Playing with Missing Pieces to the Puzzle.

I'm forty-nine hours into Suikoden 3 and well into Hugo's third chapter. The Suikoden games are all tied together telling one much larger story. The story of the twenty-seven true runes. In 1999 Konami released Suikogaiden Vol. 1 and Suikogaiden Vol. 2 in Japan. They were never released in the US due to essentially being graphic novels or for having Choose Your Own Adventure type play mechanics. They came out after Suikoden 2. They told the story of some of what came before Suikoden 2, and a little of what came after it in the region of the Crystal Valley. They gave some further insight into what became of key characters. Jowy, Pilika, Neclord, and more. At the time, them not being translated wasn't considered any great loss. What a difference a third game in the main series makes. Around the second chapter of a few of the playable main characters' games you start hearing references to the events of Crystal Valley. Character's start appearing from those games. I've noticed at least ten references to events, and at least seven character's making actual appearances within Suikoden 3. Konami has always been one of the best companies when it comes to the effort put forth in translation. As such, they've left these in the game. So you have characters making references to past events, and scenes of noted pause for the character's knowing looks. It's more than slightly irritating to note these moments. You know you're supposed to get something there, and it's frustrating not getting it. I can't really blame Konami here. It would have been nothing but costly fan service to have released the Suikogaiden titles here.

Next time should deal with the homestretch, and timing.