<s>
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Konami	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
console	I-Device
and	O
the	O
second	O
installment	O
of	O
the	O
Suikoden	B-Application
video	O
game	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
3	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
and	O
centers	O
on	O
an	O
invasion	O
of	O
the	O
City-States	O
of	O
Jowston	O
by	O
the	O
Kingdom	O
of	O
Highland	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
protagonist	O
and	O
his	O
best	O
friend	O
,	O
Jowy	O
Atreides	O
,	O
each	O
gain	O
one	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
Rune	O
of	O
the	O
Beginning	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
27	O
True	O
Runes	O
of	O
the	O
Suikoden	B-Application
setting	O
,	O
and	O
become	O
caught	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
intrigues	O
of	O
the	O
invasion	O
and	O
the	O
dark	O
fate	O
of	O
those	O
who	O
bear	O
the	O
halves	O
of	O
that	O
Rune	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
other	O
Suikoden	B-Application
titles	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
also	O
centers	O
on	O
the	O
recruitment	O
of	O
the	O
108	O
Stars	O
of	O
Destiny	O
,	O
who	O
together	O
have	O
the	O
power	O
to	O
alter	O
fate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remastered	O
version	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
predecessor	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Suikoden	B-Application
I	I-Application
and	O
II	O
HD	O
Remaster	O
:	O
Gate	O
Rune	O
and	O
Dunan	O
Unification	O
Wars	O
,	O
is	O
scheduled	O
to	O
release	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
in	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
with	O
strategic	B-Application
elements	O
,	O
with	O
multiple	O
gameplay	O
formats	O
ranging	O
from	O
one-on-one	O
combat	O
to	O
large	O
scale	O
confrontations	O
between	O
two	O
armies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
other	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
employs	O
a	O
unique	O
character	O
leveling	O
system	O
from	O
most	O
RPGs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
allows	O
for	O
low-level	O
characters	O
to	O
catch	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
levels	O
of	O
enemies	O
at	O
later	O
points	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
quickly	O
,	O
and	O
reduce	O
the	O
need	O
for	O
level	B-Application
grinding	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Runes	O
,	O
the	O
source	O
of	O
all	O
magic	B-Application
in	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
are	O
handled	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Characters	O
have	O
a	O
certain	O
number	O
of	O
spell	B-Application
usages	O
per	O
"	O
spell	B-Application
level	O
"	O
;	O
for	O
instance	O
,	O
a	O
character	O
with	O
four	O
level	O
1	O
spell	B-Application
slots	O
and	O
a	O
Fire	O
Rune	O
could	O
cast	O
"	O
Flaming	O
Arrows	O
"	O
(	O
the	O
level	O
1	O
Fire	O
Rune	O
spell	B-Application
)	O
four	O
times	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Updates	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
include	O
a	O
grid	O
and	O
unit	O
based	O
tactical	O
battle	O
system	O
,	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
a	O
three	O
rune	O
slot	O
system	O
which	O
allows	O
for	O
three	O
different	O
runes	O
to	O
be	O
equipped	O
at	O
once	O
,	O
a	O
party	O
inventory	O
system	O
,	O
a	O
"	O
dash	O
"	O
button	O
that	O
allowed	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
move	O
around	O
the	O
screen	O
quicker	O
,	O
and	O
vast	O
graphical	O
improvement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
References	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
are	O
also	O
adapted	O
accordingly	O
for	O
a	O
greater	O
feel	O
in	O
continuity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
,	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
contains	O
three	O
different	O
types	O
of	O
combat	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
Regular	O
battles	O
:	O
Where	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
combat	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
turn-based	O
battle	O
system	O
in	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
considered	O
typical	O
of	O
JRPGs	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
containing	O
options	O
for	O
attack	O
,	O
magic	B-Application
(	O
runes	O
)	O
,	O
items	O
etc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
all	O
six	O
characters	O
lose	O
all	O
their	O
hit	O
points	O
and	O
are	O
thus	O
incapacitated	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
and	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
restart	O
(	O
exceptions	O
exist	O
for	O
certain	O
plot	O
battles	O
in	O
which	O
winning	O
is	O
optional	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
the	O
only	O
type	O
of	O
combat	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
gain	O
experience	O
,	O
items	O
or	O
Potch	O
(	O
the	O
currency	O
of	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
shades	O
of	O
the	O
old	O
"	O
Rock	O
,	O
Paper	O
,	O
Scissors	O
"	O
style	O
battle	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
(	O
where	O
cavalry	O
beats	O
archers	O
,	O
archers	O
beat	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
magic	B-Application
beats	O
cavalry	O
)	O
remain	O
,	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
introduces	O
a	O
grid	O
style	O
battle	O
system	O
reminiscent	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
Romance	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Three	I-Application
Kingdoms	I-Application
or	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Examples	O
of	O
these	O
abilities	O
include	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
take	O
more	O
losses	O
than	O
usual	O
,	O
magic	B-Application
or	O
archery	O
to	O
allow	O
attacks	O
from	O
a	O
distance	O
,	O
healing	O
of	O
itself	O
or	O
others	O
,	O
etc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
of	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
centers	O
around	O
the	O
protagonist	O
,	O
Riou	O
(	O
any	O
name	O
can	O
be	O
chosen	O
by	O
the	O
player	O
)	O
,,	O
his	O
childhood	O
best	O
friend	O
Jowy	O
Atreides	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
adopted	O
sister	O
Nanami	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
revolves	O
around	O
Riou	O
and	O
Jowy	O
each	O
acquiring	O
one	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
Rune	O
of	O
the	O
Beginning	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
27	O
True	O
Runes	O
that	O
each	O
govern	O
an	O
aspect	O
of	O
the	O
Suikoden	B-Application
universe	O
and	O
are	O
the	O
source	O
of	O
all	O
magical	O
powers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Rune	O
,	O
whose	O
name	O
references	O
the	O
creation	O
myth	O
of	O
the	O
Suikoden	B-Application
universe	O
,	O
governs	O
conflict	O
and	O
war	O
,	O
and	O
steers	O
the	O
destinies	O
of	O
Riou	O
and	O
Jowy	O
so	O
they	O
must	O
fight	O
each	O
other	O
until	O
one	O
is	O
defeated	O
and	O
the	O
two	O
halves	O
are	O
reunited	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
all	O
Suikoden	B-Application
games	O
,	O
the	O
principal	O
cast	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
the	O
108	O
Stars	O
of	O
Destiny	O
,	O
who	O
play	O
important	O
or	O
minor	O
roles	O
in	O
the	O
plot	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
prominent	O
Stars	O
of	O
Destiny	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
appear	O
in	O
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
play	O
key	O
roles	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
Viktor	O
and	O
Flik	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
player	O
loads	O
save	O
data	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
at	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
protagonist	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
can	O
be	O
recruited	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Riou	O
is	O
rescued	O
from	O
the	O
river	O
by	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
mercenaries	O
working	O
for	O
Jowston	O
,	O
led	O
by	O
Viktor	O
and	O
Flik	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
Suikoden	B-Application
game	O
,	O
but	O
is	O
detained	O
as	O
an	O
enemy	O
soldier	O
of	O
Highland	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Leknaat	O
,	O
the	O
magician	O
and	O
True	O
Rune	O
bearer	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Suikoden	B-Application
who	O
oversees	O
fate	O
,	O
appears	O
and	O
tells	O
Riou	O
that	O
he	O
has	O
been	O
chosen	O
to	O
gather	O
the	O
108	O
Stars	O
of	O
Destiny	O
to	O
alter	O
the	O
fate	O
the	O
True	O
Runes	O
impose	O
on	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
game	O
was	O
scrapped	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
stages	O
of	O
development	O
and	O
despite	O
the	O
popular	O
belief	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
basis	O
for	O
the	O
script	O
of	O
Suikoden	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Murayama	O
,	O
Kawano	O
and	O
ten	O
other	O
employees	O
were	O
instead	O
assigned	O
with	O
developing	O
Konami	O
's	O
first	O
games	O
for	O
Sony	O
's	O
upcoming	O
console	O
,	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
pick	O
of	O
making	O
a	O
baseball	O
game	O
,	O
a	O
racing	O
game	O
or	O
an	O
RPG	O
,	O
Murayama	O
and	O
Kawano	O
decided	O
to	O
reopen	O
their	O
RPG	O
project	O
,	O
although	O
Murayama	O
has	O
stated	O
that	O
given	O
the	O
opportunity	O
,	O
he	O
would	O
have	O
preferred	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
shoot	O
'	O
em	O
up	O
,	O
citing	O
his	O
preference	O
for	O
arcade	O
action	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Taito	O
's	O
Metal	B-Application
Black	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Committed	O
from	O
the	O
start	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
franchise	O
to	O
rival	O
series	O
such	O
as	O
Enix	O
's	O
Dragon	B-Application
Quest	I-Application
and	O
Square	O
's	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
,	O
Murayama	O
wrote	O
the	O
scenario	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
Suikoden	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
for	O
Suikoden	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
conceived	O
after	O
Suikoden	B-Application
1	O
and	O
was	O
mostly	O
written	O
by	O
Murayama	O
himself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Konami	O
later	O
released	O
Genso	O
Suikoden	B-Application
I	I-Application
&	O
II	O
,	O
a	O
compilation	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
two	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
in	O
2005	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
made	O
available	O
for	O
download	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
on	O
December	O
9	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Suikoden	B-Application
II	I-Application
saw	O
a	O
limited	O
print	O
run	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
lackluster	O
initial	O
response	O
prevented	O
a	O
reprinting	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
this	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
received	O
"	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Francesca	O
Reyes	O
of	O
Next	O
Generation	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
One	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
RPGs	O
to	O
hit	O
PlayStation	B-Device
this	O
year.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
2010s	O
,	O
reanalysis	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
often	O
met	O
with	O
critical	O
praise	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
video	O
game	O
critics	O
and	O
players	O
alike	O
consider	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
Konami	O
games	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
console	O
RPGs	O
from	O
outside	O
of	O
the	O
Square-Enix	O
canon	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
all	O
Suikoden	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
