Ys returns with a brand new adventure for the first time in 8 years! Adol awakens shipwrecked and stranded on a cursed island. There, he and the other shipwrecked passengers he rescues form a village to challenge fearsome beasts and mysterious ruins on the isolated island.
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*Beat the game twice on Switch and third time on PS5.
Ys VIII is a pretty fun game from start to finish. Gameplay of the three-party system was beginning at its peak and exploring the Isle of Seiren was the most fun part of the game. The locations (while still very much an upscaled Vita game) were visually pretty to look at it and the music were some of the Falcom Sound Team's best music in general. Characters, while still simple, were enjoyable and the mysteries around the island is what enticed me to continue to play. The true highlight of the game was definitely Dana Iclucia and the entirety of her story. Doesn't help her va, Brianna Knickerbocker, absolutely played her amazingly.
Now for a few negatives. Character models become a bit choppy whenever they stand underneath a shadow. Map navigation in the menu is clunky, which doesn't help when you need to find a specific item or quest destination from an elevated level. Raids and hunts, while not bad modes, are pace killers. Thankfully, you don't need to do all them. I also experience audio imbalance between the voiced lines. Sometimes, it's loud and then sometimes its a bit too quite (Probably something related to porting it to PS5) While I did say, the characters were enjoyable, the story itself isn't the most amazing thing ever. The basis of escaping the island to the entirety of Dana and the Eternians made the story pretty enjoyable, though some parts of it could've been trimmed down or just not been there. Biggest example being the Nameless Ripper subplot. It didn't add anything to the story and the consequences of that subplot was ultimately minimal in the grand scheme. Finally, the true ending itself is a bit conflicting as it unnecessarily retcons the whole journey of the game to justify itself and Maia's reveal kind came out of nowhere. It's not that bad, but it does say that the journey was better than the destination itself.
Despite my gripes, Ys VIII is still a great game that is still sentimental to me as it was the very first Falcom game I ever played. Still recommend it, though I personally feel you should still play other Ys games before this one.
Ys VIII is a pretty fun game from start to finish. Gameplay of the three-party system was beginning at its peak and exploring the Isle of Seiren was the most fun part of the game. The locations (while still very much an upscaled Vita game) were visually pretty to look at it and the music were some of the Falcom Sound Team's best music in general. Characters, while still simple, were enjoyable and the mysteries around the island is what enticed me to continue to play. The true highlight of the game was definitely Dana Iclucia and the entirety of her story. Doesn't help her va, Brianna Knickerbocker, absolutely played her amazingly.
Now for a few negatives. Character models become a bit choppy whenever they stand underneath a shadow. Map navigation in the menu is clunky, which doesn't help when you need to find a specific item or quest destination from an elevated level. Raids and hunts, while not bad modes, are pace killers. Thankfully, you don't need to do all them. I also experience audio imbalance between the voiced lines. Sometimes, it's loud and then sometimes its a bit too quite (Probably something related to porting it to PS5) While I did say, the characters were enjoyable, the story itself isn't the most amazing thing ever. The basis of escaping the island to the entirety of Dana and the Eternians made the story pretty enjoyable, though some parts of it could've been trimmed down or just not been there. Biggest example being the Nameless Ripper subplot. It didn't add anything to the story and the consequences of that subplot was ultimately minimal in the grand scheme. Finally, the true ending itself is a bit conflicting as it unnecessarily retcons the whole journey of the game to justify itself and Maia's reveal kind came out of nowhere. It's not that bad, but it does say that the journey was better than the destination itself.
Despite my gripes, Ys VIII is still a great game that is still sentimental to me as it was the very first Falcom game I ever played. Still recommend it, though I personally feel you should still play other Ys games before this one.
9-
So first of all a giant thanks to my buddy Brandon for gifting this to me. Realistically if this doesn't get gifted to me I never play this game. The trails game (falcom other series) burnt me out. I had zero desire to play any more of their games. However this game was a delightful surprise in so many ways and fixes so many issues I have with the trails series.
First of all the comabt is way more fun for me. Just simple hack and slash and dodging around but super quick and easy to pick up. The story is really solid hear, it takes a while to cook (like all falcom stuff) but once it does it cooks hard. The characters are all great here. There's real consequence and meaning and sadness to the plot here, and at times reminded me of a final fantasy like story in that regard.
Being able to explore just a giant island and feel like a pirate was pretty cool. Finding all the people that had washed ashore kept it interesting.
I do wish the story got going sooner or some hours were cut here, and the map was finnicky and I wish was stronger.
There's some falcom jank here too (the slow pan introductions/the presentations/cheesy dialogue/everyone way too happy)
But overall this was a great game and one I can easily reccomened. Can't wait to check out ys ix at some point!
First of all the comabt is way more fun for me. Just simple hack and slash and dodging around but super quick and easy to pick up. The story is really solid hear, it takes a while to cook (like all falcom stuff) but once it does it cooks hard. The characters are all great here. There's real consequence and meaning and sadness to the plot here, and at times reminded me of a final fantasy like story in that regard.
Being able to explore just a giant island and feel like a pirate was pretty cool. Finding all the people that had washed ashore kept it interesting.
I do wish the story got going sooner or some hours were cut here, and the map was finnicky and I wish was stronger.
There's some falcom jank here too (the slow pan introductions/the presentations/cheesy dialogue/everyone way too happy)
But overall this was a great game and one I can easily reccomened. Can't wait to check out ys ix at some point!
Joguei 8 Ys antes deste e nenhum deles me conectou tanto a ponto de eu pensar que é um dos meus jogos favoritos da vida. Bom, uma hora isso tinha que mudar.
É uma evolução em vários aspectos: Gameplay e exploração muito mais refinada que seu antecessor; a interação entre os náufragos, o senso de sobrevivência, de vínculo para sair daquela situação é algo que me cativou muito. Adorava ver os diálogos com TODOS os náufragos sempre que possível, criei um certo carinho com a maioria deles e ver a evolução de cada é reconfortante.
Mas o ponto chave é totalmente a Dana, ela é uma personagem tão bem escrita, tão bem valorizada na obra, que é impossível tu não criar um vínculo com ela. Gosto muito das sessões do passado dela e como entrelaçaram isso com o presente.
Um jogo incrível, acerto absurdo da Falcom.
É uma evolução em vários aspectos: Gameplay e exploração muito mais refinada que seu antecessor; a interação entre os náufragos, o senso de sobrevivência, de vínculo para sair daquela situação é algo que me cativou muito. Adorava ver os diálogos com TODOS os náufragos sempre que possível, criei um certo carinho com a maioria deles e ver a evolução de cada é reconfortante.
Mas o ponto chave é totalmente a Dana, ela é uma personagem tão bem escrita, tão bem valorizada na obra, que é impossível tu não criar um vínculo com ela. Gosto muito das sessões do passado dela e como entrelaçaram isso com o presente.
Um jogo incrível, acerto absurdo da Falcom.
My first Ys game, and i have to say i really liked it.
There are definitely some problems of polishing in gameplay and graphics, but the story and characters are so good that compensate every flaws this game has.
The ingredient farming formula is really annoying IMO. But in some games can be relaxing... like this one, also the fishing is easy too which i like it.
I would say this is a good entry game to the series, but as i stated it's the first one i've played so idk.. I was introduced to this universe and discovered that all Ys games has the same protagonist and that's why i don't understand some connections he has with some of the castaways, of course you can deduce it by the context so is not a problem at all... but none of them actually picked my attention like the main 6 cast or even other castaways... which brings me to the main rant: WHY CAN'T I DATE LAXIA GAME WHY?....
Overall, a good game.
There are definitely some problems of polishing in gameplay and graphics, but the story and characters are so good that compensate every flaws this game has.
The ingredient farming formula is really annoying IMO. But in some games can be relaxing... like this one, also the fishing is easy too which i like it.
I would say this is a good entry game to the series, but as i stated it's the first one i've played so idk.. I was introduced to this universe and discovered that all Ys games has the same protagonist and that's why i don't understand some connections he has with some of the castaways, of course you can deduce it by the context so is not a problem at all... but none of them actually picked my attention like the main 6 cast or even other castaways... which brings me to the main rant: WHY CAN'T I DATE LAXIA GAME WHY?....
Overall, a good game.
Also the best Ys game