However, the plot was not completely given a pass. Many felt that the pacing was uneven, and that the game was entirely too short. An RPGFan review said, "If one just played the game straight, getting only the characters they earned through story events, Suikoden IV could arguably be beaten in 15 hours - and it would only take that long because of the sailing and frequent random battles." Due to the game's brevity, the characterization was thin, especially among supporting characters. The main villain's motives and past don't seem to be fully explored, either. Additionally, the return to a silent protagonist after "Suikoden III" did away with the tradition was considered unwise by many, with the hero remaining mute and unresponsive even when falsely accused of murder. Christian Nutt of GameSpy wrote, "This was much more plausible in the era of small, 2D characters. It doesn't work very well this time around."