Developer: Alfa System Publisher: NEC Release: 11/91 Genre: Action RPG
Even though many hate Zelda II I loved it. Back then there were no expectations placed on video games so we accepted that a sequel could be completely different from its predecessor. At least on the NES that usually worked out. Ys III is the bastard child of the series as it shifts the viewpoint and gameplay to a side-scrolling format. For the most part it works but it also loses a lot of what made the series so famous in the first place. While I like the game I can also see why the series would go back to the overhead view for its sequels. This Turbo CD version of the game could have been the best. But a number of small flaws hold it back although it is still solid otherwise.
A few years after his adventures in Esteria Adol and his companion Dogi decide to head to his hometown of Sarina to rest. No sooner do they arrive do they learn that some villagers have been trapped in the local mine. Adol springs into action and slowly runs afoul of a group trying to resurrect the demon Demonicus, who was slain by a legendary hero long ago. The localization takes many liberties and changes the names of almost every location and even suggests that the hero who defeated Demonicus long ago is Adol. I suppose you cannot expect consistency when three different publishers handled the game in the US.
Ys III is an odd game in the series. Not just for its viewpoint but because on paper it should be a relatively easy slam dunk. Yet when it comes down to it this is a heavily flawed and simple game. In switching to a side-scrolling view Falcom forgot to create interesting maps and streamlined the game, resulting in a fun but brief experience. It is still decent but a far cry from its legendary predecessor.
Ys III is very similar to Zelda II not just in their viewpoint but also in gameplay. Adol moves very quickly and can slash his sword in nearly every direction like Link. As much as I like the first two games combat was not their strong suit. Running into enemies off center was functional but not the least bit satisfying, something that has been rectified here. The magic system of Ys II is gone but the magic rings return, providing a variety of effects such as increased attack power, defense, healing and slowing time. You can no longer use them indefinitely as it would break the game. Instead you have a ring meter that recharges in town or by killing enemies.
Despite the strides made with combat the dungeon design is simply boring. The labyrinthine maps of Ys Book I & II have given way to straight corridors with nothing but respawning enemies. This is not a fault of the view either; Zelda II has fantastic dungeons with good design. Here it seems they simply did not try. Only the Valestein Castle and Genos Island provide some manner of interesting layout.
The game’s brevity makes it worse. There are only six locations in the game with two (Tigre Quarry and Sarina) requiring multiple visits. In fact there isn’t even an overworld, you simply select your destination on the world map! A good portion of your time will be spent grinding experience in order to tackle the next area but that is merely an artificial means of extending an already brief game. Overall this version of Ys III is the easiest with weaker enemies and less experience needed to level. The sudden spike in difficulty with the bosses is also not present here making for a smoother ride. This makes an already short game even more brief.
At its original PC-88 release Ys III was a bit of a technical marvel with its multiple layers of scrolling. But in the years since then console gaming left it behind. The Turbo CD retains the layers of parallax however it is sloppy, moving at half the framerate and appearing jerky. It is just as distracting as in Ninja Ryukenden which makes you wander why they would bother. Aside from the intro and ending there are no cutscenes to progress the story, leaving this the worst looking 16-bit version of the game.
However it makes up for it in the sound department. The music is fantastic and the best aspect of the game. The OST is in red book audio and full of the rousing and epic tracks Falcom had become known for. The music is almost worth buying the game alone in my opinion. Honestly it should come as no surprise; a Ys game with bad music is illegal. The voice acting on the other hand is bad. Most of the actor’s come across as lifeless and the only thing impressive about is the amount of dialogue.
In Closing
Despite its flaws the Turbo CD edition of Ys III is a good version of the game. Buried underneath its boring level design and short length is a decent action RPG. However at this point I would recommend the Oath in Felghana, the excellent remake released for the PSP and PC.
