That's it, no Dogi?
I'm someone who can immensely enjoy even the sloppiest Ys' offerings, and oh boy this might just be the bottom of the gilded barrel! There's an undeniably rushed quality that permeates the whole of Memories of Celceta's journey, I can't shake the slightly cynical notion that it might've just existed to get an early foot into the (at the time) exciting, new PS Vita market and not much else; the game releasing only 9 months after the original Japan launch of the console. Also the fact it's a remake of Ys IV and the gameplay along with general structure not making any big changes of note from the previous Ys SEVEN, so the foundations where already firmly there. Something I really appreciated though was how immediately Celceta drops the collar and leash, letting you roam free in its world with the basic premise of literally having to fill out the map as a plot vehicle whereas SEVEN felt quite a bit more regimented in it's guided path. Now, this can lead to aimlessness on more than a few occasions but sometimes that's fun, never distracts or frustrates too much.
Speaking of Ys SEVEN, that jump button introduced 5 games prior with Ys V and made a mainstay of the series' combat for each game following it (sans Ys Strategy) is still noticeably absent here and it's never not felt! The decision to remove jumping for these two portable entires which felt like such a boon the first time I had experienced it within Ark of Napishtim is mindbogglingly asinine. As I already mentioned in my SEVEN review it just makes the combat feel so much more one-note, even with all the new playable characters. It simply always feels missing, here more so than even it's predecessor as Memories of Celceta loves to reward you for what it calls "Aerial Combos" with extra item drops, SP, and money divided out from monsters slaughtered while they're airborne. But all that really means is unleashing an upward skill attack, hoping that launches them, and positioning your chosen character under them while they're sky-high to get some slashes in from the ground level. So odd to push you towards that style of combat but not allowing the player to juggle or follow them into the air like previous, and indeed future games. Such a wonky midpoint in the series with these two, but forgiveable as all fumbles along the roadwork laid by SEVEN & Celceta led to the masterful, inevitable Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA.
So I had my fun, it's hard not to with Ys it's just so euphoric in it's simplicity. Video games stripped down to the bare necessities of what makes discovery and combat fun. I think another thing that frustrates me with the portable duology however, is how overwritten and faux-ambitious the storys are here. Ys is best when concise and lightly written, not when it's trying to cover up its paper thin, clichéd, and tropey macguffin hunt plots by bogging the player down with a swath of text; little of it interesting. I think Falcom would do well, and did do well with Ys VIII, to recognise that and not try to hit on the levels of their other RPG line 'The Legend of Heroes' because I have no shame in admitting I skipped a great deal of exposition and story in this as I did with SEVEN. It's just not an engaging plot whatsoever unfortunately, on top of there being altogether too much of it. Neither have anything on the level of VIII's tale of perfect strangers across a plethora of class divides, equalised by the ominous, unexplored Isle of Seirin. Or the to-the-point, effective plots of the earlier games that know how to exercise brevity and not overstay their welcome.
edit: Im a bit confused as to which Backloggd entry I should publish this review under as the 2012 Vita version also lists Windows PC as a platform like the remaster does so I'm just going to cover my bases and do both. Apologies!
I'm someone who can immensely enjoy even the sloppiest Ys' offerings, and oh boy this might just be the bottom of the gilded barrel! There's an undeniably rushed quality that permeates the whole of Memories of Celceta's journey, I can't shake the slightly cynical notion that it might've just existed to get an early foot into the (at the time) exciting, new PS Vita market and not much else; the game releasing only 9 months after the original Japan launch of the console. Also the fact it's a remake of Ys IV and the gameplay along with general structure not making any big changes of note from the previous Ys SEVEN, so the foundations where already firmly there. Something I really appreciated though was how immediately Celceta drops the collar and leash, letting you roam free in its world with the basic premise of literally having to fill out the map as a plot vehicle whereas SEVEN felt quite a bit more regimented in it's guided path. Now, this can lead to aimlessness on more than a few occasions but sometimes that's fun, never distracts or frustrates too much.
Speaking of Ys SEVEN, that jump button introduced 5 games prior with Ys V and made a mainstay of the series' combat for each game following it (sans Ys Strategy) is still noticeably absent here and it's never not felt! The decision to remove jumping for these two portable entires which felt like such a boon the first time I had experienced it within Ark of Napishtim is mindbogglingly asinine. As I already mentioned in my SEVEN review it just makes the combat feel so much more one-note, even with all the new playable characters. It simply always feels missing, here more so than even it's predecessor as Memories of Celceta loves to reward you for what it calls "Aerial Combos" with extra item drops, SP, and money divided out from monsters slaughtered while they're airborne. But all that really means is unleashing an upward skill attack, hoping that launches them, and positioning your chosen character under them while they're sky-high to get some slashes in from the ground level. So odd to push you towards that style of combat but not allowing the player to juggle or follow them into the air like previous, and indeed future games. Such a wonky midpoint in the series with these two, but forgiveable as all fumbles along the roadwork laid by SEVEN & Celceta led to the masterful, inevitable Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA.
So I had my fun, it's hard not to with Ys it's just so euphoric in it's simplicity. Video games stripped down to the bare necessities of what makes discovery and combat fun. I think another thing that frustrates me with the portable duology however, is how overwritten and faux-ambitious the storys are here. Ys is best when concise and lightly written, not when it's trying to cover up its paper thin, clichéd, and tropey macguffin hunt plots by bogging the player down with a swath of text; little of it interesting. I think Falcom would do well, and did do well with Ys VIII, to recognise that and not try to hit on the levels of their other RPG line 'The Legend of Heroes' because I have no shame in admitting I skipped a great deal of exposition and story in this as I did with SEVEN. It's just not an engaging plot whatsoever unfortunately, on top of there being altogether too much of it. Neither have anything on the level of VIII's tale of perfect strangers across a plethora of class divides, equalised by the ominous, unexplored Isle of Seirin. Or the to-the-point, effective plots of the earlier games that know how to exercise brevity and not overstay their welcome.
edit: Im a bit confused as to which Backloggd entry I should publish this review under as the 2012 Vita version also lists Windows PC as a platform like the remaster does so I'm just going to cover my bases and do both. Apologies!