i was sadly more aware of the flaws of the Ys series in this game, than i had been with the prior one.

they got some really great voice actors, yet i didn't always like the voice directing, nor did i like how seemingly random the voice acting was. sometimes a scene would just stop or start having voice acting in the middle of it. some main story scenes lacked it alltogether.

the grind for the twilight shards in each chapter got repetitive and annoying fairly quickly. balduq is a rather bland town itself, but honestly not my biggest concern.

i did like the cast of this game the most so far! i was able to connect to all monstrums (aside from aprillis sadly) and i was happy to see them in the end credits and see what they did with their lives after the events of the game.

i don't hate this game, nor can i really love it. combining all my thoughts and feelings, i'm being rather neutral about this game. i won't return to it anytime soon, but i'm still glad i played it

A fantastical adventure with some notable missteps.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Fantastic)

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the tenth core game in Nihon Falcom’s long running Ys franchise (counting 2006’s Ys Origin), and my personal favourite by a large margin. Despite my love for this franchise in its entirety, this one has stuck with me like no other. It wormed its way into my heart without actually being the most polished, or objectively well rounded or crafted entry in the series. It is a game with flaws, a title that chooses to experiment with established formulas to varying degrees of success, but one that I adore due to its deep exploration of themes such as identity, what it means to be human, and a dissection of the characters who inhabit the city of Balduq, and what makes them tick. This is not your grandpappy’s Ys game, as Ys IX: Monstrum Nox moves the player out of the vibrant open fields of past games, and into the grey, gothic interiors of a prison city, an unending series of prisons both physical and metaphorical, layered upon each other. Combined with new powers and abilities that dramatically alter the gameplay loops established in its predecessor, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, or even Ys Seven and Ys: Memories of Celceta, this game has proven controversial at times, and is seen by some as an inferior product. I do not believe this to be the case.

To summarise this game briefly, our good friend Adol Christin returns (who would’a thunk it, huh?) alongside an eclectic cast of 5 new characters, all of whose identity’s are initially shrouded in mystery. This time, Adol has been bestowed with the Monstrum curse, granting him supernatural powers and forcing him into the fight against the Grimwald Nox, a mythical battleground of the gods that lies beyond our own material dimension. Together, they seek to escape their curse, and end the emergence of the Grimwald Nox once and for all, while other dark secrets and conspiracies become manifest.

Ys IX explores themes of identity in a beautiful and intricate way, both through the characterisation of its main party, as well as eventual revelations within the narrative as to all the character’s origins. Modern Ys games have this elegant approach to storytelling, where as the themes of the narrative become apparent over time it reinforces the story being told. Where VIII explored evolutionary fatalism, and the gorgeous character arc of Dana Iclucia, IX dives into a much more intimate story of what it means to be individuals. The story and characters of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, despite the feelings of others concerning it, I would argue is just as good as the previous game, in its own way, and I would go so far as to consider it a strong suit. I really bloody liked it (I do not care what you try to tell me, this game’s story is underrated). For anyone struggling with what it means to be themselves, to be human, this game is for you! Philosophical ponderings on identity, individuality, and the human condition are all commonplace throughout the game’s 40-hour run time.

All of this hasn’t even touched on the gameplay yet. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is crisp and refined, with combat feeling more smooth than it ever has. Skills and accessories allow for a vast degree of customisation, with the new talismans even allowing you to alter a character’s damage type, enabling greater control over building a viable party. The biggest growing pain is in the level design, as the experimental ‘Gifts’ leave a little to be desired in terms of the exploration, with its predecessor, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana being a master of the Zelda/Metroid styled item progression that made exploration so rewarding. The music also feels lacking in comparison to past entries, which for Nihon Falcom games in general has become an increasingly common complaint in recent years. That being said, in terms of raw gameplay, this is arguably the best Ys has ever been.

If you’re looking for a solid action RPG with crunchy combo-based gameplay and a narrative rich with intrigue and musings on identity, I can’t recommend this game highly enough (no, seriously, please play it). Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has become an all time favourite of mine.