Born from the RPG masters at Nihon Falcom, Ancient Land of Ys is the first installment in the excellent, yet somewhat unknown, Ys series. You play as Adol Christin, a red-headed young adventurer. The game starts with Adol being asked to gather the Books of Ys. Little does he know that he will unravel the mysterious disappearance of the Ancient Land of Ys.
The story is not as heavy or deep as many contemporary role playing games, but that does not stop you from being absorbed entirely in the world that Ys has to offer.
Born from the RPG masters at Nihon Falcom, Ancient Land of Ys is the first installment in the excellent, yet somewhat unknown, Ys series. You play as Adol Christin, a red-headed young adventurer. The game starts with Adol being asked to gather the Books of Ys. Little does he know that he will unravel the mysterious disappearance of the Ancient Land of Ys.
The story is not as heavy or deep as many contemporary role playing games, but that does not stop you from being absorbed entirely in the world that Ys has to offer. Most of the important dialogue in the game is accompanied by a large picture of the character you are speaking to. Although dialogue is not particularly heavy throughout
the game, you rarely end up walking circles in search of where to go next. The story leaves off on a cliff hanger note, so it is important to remember that this is just the first installment of a multipart series.
Graphically, the game is on par with games of that era. The sprites, especially the huge boss characters, are adequately detailed and the world is filled with vibrant colors. The animation is on the same level as the graphics. The graphics will not "wow" you, but they will not have you turning away in disgust, either.
The game play in Ys is very different. It is an action RPG, but rather than attacking enemies with a sword, you run into them. This battle system takes some getting used to but once you've gotten the hang of it, the game play is very enjoyable. It's a breath of fresh air, even today, if you are exhausted of the turned based fare. The difficulty level, however, is quite steep, so expect to spend numerous hours leveling up. The bosses in particular are quite tough and may take many tries before they are finally vanquished. To aid in softening the difficulty, several items and weapons are available to the player.
The music of Ys is yet another high point. Although primitive in its delivery, there are some quite catchy, and somewhat complicated, tunes to be heard throughout the game. All of the music, though small in quantity, fits with the situation you are in.
If you are an avid RPG gamer, you should definitely give Ancient Land of Ys a try. It is a hidden gem amongst the vast ocean of role playing games out there.
