2026-08-19 · blog
Suikoden IV (2004) — The Day the Series Put to Sea and Was Told the Sailing Was Tedious
Episode 32 of "Today Is Release Day": Suikoden IV, published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 on August 19, 2004 at 6,980 yen before tax, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo. It is set roughly 150 years before the first Suikoden, and its stage is not a continent but a scattering of islands in the open sea. The hero is a young knight of Razril who inherits the Rune of Punishment — a rune that eats away at its bearer's life each time it is used — and is then blamed for the death of his commander Glen and driven off the island. A ship becomes his headquarters, and the series' hallmark hunt for 108 companions is carried out at sea. Famitsu's cross review gave it 8, 7, 8, 7 for a total of 30/40 and a Silver Hall of Fame place. It sold 303,069 copies in Japan within 2004, short of the 377,729 of Suikoden III. North America got it on January 11, 2005, and GameSpot's review scored it 6.7, with one line in the cons column: time spent sailing is tedious, and there is a great deal of sailing.
