Suikoden V -- A Return.

I've put in roughly fifty hours into Suikoden V. The game is very much a return to the origins of the series. Suikoden III used a 3D battle space where enemy and character position within said space were taken into account. With characters and enemies alike having to move to their targets it slowed the pace of the battles down considerably and made them far more strategic in nature. Suikoden IV ditched the 3D space and dropped the number of characters in the battle party down to four. Suikoden V returns things to the first two games in the series by returning to the 2D style battle mechanics and returning the battle party size to six characters. Numerous characters and enemies can take their turns simultaneously. This brings the battles back to their blistering pace. Suikoden I and II, and now V have the fastest RPG battles this side of the Tales series. The battles aren't the only thing returning to how they originally were. The overworld is back. Suikoden III's world was a series of hot spots upon a map with paths between them. Very much a connect the dots situation. Suikoden IV features a large and open ocean for you to sail where you would find towns and the like. Suikoden V allows you to roam the overworld upon leaving towns and returns that sense of exploration missing from the previous two entries. They've returned the series to its roots. And I for one am thoroughly enjoying the return to the basics.