Developer: Hudson Soft Publisher: Hudson Soft Release: 12/22/93 Genre: Action RPG
I think it is safe to say Ys III is the most divisive entry in the series. The switch from overhead action to side-scrolling platforming was met with a lot of derision from long-time fans. As much as I like the game I can see why many would not. For Ys IV Falcom and their development partners would go back to basics to deliver exactly what fans wanted and more. Ys IV: Dawn of Ys is not only a great game but also one of the best action RPGs for the Turbo Grafx-16.
After his adventures in Esteria Adol returns to the town of Minea to relax. Unfortunately he learns of a growing danger in the land of Celceta that may eventually threaten the world. Being the restless hero that he is Adol sets off for this mysterious land to continue his adventure. Although it shares the same blueprint as Mask of the Sun Dawn of Ys takes place after Ys III rather than before. The story adds a lot of context to the events of Ys Book I & II and enriches the history of the world. And it is told wonderfully through lavish cutscenes and dialogue.
Ys IV as a project is incredibly strange. Falcom did not have the manpower to develop it themselves but had a rough outline of its story. Using this outside developers would create two separate versions of the game. While Advance Communication, the creators of the SNES version of Ys III would make Mask of the Sun for the system Hudson Soft handled the PC Engine CD version. Although they took liberties with the material provided in the end they created the better game. Oddly enough it was not until 2012 that Falcom themselves would make the official Ys IV with Memories of Celceta.
For its gameplay Ys IV goes back to its roots. As an overhead action RPG the game uses the divisive bump combat. In this case it is a lot smoother since you can now walk in eight directions. Although it loses the side-scrolling view Ys IV carries over the ring system from its predecessor as well as magic from Ys II. For those that are not fans of the simple combat magic is a viable alternative. You can spam fire and freeze spells recklessly and you receive a ring to regenerate magic early on. While I will always prefer a dedicated action button I will admit the game has done the best it possibly can to make its unique combat fun.
Next to its combat the dungeon design and pacing has become more adventurous. Most early dungeons are simple in their layout. But soon enough you encounter areas that add environmental hazards like shifting sand and the infamous Escher dungeon, which warps you upside down constantly. Puzzles move beyond basic key collecting to navigating complex teleport systems and using magic to find hidden doors. The final trio of towers will test your patience as they are massive and confusing, yet despite everything I have just described it never lingers in one area too long. The way the story enriches the history of the first two games is incredible with excellent pacing. If you did not know any better you would think Falcom themselves were responsible for this version of Ys IV.
Length wise Dawn of Ys is longer than the games that preceded it. It may not seem like it in practice because it is very balanced. The game moves at a brisk pace and has a smooth difficulty curve. Items are reasonably priced and the amount of experience in each area keeps up with the growing level requirements. Any necessary grinding takes as little as ten minutes for the most part. It isn’t until later in the game that it becomes notably more difficult as the game can be obtuse when it comes to boss battles at times. But being able to save literally anywhere helps alleviate that. It is rare for a RPG to nail its pacing so well which is another point in Ys IV’s favor.
Ys IV does not immediately impress visually. At first glance you could easily mistake it for Ys Book I & II. As you progress however the detail in its environments becomes more apparent. Celceta, while primarily a woodland setting, has a number of diverse environments. The bosses become larger and employ more special effects in their attacks. The bulk of the CD is dedicated to its numerous extended cutscenes, fantastic soundtrack and voice acting. I have to give a special mention to the fan translation team who produced a fan dub so that non-Japanese speakers can enjoy the game fully. The dub is very good with only a few minor characters being bad.
In Closing
YS IV: Dawn of Ys is a great game that excels in nearly every category. It has everything action RPG fans could ask for and is one of the better RPGs for the system. It took many years for it to be accessible to English speakers but the wait was worth it.
