Ys Origin is easily one of the best condensed action RPGs I have played in recent years; there's a story but it's told simply, and your time isn't wasted whatsoever. It's extremely simple yet satisfying combat and dungeon traversal where you'll be constantly engaged driving your way through hordes of enemies in a variety of different environments without ever getting lost in a sprawling overworld yet remaining challenged. You can finish the game in a single day with one character, yet it is definitely worthwhile to do multiple runs with different characters (especially the hidden unlockable character... don't miss that run), and there's something to be said about it's difficulty, since Ys is a game that rewards you for playing aggressive but also playing well (the ability to feel like you're constantly fighting back and dealing damage as well as an XP multiplier that increases with successive hits definitely helps). All the boss fights are quite memorable too, with their own strategies and characteristics, and you'll definitely never get bored from how this game drives you to play better. Without a doubt, this is one of the best overlooked games from the 2000s, and even today it should garner so much attention despite increasing interest in the Ys series. Look no further if you want an engaging yet challenging game with tons of replay value.