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While RPG fans prepare for impending hits like Kingdom Hearts II, the genre’s strategy niche is set to receive a new title – Suikoden Tactics – based off the Suikoden IV universe a la Konami. The game is a spin-off that features familiar faces, updated gameplay systems, simplified menus, and the general Suikoden lore that fans crave. For those unfamiliar with the series the build we played barely deviates from the standard formula – a plus for those who haven’t tackled a strategy-RPG game for several years.

Suikoden Tactics is set just before the war between the Kooluk Empire and the rest of the world, and opens near the Island Nations. Players are cast as Kyril, an ambitious youth following in the footsteps of his father, Walter, who led a small gang in search of rune cannons, mysterious weapons that inspire fear against anyone who happens to be at the other end of the barrel. Kyril and his friends scour the globe looking for any information about the rune cannons and their horrendous powers, which are somehow connected to fish monsters that used to be human. The plot isn’t exactly gripping, but it’s functional and carries the story along nicely.

Before entering a battle, players progress through menu systems either at their caravan (headquarters, which consists of a campfire and a tent) or at the nearest town. Instead of maneuvering characters throughout a map, the menus serve to set the scene for the next battle and prepare your team for the fight. You can visit the outfitter for gear/items, the blacksmith to hone weapons up to a certain level, and the rune master for magical orbs; you’ll find it just as necessary to check up on local town gossip or head over to the guild for quests. When you select the next pertinent location you’ll be greeted by a cutscene that presents the cell-shaded, detailed cast gathering the next bit of information or arriving at a specific point. After the chatter the battle initiates and players get a good view of the beautiful 3D field, which can be outlined in a grid pattern to give gamers a better sense of range.

You’ve got zero control over who enters the field, so anyone currently with the team gets dragged along whether you like it or not. The victory conditions are promptly displayed and tend to consist of either “destroy all enemies” or “get to the destination point”. Thankfully the losing conditions are somewhat more varied – “character X/Y/Z withdraws” is a standard one that can place a fair amount of pressure upon a player when her team is spread apart. Once the battle ensues you can read through boring tutorials or just jump in, which is feasible considering that the gameplay is rather intuitive. All characters on the field reveal action bubbles that’ll show when a teammate needs health, is within attack range of an opponent, feels like engaging in encouraging banter, and so forth. Suikoden Tactics makes use of an interesting talk feature that activates whenever two characters with high “good will” toward each other are resting comfortably side by side. Talking further raises good will and enables characters to learn cooperative attacks – special attacks that devastate opponents, but are tricky to set up and even trickier to make actual use of, as you can’t activate a co-op attack unless all members involved are in the right place, and even when you are sometimes the attack is targeted to a bunch of empty panels. High good will also enables characters, when they’re placed together and one is being attacked, to step in and protect/save a neighbor. If an ally suffers extensive damage within sight of a fond teammate, that member will become enraged and gain an attack bonus. When the fights start to become difficult this is something to keep in mind.

Maneuvering features the same grid system that all fans of the genre are instantly familiar with, utilizing dimly highlighted movement squares and red attack ones. Positioning an ally behind a foe and selecting “attack” deals more damage than fighting face to face, so you’ll typically spend your time moving characters behind enemies (or to their side) to get in a good swipe. For extra tactical emphasis all characters possess an elemental affinity, either fire, wind, earth, thunder, or water. All elements are particularly strong against one element, and particularly weak against another. For example, characters allied with thunder are strong against water characters but weak against earth ones. To make the affinities even more pertinent, Konami added spells/elemental beings that color the terrain according to an element; using a thunder spell, or thunder beads (item) on a target changes the corresponding panels to thunder, which heighten a thunder character’s attack/defense (and raises his health) while he’s positioned on a thunder panel. Similarly, a water-allied character that lands on a thunder panel actually receives damage. The real goal of Suikoden Tactics is to master panel changing and take full advantage of the elements to score effortless victories.

The battle maps I’ve explored have been extremely well detailed in some gorgeous 3D and shaded in appropriate colors. Bright blue water sparkles and swirls in pools while nearby foliage is a lush green. Unfortunately most of my battles have taken place either indoors on dull, gray cement or outdoors on dull, brown land. The music I’ve sampled consists of sweet RPG melodies that are great for flipping through menus or engaging in battle. The voiceovers, however, left me cringing, partly because of the strong anime feel (which befits the game but detracts from realism) and partly because the dialogue is absolutely uninspiring, and you can’t speed through it. There’s no voice-off option, either, so you’re forced to sit and listen to pirate banter held between idiots, Seneca’s flirtatious comments, sappy lover’s talk, and whatnot, which does nothing to help the game’s presentation or intrigue.

Suikoden Tactics is shaping up nicely for Suikoden fans and those who haven’t played a decent (or any) strategy RPG in years. I don’t care for the game’s style or base, unintelligent dialogue but that’s a personal preference, and its cell-shaded characters and attractive 3D battlefields are sure to garner praise from those who do appreciate the lighter, anime-themed RPGs. Suikoden Tactics is currently slated for release on November 8 exclusively for the PlayStation 2.