Developer: Riot Publisher: Renovation Release: 1991 Genre: Action RPG
Ys III is the redheaded stepchild of the series. As the only title in the series that deviated from the overhead view and bump combat for the longest time it was incredibly divisive. But in spite of that it was still ported to nearly all of the popular platforms of the day. Even the Famicom received a version. The Sega Genesis version was the first of the 16-bit versions released overseas and occupies a middle ground between all three. If the PC remake of Ys III (Oath in Felghana) is not an option this is the version to get.
Adol and his companion Dogi have spent the years since the events of Ys Book 1 & 2 traveling the world. During their travels they come across a gypsy caravan and Adol has his fortune told. Unfortunately it portends disaster for Dogi’s hometown, prompting the two to face their destiny head on. For such an early title the localization is pretty decent. This version changes the names of locations from the PC-88 original for some strange reason but otherwise is mostly free of typos and odd turns of phrase. While it lacks the elaborate cutscenes and music of its Turbo CD counterpart the Sega edition of Ys III makes up for it in other ways with better graphics and gameplay.
Ys III closely resembles Zelda II rather than its predecessor. As a side-scrolling action RPG you no longer bump into enemies to attack. You swing your sword and can perform a variety of attacks just like Link. Adol moves very fast and while it is a departure for the most part combat is handled well. The magic system of Ys II is gone but the game retains the ring system with a few changes. The rings play a larger role in the game but now use ring power so they do not break the game. Considering you can double your attack power, slow time and even heal it makes sense.
The game has a solid base and for the most can be enjoyable. But as a whole it feels like a side project rather than a full-fledged adventure. The overworld is gone and is replaced by a simple map where you select your destination. There are only five or six areas in the game, making it feel like Gilligan’s Island. That would not be so bad if the level design were interesting. But the dungeons are weak, with simple layouts that are incredibly straightforward. There are few interesting landmarks to make them feel alive. You spend most of your time roaming repetitive halls full of respawning enemies. The final two areas are more inspired but they can’t make up for the rest of the game. I do not necessarily think most would oppose the change in viewpoint if the game were better.
All three 16-bit versions of Ys III have their gameplay quirks that make them different. The SNES game is the most difficult. Enemies are very resilient and the spotty hit detection makes the early stages hard to get over. The leveling curve is about average as you don’t need to grind as hard but it does make an already brief game shorter. The boss battles are oddly incredibly difficult. The CD version is the easiest as the amount of experience per level is lower on average. Sega fans have it the easiest as this version is the most balanced. The early leveling process is rough but after the first five levels it evens out. On top of that the max level is twelve versus sixteen in the other versions. It is not a cake walk but it does present the best gameplay experience.
It is interesting to examine just how much each version of Ys III differs visually. This version is darker than the rest which is very noticeable. However it makes up for by having the most detail in its environments. Even areas as simple as the various houses in town are full of minute details like the various pieces of armor and weapons in the weapons shop. The backgrounds generally have a fewer layers of scrolling than its counterparts. The random special effects such as the wave effect in the Ilvern Ruins are smoother than the CD version as well. Ys III is not a stunning title in the graphics department so every little detail present in the Genesis version helps.
In Closing
My opinion remains the same. Ys III has its flaws but is still a solid game overall. It ranks low on the list of Genesis action RPGs but is worth it to kill an afternoon.
