Suikoden Tactics: A New Strategy Company: Konami Suikoden Tactics takes the RPG series in a new direction with a turn-based strategy game similar to Final Fantasy Tactics. This game parallels the events of Suikoden IV and follows a young adventurer who has been charged with the task of finding out the secrets of the Rune Cannons as well as the origin of some strange creatures that have suddenly started appearing across the Island Nations. Kyril, the main character, and his fellow questers will travel from one side of the world to another, and since this takes place at the same time as Suikoden IV, you shouldn't be surprised if you run into a few familiar faces. Suikoden Tactics lets you control a band of fighters in various small scale battles. When you encounter an enemy force, be it monsters or pirates, you will be able to manuver your characters one at a time into strategically potent locations. When it is time to attack, you will be able to either use their weapon (sword, bow, etc.) or a Rune. In this game, Rune's will not only allow you to use powerful attacks, but you can also use them to color parts of the field. When a character moves into this area, he/she/it will either gain or lose health at the end of the turn. Whether the change is positive or negative depends on the type of character. This Ground Elemental System can greatly alter the course of a battle and adds just another level of strategy to what looks like a stunning title. Suikoden Tactics's attacks come in many varieties, not the least amongst them is the use of companions in battle. If two characters have a high Good Will towards each other and they are in a specific formation, the two characters will do everything from assisting in attacks, taking hits for the other fighter, or even combining their two attacks for a more powerful assault. This last Combination Attack feature reminded me a lot of the co-op attacks you could perform in the previous game. I'm glad to see the feature continue. Tactics will have over 80 controllable characters and 25 battle scenarios with highly detailed battle environments. In fact, I was downright impressed with the level of detail the developers were able to get into the world's textures. From the first scene where you fight in a night alley to the numerous ship-based battles, each location was a site to behold. But Suikoden Tactics doesn't forget about its RPG heritage. As you fight through hordes of enemies, you will be able to modify your characters' skills, upgrade weapons and trade items to customize your team members and make them just the fighting force you want. Suikoden Tactics hits the streets this Fall with an ESRB rating of Teen. Fans of the series should definitely keep an eye out for this title, as it promises to be a lot of fun and will give you a unique perspective of the existing Suikoden world. Check back here for a full review very soon! -J.R. Nip, GameVortex Communications AKA Chris Meyer Related Links: Konami Home Page Game Vortex's review of Suikoden II Game Vortex's review of Suikoden III