The first screenshots of Suikoden III were finally published in Japan's Famitsu magazine and posted online by IGNPS2. The screens show off the series' switch to 3-D graphics, as well as some of the new characters. A character named Ace, while not seen in the art, can also be found in several of the screenshots.

   Centaurs and an odd bipedal bird-like creature are seen for the first time in the Suikoden world; the griffins from Suikoden II are back as well. A Lizard Tribe is also mentioned in one of the screens, though this could be just a fanciful name for a band of humans.

   The sole battle screenshot reveals that the party size is still fixed at the series' standard of six members. However, rumors that the game would have a different battle system from its predecessors seem to have proven true, as the interface has been radically changed, with new gauges and icons visible.

   One of the screenshots depicts some sort of map. Given the larger scope of Suikoden III, it's possible that Konami has adopted a point-and-click style map for the sequel. However, it's too soon to say that for certain - the map could be a graphic used during a story scene, or a non-interactive chart that players can consult while traveling in a free-roaming world.

   The map does reveal one other point of interest, however: it's labeled with the name "Karaya," the mysterious tribe from the Grasslands seen in Suikoden II.

   For additional screenshots of Suikoden III, check out IGNPS2.