Suikoden III is a role-playing video game developed and published by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, and the third installment in the Suikoden video game series. It was released in 2002 in Japan and Notrth America, with a manga version published in 2004. A European version was announced but cancelled a few months before release allegedly due to problems with the conversion tools. Konami´s policy at that time was that all PAL games had to be fully translated to the respective languages and that only releasing the game in English was not an option. Petitions to change Konami´s decision on the matter were unsuccessul.
Like the other Suikoden games, Suikoden III features an intricate, detailed setting. The game's story is presented through the "Trinity Sight System;" rather than having only one "hero," the plot is explored through three different viewpoints, allowing events to be seen from multiple sides. There are three struggling factions in Suikoden III, each with their own divisions and politics, and there is no unambiguous "right" side. Hugo of the Karaya Clan is a Grasslander, Chris Lightfellow is a Knight of the merchant nation of Zexen, and Geddoe is a member of the Harmonian Southern Frontier Defense Force, keeping watch for the huge nation of Harmonia on the Grasslands area.
The named "hero" chosen by the player at the beginning of the game is actually the Flame Champion, the Grassland leader who upheld the independence of the Grasslands against a Harmonian incursion decades ago. Unlike other Suikoden games, which generally feature a silent protagonist, the Flame Champion and the other main characters all have personalities and dialog.