Customer Reviews

Legacy of Ys: Books I & II

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had pre-order this game and play it non-stop. I had to say unlike the original Turbo CD version (which it's already available for download on Wii's VC), you actually got two faithful remakes of two of Falcom best action RPGs. If fast paced sword ramming gameplay is what you love, then you'll be right at home here as that feature is still intact though you'll require to use the stylus for that but if you prefer the usual hack and slash gameplay (Legend of Zelda or Secret of Mana style) instead you could very well set the option for that as well.

The musical scores in this game are the best that Falcom had produced heck publisher Atlus even included a bonus music CD in every copy of this game so you could listen to some of those wonderful tunes. Unlike the VC version; however, there are no voice-overs so you'll have to read the dialogue to get the story and hints when playing.

The graphics on the other hands are rather bland and ugly at times, there are just so many locations that look similar and it really makes it difficult to navigate once you are force to backtrack from one location to another. Aside from that the FMV intros and endings are superb and present themselves wonderfully.

There is also a multiplayer mode for up to four players to participate in this game. I haven't got into the multiplayer aspect yet so I'm not sure how it'll play like. The single player of each games; however, are still much enjoyable.

If you love JRPG or haven't already yet play these early Ys chapters via VC, this remake of two of Falcom action RPGs might satisfied you. After all, it's a good deal too since we got two JRPGs classic in one unlike in Japan which got these separately in cartridge form so it's all thanks to Atlus for doing that.

First off, the two 'books' are fairly short games overall. Don't expect some epic 20+ hour adventures. That's a good thing though, because seriously, who has time for that? This is just some great old-school action-RPG gameplay updated for the DS both graphically as well as musically.

Perhaps the best part is the value. You get two classic action-RPGs, plus a soundtrack CD with a ton of music from the games. If you're into that stuff, that's sorta a big deal too.

The gameplay is very, very simplistic. You have a sword, shield and armour and you mow down the enemies. In Book 2, you get some magic as well, but nothing on the level of a more modern RPG, and even less complicated than early Zelda games which is awesome. This of course means it's probably not for everyone, but it's certainly awesome to see one of the best series' ever being kept alive.

This package is a good buy for people who enjoy old school RPG gameplay. If you're into fancy sphere grids and dialogue that's voiced... then this game isn't for you. The graphics are a little on the basic side (ie 16-bit character sprites traveling around PS1 style landscapes). The music has been remixed, however that's kind of a mixed bag. On one hand YES it sounds aesthetically better and yet it lacks that catchy feeling the original music had. The gameplay itself isn't really changed to much from the original aside from a few minor additions in terms of items you can collect (oh! and you get to actually slash with your sword to kill enemies instead of just running into them like you could in the TurboGrafix original).

Long story short, if you missed out on Ys I and II and you don't mind old school gameplay then pick this game up. If you don't care for anything that could be labeled "old school," then steer clear. I happen to love it.

This game is going to appeal mainly to fans of oldschool RPG's, and I might add that this game is a little bit of an oddball for a couple of reasons.

First of all, even though the DS has several RPG's available for it, I found that a lot of DS RPG's tend to be lacking in content and substance. While this game is old fashioned (don't expect an overly complex plot), I already found it to be relatively meaty. The game does ask you to explore and find things out on your own, which should really give you a sense of accomplishment when you actually to find stuff. Fighting and leveling seems a little bit too easy, but the game makes up for it in other ways, such as by providing large, maze-like dungeons to bug the heck out of you (a delight for true dungeon crawlers). What you get with this game is a genuine and sincere RPG without any gimmicks and with enough varied content to keep you entertained.

Another thing about this game that is unusual is the graphics, which are both good and bad. This game is a remake of an old 2D game, and at some point I have to question the decision to make the game "3D." First of all, the game isn't fully 3D; it's one of those hokey pseudo-3D games that reeks of the infatuation with superficial 3D prevalent in the 1990's--even in games where 3D doesn't belong, complete with the poor execution. What you get are fairly crude and ugly 3D renderings of the environments (like something I designed in my middle school CAD class) with little 2D sprites pasted over it, all drawn from the same perspective. As a result, the game is uglier than it actually needs to be--they should have either kept it 2D or worked harder to make the 3D more lovely, which we know is possible because of the beautiful Final Fantasy remakes present on the DS (even simple, old-school games such as FF3). If you're nostalgic for hideous PS1 games, this game is definitely for you! That being said, most of the 2D graphics are great, such as the beautiful character portraits for several NPC's that are sure to warm the hearts of any JRPG fan.

Overall I highly recommend this game. It stands out from the rest, and if you like RPG's a lot and have a DS, you really need to have this game as part of your collection.

I was amazed by how good the game was. The bgm was quite good as well. I recommend this for any classic rpg enthusiast.

Ys fans have much cause to rejoice over this item! However like
any established series a newcomer may be underwhelmed.

To preface this review I didn't play any of the Ys games when they originally came out so I don't have any sense of nostalgia towards this title. The gameplay is very simple and the plot is a bit cliche (you need to get a neat sword and save the land) but overall it is a fun game. I spent about $20 on it and it comes with two games which can either be played in classic mode or with the touch screen and a cd with music on it. Well worth it at that price. I may update my review in the future as I haven't beaten Ys 1 nor have I started Ys 2.

I'm very surprised the "upgraded" graphics in this are so poor. The 2D sprites look okay, though there are very few frames of animation. The 3D/2D world and dungeons look terrible, with the same little patches of texture repeated over and over to the point of inducing a headache and such locales as lakes and items such as tables being represented by horribly jagged triangles. The color palette is seriously ugly too. What gives? This would have looked bad on the PS1, let alone on the DS. Look at Dragon Quest V to see a beauteous DS upgrade of an old game. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride

The gameplay is solid. The enemies don't move as fast as on the Turbografx CD, but it's still fun to run around and smite them, though now you're stuck using the attack button, unless you want to use the stylus control, which I always find awkward.

I like the new mixes on the classic music score. They got that right at least.

Overall, it's still Ys, but the presentation is ugly enough to make me not want to play it. The Turbografx CD version is far superior in my book.

I love the DS and I've had my share of typical RPG's (Final fantasy) but the best thing I love about this game is the "no-holds-barred" action. No fight sequences or turn by turn battling, all you do is experience the joy of immediate run and slash gaming. I felt typical RPG's took too long and felt too formulaic. This game is along the lines of Zelda which is a King in the gaming families.

First off this is only fun to play if you owned a turbo graphics 16. The experience smacks of old school boring gameplay which for some reason was the best thing ever back in the day. They have upgraded the graphics and music for the transition to the ds. But they left the game play the same. My biggest complaint is when you toch a npc in town or whatever you automatically start talking to them. I got trapped in one of the houses cause when ever I tried to move I kept automatically talking to some woman about how she has a kid and should move to Minea cause its safer. There is no game direction at all. I had to go on the internet with in 5 minutes of starting to figure out how to get a sword. Turns out I had to talk to EVERY one in the town before the guy would give it to me. Really? Thats stupid I always ignore everyone in towns in any other RPG.
Kepp in mind that this is a authentic experience and thats what they were going for so I cant judge this game through modern game design lenses. Im sure back in the olden days I would have loved this more then a unicorn or a panda. Thats why I didnt give this 1 star and or less.
Buyer Beware