So back in 2020, I learned about Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and that it was a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series made BY the original creators of Suikoden 1 and 2. I was excited because we hadn't had a proper Suikoden game since 2005/2006 with Suikoden 5. I don't really count Tierkreis. So my plan was to get it on the Switch for portability (I love the ability to take games on the go or just move from one room to another without a TV), then buy it again on sale on PS5 or PC. They delayed the Switch physical release by a month, so I got it on May 21st this year, and man... it has been an experience, and not the good kind.

I started off liking it, but as I kept playing, technical issues and design issues started rearing their ugly heads. I will post videos about some of these issues down the road so I can demonstrate what I'm talking about (though I can't really do that with crashing since that's, well... random). But major issues are the Switch version crashing (heard this was a problem on other platforms at launch), bad combat balance, bad magic, maps too big and long to traverse, the cooking contest mini-game is f*cked, and the newly implemented graphics settings are implemented... very poorly. As I record more footage of the issues, I'll describe/explain why they're problematic.

I do have some good things to say. The graphics look nice for an HD-2D styled game. The character designs are for the most part good. The music is what I have come to expect from Motoi Sakuraba (composer for the Tales of series). But that's about where it ends for me so far.

Below is a video of the graphics settings problem:



(Also in the description of the video)

In updated news, I traded the Switch version in for the PS5 version several weeks ago and boy is it night and day. The game runs smoothly, I don't have minute long load times, freezing, slowdown, etc. It just plays. I save often because I've been scarred, but I haven't had a single hiccup yet. It's made everything feel so much better. My opinion of the game is also improved. Also, it does seem like on every platform not the Switch, the cooking mini-game works as intended.