EoFF RPG Thunderdome 2020: Round 1 Match 30

[Wolf Kanno]

Match 30 and the challenge is side content!

Suikoden
1239318605464_f.jpg
vs.

Final Fantasy IV
illust_4s.jpg

[Fynn]

I think 1 might be my favorite Suikoden game, but FFIV does actually have more in terms of both. Challenge especially in the DS version

[Lord Golbez]

If I was just going for which game I prefer, it's FFIV. On the other hand, in terms of optional content, Suikoden has many optional characters to recruit, choices on whether characters live or die, and a slightly different ending based on recruiting all 108 characters. I do like the optional content in FFIV, but it's not terribly much. Some tails to get equipment, and optional summon quests. That's about it. Granted, they're pretty good, but it's not much. Hard to justify a vote for FFIV in my mind. Some other versions add more stuff, but it's still not that much.

By the way, I think this is literally the weakest category for FFIV and I likely would have voted for FFIV in any other category. Well music would have been a pretty tough call too.

[maybee]

Final Fantasy IV I love you and everything, but your optional content was very bare.

[Wolf Kanno]

Wow, this one is turning into a tighter race than I thought it would.

[WarZidane]

I'll definitely take the quest for the 108 stars over any of the optional content in FFIV.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'll definitely take the quest for the 108 stars over any of the optional content in FFIV.

Don't forget the game breaking dice game.

[Lord Golbez]

Meh. So you can basically get unlimited cash if you want it. It's still a form of grinding to get it albeit a much quicker one than fighting monsters. I don't really think it's game breaking, but then the game isn't terribly hard to begin with. It's not like it gives you access to late game equipment early or anything like that. All it really does is help you deck out your party members more quickly (which is kind of nice in a game with so many).

[Wolf Kanno]

That's the point though. It takes little effort to max out your cash and have your party decked out in the best gear and with their weapons at the highest. Considering the first game has the most playable characters, it was a nice boon, especially considering how hard money is to acquire in the sequels without resorting to more effort. The fact the Gambler character is next to the shops in your castle means he's one of the most efficient means of keeping your team stupidly well prepared until endgame. It's also an easier method to being overpowered than actually grinding for the rare equipment drops.

[Lord Golbez]

I didn't know that the first one had the most playable characters. I kind of figured it was S2 because it has a number of recruitable non-star characters.

[Wolf Kanno]

Whoops, you are correct. SII has four more playable characters than SI though it's really only by one since a few characters are impossible to recruit in one file like Kasumi and Valerie. SI and III are tied for the second most playable characters at around 76 playable ones. SIV has the smallest playable cast ranging around 60. Though if you drop the non-Stars from both lists, SI has the most playable stars of all the entries.

[Wolf Kanno]

Oof this was a match up I wish I didn't have to be the deciding vote for. So I used RNG to determine the winner and it looks like only Suikoden II will be advancing to round 2 unless something happens in the Suikoden III match up.

Final Fantasy IV is the winner.