Konami can't make RPGs. I couldn't care about any Suikoden characters, they seem so lifeless and trite. The battles are nothing interesting to speak of, I'd rather not fight. The rune crap and the rest of the gameplay system is pretty bad, as well, not fun at all. The story has a chance, but it's executed poorly, and the characters ruin it. S1 is average, S2 is the most overrated RPG in history, and S3 isn't even worth the time.
All that saves it is the music. Buy the Celtic Collections! Buy the Piano Collections! Get the baroque and rock arranged albums! The music is seriously beyond the games themselves.