Developer: Advance Communication Publisher: Victor Release: 09/27/91 Genre: Action RPG
Ys III should have been an easy home run. While the previous games were simple and accessible their combat system was not the greatest. Charging in to enemies was not intuitive depending on the version and also not satisfying for those that like tactile feedback. Changing the action to a side view to bring it in line with the most popular console action games was a good idea. Yet opinion is split on Ys III overall. The changes it brings also made it lose what made Ys unique. It is not without its good points however and this Famicom edition is far better than it has any right to be.
The limitations of the Famicom mean there is no lavish cutscene to introduce you to the game’s story. It begins almost immediately with Adol and Dogi already in Redmont with no preamble. All you need to know is that Adol and Dogi venture to Felghana for some rest and relaxation after their adventures in the land of Esteria. However things are not right as monster attacks are on the rise and the townsfolk are being threatened by the local lord and the pair decides to get involved. By and large the game is identical to every other version in terms of story and content. There are only a few sacrifices but they are so minor it is not worth discussing.
Like almost every title in the series Ys III hit almost every major platform available at the time. All three 16-bit consoles have a version and surprisingly all released in the US as well. Unlike the first two games Ys III for the Famicom was almost the last to hit store shelves in Japan. And like its predecessors it stayed in Japan. I am pretty sure most are not even aware it exists. While the lion’s share of attention was on the big brother platforms this remains a respectable version of the most controversial title in the series.
Ys I and II were both ugly games on the Famicom. The short, squat sprites were not only hideous but also affected gameplay. Ys III is a much better looking title in every respect. The sprites are large and well animated and detailed as well. In fact they look better than many similar titles on the platform. The backgrounds are almost virtually the same as the 16-bit consoles and only lack parallax scrolling. The overall color palette is drab but there is nothing they can do about that. The brilliant soundtrack sadly did not make the trip unscathed. Only a few of the tracks are present and the game recycles music from the first game. But as an overall effort the developers did a much better job with this one and it can hold its head up high.
For Ys III Falcom went with a side scrolling perspective. The gameplay is similar to Zelda II in that you can jump and perform a few different attacks such as a downward stab. Combat is faster since you now manually attack which eliminates one of the frustrations with the first two games. The magic system of Ys II has been replaced with rings. Over the course of the game you will earn five rings that have different effects such as doubling attack power, slowing time, and healing. Rings use ring power which drains as soon as they are equipped which necessitates strategic use as you can only replenish ring power in towns or with an expensive item. Aside from that gameplay is more or less the same.
The perspective shift is not the only reason some do not like Ys III. The level design is boring and straightforward. Most dungeons are only a few screens long with few if any branching paths. The land of Felghana is also incredibly small with only six locations to visit. When you combine these two traits you have a very short game. To pad it out grinding is necessary to progress. But even that does little to prolong the adventure. Despite stopping to grind a few times I still completed the game in a little over two hours. I enjoyed that time but it left me wanting more. It is not that they changed the perspective; it is that they did so little with it.
In Closing
I have played more Ys III than I care to admit. But while it is not my favorite in the series I still like it overall. The Famicom version ranks low next to the other editions but is more than solid. I enjoyed my stint with it although that time was brief.
