>>3834789
Suikoden 4's story isn't really the issue, it's the fact that they lowered the party limit to 4+2 specials or something like that alongside most of the world map just being empty water. On the ps2 the random encounters on the ship world map were also absolutely retarded in quantity making moving to new or old islands a massive chore until you got Viki. Which at least doesn't take too long.
In terms of story I personally think that it's probably like 5=2>3. Though I got personal issues with 2's story, mainly the absolutely retarded actions of Joey and a couple others for no reason other than "it has to be that way because we're destined to fight". Like, fuck off. This is exactly why Luk does what he does in 3.