"Suikoden STAR LEAP," a mobile RPG and the latest installment in KONAMI’s historic "Suikoden" series, has been available since its August 7 release, and now Chapter 3—the latest chapter—is finally being added.
This game—which packs the *Suikoden* series experience into a smartphone and appeals to everyone from die-hard fans to newcomers—prompted me to give it a try for the first time!
Please note that this article contains spoilers up to the end of Chapter 3 of the story, so if you’d like to play with a fresh perspective, proceed with caution.
To “Shampia,” a dreamlike land where fish swim in the sky—the story of Chapter 3
*Suikoden STAR LEAP* is the series’ first mobile title. As a direct sequel set in a time period preceding the original *Suikoden*, released in 1995, even newcomers to the series can dive right in without any trouble.
The game features adorable pixel-art characters moving through polygon-rendered landscapes, creating a visual style that blends modern graphics with a retro gaming vibe. It also incorporates anime-style character portraits, a hallmark of mobile games.
True to the series, the game features a diverse cast of characters. From “Sheerin,” a girl who hates dishonesty, to “Uku,” a boy who goes fishing with a giant turtle, to “Meishu,” a child who is already a skilled blacksmith—you’re sure to find a character you love.
Now, the story of *Suikoden STAR LEAP* is finally entering Chapter 3. We covered the story of Chapters 1 and 2 in a playthrough report published on the day of release, so be sure to check that out as well.
At the beginning of Chapter 3, the protagonist’s party aims to form an alliance with the fairyland “Shampia” to counter Tenryu’s organization… but… Shampia—a place they’d only ever heard of in fairy tales—can only be entered by those possessing a special power called “Immortal Arts.”
However, guided by Rihyo and Ranrintenshi, they finally arrived in Shangpia. With fish swimming through the sky and seven secret hot springs, Shangpia is truly a dreamlike world. Just walking around there makes your heart race.
They encounter many new people here, including “Bubu,” a boy who wholeheartedly believes in the miracles brought by the seven secret hot springs, and his mentor, “Rachana.”
However, our request to form an alliance with Champia was flatly rejected. Their reasoning was that this land is protected precisely because those who cannot use Xian Gong are barred from entering Champia.Although it didn’t quite make sense to us, we decided that since we were already there, we might as well at least check out Shangpia’s special event, the “Dance of the Ultimate Art.” As we watched Rachana’s dazzling dance, someone appeared on stage…!?
But since revealing more would be a spoiler, I’ll stop here for this article! It was a story full of dramatic twists and turns that left me eager to see what happens next. It’s great that you can enjoy everything—from traveling to story trigger points to the cutscenes during the story—on full auto, so you can play without any issues even while multitasking!
Strategic Battles and Rich Gameplay Depth
The battles are no exception. This game features a very large-scale battle system with three characters in the front row, three in the back row, and one support character.
On top of that, you can designate one character as the leader to activate special leader skills. There’s a high degree of freedom right from the team-building phase—which is no surprise, given that the game features over 108 characters.
Combat is managed via a timeline. Attack types are divided into “Normal Attacks,” “Emblem Skills,” and “Secret Techniques,” each with detailed settings for damage output and turn order. Every attack has its pros and cons, so you’ll face dilemmas like “high damage but a slow turn…”
Also, like many RPGs, this game features elemental affinities, but what’s interesting is the concept of the “Balance Value” displayed below the enemy’s HP bar.
If you reduce this value to zero with a specific elemental attack, the enemy enters an “Unbalanced” state, moves to the very back of the timeline, and becomes more vulnerable to damage. The fun lies in devising tactics to land a powerful move at just the right moment.
It’s not just a numbers game—the battle design offers a real challenge, requiring you to figure out the optimal strategy every turn.
Additionally, the protagonist of this game serves as the village chief. To rebuild your village, you must construct various facilities and level them up.
Each facility has its own specific role. For example, at the “Kitchen,” you can serve meals to your companions to boost their friendship levels, while at the “Emblem Shop,” you can enhance your skills.
In particular, the “Tablet of Promises,” managed by Hisui, really captures the essence of this game. It’s engraved with the names of all 108 companions, so you can see at a glance who you’ve recruited. Just as Hisui says, “I’m looking forward to the next companion,” it’s a wonderful facility that lets you feel the importance of these encounters.
There’s also a great selection of mini-games.In “Fishing,” you must reel in fish at just the right moment, while “Rice Harvesting” challenges you to gather rice efficiently within a time limit. Each mini-game is just the right length to serve as a refreshing break from your adventure. The materials you obtain here can be used for cooking or enhancing skills. It’s great to have so much content to enjoy beyond just battles and the story.
There’s also the “Tower of Mirage,” where you climb dozens of floors while mowing down enemies, and “Helping Others,” where you rescue lost people in town to earn rewards—there’s already so much content available that it’s hard to believe the game just launched this year.
With the addition of Chapter 3, *Suikoden STAR LEAP* is picking up even more speed… Now’s the time to jump in!
*Suikoden STAR LEAP* is currently available for mobile (iOS/Android) in Japan. International mobile and PC (Steam) versions are scheduled for release in the near future.
©Konami Digital Entertainment
