Unfortunately, for years, you couldn't find them anywhere. Konami printed a very limited number of copies, and the only place you could find any copies anywhere were on Amazon & eBay for no less than $300.

And some people were willing to pay it. small price to pay for the best game ever.

Unfortunately, there were so many others who desperately wanted to play the game, either for the first time, or for the first time in years (their original disk or PSX or PS2 having become lost, sold, or unplayable), who just couldn't find a way to play it.

The fans wept.

Then, A spark of hope! Video game companies had begun selling classic games in digital form for download directly onto their next-gen consoles. Millions of fans took this opportunity. Now, adult Millennials who grew up playing Mario on their NES and Final Fantasy VII on their PSX could download them onto their Wiis and PS3s for $5-$10 and keep them forever. No need to try and find an obscure way to plug in your old NES to your HDMI-only flatscreen!

Suikoden fans had their hopes high.

Suikoden I was released for download on the Playstation Network, and there was much rejoicing in the land! It would only be a matter of time before the next tile in the series was released.

Unfortunately, no Suikoden II. We waited. One year. Nothing. Two years, nothing. Seven years, nothing. The best game in the series? The game widely regarded as the best RPG of all time, despite low sales upon its original release? None for you. Nope. Sorry.

Fans organized. One of my favorite fansites, Suikosource, became "The Suikoden Revival Movement." I joined as soon as I learned about it. Fans grew in numbers. Fans that has never even played the game before joined in the cause. Our little band of 108 Stars of Destiny grew to thousands. We tweeted, facebooked, made fanart & fanfiction, wrote letters and emails, made phone calls, and sent it all to Sony and Konami; BEGGING them to release our precious game on PSN. "It will sell," we promised. "Look at how big we are. Look at how beloved this game is to so many."

For years, no response from Sony. No comment from Konami.

Like the Liberation Armies, we did not give up. We continued our fight, and bombarded the companies in charge with more, more, more. We knew it wasn't a futile effort.

Then, last April, like the birthday present I got when I received my first RPG ever, the ESRB rating for Suikoden II was released.

The fans rejoiced! The companies were considering our game! Finally, after years of campaigning! Hope was on the horizon. The final battle loomed with the dawn, and we wandered our castle, reminiscing with all of our friends we had recruited.

Then, on the evening of December 7th, 2014, I scroll through Facebook, and magic happens.

"Suikoden II finally released for Playstation Network!" my friend, Vilay posts.

Time froze.

Tears filled my eyes.

I checked several other sources, to be sure it was true.

It was.

We had done it.

It was real.

Suikoden II was officially released on PSN on Dec 9, 2014. Finally, those loyal few who grew into loyal hundreds, and thousands, and ten thousands, will be able to play this well-beloved game; either for the first time, or for the first time in 15 years. Finally, this magnificent story gets the laurels it deserves. Finally, I can weep with Nanami over Jowy again, I can relish Flik & Viktor's bromance again, I can cook with Hai Yo again, I can liberate Greenhill again, I can recruit all 5 flying squirrels again, I can wander the halls of my castle and watch it grow again, I can save my country again, even though I fight against my best friend.

I downloaded the game this morning, and checked and double checked that it was there, but I don't feel it's right to play it yet. I feel it's only right that I make the first time I play it again exactly 15 years (to the day) after the first time I played it ever.

Besides, I still haven't completed Suikoden I with a complete save file on my PS3 yet.

I've got a lot of work to do by Christmas morning.