LogFAQs > #970695674

43. Ys 1 & 2 Chronicles+ (2013? 1989? 1990? 2011? I played the PC version so I went with that release date but it's pretty useless...)

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/8/AABKTfAAEEc4.jpg

I wasn't expecting much out of action RPGs this old, and only really played them because Ys Origins ended up being pretty good, but they were actually good too! Despite the simplicity of the bump system (you attack enemies by running into them at an angle) sounding like shitty game design, it turned out to be really fun. It's so simple that it's quite enjoyable, and it doesn't get old because it's so basic, unlike more complex gameplay. The second game is basically the second half of the story, but it does change a few things up gameplay-wise, in that you have to bump diagonally rather than off-center, and you get magic now. Most of the magic spells are used for utility (teleport, light, etc.) but there is one combat spell you get, a fireball, which is the main way of fighting bosses. It's not that great for regular enemies, so you still bump those, but it's used for most of the boss fights, and makes those a bit more interesting than the Ys 1 boss fights were.

The games can be a little grindy at times (you'll have cases where gaining a level takes you from doing 1 damage per hit to doing 5 damage per hit), but it's generally pretty fast so I didn't mind too much. More annoying were the overlong mazelike dungeons. I'm not a fan of having to find my way around those huge dark environments, and ended up using a guide for most of them. A couple of Ys 1's bosses were a pain too, particularly the bat boss where you have to dodge him for an interminable amount of time before gaining an attack window that lasts less than a second.

The story's pretty remarkable for how old they are. In classic Falcom fashion, there's tons of NPCs to talk to, and their dialogue updates a few times after making story progress. Ys 2 upped the ante by giving them all unique dialogue when you transform into a monster, and also when you attack them with fire magic, and you can even talk to every single monster in the game while transformed, which I did not do, but it's a fun amount of detail. The main story of the games isn't that complex, but it's pretty solid, and has some twists that deliver well on the setup. Fun cast, too. Certainly much better than 3/Oath in Felghana. The beginning of 2 is an amazing moment. It looks very nice, and the music is fantastic, as expected for Ys. I've now played most of the series, with just 5-7 remaining. We'll have to see when I get around to 6...

Hint: it's amazing how art has evolved over time (2022)