History YMMV / SuikodenII

* GoddamnedBats: Sirens and [=DoReMi=] elves. They sure can be taken down ''very'' easily but they can inflict a wide array of [[StandardStatusEffects nasty status effects]] if not taken out right away. For a video game series that ''usually'' [[AvertedTrope averts]] this trope, these sure annoy ''some'' [[{{Scrub}} players]].

** Jowy Atreides is TheHero Riou's [[BigBadFriend best friend]] who defects to Highland to defeat them from within, assassinating Lady Annabelle of Muse and causing the downfall of Greenhill. Jowy proceeds to trick and poison King Agares Blight to place the psychopathic Luca Blight on the throne, before betraying and luring Luca to his death as well, ascending the throne by marrying Princess Jilia Blight. Realizing both sides hate each other two much to stop fighting, Jowy keeps the war going, even betraying his beloved former best friend and Riou's adoptive sister Nanami. Jowy keeps going to bring the war to a conclusion, planning on letting Highland and the Jowston states be absorbed into a new nation and create a new world, no matter [[WellIntentionedExtremist what price he has to pay]] to get there.
** [[TheStrategist Strategist]] Shu was once a student of the Silverberg family. After being banished, Shu becomes a cold, greedy man uninterested in the Jowston-Highland war, even forcing the heroes to beg him to join before forcing them into a challenge impossible to win. After they manage to still complete it, Shu takes charge with a series of ruthless, brilliant strategies that turn the tide against Highland, even coming up with a way of bringing down the monstrous Luca Blight. Anticipating Jowy's continuance of the war, Shu uses the little girl Pilika as a shield to force Jowy to back down from taking TheHero Riou and Nanami hostage. Despite his ruthless nature, Shu is devoted to the cause of Jowston and repeatedly demonstrates why he is one of the finest strategists to ever command in the ''Suikoden'' series.

* VindicatedByHistory: Initially it suffered from poor sales and reception due to using 16-bit sprite visuals when 3D graphics its in the rage and the poor localization. It was then hailed for being one of the best Playstation titles for its plot that shows consequences when the player chooses otherwise, the art and the much improved character design compared to the prequel and the gameplay that encourages player to play again and again.
* TheWoobie: Pilika.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXuJ2cHx7Aw Gothic Neclord all the way!]]
** [[https://youtu.be/VsY6bTg7a3w Imprisoned Town]].
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQuIr4Mjig The Chase]].
** [[https://youtu.be/JKqTT-i_Df8 A Song in Praise of Peace]].
** [[https://youtu.be/aOxqL6hSt8c Hidden Village of the Ninja]].
** [[https://youtu.be/CPqxRjb2yBw Heart Softening Theme]].
** [[https://youtu.be/oamMuBd42Cg Beautiful Morning]].
** [[https://youtu.be/r9323zRPLQs Those Who Work Must Eat]].
** [[https://youtu.be/VBQ7YxXXR1g Her Sigh]].
** [[https://youtu.be/cc7ISnqAnKc Nahala Yam Koong]].
** [[https://youtu.be/_pq78WqWZeY Silver Wolf]].
** [[https://youtu.be/zbL14imqAR0 Requiem of Grief]].

* CultClassic

* EvenBetterSequel: There are many fans who consider this game to be superior to the original, as well as the best in the series.

** Despite his redemption and BigDamnHeroes moments, Chaco will always be remembered for being an obnoxious brat who stole your wallet and taunted you all over the place during the Two River arc.

** The fact that unlike every other character in the game in order to have the [[spoiler:main character of the previous game]] in your party requires heading to Gregminster and talking to him every single time to do it. This wouldn't be a problem if the game didn't automatically remove all your party members during just about every story event sometimes within minutes of each other leading to situations where the player can trek all the way to Gregminster and get that character only for him to be ejected from the party a minute later, that actually going and getting him is sometimes not available, and that Gregminster is the only location in the game that the player can never just teleport straight to and back. This all adds up to a VERY tedious slog to get a character in your party over and over from the moment you recruit him that could have been easily avoided.

** Clive's sidequest, a TimedMission where you have to track down Elsa. To complete it, you have to reach a small village west of the final dungeon under 20 hours.

* GuideDangIt: [[spoiler: Didn't press the block button at '''exactly''' the right time in the cutscene where Nanami is shot?]] Hope you weren't planning on getting the true ending!

* NeverLiveItDown: Despite his redemption, Chaco will always be remembered for being an obnoxious brat who stole your wallet and taunted you all over the place during the Two River arc.

* TheScrappy: Jess. The guy just goes on a blind accusation spree of your character killing Annabelle and refuses to trust you, and his insistence can lead to the hero running away and [[spoiler:caused Ridley to die]] (can, because the hero can just man up and not run). He does mellow down after the Neclord arc ended and warms up to the hero and makes it up by being a decent war sub-commander, but much like Chaco, kinda hard to forget Jess' actions before. Or if you really hate him, you could just not let him join but say goodbye to your OneHundredPercentCompletion.

** [[spoiler: Nanami's sudden death.]]

** [[TheStrategist Strategist]] Shu was once a student of the Silverberg family. After being banished, Shu becomes a cold, greedy man uninterested in the Jowston-Highland war, even forcing the heroes to beg him to join before forcing them into a challenge impossible to win. After they manage to still complete it, Shu takes charge with a series of ruthless, brilliant strategies that turn the tide against Highland, even coming up with a way of bringing down the monstrous Luca Blight. Anticipating Jowy's continuance of the war, Shu uses the little girl Pilika as a shield to force Jowy to back down from taking {{Hero}} Riou and Nanami hostage. Despite his ruthless nature, Shu is devoted to the cause of Jowston and repeatedly demonstrates why he is one of the finest strategists to ever command in the ''Suikoden'' series.

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: Somethimes, during Nanami unite attack with the hero, she lets the hero handle it himself and is seen casually reading a book, singing and having a picnic. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Not bad]] since it heals 10% of her HP and gives you the chance to do the CombinationAttack again.

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: Somethimes, during Nanami unite attack with the hero, she lets the hero handle it himself and is seen casually reading a book, singing and having a picnic. [[TropesAreNotBad Not bad]] since it heals 10% of her HP and gives you the chance to do the CombinationAttack again.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Is Jowy a TragicHero who is forced to fight his best friend or a stubborn idiot who chooses to prolong an unnecessary war instead of signing a peace treaty, suggesting a political union, or any of the other myriad options available to him out of pride and refusal to deviate from his original course?

* GuideDangIt!: [[spoilers: Didn't press the block button at '''exactly''' the right time in the cutscene where Nanami is shot?]] Hope you weren't planning on getting the true ending!

* TheScrappy:
** Chaco ''really'' cannot live down how much he was an obnoxious brat who stole your wallet and taunted you all over the place during the Two River arc. Some say [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap he got better]] after especially joining the fight against Highland and eventually inspiring the Kobolds to join in, but most of the time, not so much. Every Let's Players would LOVE to express how they hate this brat and even think that Sid's treatment to him is so satisfying on his expense.
** Jess to some. The guy just goes on a blind accusation spree of your character killing Annabelle and refuses to trust you, and his insistence can lead to the hero running away and [[spoiler:caused Ridley to die]] (can, because the hero can just man up and not run). He does mellow down after the Neclord arc ended and warms up to the hero and makes it up by being a decent war sub-commander, but much like Chaco, kinda hard to forget Jess' actions before. Or if you really hate him, you could just not let him join but say goodbye to your OneHundredPercentCompletion.
%%** Hoi.

** The "[[TheEvilPrince Mad Prince]]" of the Highland Kingdom, [[TheCaligula Luca Blight]], relishes in committing murder and expresses disgust to anything that dares live. Having his own {{child soldier}}s slaughtered by his men dressed as soldiers from Jowston, Luca happily provokes war just to enjoy the carnage. Burning a village to the ground, Luca makes a point of killing each and every person and when a woman begs for her life, forces her to act like a pig before shouting "Die pig!" when she complies to try and save herself. Decimating a fortress, Luca is found [[WouldHurtAChild running a teenage boy through]] with his sword before trying to kill a young girl whose parents he had already murdered, and although she survives his attack, is rendered mute from the trauma. Sacrificing the entire population of a city to the Beast Rune in a bid for more power, Luca's war crimes prove to be so depraved he is eventually betrayed by the Highlanders who assist the player in defeating him, much to Luca's delight at the chance for combat this will provide him. Though he has the excuse of watching his mother be raped while his cowardly father hid, Luca [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse grows up to be a monster]] who shows no care for anyone, even dying while boasting himself to be "[[CardCarryingVillain the true face of evil]]".

* NightmareFuel: [[NightmareFuel/Suikoden Has its own page.]]

* NighhtmareFuel: [[NightmareFuel/Suikoden Has its own page.]]

* NightmareFuel: Once again, [[http://firsthour.net/screenshots/suikoden-2/suikoden-2-luca-blight.JPG Luca Blight]], as well as the fate of the people of Muse (you even get to hear a man describe how his family was devoured in front of him).
%%** Millie's Groundhog Bonaparte.

* BadassDecay: Neclord in ''1'' was ThatOneBoss, perhaps because of limited Rune usage, and the fact that you are stuck with carrying Viktor, Cleo and Hix with him (bad news if you haven't been training Viktor and Cleo, but especially Hix, who was just a newcomer), and he boasts very powerful attacks and mass healing spells were hard to come by (you basically have to stick one character with the Water Rune). In here, he's subsequently A LOT easier thanks to better Rune options, storywise having Sierra and Kahn gang up with him, you could put at most two out of Nanami, Kahn and/or Sierra into your Convoy, Magic being more powerful (and you can leave healing to Riou mostly). The only way you could screw up is if you burnt out all of your magic in the previous fight against the Stone Golem.
* CompleteMonster:
** The "[[TheEvilPrince Mad Prince]]" of the Highland Kingdom, [[TheCaligula Luca Blight]], relishes in committing murder and expresses disgust to anything that dares live. Having his own {{child soldier}}s slaughtered by his men dressed as soldiers from Jowston, Luca happily provokes war just to enjoy the carnage. Burning a village to the ground, Luca makes a point of killing each and every person and when a woman begs for her life, forces her to act like a pig before shouting "Die pig!" when she complies to try and save herself. Decimating a fortress, Luca is found [[WouldHurtAChild running a teenage boy through]] with his sword before trying to kill a young girl whose parents he had already murdered, and although she survives his attack, is rendered mute from the trauma. Sacrificing the entire population of a city to the Beast Rune in a bid for more power, Luca's war crimes prove to be so depraved he is eventually betrayed by the Highlanders who assist the player in defeating him, much to Luca's delight at the chance for combat this will provide him. Though he has the excuse of watching his mother be raped while his cowardly father hid, Luca [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse grows up to be a monster]] who shows no care for anyone, even dying while boasting himself to be "[[CardCarryingVillain the true face of evil]]".
** Neclord reappears, see the [[YMMV/SuikodenI original game's page]] for details.
* CrackPairing: Due to Luca constantly referring anyone as pigs, fanarts usually depicted him being paired with ''pigs'' (to be ridden, to joke around with, or to butcher).
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXuJ2cHx7Aw Gothic Neclord all the way!]]

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: Somethimes, during Nanami unite attack with the hero, she lets the hero handle it himself and is seen casually reading a book, singing and having a picnic. [[TropesAreNotBad Not bad]] since it heals 10% of her HP and gives you the chance to do the CombinationAttack again.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CNfOfvtA0I&hd=1 Imprisoned Town]].

* MagnificentBastard: Jowy Atreides is TheHero Riou's [[BigBadFriend best friend]] who defects to Highland to defeat them from within, assassinating Lady Annabelle of Muse and causing the downfall of Greenhill. Jowy proceeds to trick and poison King Agares Blight to place the psychopathic Luca Blight on the throne, before betraying and luring Luca to his death as well, ascending the throne by marrying Princess Jilia Blight. Realizing both sides hate each other two much to stop fighting, Jowy keeps the war going, even betraying his beloved former best friend and Riou's adoptive sister Nanami. Jowy keeps going to bring the war to a conclusion, planning on letting Highland and the Jowston states be absorbed into a new nation and create a new world, no matter [[WellIntentionedExtremist what price he has to pay]] to get there.

* CompleteMonster: Besides [[YMMV/SuikodenI Neclord]] again, there's one more: The "[[TheEvilPrince Mad Prince]]" of the Highland Kingdom, [[TheCaligula Luca Blight]], relishes in committing murder and expresses disgust to anything that dares live. Having his own {{child soldier}}s slaughtered by his men dressed as soldiers from Jowston, Luca happily provokes war just to enjoy the carnage. Burning a village to the ground, Luca makes a point of killing each and every person and when a woman begs for her life, forces her to act like a pig before shouting "Die pig!" when she complies to try and save herself. Decimating a fortress, Luca is found [[WouldHurtAChild running a teenage boy through]] with his sword before trying to kill a young girl whose parents he had already murdered, and although she survives his attack, is rendered mute from the trauma. Sacrificing the entire population of a city to the Beast Rune in a bid for more power, Luca's war crimes prove to be so depraved he is eventually betrayed by the Highlanders who assist the player in defeating him, much to Luca's delight at the chance for combat this will provide him. Though he has the excuse of watching his mother be raped while his cowardly father hid, Luca [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse grows up to be a monster]] who shows no care for anyone, even dying while boasting himself to be "[[CardCarryingVillain the true face of evil]]".

* LargeHam: Luca Blight. It would be easier to count the times he's not hamming it up. [[spoiler: Opening the amulet with fireflies just before he dies, and possibly talking to Jillia after Agares's death.]]

* CompleteMonster: Besides [[VideoGame/SuikodenI Neclord]] again (see [[VideoGame/SuikodenI here]]), there's one more: [[TheCaligula Luca Blight]], the "[[TheEvilPrince Mad Prince]]" of the Highland Kingdom, stands in stark contrast to the ambiguous nature of many of the franchise's other villains. While he has a FreudianExcuse in being ForcedToWatch the rape of his mother by Muse ruffians after his cowardly father fled, it is inexcusable when compared to the sheer scale of his atrocities. [[BloodKnight Luca relishes killing]] and expresses a [[PitifulWorms hatred and disgust for all life]]. His EstablishingCharacterMoment is building up public support for a war against Jowston by having his own youth brigade, just children training to be soldiers, slaughtered by his troops disguised as Jowstone soldiers. Later, he is seen burning a defenseless village to the ground and killing villagers. When one woman begs for her life, he tells her to act like a pig. After complying and asking if she's free to leave, Luca instead murders her while shouting, "''Die pig!''" After a mercenary fortress falls to Luca early in the game, Luca is found running Pohl, a teenage boy, through with his sword before turning his attention on a very young girl named Pilika, whose parent he had already killed in an earlier encounter. Though he is prevented from killing her as well, the traumatic situation causes Pilika to become mute. Later he [[OmnicidalManiac sacrifices the entire population of the city]] of Muse to the Beast Rune while Jowy watches in complete horror, as does the party outside the city. Luca's gleeful depravity turns against him, [[EvenEvilHasStandards when Jowy and other Highlanders]] [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating betray him to the player's army]] by setting up an ambush in the forest. Even as he dies though, Luca never once stops [[CardCarryingVillain relishing in just how monstrous he truly is]].
--> "It took hundreds to kill me, but I slaughtered humans by the ''thousands''! Look at me! I am sublime! I AM THE TRUE FACE OF EVIL!!!"

* MagnificentBastard: ''Shu''.

* CompleteMonster:
** After [[VideoGame/SuikodenI his defeat]], Neclord returned to North Window and began abducting women who strayed too close to the village. When Viktor, a former North Window resident, returns to seek revenge on Neclord, Neclord responds by reviving Viktor’s LoveInterest, Daisy, whom Neclord had murdered. Neclord offered to bring Daisy back to life in exchange for the sword Viktor was going to use to kill him, however Viktor realized the dead couldn't be brought back except as zombies, and killed Daisy himself causing Neclord to flee. Eventually, Neclord attacked Tinto City, hoping to take it over and make a new zombie kingdom for himself. During this time he also abducted Lo Wen and Lilly Pendragon, the daughter of Tinto’s mayor (and a ''child''), to be his brides.
** [[TheCaligula Luca Blight]], the "[[TheEvilPrince Mad Prince]]" of the Highland Kingdom, stands in stark contrast to the ambiguous nature of many of the franchise's other villains. While he has a FreudianExcuse in being ForcedToWatch the rape of his mother by Muse ruffians after his cowardly father fled, it is inexcusable when compared to the sheer scale of his atrocities. [[BloodKnight Luca relishes killing]] and expresses a [[PitifulWorms hatred and disgust for all life]]. His EstablishingCharacterMoment is building up public support for a war against Jowston by having his own youth brigade, just children training to be soldiers, slaughtered by his troops disguised as Jowstone soldiers. Later, he is seen burning a defenseless village to the ground and killing villagers. When one woman begs for her life, he tells her to act like a pig. After complying and asking if she's free to leave, Luca instead murders her while shouting, "''Die pig!''" After a mercenary fortress falls to Luca early in the game, Luca is found running Pohl, a teenage boy, through with his sword before turning his attention on a very young girl named Pilika, whose parent he had already killed in an earlier encounter. Though he is prevented from killing her as well, the traumatic situation causes Pilika to become mute. Later he [[OmnicidalManiac sacrifices the entire population of the city]] of Muse to the Beast Rune while Jowy watches in complete horror, as does the party outside the city. Luca's gleeful depravity turns against him, [[EvenEvilHasStandards when Jowy and other Highlanders]] [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating betray him to the player's army]] by setting up an ambush in the forest. Even as he dies though, Luca never once stops [[CardCarryingVillain relishing in just how monstrous he truly is]].