This title is a classic that holds its ground very well, and this may be the best (and most accessible) version out there to experience it, with the option to switch between the old or new versions of both soundtrack and character art. The old character sprites and art are so full of charm and personality that I feel really add to the experience (in comparison, the new anime-moe ones may be more 'modern' but aren't nearly as good in my opinion). The characters themselves are quite charming and do their job well, easily inmersing you in their world, their village, their worries and happenings, all through their dialogue, relationships and interactions. If I had to point out a downside to this, it'd be that all three main heroines are quite endearing and I can't bring myself to choose which one is my favourite lol.
The soundtrack isn't the best thing I've ever heard in a videogame, but it definitely has some solid good tunes that made me want to stay in the areas they played just to listen to them even if only for a bit longer. This is certainly more the case with 'chill' tracks such as village/field themes and so on, but some of the more action-suited ones were really to my liking too.
The rest of the game isn't without its problems, namely the dungeon layout design, but it can be easily solved with an outside-sourced map and/or a guide, which I don't mind at all.
Even having been familiar with Ys Origin first and basically having completely spoiled myself of all the important events and lore of this story, and being someone who can't be bothered to sit through something I already know the 'twists' of, I still got a very good experience and found myself very much enjoying these two truly great games regardless.

Prime example of a mediocre game. Although you can see a lot of effort was put into it (the art, the music, the locations...) it still falls kinda flat, mostly because of the execution of the writing and the plot in general. While it's not horrible, it's just kinda dumb.
The characters, while interesting at first, offer almost no progression and remain quite one-dimensional and unengaging, not to mention the mediocre english voice acting they gave them. And while the initial setting and worldbuilding are very interesting, the plot is dumb in its execution and how they carried it out. Like, okay, this world is shitty and it's gearing towards destruction, and the party's goal is to make sure that happens (without really giving us a reason as to why), but when it comes to the specifics as to how, the whole game is just "uhh... dunno, just keep killing everybody" for every situation, right up to the end when they decide they're striving for something else entirely, and actually how could that work is completely ignored, just like with every other relevant plot point.
The first portions of the game felt interesting enough because it was brimming with potential, but as plot marched on and it didn't do anything to make use of that potential, it fell flat.
This isn't to say you can't find enjoyment in this game, you could certainly take a liking to it, but it isn't worth much investing your thinking cells on.

Being the only good review so far, maybe my opinion is biased by childhood nostalgia, but I am definitively not exaggerating when I say this is one of my favourite games ever for the DS. Although the (initial) plot is near identical to its predecessor, the actual gameplay feels more polished and capable of delivering a solid experience. The core mechanics of exploring and gathering food to survive are mostly the same, in a good familiar way. You'll still probably explore alone to go faster rather than bringing your companion, but at least now you can cook for yourself! (which in my opinion is one of the most entertaining aspects of the game, given the many possibilities to choose from as you unlock more methods, gather recipes and find more diverse food)

The option to choose your character at the start of the game may be seen as a good upgrade, but in practice it falls kind of flat since the male character can climb faster (VERY useful) whereas the female character can only jump further (only useful to get a couple of extra materials in the jungle iirc). But that is the only "bad" aspect I find this sequel to have.

The rest of the game delivers a fresh-but-familiar setting in brand-new areas whose maps feel way more rich, diverse and lively. The way all the areas connect with each other is less linear in structure, more spacially rational and way better done in general (have I mentioned yet exploring is my favorite aspect of this game?). Although they feel fun to live in once you've gotten used to your surroundings, it is true that at first they may appear confusing and dreadful as you are forced to explore them with a starving character struggling to survive... but that's part of the charm! I think young me wouldn't have become so obsessed with this game if it didn't have this sort of mystique and dread that comes with being unfamiliar with your bearings in a desperate condition (where you may have died several times as well). Being able to adapt and learn how to move forward and how to make your characters live one day longer becomes such an integral part of the experience, that when you finally know what ticks and what doesn't it feels so rewarding to be able to survive comfortably in these surroundings, and you start seeing them as the home they now are for you. Exploring every nook and cranny until the point of knowing them like the palm of your hand never felt so enjoyable.

Although carving your little way of living life getting by in this island of yours may very well be a goal in and of itself, it's understandable some may have in mind your return to society as soon as possible as the main goal. In that regard, the possibilities for escape felt quite sound and satisfying.
The ending of its predecessor felt like it took out the charm of being in a deserted island and I didn't fancy the pseudo genre change in how you had to operate and everything to proceed, but this game does exactly what a deserted island survival game should strive to have as its endings, they feel natural and what you'd expect to do in such a situation.