Breakthrough Gaming: How To Get Started With Action-RPG Series Ys

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom / Kotaku

When a game franchise has been running for nearly four decades, no matter how much it may look like something you’d enjoy, it can often feel impenetrable. Where should you begin? At the very beginning? With the most recent? The latest remake? It’s too easy to give up and walk away. But don’t let that happen with Ys, an action-RPG series you’ll absolutely love. We’re here to break it all down, and guide your way in.

Falcom’s Ys series doesn’t have the name recognition that Legend of Zelda has, but its 35-year legacy certainly competes with Nintendo’s signature franchise. Debuting in 1987, Ys has been a pioneer in the action-RPG space since its inception. Merging fast-paced combat with traditional-yet-accessible RPG mechanics and high-energy soundtracks, even games like Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI and NieR Automata can be compared favorably to Ys games that came out all the way back in 2012.

That said, a franchise with such a long history can feel overwhelming for newcomers. How should a new player start the Ys series today? The good news is that virtually every game in the Ys series can be enjoyed as a standalone experience. Each mainline game takes place in a shared world, and every numbered entry follows the ongoing adventures of series’ protagonist Adol Christin. You’ll find recurring characters and references to other games, but they’re typically minor enough that you can fill in everything you need to know from context.

The only exception to the above rule is Ys II, but you’ll find that’s typically bundled with Ys I.

While any game can function as a starting point, Ys has a reputation for routinely reinventing its core mechanics every two or three games. Ys II feels completely different from Ys VI, for instance, which has a totally different playstyle than Ys VIII. So if you’d like your first impressions with the series to best align with your tastes, consider starting with one of the games listed here. Click on!

Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch

Pros

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is an engrossing action-RPG adventure that many consider a high point of the series. Shipwrecked on the Isle of Seiren, series protagonist Adol Christin must lead a party of up to six playable characters as they battle against massive prehistoric foes and uncover a mystery that will change the way they perceive the world as they know it.

The scope of Ys VIII is grand and intimate in equal measure. Much of the story focuses on the relationships between the shipwrecked survivors, which gives a strong “home away from home” vibe as you play. Additionally, Ys VIII features some of the most intense battles the series has seen. More than 30 bosses each feature unique attack patterns to learn, and learning to utilize your Flash Guard and Flash Dodge (think Precision Dodges from Final Fantasy XVI) is key to success. Accompanied by an absolutely incredible soundtrack, Ys VIII is just a great RPG, even if you have no interest in the overall series.

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom

Cons

Ys VIII is a long game. Clearing the main story can take about 40 hours, and aiming for 100 percent completion can push you past 60. You may consider this a good thing if you want the best bang for your buck, but that is a hefty time commitment nonetheless. Further, Ys VIII has a slightly slow start. It takes roughly 30 minutes to see any combat, which gives an awkward first impression for an otherwise fast-paced adventure.

Ys VIII does contain some accidentally missable quests, which can prevent you from getting the true ending of the game. Fortunately, this is easy to avoid by completing side quests and exploring optional areas as they appear. To save yourself some anxiety, note that you may lose some characters even though their personal quest lines remain seemingly incomplete, but that doesn’t mean you missed anything.

You will encounter one character who is a direct reference to Ys: Memory of Celceta, so you won’t get that callback by starting with Ys VIII. However, as mentioned above, this is more of a novelty that doesn’t impact the main story in a meaningful way.

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom / Kotaku

Note on platforms

The Nintendo Switch version of Ys VIII runs at a lower frame rate than on other platforms. It’s playable, but less preferable to the other options if you can access them.

If you like Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox builds on the systems seen in Ys VIII and offers the most similar play experience. Ys Seven and Ys: Memories of Celceta also established many of the fundamental ideas that Ys VIII builds upon.

Play it on: PC (via Steam and GOG), PlayStation Portable,

Versions on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 will launch in 2025

Pros

Ys: The Oath in Felghana is an action-RPG-platformer hybrid that stars Adol Christin as the sole playable character. The game explores the homeland of series regular Dogi as he discovers just how much has changed during his years-long absence. What starts as an errand to protect Dogi’s friends turns into an adventure that explores just how deep the darkness in this community goes.

Clocking in at around 12 hours for a first playthrough, Oath in Felghana plays more like a Metroidvania than a traditional RPG. Adol will acquire new abilities that improve his combat and movement capabilities as the game progresses, which lets the player uncover new paths and treasures that were hidden in previous areas. Oath in Felghana also rewards careful use of your abilities in combat, since reading enemy attack patterns and responding with the right attacks or magic is key to survival.

Make no mistake, this is a tough game. But that feeling of finally overcoming the strongest foe you were stuck on for an hour couldn’t be sweeter.

Not only is Oath in Felghana a high point in the series, it’s also a remake of the third Ys game. In other words, it’s very light on references and solidifies some tropes that recur in later entries (such as Dogi’s penchant for crushing walls). It’s a great game on its own merits, and it’s often on sale for $5 or less.

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom

Cons

Despite officially launching in English in 2010, Ys: Oath in Felghana was originally released all the way back in 2005. That is to say, this is an older game that you can straight-up call “retro” today. The graphics, while impressive for its time, definitely show the game’s age. The RPG elements are also decidedly basic, with just a few pieces of equipment to find and very few recovery items. In fact, bosses are so hard in Oath in Felghana because they prevent Adol from using any items at all.

The game’s old-school design can become a burden if you’re not used to retro sensibilities. Adol can go from healthy to dead in just a few seconds if enemies corner you in just the wrong way, for example. And on harder difficulties, bosses can feel impossible until you figure out very specific strategies to defeat them. If you’re not interested in a game that’s more action than it is RPG, you’d be better off with one of the later entries in the series.

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom / Kotaku

Note on platforms

The PC version is the original release of Ys: The Oath in Felghana. It features some high resolution options courtesy of publisher Xseed, but otherwise has no special features. The PSP version of the game adds voice acting, a new game plus mode, an additional Boost gauge that makes the game easier. Ys Memorie: The Oath in Felghana is a modernized re-release for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation platforms that includes the PSP version’s extras and some new artwork.

If you like Ys: Oath in Felghana

Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim and Ys: Origin seemingly use the same engine as Oath in Felghana and play very similarly as a result.

Also, while not an Ys game, Falcom’s The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails plays similarly enough to Oath in Felghana that I can recommend it to those who enjoy this playstyle.

Release Date: October 25, 2024

Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch

Pros

While most Ys games work well as a starting point, Ys X: Nordics has a few things going for it that make it better than average for first timers.

First of all, Ys X introduces a new combat system. Instead of using a variety of playable characters, Adol now fights in tandem with deuteragonist Karsha as players swap between the two and execute combo attacks to inflict heavy damage. Based on series tradition, Falcom will likely reuse this battle system in at least one more game, so new players will be learning these mechanics at the same time as longtime fans.

Second, despite being the latest entry in the series, Ys X takes place very early in the overall timeline. It picks up right after Ys II, meaning that it’s even more self-contained than normal in terms of its story and references. In other words, you don’t need to do homework to understand this one, unless of course you want to play some other very good games!

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom

Cons

It’s the newest game in the series, which means when it comes out in October, it’ll cost you more than the previous recommendations. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is $40 and can go on sale for less than $20, and Oath in Felghana runs for much less than that on PC. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is even available via PlayStation Plus Extra as of writing, so anyone subscribed to Sony’s service can jump into that one very easily.

Ys X: Nordics also doesn’t necessarily feature the highs in its soundtrack that other entries in the series do. Don’t get me wrong, the soundtrack isn’t bad by any means. But for a series so well-loved for its music, it’s not hitting you with tracks on par with Vacant Interference and The Boy Who Had Wings quite as often. Your mileage may vary, depending on your auditory tastes.

Play it on: PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation Portable

Pros

If you’re an absolute purist who wants to see where the series began, Ys I & II Chronicles is the most accessible way to play the first Ys games. These remakes retain the gameplay of the original titles and add some quality-of-life features. They also add some exclusive extra content, and some of the easter eggs featured in these games are delightful. Also, you’re kind of getting two games for the price of one, even though Ys II is a direct continuation of Ys I.

By starting with Ys I & II, you’ll see how Adol met Dogi and hear some leitmotifs that are occasionally referenced in later games in the series. Also, it’ll help you appreciate just how far the series has come since these games.

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom / Kotaku

Cons

What you need to know about Ys I & II is that, remake or not, these games are old. Ys started out using the “bump” combat system, which features no attack button and instead forces Adol to smash his face into enemies off-center to inflict damage. Honestly, I do think the bump combat is kind of fun once you get used to it, but it does not make a good first impression, unless you love games hailing from the 1980s.

Aside from that, there’s just all kinds of jank that will probably make you raise your eyebrows. Almost half of Ys I I takes place in a tower that you literally can’t leave, and you’ll hit the level cap well before the end of the game. Ys II features some long maze-like dungeons that can feel difficult to navigate. Neither game explains its mechanics well, and both rely on you to figure out their intricacies.

These games ask a lot of totally new players, and neither plays anything like Ys games available today. I’d only recommend those with iron wills or a love of vintage games to start here.

Screenshot: Nihon Falcom / Kotaku

If you like Ys: I&II

For the absolutely wild folks who enjoy this combat system, you’ll want to dig into the original versions of Ys IV. Ys IV: Mask of the Sun for SNES and Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys for the TurboGrafx-CD are both surprisingly distinct games that play similarly to Ys I & II, and they even directly continue from them in a few ways. Neither game was ever officially released in English, though, so you’ll need to apply fan translations to enjoy them today. I’d say that’s a tough sell, but if you’re the type of person who wants more bump combat, you were probably prepared to patch some vintage games too.

Nowadays, these versions of Ys IV have been “replaced” by Ys: Memories of Celceta, which is both a remake and yet another version of Ys IV. Yes, this is very confusing for anyone who isn’t an Ys superfan. Just don’t worry about it and play the official English releases if you’re catching up on the series.

With all this, hopefully you’re now inspired to pick at least one of these recommendations and make your way into a truly wonderful gaming series. And if it clicks for you, then oh boy, do you have a lot of games to play next!

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