Don’t let the name scare you away.
The Ys series has to be the longest-running, least known JRPG out there. Coming across someone who has never heard of it is pretty common. Even more common is finding players who have never played it. Yet each entry is critically-acclaimed and worth digging into. I admit I am relatively fresh to the series. Having played it back in the day only briefly, I did take the recently released Xbox One version for a spin and simply adored it. There is something truly magical about this series.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana released earlier this year for PC, with PS4 and Vita versions dropping late last year. Now Switch owners finally get to see what all the fuss is about. With fast-paced combat and memorable characters, this is yet another perfect fit for Nintendo’s hybrid console.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: Switch (reviewed), PS4, PC, Vita
Price I’d Pay: $59.99
Ys VIII begins on a ship, which is becoming more and more common in the genre. Players start in the shoes of Adol Christin as the ship is devoured by a large Kraken and thus bringing him to an island where the adventure begins. There are a lot of cut scenes and exposition in this game. Thankfully, it works most of the time. The voice acting can leave a bit to be desired, but the characters are all engaging and the story finds its groove early on. The fantastical setting and events are entertaining and I loved the world this game builds.
Along the way Adol will find other castaways that join his party. The island setting opens up the possibilities for some crazy plotlines, and Adol sets out to rescue the rest of the people stranded on the island. There is also a woman named Dana, who appears in his dreams. Unraveling this mystery is also a large part of the narrative. Sure it can be cliched. It feels very anime in its setting and characters, but it works. I cared about specific party members, I enjoyed the story, and that speaks volumes in an age where the genre feels almost paint-by-numbers in a lot of cases.
The subtitle of the game is a mouthful for sure. Also the VIII in the title should not scare off any potential new players. This is a separate story from other games, which makes the number even more confusing. It would have suited the game to drop the number. Thankfully, knowledge of past games is not required. This is a standalone story so newcomers should not be frightened off. Again, yet another reason dropping the number might have been beneficial.
Combat is where Ys shines though. It is all real-time and action-based. Players attack with the A button, stringing combos together with ease. There are also abilities that can be used by pulling the trigger and pressing a face button. R blocks while L is designated for dodge. The best part is when new party members are added, they can be swapped on-the-fly. Tapping the Y button seamlessly moves between party members. This makes changing tactics easy as well as being a blast.
Porting this game to Switch has come with some issues though. Before launch there are plenty of game-breaking bugs and performance issues that can be encountered. Luckily I never ran into the aforementioned bugs. Patches have been announced for the game post launch, which is relieving while also troubling. There is already a patch schedule with three in the pipe before the game even hits shelves. Still the game is brilliant and those looking for the experience on-the-go the Switch version chugs along just fine.
Ys VIII is gorgeous in its simplicity. While not even pushing the limitations of the Switch hardware, the art style carries it. The colorful worlds and vibrant characters really make this game stand out. This version also contains the newly patched in translation. While it is likely better (I never played the original PS4 version) it still suffers from some weird hiccups here and there. Minor grammatical issues aside, the story is presented well enough that I can look past most of its blemishes.
Ys VIII is a marvelous game that truly deserves more attention. With my limited exposure to the series I am impressed each time I dive in. Those looking for a classic JRPG that hits all the right notes, you will be hard-pressed to find a better experience, especially on the Switch. I am glad this series is getting more exposure, and would love to see it eventually make its way onto every platform. Don’t be afraid of the number, this is a great game to dive head first into.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
