Hello! This is the fifth and final article in the series. We're getting there. Remember to check the previous articles if you feel like it:
- The Beginnings of Nihon Falcom and Adol Christin
- The Dark Ages
- The Golden Ages
- The Modern Ages (Chapter 1)
PART 17: THE STRANGED CHILD – YS IX
Ys IX tried to bring back to fans what they loved in Ys VIII. Perhaps, to a fault.
After the outstanding success of Ys VIII, one could think that Falcom would try to replicate it once again and enjoy the golden goose. And that, they did! As of the time of writing, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the last game chronologically (fun fact: Adol is 24 years old in this game), and it’s set after Ys SEVEN. It’s also the last game from the franchise that I beat, which I find amusing. This time, Adol and Dogi arrive at the prison city of Balduq. There, Adol is incarcerated and interrogated by the authorities for being the protagonist of the series. Yes, really. Eventually he escapes but he is cursed with the power of Monstrum, a gift that gives him unfathomable power at the cost of being unable to leave the city of Balduq. Eventually, he meets other with the same power, and together have to find a way to break the curse. After all, Adol isn’t Adol without adventure.
At first, I wasn’t too keen on playing this one, because it looked too similar to Ys VIII, but since it was the only one missing, I might as well get through with it. In a way, I’m glad I did, because I actually enjoyed the game for what it is, but it’s still my least favorite of the ones I like. The biggest issue with Ys IX is that it suffers from the some of the same problems as Ys VIII, but to a much lesser degree. For example, the story takes a lot of time to start, but at least there are some things that happen before that, mainly by introducing the 5 additional party members and their backstories. The combat is identically mindless, but with two key differences: there’s no blocking and the Burst from Oath in Felghana and Origin is back. Flash Guard is still a thing, but because there’s no blocking, it’s much less safe to use. There’s also a presence of roadblocks that get unlocked as you progress through the story, but because the overall map is much compact, it's easier to get to them and doesn’t feel as annoying. Or maybe I just mellowed out, who knows. As for the dungeons, they follow similar gimmicks to the ones in Ys VIII. These are the most noticeable things, and the rest are not important enough to be given any attention. There is, however, one additional thing that’s actually worse than in VIII, but it’s so big that I will get to it later. This doesn’t mean that the game is a 1 by 1 copy, of course, as it has some things that help differentiate it. The setting, for starters, couldn’t be any different. The Island of Seiren in Ys VIII was a huge island mostly populated by animals and dinosaurs that was completely cut off from the rest of the world due to circumstances. Balduq City, on the other hand, is a populated city that hosts the biggest and most important prison, so it’s filled with NPCs, businesses and whatnot.
The city is the antithesis of Adol: relatively small, compact and, frankly, not very colorful. Even when you manage to leave the city (which Adol and friends will be able to at certain points of the game), you still can’t escape the perimeters that surround the city because of magical barriers, so you’re always chained to the city even when you go through the city gates. And yet, Balduq City is the most fun I’ve had exploring in the modern games. This mostly thanks to the Gifts of the Monstrums. What each gift does differs from each character, but all of them have field effects. The most important ones are Adol’s (a zipline), White Cat’s (climbing walls) and Hawk’s (gliding in the air). Thanks to these skills, you can explore verticality in a way no other Ys game has managed. On the other hand, Balduq City doesn’t have THAT much to explore in comparison to the Island of Seiren, so it’s a pity that you have so much freedom and yet so little to go.
The story in Ys IX is actually quite interesting, not so much because it’s particularly good, but because of what it offers. As I mentioned before, it suffers from the same problem as Ys VIII where it takes a lot for the story to take off. Unlike Ys VIII, at least you’re told something until that happens. In this case, it’s by introducing the playable characters, their identities and their personalities. I wouldn’t say it’s the most interesting way of making a game slow, but it’s better than the nothing that is Ys VIII. However, when it takes off, it’s very fun. There’s a certain degree of intrigue and mystery that, at least, keeps you interested in what’s about to happen. When it unravels, however, I find that it’s not as interesting as what unravels in VIII, except for one thing: the story of Ys IX only works because Adol is the protagonist. Earlier on I said that Adol was incarcerated for being the protagonist of Ys, and this is true: his actions in previous entries are what cause his arrest. This is also true for the events that unfold. Even better, two bosses from Ys I, as well as one boss from Ys VIII, reappear. So, yeah, Ys IX only works because of Adol. And yet, the game feels strangely disconnected from the franchise in terms of vibes: between the setting, the designs of the Monstrums, the over the top spectacle of the combat (even more so than Ys VIII) and the repeated elements of Ys VIII make this game a huge contradiction. Now, I’m not saying this is a bad thing, especially because the existence of Ys X proved that this is just an episode instead of the future of the franchise.
Prior to his reveal, the main antagonist shifts through several forms (they can shapeshift). I can assure you that I have no idea who any of those people were.
To finish, because I can’t seem to shut up, I’ll finally reveal what the bad thing from Ys IX is: the quests. Now, the quests themselves are more interesting than in SEVEN, Celceta and VIII, because they’re better written. However, despite the fact that they are marked as secondary, they are actually mandatory, because you NEED to do them in order to unlock the next place where you have to go. Either that, or do a million battles against random enemies. It’s not particularly fun, and it ruins the pace of the game. Even worse, it has to be done in every single chapter. At least Ys VIII only had you do that if you wanted the best result possible, but here you’re FORCED. And I said that they were better written, but they simply did more than the bare minimum.
Overall, Ys IX shares with Memories of Celceta the issue that it’s too derivative from a previous product to stand out on its own, but unlike that one, Monstrum Nox doesn’t do (almost) anything worse than the product it copies. It’s a game that can definitely be played, and one you can have a good time with. If you liked Ys VIII, you will probably like Monstrum Nox because of how similar it is. Interestingly enough, I’ve seen a lot of people say they don’t like this one because it’s worse than IX, so I could be wrong. If you wish to play it, any version works. They’re all the same. I know the PC version has co-op, but I haven’t tried it out so I don’t know how polished it is.
PART 18: THE ADVENTURE THROUGH LAND AND SEA – YS X
Close enough. Welcome back, Sly Cooper 3: Honour Among Thieves.
Last, but certainly not least, we reach the most recent game in the series: Ys X: Nordics. You might think that this happens right after IX or something, but it happens a month after II, which makes this game the third chronologically! Even so, I’d recommend playing Origin first because of the nods to I and II. This time, Dogi and Adol travel with Dr. Flair because he wishes to go to Celceta to find the Celcetan Flower, which is said to cure incurable diseases. If you recall, this was also the reason for the events of Mask of the Sun. However, they’re forced to make a stop in the town of Carnac due to the attacks of Vikings. Things happen and Adol is magically bound to the princess of the Vikings, and must find a way to break the curse, all while working together and taking down a mysterious threat called Griegr.
Nordics was a game that I didn’t intend to play at first, but thanks to connections I received a free key for the Nintendo Switch version, in exchange for a review within a deadline. If you know Spanish, you can read it here. Be aware that it’s a bit rudimentary, because the game is quite long, I had a deadline and I had school matters going on, but it covers the basics of the game (I believe I played over 25 hours by the time I published the review). If you don’t know Spanish, then keep reading.
Ys X is the first team-based game in a long time that truly felt like it wanted to do something different. Even if Ys VIII and IX had new, improved mechanics over SEVEN and Celceta, at the end of the day they were “the same, but better”. At least, here we have some key differences. By far, the biggest and most important is that there’s no longer a full-fledged team of 6 party members, because now it’s just Adol and the Viking princess: Karja. From the moment you get them, that’s all you’ll be seeing and controlling. And you might think: doesn’t this make the game worse, by having less variety? And that’s when I say: you’re wrong! Because this is the best, in terms of combat, a modern Ys game is, thanks to the Duo mechanics. Because of the Mana cuffs, Adol and Karja are forced to stay together at all times. They are strong enough on their own, but when they work as a couple, they become invincible. Sometimes, it’s metaphorically, because they can attack at the same time and overwhelm the enemy, or summon extremely powerful attacks. Other times, it’s literally, because some attacks from the enemies are unblockable (the enemy will flash red) unless both characters are guarding together. Flash Move and Flash Guard have been completely reworked. Flash Guard is now a simple Perfect Guard which, when executed, causes the enemy to flinch and allow for a powerful counterattack. Flash Move, on the other hand, can only be performed with blue attacks (mostly projectiles) by simply running through them, and also allows for a powerful counterattack. As for the rest, the combat is pretty much identical: basic attacks, jumping, skills tied to a resource and ultimate attacks. While it’s not necessary, you can do some pretty cool stuff with the tools the game gives you (at least, from the clips I’ve seen).
The bigger enemies will flinch after performing a perfect guard, which is, quite frankly, cool as hell.
The combat is definitely the highlight of the game, but so are the exploration and, to an extent, the story. The exploration, in particular, shines because not only can you move through land, but also through the sea! This is thanks to a pirate ship that you acquire early on, and allows you to traverse the vast sea and visit numerous islands. At first, the ship moves very slowly, but after a few upgrades, you’ll be traversing the whole wide ocean, as free as a bird. There’re also ship battles, which can range from “mildly fun” to “a bit annoying”, and take the place of the raids of Ys VIII and IX. Because of the combination of land and sea, Ys X has one of the most, if not THE most meaningful exploration in the whole series. The only problems is that it’s so vast, it can feel overwhelming, so beware. As for the story, while it’s not the best in the series, it’s very enjoyable, consistent and has interesting twists, and it doesn’t have the problems that Ys VIII and IX had, being engaging from the beginning. It takes a lot of influences from Norse mythology (as the name of the game implies). And, although it’s not very important, Karja is probably the best female character in the whole series, and has a really good dynamic with Adol.
Ys X is my second favorite of the modern Ys games, and if it weren’t for the unique quirks and the story of SEVEN, it would be my most favorite. It’s just so well-rounded and fun that I have absolutely nothing that I dislike. Well, I guess it looks a bit ugly on Switch, but that’s very minor, really. If you want to play it, it’s the same deal as Ys IX. If you play it on Steam, be careful not to purchase the Japanese version, because it’s a terrible port with poor performance. I know that on 2026, Falcom will release an extended version called Proud Nordics which introduces new cutscenes, characters, mechanics and more. Kind of like an ATLUS re-release.
PART 19 – THE CLOSE FAMILY
FUN FACT: Ys vs Trails has a competitive scene. The assists that are banned make you invincible.
So, after 18 parts of pure Ys goodness (and not so goodness), I want to close this series by talking about the spin-offs. For a series as long-lasting as Ys, it doesn’t really have that many spin-offs, and some of them are a stretch. Keep in mind, however, that I haven’t really played any of these, so this part will be more informative and, hopefully, less biased.
- Ys II Special: This is a reimagining of Ys II that was made by a Korean studio for PC DOS, so it was only released on Korea. It shares elements from both the original game and the anime, features new graphics, a remixed soundtrack, expanded areas and even a new, original dungeon with new enemies and bosses. As far as I’m aware, this game hasn’t been translated so unless you know Korean, you’re out of luck if you want to play this.
- Ys Strategy: For some reason, a strategy game created by Future Creates for the Nintendo DS. This is considered to be THE worst Ys game in the series by many players: it's slow, it's ugly and, most importantly, it's boring. Hell, not even strategy fans like this game. Nobody likes Ys Strategy. It wasn’t released in the US for some reason, and Adol is called Abel. Maybe it’s not an Ys game after all…?
- Ys vs Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga: Probably the biggest and most important spin-off on the list. This is an arena fighter released on the PSP on 2010, exclusively in Japan. It features characters from both Ys and Trails in the Sky. However, the Ys cast is predominantly from SEVEN, with Chester Stoddart from Wanderers/Oath being the only one not from there. There’s also an assist system which features characters from several Falcom IPs, including Ys itself. This game is getting a remake for modern platforms, worldwide, this year. I’m so excited! You’ll soon know me as the strongest Loewe player in Europe!
- Ys Online: The Call of Solum: An MMORPG released for the PC, set many years after the main game. It was playable in multiple regions in the world. I know that in Europe, due to publishing issues, wasn’t very popular. It can’t be played nowadays anywhere.
- Ys Online: The Ark of Napishtim: This is a cellphone version of Ys VI, playable for free. It follows the same story as the original, but for some reason it has gachapon elements. It can still be played nowadays, but I’d only recommend it if you don’t respect yourself.
- Ys: The Five Dragons of Altago: Another cellphone game, but this one came out only in Japan, set in the Ys SEVEN world. It lasted for three years until servers shut down.
- Ys Nexus: Yet another MMORPG, this time for cell phones, which came out only in Japan in 2011. It features characters from the series such as Dogi, Lillia and Geis. Unlike other games in the series, this one is turn based. Eventually, servers were shut down.
- Typing of Ys: Hard to consider this game an spin-off, but I guess it counts. This is a minigame that can be found in Zwei!!: The Arges Adventure, another Falcom Action RPG. As the name implies, it's a typing game based on Ys II. I heard it's very hard.
- If you want to get technical about it, the PS2 remakes of Mask of the Sun and Kefin CAN be seen as spin-offs. Same deal with the upcoming mobile phone version of Ys VIII, because of how much things will be changed (kind of like the phone version of Ys VI). At the same time, Dawn of Ys can be considered a spin-off because it differs from the original Falcom vision so much.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
In case it wasn't clear: PLAY YS ORIGIN.
And now, finally, FINALLY, we conclude this ginormous journey. As you can tell, I care a lot about the franchise, at least enough to devote a lot of my time to write my thoughts about it. I find it interesting how I was more motivated to write about this series first over Dragon Quest, which is more important to me. Oh, well, I guess there’s always the future. Anyways, Ys is a very cool franchise that has evolved a lot. I may not agree with all of the changes that exist nowadays, but they are still solid games. Definitely a set of games worth getting into. Whether it’s the bosses, the music, the combat, the characters or the stories, there’s something for everyone in here. What about you? If you are into Ys, what’s the thing you like the most?
Falcom also has other games that are somewhat similar to Ys. The most notable ones are Tokyo Xanadu eX+ and The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails. While I can't say anything about the latter, the former plays similar to Ys VIII and IX, is set in a modern era and feels like a Mix between Ys, Trails and Persona. It's an interesting piece, but unfortunately it's weighed down by cliched story and boring, predictable writing. Nonetheless, it has some charm to me.
To send this article off, I’ll rank the games in my favorite order as well as the chronological order, for a TL;DR:
- Favorites: Origin > Felghana > SEVEN > Ark > Nordics > I > Mask > Monstrum Nox > Wanderers > Celceta > Dawn > II > VIII > V.
- Chronological: Origin > I > II > Nordics > Mask/Dawn/Celceta > Wanderers/Felghana > Kefin > Lacrimosa > Ark > SEVEN > Monstrum Nox. Still, play Origin after II, because of the nods.
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