Confused over Ys

[Snapple]

I would like to consider myself a fairly hardcore RPG lover. Yet, it's sad to say that probably the biggest RPG franchise I've never played is Ys. Well, I'm getting bored with a lot of my old RPGs, so I figured now is as good a time as any to give Ys a whirl.

However, trying to find information on the games has gotten me confused, and I need guidance.

It seems like most of the Ys games have one or even two remakes. However, I'm not sure which version of each part of the series is the best, nor am I even sure which versions have even been released in America.

Also, I've noticed two games called Ys IV, Mask of the Sun and Dawn of Ys. What's the difference between them, and which one is the true fourth game in the series?

I'd also like to know which game would make a good introduction to a newbie of the series.

When I see all these ports and remakes for so many different platforms, it's hard to know where to begin.

I'm not really interested in any of the games that are only in Japanese, so I'm really only looking for the ones that have been released stateside or that at least have decent fan-translations.

Thanks in advance.

[Mr. Smashy]

I'm enjoying Ys Book I & II for the TG16 CD. I have Ys: The Vanished Omens for the Master System which is also pretty good but the TG16 one looks and sounds quite a bit better and it's two games in one. I've played Ys III on the Genesis before the first 2 and it's much easier and quite different from the first 2 games.

[Tron 2.0]

If your gonna play the original version of Y's.

Start with TG16 version of Y's 1&2,Y's III Wanders of Y's and Y's IV The Dawn of Y's.

That's all you realy need period.

Still if you put off by it's looks.

There are the remakes for the PC&PS2 import only of corse ;)

Can't give ya advice for the "SFC" version of.. Y'S IV and 5 sorry i never tried them.

[Graham Mitchell]

Y's IV: Dawn of Y's was only released for the PC Engine, and it plays, looks and sounds very similar to Y's Book I and II, also for the PCE/TG-CD. Y's IV: Mask of the Sun, only released for the SFC, is a totally different game. I haven't played it for more than 10 minutes, so I don't really remember it very well, but I remember it being pretty good. Y's V I've never played. It was also released for the SFC only, and I've heard that it's a lot like Zelda.

The Y's Eternal remakes of I and II look pretty neat, but Falcom has had a track record of messing with the musical arrangements for the remakes, causing them to suck in comparison to the original Turbografx versions (in fact, Y's Book I and II itself is a remake of Y's I and Y's II for the MSX). My advice to you is to just play the Turbografx version of everything if possible. Very few people will tell you that any version of any Y's game beats the Turbo versions (although some people prefer the Genesis version of III. The quality of the soundtrack of the TurboCD version far outweighs any visual improvement seen on the Genesis, though).

[hezeuschrist]

I highly suggest the short but sweet Y's III for SNES. Can be had rather cheap as well.

[klausien]

I have played through all of the non-remake Ys games. They are my favorite RPGs due their focus on aesthetic rather than complexity. They have an almost nostalgic feel to them for me, taking me back to the good old days prior to FMV and CGI when 16-Bit ruled the world. Playing through an Ys game feels more like watching a fantasy anime than reading a book.

Ys Book I & II - Play it on the Turbografx. The remakes are all unfortunately Japan only, so the only way to get any kind of story out of it is to play the US versions. Also, it has probably the best soundtrack, and that is reason alone to give it a go.

Ys III: Wanderers from Ys - Again, I suggest the Turbo as the others lack the intense Redbook audio that makes the Ys experience, though they have less choppy parallax scrolling. The SNES version is definitely the most difficult of the three domestically released versions.

Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys - What most consider the true fourth Ys game and possibly the best in the series. Recently, the entire game was translated to English. Even if you need to own it, burn a patched copy to enjoy the story. The voiceovers still remain untranslated, but it makes for a better time. I played through originally with a walkthrough, but may start it up in English when I get the chance.

Ys IV: Mask of the Sun (SFC) - Played through this with a walkthrough. Used the actual cart. Actually my least favorite. It lacks any sort of cutscenes, just a bunch of static expository dialogues, and that actually matters in Ys. Graphics are pretty ho-hum. Music was also forgettable. It plays like the earlier Ys games, though it is strict on attack position until you are strong enough to steamroll an area's enemies.

Ys V: Sands of Kefin (rough translation) - Also played this through on SFC (original, not the more difficult Expert rerelease). The latest PS2 Ys has most in common with this one, but the color palette gives it a 16-bit Square look. Lots of earth tones and the EXACT same blue menus. Adol's hair is a more realistic shade (though there is a secret you can find that gives you brighter hair). The circular menu select is like Secret of Mana's. All of this doesn't quite work for Ys, but there are some really nice backgrounds. Music is more symphonic in nature, and again, forgettable. The gameplay is straight up Zelda/Alundra-esque action RPG, only with an experience system. Magic is totally useless. Yet again, like Mask of the Sun, it lacks that certain magic.

Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim - Even though it is in full 3D with CGI cinemas on the PS2 (PC version, and upcoming PSP version, have 2D character sprites) and is heavily action oriented, I feel that the game truly returns to the glory of the first 3. Satisfyingly "old-school" in gameplay, while looking very nice as well, this one covers all the bases. Another nice feature is that it has full voiceovers, including all NPC conversations in the various towns. The ability to play through it in English with the original japanese voiceovers and anime cutscenes, even though it requires a code, adds an added bonus to an excellent localization. I am looking forward to the next Ys game. Hopefully we'll get it here in the US.

If you need any more specifics, drop me a PM!

[Snapple]

Thank you all very much! I believe I have the information I'm looking for, and I'm going to look into playing the original games for the T16. If I enjoy it, I know I can pick it Ark of Nephitism at Gamestop or something. Although I might consider III for SNES since I'm a little biased to SNES ports.

[JSN]

Have you seen the Y's page on Kurt Kalata's Hardcore Gaming 101 (http://www.classicgaming.com/reviews/ys/ys.htm) website?

I'd recommend checking it out. He's got a nice comparison of the different versions, complete with screenshots.

[klausien]

Have you seen the Y's page on Kurt Kalata's Hardcore Gaming 101 (http://www.classicgaming.com/reviews/ys/ys.htm) website?

I'd recommend checking it out. He's got a nice comparison of the different versions, complete with screenshots.

Good Call. Kurt's site is top notch.

[Snapple]

I had not seen that page. It looks fantastic, and I like how he has plenty of screenshots to compare the different versions. That's exactly the kind of information I wanted, but I didn't think there'd be such a thorough dissection of each game for dummies like me. Thanks.