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Post by Ike on May 7, 2011 1:15:19 GMT -5
That figures.
How are 4 and 5? I know exactly zip about either of them.
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Post by wyrdwad on May 7, 2011 1:33:24 GMT -5
Heh. More like "how are the 4s and 5," since there are two Ys IVs that are distinctly different games (NOT counting Taito's PS2 remake, which is far and away the worst of the bunch!). My basic take on them: Ys IV: Mask of the Sun (Super Famicom, English patches available) - Unremarkable. Probably my overall least-favorite Ys game, and the only one I've never finished. It uses the bump system from Ys I & II, but is still stuck in the age of 4-directional movement, making it feel much more outdated than its contemporaries. The dungeon designs are really boring and monotonous, too, and the music didn't translate well to Super Famicom synth at all. The story, too, is fairly lackluster -- though in its favor, this is considered the canonical version of Ys IV, so if you want the real, officially accepted story of the events that happened during Adol's journey to Celceta, this is the game to play. Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys (PC-Engine CD, English patch available) - In stark contrast to Mask of the Sun, this is one of my personal FAVORITE Ys games, and quite possibly one of the best games of the 16-bit era in general. Still uses the bump system, but with 8-directional movement. The music is fantastic, using redbook audio for most tracks (and surprisingly apropos PC-Engine synth for the rest), and the graphics are absolutely stunning, with lots of special effects, an extreme attention to detail, and tons of anime FMV scenes with great (Japanese) voice-acting. The story is also really engaging, albeit VERY MUCH non-canon -- many aspects of what happens in this game contrast quite sharply with events from other Ys games, and it's clear to see that Hudson took some SERIOUS liberties with the plot (I just happen to think they were GOOD liberties!).  The dungeon designs are great, too, with some really creative and memorable puzzles. Overall, an absolutely wonderful game. Ys V: Lost Kefin, Capital of Sand (Super Famicom, as of yet untranslated) - Almost universally considered the worst Ys game in terms of gameplay, though most who've played it (and have a working knowledge of Japanese) will agree that it has one of the better stories the series has seen, and almost certainly one of the best and most creative SETTINGS. Gameplay-wise, this was Falcom experimenting with a more "mainstream" approach to Ys. The graphics are grittier and more realistic, and the gameplay is now more akin to other 16-bit action RPGs. Adol moves slow as molasses, and you actually have to press a button to swing your sword -- which causes you to stop dead in your tracks, effectively destroying that smooth sense of nonstop flow that permeates every other Ys game. There's also jumping in this game, which is implemented VERY poorly -- figuring out what can and can't be jumped over (or onto) is a crap-shoot, and despite being able to run in 8 directions, you can only jump in 4, which is really awkward. And there are a TON of platforming sections where one mistimed jump or unlucky enemy hit will cause you to go alllll the way back to the beginning of an area, and have to start alllll over again. There's a magic system... but it's clunky, and every spell other than the standard fireball takes 10-20 seconds to cast, meaning you'll probably cast them all once just to see what they look like, then NEVER AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY TAKE TOO DAMNED LONG. Musically, this game also disappoints -- while its soundtrack is technically quite good, it's also very generic, going for more of the dramatic, orchestral route that was used by virtually EVERY RPG ON THE SNES, forgoing the classic Falcom rock sound altogether. BUT AGAIN... the story is really, really good, with some excellent character development and a decidedly awesome setting. It's just a shame the rest of the game couldn't quite reach that same level. As a disclaimer, I should note that these are all just my own opinions! Mask of the Sun has its fans, and Ys V actually has a very vocal minority who rank it among their favorite Ys games. And honestly, all three of these games are worth playing -- it's just my own personal opinion that the only one you should go out of your WAY to play is Dawn of Ys, which truly is one of the series' best installments IMHO (though much as Mask and Ys V have their supporters, Dawn of Ys has its share of detractors, too!). The one thing EVERY Ys fan can agree on, though, is that both Ys IV and Ys V *really need remakes*. Ys V, especially. Even the people who love the game seem to feel that it's outdated, and could stand a major overhaul a la Oath in Felghana. (: And Ys IV... well, three versions of it exist (SFC, PCE and PS2), but NONE of them were actually developed by Falcom (the SFC version was developed by Tonkinhouse, the PCE version by Hudson and the PS2 version by Taito). So even though most would agree that at least ONE of the existing Ys IV games is awesome, everyone also has to wonder what it would be like to play an Ys IV that was actually MADE BY FALCOM. Which story would they use? Would they combine elements from all of them? And what would the gameplay be like? Hopefully, we will one day have these answers! (: -Tom |
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Post by Ike on May 7, 2011 1:42:52 GMT -5
If a remake of 4 (or even an original production) and 5 could get even close to OiF I would spend stupid amounts of money on them.
Put a foil cover on the premium edition and I'll strip for you. *-*
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Post by wyrdwad on May 7, 2011 2:00:37 GMT -5
I'll have to pass that proposal along to Jess. -Tom |
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Post by wyrdwad on May 7, 2011 2:12:34 GMT -5
As an aside... and just to further illustrate my point... here's a JDK Band music video featuring extensive footage (and music) from Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys. Look at that footage, and listen to that music... and now imagine it's 1993. Would you not be crapping your pants with excitement at the prospect of playing this game?! (: Seriously, Dawn of Ys was *mindblowing* for its time... and still holds up today. The sheer variety of EVERYTHING in this video is quite indicative of just how involved and varied the game itself is. Freaking AMAZING game. (: ...And just to show I don't play favorites, here's a YouTube video showcasing my #1 favorite music track from Ys V, accompanied by some game footage that's... in sepia tones for some reason (and with a permanently-emblazoned Ys V logo in the background!)... but still, it should give you a little idea of what the game is like: Interesting seeing this again after so much time has passed. Either the video is sped up, or the game just FEELS a lot slower than it actually is. -Tom |
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Post by Weasel on May 7, 2011 2:44:27 GMT -5
How about Zwei in English? =P
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Post by wyrdwad on May 7, 2011 14:45:57 GMT -5
Ehh, one way or another, it'll happen someday. If we don't release the PSP game at some point, the PC version will wind up getting fan-translated -- there's already a team looking into that.
-Tom
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Post by kitten on May 21, 2011 19:08:23 GMT -5
Just beat Oath, and I have to say that my opinion of the game only rose from my mid-game review  I'm going to be tackling the highest difficulty, next. It's probably one of the best games I've ever played, and I really love the attention to detail that the game had. Even things that others might consider little, like having different character portraits for particularly striking moments in the story, helped give me a really positive opinion of the series and Falcom, and has me looking forward to trying out more Ys. The core of the game is very meaty, and it was surrounded by other great elements to overall make it a really stand-out experience. If I ever end up doing another top 100 (I think I'm going to finish the one I was writing a few months ago here on this weekend I have coming up), I'm pretty sure Oath will be somewhere on there. |
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Post by Super Orbus on May 21, 2011 21:11:53 GMT -5
Ehh, one way or another, it'll happen someday. If we don't release the PSP game at some point, the PC version will wind up getting fan-translated -- there's already a team looking into that. -Tom And then maybe XSEED could license their translation and release the PSP version? |
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Post by wyrdwad on May 21, 2011 21:34:29 GMT -5
Kitten: Glad you wound up enjoying it so much in the end! It was Valestein Castle that tipped you over the edge, I bet, no? Felghana's Valestein Castle has got to be one of the greatest dungeons ever to appear in a video game, I think. (: Orbus: Now you're talkin'! -Tom |
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The dungeon designs are great, too, with some really creative and memorable puzzles. Overall, an absolutely wonderful game.
I'm going to be tackling the highest difficulty, next. It's probably one of the best games I've ever played, and I really love the attention to detail that the game had. Even things that others might consider little, like having different character portraits for particularly striking moments in the story, helped give me a really positive opinion of the series and Falcom, and has me looking forward to trying out more Ys. The core of the game is very meaty, and it was surrounded by other great elements to overall make it a really stand-out experience. 