In a genre drowning in 60-120 hour epics that can absolutely devour a working man's entire year, Ys I & II are a breath of fresh air. Each of these is a solid 2 session game -- 1 if you have a full day to commit to it -- finishable in 10 hours tops.
These were originally designed in the late 80s, so a guide is probably a must if you don't want to get lost because you didn't find the evil skull hidden behind a secret wall because the game doesn't completely convey what light magic does...
I appreciate how each game is divided into two arcs: arc 1 is a land-trotting adventure to gather information and tools to prepare you for arc 2, a dive into a massive, labyrinthian dungeon ripe with rooms, artifacts, and story. The final dungeons of each game are massive and half of the game. Darm Tower is so cool it got a full spin-off.
Ys II is probably a technical improvement on Ys I in nearly every way, and the review page reinforces that opinion, but I enjoyed Ys I more. These games are fun for the same reason the original Dragon Quest is fun: they predate the fusion of superfluous mechanics into a fatty genre. Ys I & II are lean, but Ys I more so. You bump into stuff and you win. That's the selling point. Ys II's introduction of a magic system conflicts with the bump system.
And while inventory, grinding, level design, and bosses are all technically an improvement, Ys I's dynamic locales, small-scale sense of adventure, and general aesthetic are more compelling. And that is, after all, an RPG's biggest selling point, no?
But as my introduction to the Ys series, these are fun. I look forward to how the series progresses.
These were originally designed in the late 80s, so a guide is probably a must if you don't want to get lost because you didn't find the evil skull hidden behind a secret wall because the game doesn't completely convey what light magic does...
I appreciate how each game is divided into two arcs: arc 1 is a land-trotting adventure to gather information and tools to prepare you for arc 2, a dive into a massive, labyrinthian dungeon ripe with rooms, artifacts, and story. The final dungeons of each game are massive and half of the game. Darm Tower is so cool it got a full spin-off.
Ys II is probably a technical improvement on Ys I in nearly every way, and the review page reinforces that opinion, but I enjoyed Ys I more. These games are fun for the same reason the original Dragon Quest is fun: they predate the fusion of superfluous mechanics into a fatty genre. Ys I & II are lean, but Ys I more so. You bump into stuff and you win. That's the selling point. Ys II's introduction of a magic system conflicts with the bump system.
And while inventory, grinding, level design, and bosses are all technically an improvement, Ys I's dynamic locales, small-scale sense of adventure, and general aesthetic are more compelling. And that is, after all, an RPG's biggest selling point, no?
But as my introduction to the Ys series, these are fun. I look forward to how the series progresses.