Not gonna lie, I'm kinda sad you aren't gonna rate ys 3 wanderers from ys and older versions of ys4 (dawn of ys is very good) or the pc engine version of ys 1 and 2(loved all of them so far(I did skip mask of the sun though), currently playing through 5!)
trail would be too simple XD the starting from VI sky the best and decrease in quality as time goes by XD, they are still good, but none capture the feel sky had, and after crossbell series, the generational gap is too much for adult like us to fully appreciate.
I’m new to Ys. I’m halfway through 7 on psp and I’m hooked. I’m already getting 8&9 for switch. How are trails related? I have already trails in the sky haven’t played yet but would like to know the relationship on the two? Thanks
8 is my fave. When Sunshine Coastline hit for the first time, it gave me this rush of excitement. Also I really liked the party members with Dana, Laxia and Hummel as my faves
Ys 8 really does nail that sense of adventure and discovery, I never thought I’d care about unraveling new parts of an area and expanding a map like in this game…it actually got me feeling pumped discovering new locations and expanding castaway village, music is so good, it’s my second favorite Ys OST, and currently I’m 20 hours in the game and still haven’t gotten to the part of the story where Dana gets fully introduced, but it still has me captivated such a banger of a game, can’t remember when I was this intrigued in a game’s story either.
I couldn't agree more!! YS 8 is arguably one of the best Falcom has to offer imo. This game awaken those sense of adventure I had when playing old rpgs as a kid back in the day. I'll never forget the rush of exitement i had when i reached the top of the mountain, the moment i saw a new area in the front of my eyes is astounishing "damn, what a beautiful game" is what i thought. Not to mention the bgm at the start of the adventure, mmm chef kiss.
Picked up Ys 8 during the pandemic lock down with no expectations, was blown away at the end of it. Played Ys 9 going in knowing it's unlikely to surpass 8 and yeah, I was correct. Ys 9 is a good game but Ys 8 is KING. 👑
Gotta go with 8 for the party based ones and Origin for the classic ones. 9 was pretty good, but the sense of adventure I really loved in 8 was barely there. 8 really nailed that feeling of discovering and exploring uncharted territory.
Ys 7 is probably my favorite of the ones I've played, because it feels like such an instant classic. Likeable characters, solid story, beautiful music, clever dungeon design and that first iteration of the excellent group combat. I love everything about Ys 7. Ys 7 is to action rpgs as Trails in the Sky is to other JRPGs.
@@nezkeys79 Ys Seven suffers from having no plot. While Scias may be a good man but he took things a little too far just because. And also, the Five Dragons doesn't even believe in the strength of humanity and just keep repeating the same cycle of death and rebirth for 3 consecutive centuries.
I rarely agree with you on Trails, but with Ys, I'm spot on with you. Ys VIII is the best Ys, love for Dana, haters gonna hate. It was such an amazing journey...one day I will revisit this game again. Sunshine Coastline is my every day song on my way to work.
Ys VIII was as good as it gets, I think. The only game I could say I enjoyed more was Dragon Quest VIII. Charm factor is so high in both of these games.
Ys 8 is truly a masterpiece, I will always regard it among the likes of ocarina of time and breath of the wild as one of the best games ever made, its mind-blowing how magical it is, I played it on my vita and it truly reignited my love for gaming. EVERYBODY should give it a try
YS 8 is definitely my favorite as well, though I've only ever played and finished 7, Celceta and 9. I think all of these games are pretty good, but YS 8 is on another level. The mystery, setting and characters (especially Dana) really do it for me. I obviously love the stellar music and gameplay as well.
I agree 100% with spots #1 & #2. Enough has been said about how great Ys VIII was, and I hope Falcom realizes this and tries to capture that magic again. IMO Ys IX was very good but not great. On the other hand, I'm very happy to see this channel showcase Ys Seven...it's such an underrated entry and I feel it was the last time I found an Ys game kinda challenging. I hope those kind of bosses make a return and I don't have to set the game on the hard difficulty setting by default.
My first game was 8 and since then I’ve played most of them except felghana, kefin, and celecta. Though I think my most favourite is 9 I loved it to bits. Maybe if 8 wasn’t my first entry into the series it would’ve been my most favourite. Napishtim is my 3rd favourite even with its atrocious dash jump. Though you’re right it’s so hard to rank the ys games almost all of them are really fun
Nice to see another Ark enjoyer. Dash jump is infuriating at times, but goddamn the game is basically the Ys 8 of the Napishtim engine. It feels like such an adventure with a perfect soundtrack. That said, I think Origin is the 2nd best Ys game and 8 the first. I've played Felghana and didn't like it at all. Literally quit playing because I wasn't having fun nor was I interested in the story or immersed in the atmosphere or soundtrack.
Great video! Memories of Celceta was my entry point into the series at the height of the pandemic, and I found it extremely charming. Lacrimosa of Dana was the next game in the series that I played, and it has set the bar for me ever since. I love the Ys series so much, and I, too consider Lacrimosa of Dana to be one of my favorites of all-time. On a side note, I feel validated after you mentioned that playing through a story multiple times to get the full picture isn't fun without drastic changes, because that's pretty much the only reason I haven't finished Hugo's or Toal's routes in Ys Origin LOL
YS: Memories of Celcetta was the first Games in the Series I played! I played it on the Vita & i absolutely loved it! I didn’t stop playing it until I had Maxed Every Special Weapon/Armor, as well as Went on to “Platinum” because of how Much I enjoyed!! One of the main things I liked was how there was a actual technical way for maxing out all the weapons and how you got only a certain amount of sun stones per play through and had to use those wisely! I was just an absolutely great game and I got the sequel immediately upon release and just felt like it had better graphics but overall was more water down where the upgrading of weapons and everything else I was concerned??
I just got into the Ys series this year when I bought myself Monstrum Nox for a kind of self Christmas present and I'm in love. I was thrilled with how much content there is for me to dive back into and have loved what I've seen so far. The thrill of exploration in each game really makes them a delight to play. And Lacrimosa of Dana really only made me love more the things I liked about Monstrum Nox. I think the only complaint I have with it is that Sahad's combat style is notably rough when compared to the rest of the party members. But on the other hand, LAxia's one of my favorite characters from anything (gameplay and characterization), so I think it balances out. Also, clearly Ys 7 deserves a high spot on the list. It's the only game where we get to play as Dogi.
Got into the series with the japanese YS7 psp demo, it went all the way to the spider boss. My mind was blown by how long the demo was and how great the gameplay was. 100% agree with the list, great order
The answer is all of them. I am playing YS 8 after a long hiatus (because the early game is a slow burn, but my goodness is it a masterpiece. The effort the devs and writers put into that game most likely permeates the entire catalog and i'm here for it.
I swear this series needs more eyes on it. I first played Ys Origin because it was on sale on the switch store and really enjoyed it. Ys XIII was next as it was what people recommended the most and I was absolutely hooked after that! I'm still working my way through a chunk of the games that are on previously released consoles (thank goodness for steam or I simply couldn't afford to play any of the older games) but I can't wait to get to those games! The world needs to know: PLAY THE YS SERIES!!!!
@@TheKisekiNut One year later update!!! ... it's one of my favorites of all time and it was only my first playthrough, while Dana just might be my favorite female character in all media
Ys is a series in which I love all of the games and my favorite would be a tie between Ys Books I & II (the Turbo CD version), Ys VIII, and Ys IX. I seem to like Ys IX a lot more than most people do as I think it is one of the best in the series and I played through it 4 times last year. The combat, story, characters, and overall aesthetic drew me in and I kept coming back for more. It was a close second to Shin Megami Tensei V as my favorite game of 2021 and to me it already stands out as a classic that will hold up well over time.
I agree with Ys 7, that was the my first Ys game on PSP and the one that solidifies me as a Falcom fanboy. It got flaws here and there but can't deny the game's is very fun and also I remember seeing the ending made me so sad. Great video~! I'm still waiting for your favorite OSTs in every trails~!!
Very good list! I've personally played every mainline title of Ys as well + Dawn of Ys which is really good too. I was hooked ever since I got into Ys out of curiosity from memories of celceta on the vita way back when. Not sure why - but it's a series that is almost like comfort food to me and hammers home 'being fun' more than most other videogame series. As long as it has that signature falcom OST, adol tearing up fields as the red haired swordsman, and no doubt getting neck deep into adventure then it's just a recipe that I find myself wanting to experience time and time again no matter the twist they make each title.
I still think Ys 8 is the best one of all ys I have play (i am taking a break from playing all ys game, playing tales of arise now), I kinda agree on what you say about Ys 3, it is good game, but it don't have that same feeling i get for Ys8 and Ys origin. Edit: And Dana is the best Ys girl!
Very different to my personal list (except number 1 which I 100% agree on), but it was super interesting hearing your reasons for putting the games in the order you did! Great stuff! I was going to question your position for VI... Then you mentioned the dreaded Dash Jump and I was like "Ah yeah... fair do" XD
Yoooooooo massive respect for putting Seven in second! Was actually my favourite gameplay wise until 9 came along tbh (still love it as an overall package though). My rankings personally would be: S - Ys 9 (I kinda feel like I've come to like it more than 8 after replaying it, honestly... but 8 still has the more engaging story and slightly better OST), Ys 8, Ys Oath A - Ys Seven, Ys 6, Ys Origin B - Ys 1 DS, Ys 1 Chronicles, Ys 4 Mask of the Sun Ys 5 (yes, seriously, I quite enjoy it personally), Ys 1 PC Engine Low B/High C - Ys Celceta C - Ys 2 Chronicles, Ys vs Kiseki, Ys 2 DS, Typing of Ys (yes, this exists) Meh - Ys 4 Dawn of Ys, Ys 1 Master System Bad - Ys 3, Ys 8 Vita (just couldn't like this version, sorry), Ys Strategy Very nice list though.
Absolutely LOVED Ys 7! Story and gameplay. One of the most underrated Ys games, and I glad it got some love here. My only big complaint with it was the constant party member switch up.
@@Javifaa BASED! Most like Ys 2 better from what I've seen. Dawn of Ys just feels tedious though imo. Not really a fan of dungeon and overworld designs, and it just feels too long for an older Ys game imo. Also the difficulty spikes at times are annoying. Whilst with Mask: Absolutely LOVE the faster movement speed, cooler dungeon designs (minus the last one), and it's shorter. Only thing I really don't like about Mask is how OP the bosses are, and any of them can easily one shot you if you aren't careful. That's just me though. Not facts or anything.
@@theultimategamer95 in my case I do prefer Ya I because it's version of Darn Tower is my favourite dungeon in gaming. That, and that reaching that point is not a chore (even if a certain boss is a pain in the ass to deal with).
Ys 8 was my first of this series. I bought it on a complete whim and was blown away by how the game, story and characters got better and better as I played. Sometimes I'd just pause the game to vibe with the music (looking at you Night Survivor) and in every other case I just loved everything about the game. I haven't got the chance to play any of the older games in the series, but I am currently playing through Ys 9. I'm very much enjoying it but it's just not quite at Ys 8's level. I'd really like to play some of the other games to learn more of the back story.
@@TheKisekiNut I’ve played Y’s Origin, 1+2, and Y’s VIII. Enjoyed them all. I have Y’s IX on the shelf in the shrink wrap. Not sure when I’ll get to it. So many games to play heh.
man oh man that take me Way back am proud that i play and finish all ys games since pc engine till now thanks dude ys series deserve your speech and your opinion for new comer's thanks
Playing Ys 8 for the first time right now (my first ever Ys game) and I'm having a blast! I'm kinda worried that it's so good that none of the other Ys games will be able to live up to it though. I might try Ys 9 next
@@jaredponder4149 Damn I'm surprised that someone responded to a comment this old lol. But since you did I'll give you an update! After beating Ys 8 I first played Memories of Celceta then I played Ys 9 after. Memories of Celceta was good and I can see how it helped shape the format for Ys 8 in some ways but I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as I did 8. Now for the case of Ys 9, I absolutely loved that game! The urban setting sort of made me feel reminiscent of Tokyo Xanadu which is definitely a good thing. Also the map traversal was a blast, the last time I had that much fun just moving around a map was probably either when I played Spiderman or Gravity Rush. The characters were also better in 9 than 8 imo too. If anything I'd say Ys 8 and Ys 9 are close to being equal for me but Ys 9 might get a slight edge for me tbh.
@@eastcoasttone3952 You'll be more surprised now that I respond to your comment now in 2024 lol. Anyway, I just recently playing VIII, and it's been a blast, especially since Dana becomes playable, but I do have my worries to tray other Ys games now, glad to see you enjoyed IX, so I can at least have other one Ys game after I finished VIII.
I have only played 7 to 9, but I also agree 8 is the strongest of them. I feel that it is almost perfect marriage of gameplay to context when it comes to the exploration, and no character feels like an NPC (aside from the ones you meet in Eternia) and because of the context, it made sense that Adol’s group would not meet anyone else.
Ys Origin was my first, did 1 and I'm taking a break from 2. I love the old school part but ngl When I've reached the temple I was like omg its so huge I'm too lazy right now lmao. +I've been going hard on dragon's dogma lately
I'm playing through Ys Origin for the first time. Using it as a palette cleanser between one traditional JRPG to the next, and it works great. Hardly any NPCs, no overworld/towns to explore; just a great dungeon crawl with a lot more variety than I expected. I hope to find another Ys game like this one after. I know Ys 8 & 9 are more like a normal rpg so I'm not sure if there are any
After playing and finishing ys 9 when it came out, I genuinely ended up liking it (specifically the story and characters) more than ys 8. BUT Ys 8 environment, music, and Dana does it for me more and it was the game that introduced me to everything falcom so there’s also that nostalgia factor. Ys 8 is my number 1 pick while ys 9 being a very close 2nd.
My first game was Ys VIII. And i felt in love with it. It got everything i wanted: Building my own villiage up, Exploration + sidequest and adventuring. Good narrative. My 2nd game was Ys origin on steam. I do like the split characters though 1 is definitely easier than the other to use. I played Ys IX last year and X recently. Both are fun. I like X having the recruitment mechanic still, the story is interesting i guess. Combat is only the 2 characters.
I loved to see a remake of YS V. In the YS series art book it only has 4-5 pages making me believe Falcom pulls a “Chris Brown” and puts its hand in front of it whenever it’s brought up lol. If it does come to fruition I would like to see it take form of the napistim type of gameplay along with the current era of Ys games. Make Adol be by himself and showcase him using two other weapons on top of using them for traversal.
If the current trend continues, I do think we'll get a remake of Ys V and it's definitely in Falcom's interest to do so. Napishtim engine saw Ys III remade as the second game in that collection, group based system saw Ys IV remade as the second game in that collection. We know Falcom are working on a new approach to gameplay in Ys which is apparently Ys X. But after that? Maybe.
I'm still pretty new to Ys, having only finished Celceta, 8, and 9. Honestly 8 would have been my favorite if I hadn't gotten it into my head to Platinum it, lol. Nightmare mode was quite literally a nightmare for me and it tarnished the fun I had in the game. I really enjoyed 9, though, because the mystery was fun but it did make me wish they made a new version of 5
I think even objectively Lacrimosa is the better game of all. The engine they used had been polished more than enough, and the story they went with was great. The only one who could try to fight for that top spot would be Origin. Again, they had a polished engine and a very good story. As for me, I think Ys 3 (Wanderers from Ys) is my favourite game. It was the first Ys game I played, and it was on the snes. Even though the story was ok I loved the music and I loved the bosses. I remember having a lot of trouble the first time I took on the final boss. The only ones that could compete are Ys I & II. Good OST and a solid story.
I grew up playing ysiii on snes and always loved the story and characters. I've only ever played oath in felghana, which is a remake of iii but all the other ones you showed I had no idea they existed would love to try them out
I've plated only YS 8 & YS 9 but i agree that story on Seiren Island was great , Nox was fun but Lacrmiso of Dana had all - amazing characters , story was really great and plenty of locations to explore,
boi do I love Ys, its what brought me into the Falcom name many years ago, about 10+ or something. I definitely hold it dearly as my 2nd fav series after legend of heroes which I wouldn't have discovered when I did if not for Ys. My opinions on each of them are pretty seemingly exactly the same for the most part but I weigh them differently. 9. Ys V - nothing to say, didn't play it so naturally it lands here for me. 8. Ys Memories of Celceta - I found the characters weak too but not just the villains, most of the main cast too, and I didn't like most of the original tracks, mostly only the remixes, and even then they didn't even bring back my favorite tracks from the retro soundtrack being Temple of the Sun, Bronze District and A Great Ordeal. 7. Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim - Same feelings as you, different personal placement. 6. Ys 1 & 2 PC-Engine - I'm picking this one as my definitive version as it's my first experience of the Ys Series and because I still prefer it over the Chronicles version. The retro charm is just too much for me and I have a hard time justifying releasing a nearly identical game with just retouching the visuals and soundtrack if it's going to keep its dated gameplay system. It feels like it should be remade from the ground up to reflect the series' modern standards if people could end up trying this one first since they are...well... 1&2, and then base their opinion of the series on this oddball. 5. Ys Seven - Just fantastic overall, but it kind of felt like it was in a way limiting itself on an environment design part by having the game send us back to the same locales twice. And I totally wanted a moon-themed dungeon for the 5th dragon, cmoooon. 4. YS IX: Monstrum Nox - Overall absolutely fantastic but I felt like somehow the controls weren't as tight and precise due to accounting for monstrum field abilities and the soundtrack definitely was lacking in some parts. 3. Ys : Oath in Felghana - I'm just being nostalgic, having played the hell out of this one many years ago. 2 & 1 tie. Ys Origin and Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana - I can't decide so there you go. Unlike you what you dislike about Ys Origin is precisely what I like about it, the simplistic approach that feels almost arcady by climbing to the top of the tower with different characters is just what I like and feels ideal for coming back to and feeling like speedrunning a bit. And yes Ys VIII is just that great too.
Great list! My top 3 Y's games are: 1. Y's 9 monstrum nox 2. Ys memories of celceta 3. Ys origin Its cool to see how everyone loves different games in this fantastic series!
I truly loved Ys I/II so much more than I ever expected. The story was so straight to the point, but so engaging. I also think it has the absolute best OST alongside VIII and Origin. Ys II also made the combat so much better than I and engaging 😊
It wasn't the first or even second Ys game I played, but my favorite would absolutely be Ys 8. It just did everything RIGHT...the exploration was masterful and fun, and I was really invested in seeing 100% on every section of the island (it also made sense story wise). The characters were interesting, as was the story (especially after Dana enters the picture). And I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the OST of this game as a whole is the best that Falcom Sound Team has ever done. I've always been a bigger fan of Ys soundtracks over Trails or other Falcom series, but they NAILED it here! So yeah. Ys 8, best in the series. Origin would be my pick for the older ones.
One thing for me that brings Memories of Celceta down, is all the missing songs from the older Ys 4 games. I've never actually sat down and done the numbers on how many songs are missing, coupled with how many new songs are added. I just guess it's roughly half. I grew up with Dawn of Ys & still rank it as one of my favorites, up there with 8 & Felghana. When Falcom announced Celceta, I was expecting to love it just as I love Felghana as a remake of 3. My guess, is that there was a licensing problem with some songs. The Great Ordeal is one of my favorite boss songs from DoY, but, since it's clearly based on Yngwie Malmsteens Far Beyond the Sun, I'm sure that's why that song is gone. Pretty sure MotS A New Theory on PS2 was also missing that song. And if I'm remembering right, the Theme of Adol is only on the title screen of Celceta. And while I consider it a beautiful music box rendition, I would have also loved a guitar heavy powered edition. But music aside, it's a good game, better than both versions of MotS, but it does feel like something is missing. And I think that some of the characters being a bit different in it compared to Dawn also has a negative impact on me. Still a great game, though there's no mainline Ys game that truly sucks IMO.
I knew Ys 8 would be on the top of your list! It's on the top of mine too. I love both Ys 8 and 9, but Ys 8 will always have that special place in my heart because it is the first Ys game I played. Plus, the setting and how well the mechanics and story interact puts it at the top of my list. Ys 8's soundtrack also has a lot of real bangers in it. Memories of Celceta was OK, but I hated how sudden the ending was. Most Ys games I played would at least show stills of what the characters are doing after the adventure. Memories shows us. . . Nothing. Ys 9 is great, but I'd recommend at least playing Ys 8 first, because it references past games a lot more than other games in the series. It's actually a lot more adventurous and huge than most people would probably expect when they start it, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it at that. Oath in Felghana was WAY too frustratingly difficult for me. I died dozens and dozens of times against some of the bosses and it got to the point where it was just more frustrating than fun. I still managed to finish it. Some will no doubt enjoy the challenge. Ys 6 was better to me than Felghana. I preferred the music and the challenge, while there, was at a more manageable level for me.
I don't think 8 can be beat, but 10 is looking excellent so far. What I love about 8 is its replayability in New Game+ because you can easily make an "Adol Only" run if you want to. Equip him with the Pierce and Strike medals and he can hit all targets. It's more challenging as well if you go that route, but that actually makes the game more fun
8 is my honest favorite, 1 and 2 nostalgic favorite - played on turbografx when it came out and we were blown away with the speech and music. still best all time VG music
I haven't beaten all of them yet but out of the ones I've played so far: S tier-VIII Lacrimosa>Origin A tier-IX Monstrum>VI Napishtim>I Omen B tier-IV Celceta>III Felghana>II Final Chapter That said, I'll never understand the love for Felghana. I don't like the dungeons nor the bosses at all. Also the soundtrack isn't as good as most of the others. The story's never been a huge aspect of Ys but even then it still didn't interest me here as much as in Napishtim for example.
I haven't play YS IX but i agree with the list. YS 8 simply the longest ys game i've ever played. Altought my love for Tia from ys seven will never fade.....
Came back to this video before Ys X release, and i still love how i still agree with his Ys rank list Even though the position of Ys SEVEN and Ys IX is debatable, i'm still agree with it (since Ys SEVEN is my 2nd Ys game i played, after Ys Origin)
I bought YS Lacrimosa of Dana on a whim, i was looking for a new rpg and YS LoD was only 30-ish bucks and decided i'll try it out. Not only was it a great game that got me into the entire YS series, i still have moments where i remember the games ending and all the feels just come rushing back. I'm happy that others have enjoyed Ys LoD as much (or maybe even more) as me, because it was a master piece. Which is why i was expecting a bit more from YS Monstrum Nox, i liked the story, i liked the characters, but i only remember 2 or 3 dungeons being worth while. It wasn't a bad game but i was hoping for it to be longer, i was hoping the area south-west on the map would be unlocked followed by the outer reaches of the map. But the game kinda just stopped... the maps weren't nearly big enough, the dungeons should've been longer, i think i finished the game within 40 hours which saddened me cause YS LoD took me almost 70 hours. Guess i was just expecting the series to become bigger and better and more extravagant, which isn't what i got from YS Monstrum Nox.
I love every single one ( except V didn't play it ). Love the story, the music but the characters man... When I'm done with a Ys game I'm sad. Because some of them will never be seen again. Especially with Ys origin. To the next generation theme got me cry every single time.
Ys 8 was the first Falcom game that I played and I really loved it. I've actually started working my way through both the Ys and Trails series, but I just don't have as much time as I'd like to really spend time with them. Being a University student is really busy you know?
Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana was such a well made game. Gameplay and storyline. It threw me in the loop near the end of the game. Imma have to play it again.
I have never played an ARPG with more engaging combat. Not only engaging, but the fluidity is unreal. I thought after hearing that YS lX was even smoother that if I went back to Vlll it would ruin it, but boy was I wrong. I actually prefer the tighter timing on perfect counters and dodges.
I finished Ys 8 recently and am currently playing Ys 2. Ys 1 was fun. A bit clunky, but fun. Ys 8 is definitely the better game mechanically but it lacks being able to set people on fire. I can set people on fire in Ys 2. That is fun. Altough I wonder what the other 6 things are that are more painful than being set on fire. I am inclined to play Ys Origin right after. And yes, I did a victory dance after beating the final boss of Ys 1. It only took 2 attempts. Looking forward to playing Celceta. I want to play that game so badly.
I wouldn't have ranked 7 as high personally, and it comes down to two main parts: First, I'm just plain conflicted about the party-based switch overall. I kind of dug the "Adol against the world" vibe. I admit that's entirely personal preference, though. Second, while I agree with you about the antagonist (in contrast, 8's villains just made me want to scream "THAT'S NOT EVOLUTION, EVOLUTION DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY" repeatedly), 7 was the first one I felt outstayed its welcome in terms of length and pacing (well, that and Origin, but at least each character there had different play mechanics). The real plot doesn't truly kick off until two-thirds of the way through the game, the part that, until then, had been built up as the end of the journey. By the end, I was just ready for it to be over already. They could have shortened a sizable chunk of the first half if they knew they were going to have an Act 2.
2:00 yeah I acquired it while playing 😂 at first I didn't like it but after I understood it it was super fun. especially Ys 2 which to me is way better than 1
I completely agree that Ys 8 truly embodies the spirit of adventure that is innate to Adol's fundamental desire and personality. To me, where as every other game aside from Origin, is about Adol exploring the world, Monstrum Nox somewhat toke an approach of Adol exploring himself. In this case with the persona of Crimson King. I very much liked that. I truly believe Monstrum Nox could've capitalized on idea's much more effectively on that aspect, with other story aspect's having untapped potential. Especially with certain call backs to Adol's past adventure's. The significance of the Azure petals for example, despite it purely being a side lined collectible achievement. The game can't seem to decide whether Adol's past matters or not, when the whole game's(for the most part) conflict only exists as per a collective ramification of Adol. I apologize if the next sentence count's as spoiler. A certain end game, story significant red boss was entirely underwhelming. I'll leave it at that. Ranting aside, I truly liked Monstrum Nox. Especially as a series vet with it's hilarious self aware jokes/reference's to Adol's past shenanigan's and easily having a memorable cast(for the most part) and easily one of the best performance's from an English VA cast.
10:56 - It should also be noted that Ys VIII comes the closest to being a Metroidvania out of all of the Ys games so far (IX does this too, but I think VIII does it a little better, plus it's more open than IX was). This might not mean much to some people, but I love Metroidvanias, so this helped to bump the game up to first for me too.
I dont know how to explain it but out of all the ys games ive played 8 kinda ended up being among my least favorites despite being my first? Just none of it clicked with me really besides the gameplay and music. The story concept was great too even if i feel it didnt stay great past the concept. But this list is awesome and i recognize that im in a great minority when it comes to my opinion on 8. Id say personally 9 is my favorite so fsr though i havent beaten it. The narrative is so immersive and i like closed in detailed settings. I also really like origin. The multiple stories are sooooooo cool. I dont mind replaying dungeons with diff context cuz it gets my mind rolling on a lot. But this is a great list and its awesome to hear others' opinions!! I wish i liked ys viii as much as everyone else did but im glad it at the very least got me into the series
I still have to play the newer games but so far the oath in felghana is my favorite, though i do believe chronicles 1 has one of the strongest ost's in the whole series. Palace of destruction is a god tier song
When I started ys 8 I was like "okay, cute anime game, got it." Then the ship attack I was like "...okay got some stuff going on" then the primordials and I was like 😮 then the final act I was like bruuuuuuh
I wish you could have ranked every single game - Dawn of Ys for TG-16 is really sublime in my opinion. If you like the bump-combat style, it is an absolute must-play. I also think the X68000 version of Ys 1 has surprisingly smooth controls, and has great versions of the boss fights, despite the first half of the game being so awkwardly truncated. Any fan of Ys 1 should absolutely try the X68000 version just to see its version of the bosses, and I'm not even kidding. Ys II Special for MS-DOS is also really unique and interesting, even though it has a tendency to crash to such a debilitating degree that you need to do some very specific steps to work around the crashes forcing you into a softlock state lol. Other than this huge problem, I really enjoyed it a lot. It has a fun combination of having both bump combat AND a proper sword button - a combination that is implemented way better than the other game to try this (which was Legacy of Ys for Nintendo DS) The absolute worst Ys game is one you didn't mention - the PlayStation 2 version of Ys V Lost Kefin has the most boring and tedious dungeon design in the entire series. They improved the magic system from the SNES version, but completely wrecked the game with the dungeon design. It was seriously awful to play. Just endless copy+pasted rooms over and over, and later in the game, especially with the dungeons within Kefin, these endless rooms start branching and looping, and you can never get a good feel for where you are since everything looks the same... it was maddening. Honestly the only Ys game I never want to replay.
It's a pain getting platinum trophy the Ys 8 since Dana's stats don't carry over to the past which means playing it on nightmare mode for that trophy is a giant pain in the ass
Ive beaten Ys Origin with all characters. Im not really sure how doing so is the "full" story? It just felt like 3 different takes on the same events with only one being canon. I really liked the game and each individual story was solid, but it didnt feel justified to have 3 different timelines for some reason
Each route felt completely different for me. Though the overarching journey is similar, the character interactions are completely different. Some characters in one route are completely insignificant but become central in others, not to mention one gives you the 'true' final boss. Character dialogue and narrative together create one whole.
My ranking and reasoning behind it. 9. Ys I & II Chronicles (can't rank, haven't played yet) 8. Ys V: Kefin, Lost City of Sand 7. Ys: The Oath in Felghana (Unfinished) 6. Ys Origin (Not with all characters?) 5. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox 4. Ys: Memories of Celceta 3. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana 2. Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim 1. Ys Seven Now, let me explain... My first Ys game ever was Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim many, many years ago. That's when I fell in love with the series IMMEDIATELY because of its absolutely GODLIKE soundtrack. And it continues throughout the series. There's not a single track that's not amazing. But... In Ys VI, I also loved Geis. I thought he was so cool and badass! I wanted to play as him one day. And lo and behold, there's Ys Seven, fulfilling that dream. Not only having an AMAZING story, divine soundtrack, great dungeons, sublime gameplay, superb characters, you can also play as Geis now! Swinging his signature halberd to beat the enemies was everything I could have ever asked for! So now that the top 2 have been taken care of by extremely biased nostalgia, it's time for the rest. Ys VIII was absolutely breathtaking. I have nothing but high praises to say about it. But it can't beat where it all began. I can't explain how much I like the top 3 here. It's basically a tie. Ys VIII was in many ways one of the best games ever made. No questions about it. Memories of Celceta... Yeah, the memories. Just like you said, I have no idea who the bad guys were and what the plot was. I remember enjoying the game for sure. But... There was something about it that just left me a bit... Meh. And it's been years since I played it, so... Yeah. All I remember is that I grinded a lot for skills and completion and tried to 100% it, failing at it too. Ys IX was the first disappointment in the series. It didn't run very well and the overall atmosphere was really dark and gray. Although the soundtrack was still solid gold, it didn't QUITE hold up to the astronomically high standards set by the earlier games. Although Hawk was BY FAR my favorite character! 🤣 and there was even a cameo by Geis with him at the end... I literally wished to see him in the game again and meet with Hawk/Gredo! At least I got the Cameo of my 2 favorite characters! Origin was... Is one of my latest Ys games I played. I finished it with 2 or 3 characters maybe? It wasn't really fun after a couple times. Although the game itself was solid as ever. Amazing soundtrack as always. Right... The Oath In Felghana... I have tried to give this game numerous chances. There's just something about this game that I just can't seem to enjoy. The dungeons are pretty terrible at times. The story is... Somewhat lacking and uninteresting. And... I don't know what it is, but I'm yet to finish this game despite numerous attempts. It always just slowly drops out for me. HOWEVER, it offers some of the best tracks in the series, which is a high praise when it has to compete with Seven, Napishtim, Lacrimosa of Dana and more. Ys V was an interesting and certainly very different experience. But I enjoyed it for what it was. I'm glad I played it. And I have yet to play the Chronicles so can't say anything about them.
I feel like I'm in the minority in that I've never been a huge fan of the party system. I liked classic solo Adol, especially the Napishtim engine games. And I love Ys IV: Dawn of Ys on PC Engine WAYYYY more than Memories of Celceta. It was so cool that it served as a direct follow-up to I & II, though I can understand people having trouble getting into it with the bump gameplay.
Did one for Trails, why not do one for Ys as well?
Not gonna lie, I'm kinda sad you aren't gonna rate ys 3 wanderers from ys and older versions of ys4 (dawn of ys is very good) or the pc engine version of ys 1 and 2(loved all of them so far(I did skip mask of the sun though), currently playing through 5!)
trail would be too simple XD the starting from VI sky the best and decrease in quality as time goes by XD, they are still good, but none capture the feel sky had, and after crossbell series, the generational gap is too much for adult like us to fully appreciate.
I’m new to Ys. I’m halfway through 7 on psp and I’m hooked. I’m already getting 8&9 for switch. How are trails related? I have already trails in the sky haven’t played yet but would like to know the relationship on the two? Thanks
Ys Origin is easily the 2nd best game in the series after Ys 8
@@calibomber209 you def need to play Ys origin
8 is my fave.
When Sunshine Coastline hit for the first time, it gave me this rush of excitement.
Also I really liked the party members with Dana, Laxia and Hummel as my faves
Sunshine Coastline starting up is one of 'those' moments that you'll never forget.
That was how I felt as well, and my husband got us both the OST and Super Ultimate remixes and was immediately giving them 5 stars.
When it comes to Unisuga's ultimate track, Sunshine Coastline comes to mind.
Hummel is GOATed
i beat the wolves...
Ys 8 really does nail that sense of adventure and discovery, I never thought I’d care about unraveling new parts of an area and expanding a map like in this game…it actually got me feeling pumped discovering new locations and expanding castaway village, music is so good, it’s my second favorite Ys OST, and currently I’m 20 hours in the game and still haven’t gotten to the part of the story where Dana gets fully introduced, but it still has me captivated such a banger of a game, can’t remember when I was this intrigued in a game’s story either.
I couldn't agree more!! YS 8 is arguably one of the best Falcom has to offer imo. This game awaken those sense of adventure I had when playing old rpgs as a kid back in the day. I'll never forget the rush of exitement i had when i reached the top of the mountain, the moment i saw a new area in the front of my eyes is astounishing "damn, what a beautiful game" is what i thought. Not to mention the bgm at the start of the adventure, mmm chef kiss.
Sunshine Coastline, that's a hell of a start
Picked up Ys 8 during the pandemic lock down with no expectations, was blown away at the end of it. Played Ys 9 going in knowing it's unlikely to surpass 8 and yeah, I was correct.
Ys 9 is a good game but Ys 8 is KING. 👑
Gotta go with 8 for the party based ones and Origin for the classic ones.
9 was pretty good, but the sense of adventure I really loved in 8 was barely there. 8 really nailed that feeling of discovering and exploring uncharted territory.
This. Honestly after finishing multiple runs in YS8, YS9 felt like slight downgrade.
100%
Yup. I couldn't finish 9 because as you said it felt lacking after 8. The music and Dana story evokes feelings I don't know how to explain them
Ys 7 is probably my favorite of the ones I've played, because it feels like such an instant classic. Likeable characters, solid story, beautiful music, clever dungeon design and that first iteration of the excellent group combat. I love everything about Ys 7. Ys 7 is to action rpgs as Trails in the Sky is to other JRPGs.
Wish they would put it on psn. Wanna play it so bad
@@nezkeys79
Ys Seven suffers from having no plot.
While Scias may be a good man but he took things a little too far just because.
And also, the Five Dragons doesn't even believe in the strength of humanity and just keep repeating the same cycle of death and rebirth for 3 consecutive centuries.
I rarely agree with you on Trails, but with Ys, I'm spot on with you. Ys VIII is the best Ys, love for Dana, haters gonna hate. It was such an amazing journey...one day I will revisit this game again. Sunshine Coastline is my every day song on my way to work.
Ys VIII was as good as it gets, I think. The only game I could say I enjoyed more was Dragon Quest VIII. Charm factor is so high in both of these games.
I had it and it was a lil hard without hints and tipps. Dana was cute but i dont feeled "connected" to her.
Prefered YsVIII combat over the one in Ys IX the world itself was also better i think. But i liked Ys IX story and characters more.
Ys 8 is truly a masterpiece, I will always regard it among the likes of ocarina of time and breath of the wild as one of the best games ever made, its mind-blowing how magical it is, I played it on my vita and it truly reignited my love for gaming. EVERYBODY should give it a try
Ys VIII is truly up there as one of the G.O.A.T. in video games history.
Keeping my fingers crossed for the remake of Ys V to come out soon!
Ys 7 was my first Ys game and to this day I can’t help but love that gem I had good times playing it on my psp
YS 8 is definitely my favorite as well, though I've only ever played and finished 7, Celceta and 9. I think all of these games are pretty good, but YS 8 is on another level. The mystery, setting and characters (especially Dana) really do it for me. I obviously love the stellar music and gameplay as well.
9 was my first YS game and I enjoyed it a lot I followed it up with 8 and it was on another level the setting and music are exceptional.
Now play the rest
I only got into the ys series last year starting with ys 8, however having played ys 9 after that I feel I enjoyed it slightly more than ys 8.
I agree 100% with spots #1 & #2. Enough has been said about how great Ys VIII was, and I hope Falcom realizes this and tries to capture that magic again. IMO Ys IX was very good but not great. On the other hand, I'm very happy to see this channel showcase Ys Seven...it's such an underrated entry and I feel it was the last time I found an Ys game kinda challenging. I hope those kind of bosses make a return and I don't have to set the game on the hard difficulty setting by default.
My first game was 8 and since then I’ve played most of them except felghana, kefin, and celecta. Though I think my most favourite is 9 I loved it to bits. Maybe if 8 wasn’t my first entry into the series it would’ve been my most favourite. Napishtim is my 3rd favourite even with its atrocious dash jump. Though you’re right it’s so hard to rank the ys games almost all of them are really fun
Nice to see another Ark enjoyer. Dash jump is infuriating at times, but goddamn the game is basically the Ys 8 of the Napishtim engine. It feels like such an adventure with a perfect soundtrack. That said, I think Origin is the 2nd best Ys game and 8 the first. I've played Felghana and didn't like it at all. Literally quit playing because I wasn't having fun nor was I interested in the story or immersed in the atmosphere or soundtrack.
Great video! Memories of Celceta was my entry point into the series at the height of the pandemic, and I found it extremely charming. Lacrimosa of Dana was the next game in the series that I played, and it has set the bar for me ever since. I love the Ys series so much, and I, too consider Lacrimosa of Dana to be one of my favorites of all-time.
On a side note, I feel validated after you mentioned that playing through a story multiple times to get the full picture isn't fun without drastic changes, because that's pretty much the only reason I haven't finished Hugo's or Toal's routes in Ys Origin LOL
YS: Memories of Celcetta was the first Games in the Series I played!
I played it on the Vita & i absolutely loved it! I didn’t stop playing it until I had Maxed Every Special Weapon/Armor, as well as Went on to “Platinum” because of how Much I enjoyed!!
One of the main things I liked was how there was a actual technical way for maxing out all the weapons and how you got only a certain amount of sun stones per play through and had to use those wisely!
I was just an absolutely great game and I got the sequel immediately upon release and just felt like it had better graphics but overall was more water down where the upgrading of weapons and everything else I was concerned??
I just got into the Ys series this year when I bought myself Monstrum Nox for a kind of self Christmas present and I'm in love. I was thrilled with how much content there is for me to dive back into and have loved what I've seen so far. The thrill of exploration in each game really makes them a delight to play. And Lacrimosa of Dana really only made me love more the things I liked about Monstrum Nox. I think the only complaint I have with it is that Sahad's combat style is notably rough when compared to the rest of the party members. But on the other hand, LAxia's one of my favorite characters from anything (gameplay and characterization), so I think it balances out.
Also, clearly Ys 7 deserves a high spot on the list. It's the only game where we get to play as Dogi.
I want to play as Dogi so badly, man. I wish Ys Vll was on the Switch.
Got into the series with the japanese YS7 psp demo, it went all the way to the spider boss. My mind was blown by how long the demo was and how great the gameplay was. 100% agree with the list, great order
The answer is all of them. I am playing YS 8 after a long hiatus (because the early game is a slow burn, but my goodness is it a masterpiece. The effort the devs and writers put into that game most likely permeates the entire catalog and i'm here for it.
I swear this series needs more eyes on it. I first played Ys Origin because it was on sale on the switch store and really enjoyed it. Ys XIII was next as it was what people recommended the most and I was absolutely hooked after that! I'm still working my way through a chunk of the games that are on previously released consoles (thank goodness for steam or I simply couldn't afford to play any of the older games) but I can't wait to get to those games!
The world needs to know: PLAY THE YS SERIES!!!!
Yes, Ys 8 and 7 are the best episodes. No surprises there.
Really nice ranking !
Dude! I was just about to get Lacrimosa of Dana on sale and you blast this video out :D Thanks so much! Love your channel :D
Hope you enjoy it!
@@TheKisekiNut One year later update!!! ... it's one of my favorites of all time and it was only my first playthrough, while Dana just might be my favorite female character in all media
Ys is a series in which I love all of the games and my favorite would be a tie between Ys Books I & II (the Turbo CD version), Ys VIII, and Ys IX. I seem to like Ys IX a lot more than most people do as I think it is one of the best in the series and I played through it 4 times last year. The combat, story, characters, and overall aesthetic drew me in and I kept coming back for more. It was a close second to Shin Megami Tensei V as my favorite game of 2021 and to me it already stands out as a classic that will hold up well over time.
I'll always remember in Ys 7 where you fight your rival 1-on-1 to the most badass boss music in the game and he just fks off for the rest of the game.
Your rivals are we are either Scias or Geis.
Pick your poison!
This is pretty much my list too
Great choice!
Yeeeees dude, I gotta go with Oath in Felghana as number one by far
Haven't played all the games yet, but Lacrimosa of Dana is one of my all time favorite games
I agree with Ys 7, that was the my first Ys game on PSP and the one that solidifies me as a Falcom fanboy.
It got flaws here and there but can't deny the game's is very fun and also I remember seeing the ending made me so sad.
Great video~! I'm still waiting for your favorite OSTs in every trails~!!
It's in the pipeline! Just don't know when.
Very good list! I've personally played every mainline title of Ys as well + Dawn of Ys which is really good too. I was hooked ever since I got into Ys out of curiosity from memories of celceta on the vita way back when. Not sure why - but it's a series that is almost like comfort food to me and hammers home 'being fun' more than most other videogame series. As long as it has that signature falcom OST, adol tearing up fields as the red haired swordsman, and no doubt getting neck deep into adventure then it's just a recipe that I find myself wanting to experience time and time again no matter the twist they make each title.
I still think Ys 8 is the best one of all ys I have play (i am taking a break from playing all ys game, playing tales of arise now), I kinda agree on what you say about Ys 3, it is good game, but it don't have that same feeling i get for Ys8 and Ys origin.
Edit: And Dana is the best Ys girl!
Very different to my personal list (except number 1 which I 100% agree on), but it was super interesting hearing your reasons for putting the games in the order you did! Great stuff! I was going to question your position for VI... Then you mentioned the dreaded Dash Jump and I was like "Ah yeah... fair do" XD
Yep - bad memories!
Yoooooooo massive respect for putting Seven in second! Was actually my favourite gameplay wise until 9 came along tbh (still love it as an overall package though).
My rankings personally would be:
S - Ys 9 (I kinda feel like I've come to like it more than 8 after replaying it, honestly... but 8 still has the more engaging story and slightly better OST), Ys 8, Ys Oath
A - Ys Seven, Ys 6, Ys Origin
B - Ys 1 DS, Ys 1 Chronicles, Ys 4 Mask of the Sun Ys 5 (yes, seriously, I quite enjoy it personally), Ys 1 PC Engine
Low B/High C - Ys Celceta
C - Ys 2 Chronicles, Ys vs Kiseki, Ys 2 DS, Typing of Ys (yes, this exists)
Meh - Ys 4 Dawn of Ys, Ys 1 Master System
Bad - Ys 3, Ys 8 Vita (just couldn't like this version, sorry), Ys Strategy
Very nice list though.
Absolutely LOVED Ys 7! Story and gameplay. One of the most underrated Ys games, and I glad it got some love here. My only big complaint with it was the constant party member switch up.
Weird, people usually prefer Dawn of Ys over Mask of the Sun.
On another note, yeah, Ys I is better than Ys II.
@@Javifaa BASED! Most like Ys 2 better from what I've seen.
Dawn of Ys just feels tedious though imo. Not really a fan of dungeon and overworld designs, and it just feels too long for an older Ys game imo. Also the difficulty spikes at times are annoying.
Whilst with Mask: Absolutely LOVE the faster movement speed, cooler dungeon designs (minus the last one), and it's shorter. Only thing I really don't like about Mask is how OP the bosses are, and any of them can easily one shot you if you aren't careful.
That's just me though. Not facts or anything.
@@theultimategamer95 in my case I do prefer Ya I because it's version of Darn Tower is my favourite dungeon in gaming. That, and that reaching that point is not a chore (even if a certain boss is a pain in the ass to deal with).
@@Javifaa You mean the bat? Yeah, I can agree on that. Screw him. Even when you know what to do it still requires a good deal of patience.
Ys 8 was my first of this series. I bought it on a complete whim and was blown away by how the game, story and characters got better and better as I played. Sometimes I'd just pause the game to vibe with the music (looking at you Night Survivor) and in every other case I just loved everything about the game. I haven't got the chance to play any of the older games in the series, but I am currently playing through Ys 9. I'm very much enjoying it but it's just not quite at Ys 8's level. I'd really like to play some of the other games to learn more of the back story.
They're all excellent games, well worth the playthrough and many of the earlier ones you can finish in one or two weekends.
Thanks for this! I’ve only played a few Y’s games, so this was quite informative.
Give them a go - they're great!
@@TheKisekiNut I’ve played Y’s Origin, 1+2, and Y’s VIII. Enjoyed them all. I have Y’s IX on the shelf in the shrink wrap. Not sure when I’ll get to it. So many games to play heh.
man oh man that take me Way back am proud that i play and finish all ys games since pc engine till now thanks dude ys series deserve your speech and your opinion for new comer's thanks
Ys 7 dungeons is peak in the franchise
Playing Ys 8 for the first time right now (my first ever Ys game) and I'm having a blast! I'm kinda worried that it's so good that none of the other Ys games will be able to live up to it though. I might try Ys 9 next
You're probably right, but at the same time, 9's setting and gameplay hook is so different that it hardly matters.
@@jaredponder4149 Damn I'm surprised that someone responded to a comment this old lol. But since you did I'll give you an update!
After beating Ys 8 I first played Memories of Celceta then I played Ys 9 after. Memories of Celceta was good and I can see how it helped shape the format for Ys 8 in some ways but I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as I did 8.
Now for the case of Ys 9, I absolutely loved that game! The urban setting sort of made me feel reminiscent of Tokyo Xanadu which is definitely a good thing. Also the map traversal was a blast, the last time I had that much fun just moving around a map was probably either when I played Spiderman or Gravity Rush. The characters were also better in 9 than 8 imo too. If anything I'd say Ys 8 and Ys 9 are close to being equal for me but Ys 9 might get a slight edge for me tbh.
@@eastcoasttone3952 You'll be more surprised now that I respond to your comment now in 2024 lol.
Anyway, I just recently playing VIII, and it's been a blast, especially since Dana becomes playable, but I do have my worries to tray other Ys games now, glad to see you enjoyed IX, so I can at least have other one Ys game after I finished VIII.
Great ranking! Hope we'll get more Ys remakes for the Switch in the future.
Please yes. I can easily wait for YS X if this happens.
I have only played 7 to 9, but I also agree 8 is the strongest of them. I feel that it is almost perfect marriage of gameplay to context when it comes to the exploration, and no character feels like an NPC (aside from the ones you meet in Eternia) and because of the context, it made sense that Adol’s group would not meet anyone else.
Ys Origin was my first, did 1 and I'm taking a break from 2. I love the old school part but ngl When I've reached the temple I was like omg its so huge I'm too lazy right now lmao.
+I've been going hard on dragon's dogma lately
I'm playing through Ys Origin for the first time. Using it as a palette cleanser between one traditional JRPG to the next, and it works great. Hardly any NPCs, no overworld/towns to explore; just a great dungeon crawl with a lot more variety than I expected. I hope to find another Ys game like this one after. I know Ys 8 & 9 are more like a normal rpg so I'm not sure if there are any
Ys Origin is a nice shift from the typical formula - just straight up gameplay mixed with a bit of narrative here and there. And the music if popping.
@@TheKisekiNut is Ys: Oath of Felghana similar to origin, or more similar to 8?
Felghana uses the same engine as Origin but is more similar in style to Ys VIII (not a dungeon crawler).
Ys Origin has such a fantastic flow. You mow though the dungeons and at the end you're greeted by nailbiter bosses with kickass music. Love it.
After playing and finishing ys 9 when it came out, I genuinely ended up liking it (specifically the story and characters) more than ys 8. BUT Ys 8 environment, music, and Dana does it for me more and it was the game that introduced me to everything falcom so there’s also that nostalgia factor. Ys 8 is my number 1 pick while ys 9 being a very close 2nd.
My first game was Ys VIII. And i felt in love with it. It got everything i wanted: Building my own villiage up, Exploration + sidequest and adventuring. Good narrative.
My 2nd game was Ys origin on steam. I do like the split characters though 1 is definitely easier than the other to use.
I played Ys IX last year and X recently. Both are fun. I like X having the recruitment mechanic still, the story is interesting i guess. Combat is only the 2 characters.
I loved to see a remake of YS V. In the YS series art book it only has 4-5 pages making me believe Falcom pulls a “Chris Brown” and puts its hand in front of it whenever it’s brought up lol. If it does come to fruition I would like to see it take form of the napistim type of gameplay along with the current era of Ys games. Make Adol be by himself and showcase him using two other weapons on top of using them for traversal.
If the current trend continues, I do think we'll get a remake of Ys V and it's definitely in Falcom's interest to do so. Napishtim engine saw Ys III remade as the second game in that collection, group based system saw Ys IV remade as the second game in that collection. We know Falcom are working on a new approach to gameplay in Ys which is apparently Ys X. But after that? Maybe.
I'm still pretty new to Ys, having only finished Celceta, 8, and 9. Honestly 8 would have been my favorite if I hadn't gotten it into my head to Platinum it, lol. Nightmare mode was quite literally a nightmare for me and it tarnished the fun I had in the game. I really enjoyed 9, though, because the mystery was fun but it did make me wish they made a new version of 5
I think even objectively Lacrimosa is the better game of all. The engine they used had been polished more than enough, and the story they went with was great. The only one who could try to fight for that top spot would be Origin. Again, they had a polished engine and a very good story.
As for me, I think Ys 3 (Wanderers from Ys) is my favourite game. It was the first Ys game I played, and it was on the snes. Even though the story was ok I loved the music and I loved the bosses. I remember having a lot of trouble the first time I took on the final boss. The only ones that could compete are Ys I & II. Good OST and a solid story.
I agree, Lacrimosa and Origin are jusy peak Ys. Pretty much every aspect in them is perfect or close to perfection
I hope Ys 5 gets a remake that the only canon Ys game I never got the chance of playing
Great video! YS 8 is just so good. Very special game!
great timing i just started Ys Origin and was trying to sort out which of the others to play
I grew up playing ysiii on snes and always loved the story and characters. I've only ever played oath in felghana, which is a remake of iii but all the other ones you showed I had no idea they existed would love to try them out
I've plated only YS 8 & YS 9 but i agree that story on Seiren Island was great , Nox was fun but Lacrmiso of Dana had all - amazing characters , story was really great and plenty of locations to explore,
boi do I love Ys, its what brought me into the Falcom name many years ago, about 10+ or something. I definitely hold it dearly as my 2nd fav series after legend of heroes which I wouldn't have discovered when I did if not for Ys. My opinions on each of them are pretty seemingly exactly the same for the most part but I weigh them differently.
9. Ys V - nothing to say, didn't play it so naturally it lands here for me.
8. Ys Memories of Celceta - I found the characters weak too but not just the villains, most of the main cast too, and I didn't like most of the original tracks, mostly only the remixes, and even then they didn't even bring back my favorite tracks from the retro soundtrack being Temple of the Sun, Bronze District and A Great Ordeal.
7. Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim - Same feelings as you, different personal placement.
6. Ys 1 & 2 PC-Engine - I'm picking this one as my definitive version as it's my first experience of the Ys Series and because I still prefer it over the Chronicles version. The retro charm is just too much for me and I have a hard time justifying releasing a nearly identical game with just retouching the visuals and soundtrack if it's going to keep its dated gameplay system. It feels like it should be remade from the ground up to reflect the series' modern standards if people could end up trying this one first since they are...well... 1&2, and then base their opinion of the series on this oddball.
5. Ys Seven - Just fantastic overall, but it kind of felt like it was in a way limiting itself on an environment design part by having the game send us back to the same locales twice. And I totally wanted a moon-themed dungeon for the 5th dragon, cmoooon.
4. YS IX: Monstrum Nox - Overall absolutely fantastic but I felt like somehow the controls weren't as tight and precise due to accounting for monstrum field abilities and the soundtrack definitely was lacking in some parts.
3. Ys : Oath in Felghana - I'm just being nostalgic, having played the hell out of this one many years ago.
2 & 1 tie. Ys Origin and Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana - I can't decide so there you go. Unlike you what you dislike about Ys Origin is precisely what I like about it, the simplistic approach that feels almost arcady by climbing to the top of the tower with different characters is just what I like and feels ideal for coming back to and feeling like speedrunning a bit. And yes Ys VIII is just that great too.
Great list! My top 3 Y's games are:
1. Y's 9 monstrum nox
2. Ys memories of celceta
3. Ys origin
Its cool to see how everyone loves different games in this fantastic series!
Ys 9 is lame
I truly loved Ys I/II so much more than I ever expected. The story was so straight to the point, but so engaging. I also think it has the absolute best OST alongside VIII and Origin.
Ys II also made the combat so much better than I and engaging 😊
And you can set people on fire! Never forget setting Masontorch on fire. Or that olf guy who complains about young people with their fire and swords.
Im happy to see Ys 8 at the number one spot, as it is actually my very first experience with the series, i have it, ys 9 and Memories of Celceta
It wasn't the first or even second Ys game I played, but my favorite would absolutely be Ys 8. It just did everything RIGHT...the exploration was masterful and fun, and I was really invested in seeing 100% on every section of the island (it also made sense story wise). The characters were interesting, as was the story (especially after Dana enters the picture). And I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the OST of this game as a whole is the best that Falcom Sound Team has ever done. I've always been a bigger fan of Ys soundtracks over Trails or other Falcom series, but they NAILED it here!
So yeah. Ys 8, best in the series. Origin would be my pick for the older ones.
If people say to me that OST doesn't contribute to a game, then I immediately point out Ys VIII - it positively contributes to so much in the game!
@@TheKisekiNut You immediately know that the adventure is on, once that OST kicks in, in each new area.
One thing for me that brings Memories of Celceta down, is all the missing songs from the older Ys 4 games. I've never actually sat down and done the numbers on how many songs are missing, coupled with how many new songs are added. I just guess it's roughly half.
I grew up with Dawn of Ys & still rank it as one of my favorites, up there with 8 & Felghana. When Falcom announced Celceta, I was expecting to love it just as I love Felghana as a remake of 3.
My guess, is that there was a licensing problem with some songs. The Great Ordeal is one of my favorite boss songs from DoY, but, since it's clearly based on Yngwie Malmsteens Far Beyond the Sun, I'm sure that's why that song is gone. Pretty sure MotS A New Theory on PS2 was also missing that song.
And if I'm remembering right, the Theme of Adol is only on the title screen of Celceta. And while I consider it a beautiful music box rendition, I would have also loved a guitar heavy powered edition.
But music aside, it's a good game, better than both versions of MotS, but it does feel like something is missing. And I think that some of the characters being a bit different in it compared to Dawn also has a negative impact on me. Still a great game, though there's no mainline Ys game that truly sucks IMO.
I knew Ys 8 would be on the top of your list! It's on the top of mine too. I love both Ys 8 and 9, but Ys 8 will always have that special place in my heart because it is the first Ys game I played. Plus, the setting and how well the mechanics and story interact puts it at the top of my list. Ys 8's soundtrack also has a lot of real bangers in it.
Memories of Celceta was OK, but I hated how sudden the ending was. Most Ys games I played would at least show stills of what the characters are doing after the adventure. Memories shows us. . . Nothing.
Ys 9 is great, but I'd recommend at least playing Ys 8 first, because it references past games a lot more than other games in the series. It's actually a lot more adventurous and huge than most people would probably expect when they start it, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it at that.
Oath in Felghana was WAY too frustratingly difficult for me. I died dozens and dozens of times against some of the bosses and it got to the point where it was just more frustrating than fun. I still managed to finish it. Some will no doubt enjoy the challenge.
Ys 6 was better to me than Felghana. I preferred the music and the challenge, while there, was at a more manageable level for me.
My first YS game was Memories of Celcetta on Vita. Fell in love with the series. My favorite is YS VIII.
Same
Felghana is my fave.
(Spent a lot of time in Cynthia’s shop, definitely top 3 video game shopkeepers imo.)
Great list its ver different from mine but I think every ones list would be different depending on when you started playing them. Great video
I don't think 8 can be beat, but 10 is looking excellent so far.
What I love about 8 is its replayability in New Game+ because you can easily make an "Adol Only" run if you want to. Equip him with the Pierce and Strike medals and he can hit all targets. It's more challenging as well if you go that route, but that actually makes the game more fun
8 is my honest favorite, 1 and 2 nostalgic favorite - played on turbografx when it came out and we were blown away with the speech and music. still best all time VG music
I haven't beaten all of them yet but out of the ones I've played so far:
S tier-VIII Lacrimosa>Origin
A tier-IX Monstrum>VI Napishtim>I Omen
B tier-IV Celceta>III Felghana>II Final Chapter
That said, I'll never understand the love for Felghana. I don't like the dungeons nor the bosses at all. Also the soundtrack isn't as good as most of the others. The story's never been a huge aspect of Ys but even then it still didn't interest me here as much as in Napishtim for example.
Every time I try memories of celceta again, I just end up playing Ys 4: Dawn of Ys fan dub. I just love the bump system.
YS Seven is my all time fav YS game
I haven't play YS IX but i agree with the list. YS 8 simply the longest ys game i've ever played. Altought my love for Tia from ys seven will never fade.....
Ys 8 is my favorite as well - I wonder if there's enough consensus to say "generally considered the best Ys game up to this point".
9 by a slight margin over 8 for me. Both are incredible but I found myself invested in 9’s story and characters more
Same, gameplay and bosses feel better as well
Came back to this video before Ys X release, and i still love how i still agree with his Ys rank list
Even though the position of Ys SEVEN and Ys IX is debatable, i'm still agree with it (since Ys SEVEN is my 2nd Ys game i played, after Ys Origin)
I bought YS Lacrimosa of Dana on a whim, i was looking for a new rpg and YS LoD was only 30-ish bucks and decided i'll try it out.
Not only was it a great game that got me into the entire YS series, i still have moments where i remember the games ending and all the feels just come rushing back.
I'm happy that others have enjoyed Ys LoD as much (or maybe even more) as me, because it was a master piece.
Which is why i was expecting a bit more from YS Monstrum Nox, i liked the story, i liked the characters, but i only remember 2 or 3 dungeons being worth while. It wasn't a bad game but i was hoping for it to be longer, i was hoping the area south-west on the map would be unlocked followed by the outer reaches of the map. But the game kinda just stopped... the maps weren't nearly big enough, the dungeons should've been longer, i think i finished the game within 40 hours which saddened me cause YS LoD took me almost 70 hours.
Guess i was just expecting the series to become bigger and better and more extravagant, which isn't what i got from YS Monstrum Nox.
I love every single one ( except V didn't play it ). Love the story, the music but the characters man... When I'm done with a Ys game I'm sad. Because some of them will never be seen again. Especially with Ys origin. To the next generation theme got me cry every single time.
Ys 8 was the first Falcom game that I played and I really loved it. I've actually started working my way through both the Ys and Trails series, but I just don't have as much time as I'd like to really spend time with them. Being a University student is really busy you know?
So far I've played Ys VI which was my intro to the series on PS2. Then I played a bit of Ys III for SNES, and later picked up Ys Origins on steam.
Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana was such a well made game. Gameplay and storyline. It threw me in the loop near the end of the game. Imma have to play it again.
Ys VIII was enriching and life changing. Some fights were frustrating, and some were insanely difficult, but it was all totally worth it in the end.
I have never played an ARPG with more engaging combat. Not only engaging, but the fluidity is unreal. I thought after hearing that YS lX was even smoother that if I went back to Vlll it would ruin it, but boy was I wrong. I actually prefer the tighter timing on perfect counters and dodges.
I do love YS seven! It surely is my favorite psp game ever. I still have to play celceta, viii and ix.
I finished Ys 8 recently and am currently playing Ys 2. Ys 1 was fun. A bit clunky, but fun. Ys 8 is definitely the better game mechanically but it lacks being able to set people on fire. I can set people on fire in Ys 2. That is fun. Altough I wonder what the other 6 things are that are more painful than being set on fire. I am inclined to play Ys Origin right after. And yes, I did a victory dance after beating the final boss of Ys 1. It only took 2 attempts. Looking forward to playing Celceta. I want to play that game so badly.
The Oath in Felghana is my favorite.....so far.
I wouldn't have ranked 7 as high personally, and it comes down to two main parts: First, I'm just plain conflicted about the party-based switch overall. I kind of dug the "Adol against the world" vibe. I admit that's entirely personal preference, though.
Second, while I agree with you about the antagonist (in contrast, 8's villains just made me want to scream "THAT'S NOT EVOLUTION, EVOLUTION DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY" repeatedly), 7 was the first one I felt outstayed its welcome in terms of length and pacing (well, that and Origin, but at least each character there had different play mechanics). The real plot doesn't truly kick off until two-thirds of the way through the game, the part that, until then, had been built up as the end of the journey. By the end, I was just ready for it to be over already. They could have shortened a sizable chunk of the first half if they knew they were going to have an Act 2.
2:00 yeah I acquired it while playing 😂
at first I didn't like it but after I understood it it was super fun. especially Ys 2 which to me is way better than 1
I completely agree that Ys 8 truly embodies the spirit of adventure that is innate to Adol's fundamental desire and personality.
To me, where as every other game aside from Origin, is about Adol exploring the world, Monstrum Nox somewhat toke an approach of Adol exploring himself. In this case with the persona of Crimson King. I very much liked that. I truly believe Monstrum Nox could've capitalized on idea's much more effectively on that aspect, with other story aspect's having untapped potential. Especially with certain call backs to Adol's past adventure's. The significance of the Azure petals for example, despite it purely being a side lined collectible achievement. The game can't seem to decide whether Adol's past matters or not, when the whole game's(for the most part) conflict only exists as per a collective ramification of Adol. I apologize if the next sentence count's as spoiler. A certain end game, story significant red boss was entirely underwhelming. I'll leave it at that.
Ranting aside, I truly liked Monstrum Nox. Especially as a series vet with it's hilarious self aware jokes/reference's to Adol's past shenanigan's and easily having a memorable cast(for the most part) and easily one of the best performance's from an English VA cast.
10:56 - It should also be noted that Ys VIII comes the closest to being a Metroidvania out of all of the Ys games so far (IX does this too, but I think VIII does it a little better, plus it's more open than IX was). This might not mean much to some people, but I love Metroidvanias, so this helped to bump the game up to first for me too.
This ys going be a good video for sure. 👍
I dont know how to explain it but out of all the ys games ive played 8 kinda ended up being among my least favorites despite being my first? Just none of it clicked with me really besides the gameplay and music. The story concept was great too even if i feel it didnt stay great past the concept. But this list is awesome and i recognize that im in a great minority when it comes to my opinion on 8. Id say personally 9 is my favorite so fsr though i havent beaten it. The narrative is so immersive and i like closed in detailed settings. I also really like origin. The multiple stories are sooooooo cool. I dont mind replaying dungeons with diff context cuz it gets my mind rolling on a lot. But this is a great list and its awesome to hear others' opinions!! I wish i liked ys viii as much as everyone else did but im glad it at the very least got me into the series
Y's VIII is my first Y's game (I haven't played any others...yet?) I loved it!!
I agree with the top 3. seven's pacing is incredible.
I still have to play the newer games but so far the oath in felghana is my favorite, though i do believe chronicles 1 has one of the strongest ost's in the whole series. Palace of destruction is a god tier song
Well if I ever did jump into the Ys series I'd start with Oath of Felghana, looks like the most accessible one to me.
When I started ys 8 I was like "okay, cute anime game, got it." Then the ship attack I was like "...okay got some stuff going on" then the primordials and I was like 😮 then the final act I was like bruuuuuuh
I wish you could have ranked every single game - Dawn of Ys for TG-16 is really sublime in my opinion. If you like the bump-combat style, it is an absolute must-play.
I also think the X68000 version of Ys 1 has surprisingly smooth controls, and has great versions of the boss fights, despite the first half of the game being so awkwardly truncated. Any fan of Ys 1 should absolutely try the X68000 version just to see its version of the bosses, and I'm not even kidding.
Ys II Special for MS-DOS is also really unique and interesting, even though it has a tendency to crash to such a debilitating degree that you need to do some very specific steps to work around the crashes forcing you into a softlock state lol. Other than this huge problem, I really enjoyed it a lot. It has a fun combination of having both bump combat AND a proper sword button - a combination that is implemented way better than the other game to try this (which was Legacy of Ys for Nintendo DS)
The absolute worst Ys game is one you didn't mention - the PlayStation 2 version of Ys V Lost Kefin has the most boring and tedious dungeon design in the entire series. They improved the magic system from the SNES version, but completely wrecked the game with the dungeon design. It was seriously awful to play. Just endless copy+pasted rooms over and over, and later in the game, especially with the dungeons within Kefin, these endless rooms start branching and looping, and you can never get a good feel for where you are since everything looks the same... it was maddening. Honestly the only Ys game I never want to replay.
Ys8 the best dana really got me there hope she can come back 😢
It's a pain getting platinum trophy the Ys 8 since Dana's stats don't carry over to the past which means playing it on nightmare mode for that trophy is a giant pain in the ass
Ive beaten Ys Origin with all characters. Im not really sure how doing so is the "full" story? It just felt like 3 different takes on the same events with only one being canon. I really liked the game and each individual story was solid, but it didnt feel justified to have 3 different timelines for some reason
Each route felt completely different for me. Though the overarching journey is similar, the character interactions are completely different. Some characters in one route are completely insignificant but become central in others, not to mention one gives you the 'true' final boss. Character dialogue and narrative together create one whole.
My first ys, I'm playing the ark of napishm, and I really love it, continue with other series
My ranking and reasoning behind it.
9. Ys I & II Chronicles (can't rank, haven't played yet)
8. Ys V: Kefin, Lost City of Sand
7. Ys: The Oath in Felghana (Unfinished)
6. Ys Origin (Not with all characters?)
5. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
4. Ys: Memories of Celceta
3. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
2. Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim
1. Ys Seven
Now, let me explain... My first Ys game ever was Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim many, many years ago. That's when I fell in love with the series IMMEDIATELY because of its absolutely GODLIKE soundtrack. And it continues throughout the series. There's not a single track that's not amazing. But... In Ys VI, I also loved Geis. I thought he was so cool and badass! I wanted to play as him one day. And lo and behold, there's Ys Seven, fulfilling that dream. Not only having an AMAZING story, divine soundtrack, great dungeons, sublime gameplay, superb characters, you can also play as Geis now! Swinging his signature halberd to beat the enemies was everything I could have ever asked for! So now that the top 2 have been taken care of by extremely biased nostalgia, it's time for the rest.
Ys VIII was absolutely breathtaking. I have nothing but high praises to say about it. But it can't beat where it all began. I can't explain how much I like the top 3 here. It's basically a tie. Ys VIII was in many ways one of the best games ever made. No questions about it.
Memories of Celceta... Yeah, the memories. Just like you said, I have no idea who the bad guys were and what the plot was. I remember enjoying the game for sure. But... There was something about it that just left me a bit... Meh. And it's been years since I played it, so... Yeah. All I remember is that I grinded a lot for skills and completion and tried to 100% it, failing at it too.
Ys IX was the first disappointment in the series. It didn't run very well and the overall atmosphere was really dark and gray. Although the soundtrack was still solid gold, it didn't QUITE hold up to the astronomically high standards set by the earlier games. Although Hawk was BY FAR my favorite character! 🤣 and there was even a cameo by Geis with him at the end... I literally wished to see him in the game again and meet with Hawk/Gredo! At least I got the Cameo of my 2 favorite characters!
Origin was... Is one of my latest Ys games I played. I finished it with 2 or 3 characters maybe? It wasn't really fun after a couple times. Although the game itself was solid as ever. Amazing soundtrack as always.
Right... The Oath In Felghana... I have tried to give this game numerous chances. There's just something about this game that I just can't seem to enjoy. The dungeons are pretty terrible at times. The story is... Somewhat lacking and uninteresting. And... I don't know what it is, but I'm yet to finish this game despite numerous attempts. It always just slowly drops out for me. HOWEVER, it offers some of the best tracks in the series, which is a high praise when it has to compete with Seven, Napishtim, Lacrimosa of Dana and more.
Ys V was an interesting and certainly very different experience. But I enjoyed it for what it was. I'm glad I played it.
And I have yet to play the Chronicles so can't say anything about them.
You just opened the pandora box !!
And inside the box there are 2 small boxes, which Ys game has best gameplay and which Ys has the best soundtrack ??
VIII for both 🤺
I feel like I'm in the minority in that I've never been a huge fan of the party system. I liked classic solo Adol, especially the Napishtim engine games. And I love Ys IV: Dawn of Ys on PC Engine WAYYYY more than Memories of Celceta. It was so cool that it served as a direct follow-up to I & II, though I can understand people having trouble getting into it with the bump gameplay.