Short answers, pulled from the story.
Suikoden is a 1995 role-playing game published by Konami in which the player's character, the son of a Scarlet Moon Empire general, leads a rebellion against a corrupt empire by recruiting 108 warriors known as the 108 Stars of Destiny. The concept is drawn from the Chinese novel Water Margin. Not all 108 recruits are playable in combat; some serve supporting roles at the Liberation Army's headquarters.
Suikoden was first released in Japan on the 15th of December 1995 for the PlayStation. A North American release followed one year later, a mainland European release came the following April, and Windows and Sega Saturn versions were released in Japan in 1998.
The Suikoden soundtrack was composed and arranged by Miki Higashino, Tappi Iwase, Taniguchi Hirofumi, Mayuko Kageshita, and Hiroshi Tamawari. It was published by King Records in Japan on the 5th of April 1996, spanning two discs and 48 tracks.
Scenario writer Yoshitaka Murayama cited three works as inspiration: the Chinese novel Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and The Eternal Champion. The game is described as loosely based on Water Margin, from which the concept of 108 destined warriors derives.
Electronic Gaming Monthly named Suikoden a runner-up for Role-Playing Game of the Year, with Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain taking the award in what the magazine described as a close race. At the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences nominated Suikoden for Console Game of the Year and Console Role-Playing Game of the Year.
A high-definition English localization titled Suikoden I and II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars was released worldwide on the 6th of March 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A stage play adaptation directed by Norihito Nakayashiki was also announced on the 4th of March 2025 and ran in Tokyo and Kyoto in December 2025.