The wait is almost over for those of you that are hooked on the game series Suikoden. Unlike the other Suikoden games, Suikoden Tierkreis is set in a parallel universe called Kingdom of Salsaville. The Japanese saw the release of this game in December of 2008, with the next launch in Europe on March 13, 2009. North America will see the game introduced on March 17, 2009. The new game was introduced in the Famitsu Magazine, and the expectations are high for this spin off. The music for this new series comes from the capable composer Norikazu Miura, with the services of Yoshino Aoki and Masahura Iwata.

The game will be for the Nintendo DS system and can be played with D-pad or a stylus, according to the games developer Konami. The genre remains the same as the original Suikoden series, which is that of role playing. You as the player will be able to converse with the animated characters. Battles will ensue with the enemy and your destiny will be to complete the many missions. Although four characters are the optimum number for any battle, there is a chance to use an extra one for assistance.

A great new option in the Suikoden Tierkreis series is the ability to log on and interact with other players. This ability allows gamers to change items with each other. It also allows players to battle extra monsters that are not found in the actual game, but online instead.

The game begins with the one hundred and eight heroes being lead into battle by the head leader. “The One King” is the adversary who faces their wrath. “The One King” rules over “The Order of the One True Way”. You will be witness to a defeat in the opening; however, it is unclear if this defeat has already occurred or is a flashback. The Infinity is still the name of the Suikoden multiverse. The Kingdom of Salsaville where this game takes place is just one of the many universes. As your part of the journey begins only four of the heroes are alive. Your character is the adolescent boy from the village of Shitoro. You have been given the duty of keeping the village safe from all manner of monsters and criminals. An eerie light is coming from the mountains close to your village, and this is where your journey will begin.

The game play will be quick paced, especially the battles. You will find the one hundred and eight characters that you can play with enormous fun. The graphics are intensely detailed and on an enormous scale. You will have to search each area thoroughly to find extra quests. They won’t be part of the storyline, so the possibilities of exploring new aspects of this game are practically endless. You want to be able to locate every one of the characters and help them become superstars.

Konami has made these extra missions easy to accomplish. One such instance uses Moana. You can access her within her caravan or if you have already made her a part of your allies then access her at your fortress. Once you have achieved this with her the missions will be plentiful. You will instantly go to the destination and you will be inserted into the story right away. They have made this transition very easy.

Some of the quests will include extra characters that will support you on a mission. The Search for Nhazu is a prime example of this type of quest. It takes place in a snow covered village in the mountains. The characters battle a monster before they find Nhazu. This is one of the easier quests that you will encounter but it is a good introduction of how the game works.

The excellence of the previous game, Suikoden, has a lot of gamers waiting anxiously for the new series. The graphics are more than you could have hoped for with the characters being anthropomorphized. The animation that you will witness is spectacular, with a sound quality that is entertaining. The storyline is complex, detailed and engaging for players. Considering the storyline encompasses the original Suikoden feel the game will certainly be a success. An added benefit is that all ages will enjoy the whole new world and new characters. There is something for everyone in this Suikoden Tierkreis game. The adventurous quality of the game belies hidden depths of the fantasy world. Luckily the wait is almost over.