It's been a long time since I started playing video games, having grown up in the 80s and 90s. I have watched series come and go being a steady favorite of mine before either being shut down due to a badly selling entry or making some insane turn somewhere and just ceasing to be what made me so excited to see each new entry. To this end I don't think I hold up too many series as flawless and loving every game in the series. Ys was one such series... until today, when I found myself not wanting to continue after giving it more then it's due time (14 hours in this case). This isn't a review of a bad game necessarily, but it is one of a game that, if it could think, might wonder why it's part of this franchise.
Story: Adol and Dogi don't sit still long. Fresh off their adventure to the legendary floating island of Ys, they are on their way to visit Celceta, placing this game squarely between Ys II and Memories of Celceta (Ys IV), but they are not traveling alone this time. Dr. Flair, a physician who lived all his life in Ys, has tagged along for the journey and his first time on the ground.
But fate had other plans for our intrepid adventurers as seems to always be the case whenever Adol gets on a boat. This time, the ship was raided by a roving band of viking-like pirates called Normans. Rather then let the ship finish it's journey, they force their way on board, execute the captain, and rout the now captured ship to the local city of Carnac, stranding our dynamic trio there for the time being. And while they will all need to get work for the moment due to this, the place is not without it's charms, especially for an adventure driven man like Adol.
In this case, the main such charm turns out to be the princess of those very pirates. Trying to defend passengers on the ship, he had gone toe-to-toe with her clashing blades, so when she challenged him once ashore to continue the fight, he was not going to resist. This challenge would not go uninterrupted, however, as the two were attacked by undead creatures the Normans call griegr. And although this fight in itself was not particularly important, the literal ties that bind them together that form during it are. Mana/magical "handcuffs" appeared out nowhere, binding these two together, literally not letting them part more then 20 feet or so from each other. Why did it happen and what can they do about it? No one seems to know, but it's only one issue the duo will have to face together.
While they are trying to resolve this, they find themselves also face to face with the same undying forces, only organized into a full-fledged army as they attack the village, sparking the start of an ocean-hopping adventure to rescue the people who were lost in the raid as well as return the favor and destroy the threat to the people in the area in total. Still, there is plenty of mysteries to figure out on the way which will draw Adol and the princess (named Karja) deeper and deeper into a high-stakes adventure that will decide the fate of those who live in this gulf.
This is one of those games where explaining what is going on any further steals the thunder from the writing which is actually pretty good for the most part. This isn't so much done in twists and turns as putting puzzle pieces together until the full picture is in place, depicting events that started long before the game began and culminating about when Adol arrived. However, unlike the rest of the series, this is not so much his story as one he's simply tagging along for the ride. This time, everything going on is happening around his newfound "friend" Karja, her hidden past, and what fate has in store for her due to what happened long before she was born. Overall it is a satisfying journey. What isn't so is the reason Adol was forced to get involved. Ultimately the game will explain the "mana cuffs" keeping this duo together, but when it does, it will come out of left field and frankly be one of the most idiotic and contrived reasons I have seen in a while. To explain, however, I will have to spoil a detail that, while it isn't that important to the whole big plot, it is the single reason Adol is involved. If you do not wish to see this till the game tells you itself, please skip the indented italicized text below.
Late in the game, after no one has been able to explain why Adol and Karja are handcuffed together (mortal or otherwise), the explanation reveals itself abruptly when the cuffs themselves take form as Karja's late mother's spirit as she gives the young lady a pep talk, her father a tongue lashing, and asks Adol if he would like to marry the princess (after apologizing for wrapping him up in all of this). It was not some grand accident of fate where their power mixed wrong or even some destined event that brought these two together, but the desires of Karja's mother from beyond the grave that forced Adol's hand.
Thankfully the moment to moment writing is actually a lot better then Adol's reasons for being there this time. You will likely have a few favorite characters who will charm you in the cast. Meanwhile our main duo's interactions will leave you amused more often then not... especially when the princess has to keep our intrepid adventurer in check and on target from time to time rather then looking into the next exciting ruin to explore. Hell even the main villains will all be incredibly memorable, even if you have a hard time remembering how to say their names (cause you will.. they can at times be spelled in ways that look absolutely nothing like they should sound like they do).
Overall, this is not a bad game plot-wise. It's just a shame that story is so unnecessary and the reason Adol is dragged into it is so contrived this time.
7/10
Graphics: Like the past several games to release in the franchise, the look is going to be a highlight, and for many of the same reasons. No this is not going to be a photorealistic game like so many AAA games try to be. Instead it keeps to the tradition of an anime in 3D style. I would call it cell-shaded, but the shading is a lot cleaner then that would suggest and there are no outlines to anything in this game. Rather the 3D modeling used here stands on it's own without any visual ques like that. And the result is a bright and vibrant world that will simply please the eyes the entire time.
Within this style you will find yourself traveling through various landscapes such as port-towns, beaches, plains and mountainsides and (of course this being an Ys game) ruins of an ancient past. It all flows together brilliantly, always looking almost like a high-end modern anime. I have to say almost because as noted before, while it leans into the style, there is no line-work like it would suggest.
Further enhancing this is the character work which really bring this impression home. While you will never mistake anyone you see for realistic, they simply look great. Not that you will mistake main characters for background ones. The same attention to detail went into every model, however it was going to be used, but you can expect when it's an extra it will feel it, both in potential duplicates and a sometimes lackluster and generic animation to whatever they are doing (and often synchronized with everyone else doing the same). But I will be honest, I find a certain charm to that, as it harkens back a little to the old days of when RPGs like this would live on PS2.
The main characters, however, are a lot more individual, given their own styles, mannerisms, and even if the animation style can look stilted once in a while, their own personalities flow through every second of it. And when you consider the sheer volume of characters this chapter includes, the result is simply gorgeous. It's no technical marvel, but this is something special all the same.
Enemy monsters also do not slow this down. The Griegr are often other-wordly foes, taking on forms that suggest either an undead or shackled (and often both) nature, they can generally be just called "cool" and you could get away with it. Often towering above Adol and Karja but still needing to be taken down.
But this is only one view you will get, as Ys X also includes a ship-fairing mode where you will control the Sandaras as you float across the ocean, both to as the main way you will reach the more level-based ground areas described above and take on more sea-fairing combat. While in this mode, you will get a prime view of your vessel and the vast expanse of blue around you, and it frankly is one hell of a view.
Overall, this is just a plain very nice looking game, and one that, since it relies on style over realism, should stand the test of time!
9/10
Sound: When you play an Ys game, you do not always expect a lot of voice acting. After all, this is a franchise that extends way back to the days when 8-bit consoles and computers dominated the scene and a game was "huge" if it managed to fill a single 360KB floppy disk. Over time, the series has expanded it's technical prowess with the times, but only recently has it begun featuring a lot of voice acting at all. As such, you can expect a lot of dialog to rely on you reading, but when it suits the game, they take the time to let the characters speak up and be heard. Those moments just add to the personalities, though, letting you hear Karja's blunt matter of factness with things others find hard to take, or even just the balance between companionship with, but also tired of having to wrangle in Adol to whatever the current mission is rather then go explore that set of ruins so tantalizingly close he can taste the adventure within.
Nor is she alone as every one of the main crew you will collect over the game has the same care passed into their acting, Adol included. While you will not be spoiled by this game since many of it's scenes have no voicework at all, what is here will feel right at home and just fit the vibes perfectly to the moment and game in total.
To accompany this, is, as always a soundtrack worthy of the Ys name. Taking after the previous adventure, there is no metal music video of any sort to introduce this one. Rather, once you reach that "opening scene" (since it's after you get to play a little) you will be greeted with a scene of the confiscated boat being brought to shore at Carnac to something of a sea shanty with a set of classical instruments behind it and with just a hint or two of electric guitar to form a rather nice and heavy combination that just trods along perfectly to the scene as it plays out. It might just be the best "opening theme" yet even as it is such an undertone from the early traditions.
The rest of the music is incredibly varied, from whimsical and fitting of more wistful fantasy scenes to the metal rifts the franchise is known for when combat (with bosses in particular) gets fast and furious. Fans of the franchise will feel right at home with every note and beat.
But as always this is about where my praise for the sound has to kind of end. We are now in a world where the actual sound effects are pretty much crystal clear as a matter of course since game devs have effectively unlimited space to store whatever quality they wish here, so it's more about how effectively they are used. And Ys X does an admirable job. You will get all the basic clashes, clangs, whooshes, and thumps you would expect while fighting off the hoards as well as all the magical charm when using appropriate techniques or selecting items in a menu. It sounds good, but it's not going to stand out as spectacular work, especially compared to everything else this game offers here.
8/10
Gameplay: Unfortunately, this is where Ys X and I see things very differently. The game will play from a camera view of your character as you wander the various locations your adventure will take you. I say character because like many of this franchise, Adol is not the only one you will control. However unlike the recent titles, you will not have a selection of characters to form a 3-member party with. You will have exactly two through pretty much the entire adventure: Adol and Karja. This, as expected, will cripple the rock-paper-scissors nature of the system the previous games had, instead leaving the game with basically two kinds of damage you will deal and one character that has a natural specialization to each. Some enemies will not only have health but their health bar will be literally plated with armor you will have to break down and remove before you can hurt them, and that's what Karja does best, while Adol is a better all around to bring the hurt once they are opened up. And of course as the game features, you will find yourself using combined attacks between the two as well to press that final push of damage for your current string of hits. Although for as much as the game was sold on this particular feature, it isn't as interesting one would hope and you will find ALL of this really only matters when you are dealing with a boss fight.
In fact, this is when the new combat system will show all its strengths and weaknesses as well as just how different it is from anything else in the franchise. Previous games all relied on your positioning to decide how combat would work out, be it the original game's bump system where the direction you approach a monster from (front, back, side, ect) or how they approached you would decide who takes damage from the two of you running into each other, all the way to IX where you absolutely can run directly into enemies without taking damage, but rather it's contact with weapons, yours or theirs, which will decide who takes what damage turning those games into more of a fencing match between you and any given opponent, looking for openings and guarding your own. Ys X completely flips this script, choosing in stead to look more at timing then positioning.
Instead of relying on dodging to get out of situations, you will also have a block button with some moves requiring you to dodge and others requiring you to hold your block button to avoid damage. And with many moves you will face literally covering the entire arena you are stuck in with said boss, you probably want to rely more on that block then that dodge as your default action. It's not particularly hard once you get used to it, but it goes against just about everything the entire franchise has built up, and I have to be honest, it made me absolutely hate playing when I reached each and every boss. I just did not find this new system fun at all.
Nor while in a boss encounter is the game very forgiving. When you take a hit, you are going to get pummeled and whichever character you are controlling is going to take serious damage if you mess up this balance, and while the game DOES give you the ability to rescue your downed partner by giving them half of your remaining health, you have to have the time to do so, and with no one to distract the big-bad you are fighting, expect to get into a rescue cycle as often as not if you have to do this. Adol and Karja will often take enough damage while rescuing the other to fall and require you to repeat the process. It is frankly infuriating and a downward spiral you will rarely be able to pull out of once it gets started. Also unfortunately these are the only times that combat engine is really going to matter as enemies while in the map itself are absolutely stupid easy and friendly to being button mashed to death, so until you get to these bosses you get absolutely zero practice in these mechanics resulting in just about every boss encounter feeling like an unbalanced mess, especially if the past entries in the franchise have trained you to this point since any explanation the game gives you is brief and unenforced.
What is offered during those levels instead is a platforming experience to explore. This game is a lot more interested in giving you new and interesting ways to move Adol and Karja through the maps offered, be it swinging from magical ropes, surfing on magical boards (on water or light-lines of magic), or even bouncing around on invisible platforms you need a special lens to see. Yes other games in the franchise use such mechanics, but not to the same extent. Frankly this one starts to feel more like it wants to be a Sonic game as much as an adventure with Vikings. For the most part, these work very well, but they also feel a bit out of place for the franchise, adding to the oddity on display here.
But the real dividing point for most will likely be your time at sea. For the most part this is a slow and easy-going portion of the game where you will sail from point to point, both to reach story beats and side quests offered as the game goes on. There is VERY little to do while traveling besides listen to the occasional conversation of your crew members, but it is the portion of the game when you can wander onboard the Sandaras yourself to use resources making inventory items you can use or even setting up buffs in the form of luncheons for your crew which will effect how the ship behaves for a set amount of time afterwards. Best to use these before a sea battle can begin.
And this honestly is where this game actually shined for me personally. Ocean battles are clunky as you do your best to maneuver the Sandaras to avoid cannon fire and other enemy weapons while positioning her to fire your various weapons on them, but they are also clunky in the same ways. This is not hand to hand combat, but lumbering ships and feels like I would expect an action-set navel battle would work. It actually felt right, using my speed and positioning to try to outmaneuver the enemy doing the same and unloading on someone I managed to bring my side-cannons to and watch them sink was frankly incredibly satisfying. I kinda wish if the game had to break from it's traditional play so much, it did so with more of this instead of a combat system based so much less positioning yourself to avoid damage.
5/10
Bugs: For all the issues I had with this game, bugs were not one of them. This game played smoothly and without issue the entire time I played.
Digital Rights Management: Being a game I played on GOG, you should find no surprise that I had no DRM issues to deal with. However, unfortunately we have an Ys game that uses Steam itself as DRM if you pick it up through that service. - Source: PC Gaming Wiki
Score: This is a fairly akward game for me to judge. On the one hand, I can see a pretty good game with some real love and polish put into it. But on the other, it just felt so much not like an Ys game I couldn't help but wonder if it really wanted to be one. Everything VIII and IX did so very right were tossed right out the window in favor of something completely other to how this series plays. It just felt wrong.
To this end, I have to say I can not really recommend this game. If you are a long time fan of the series, you may find it worth your while once the price drops from $60, but you are going to find yourself disappointed when comparing it to what came before. And while newcomers without any expectations may well enjoy it, they will likely wonder what happened when they try other games of the series. Overall, this is definitely a stumbling point for the series, however.
5/10
System Requirements:
- AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- 8 GB RAM
- NVidia Geforce GTX 1050
- Windows 10/11
- 7 GB of Hard Drive space
System Specs:
- Ryzen 7 (5700X) 3.4 Ghz
- 32 GB RAM
- AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT (8 GB VRAM)
- Windows 11 (64 Bit)
- Xbox One Wired controller
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