Unlike with Kiseki I do not have any profound or profusely deep thoughts on Ys. That isn’t to say Ys is bad… in fact it shines as one of the most fulfilling narrative experiences one could have. However, it is to say that you receive exactly what you expect from Ys which isn’t a negative evaluation by any means. Ys is and always will be the story of one very proficient red-haired swordsman who embarks on a myriad of adventures and Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana is no different. In a way, I’d even say this game is the pinnacle of Ys experiences and rightfully reoriented the franchise.
Ys VIII covers the travelogue of Adol’s shipwreck on the Isle of Seiren and what a gold mine Falcom struck with such a setting. This game was many people’s initial foray into this franchise and so orienting Adol in a world that is completely unknown to him fully embraces us into his role. This island is as mysterious to him as it is to us and each new discovery, landmark and detail really allows the player to inherit the role of “Adventurer”. Rather than Ys VIII explaining to us “why” adventuring is so exciting to Adol, we learn first hand just what it means to him by instilling in us that very same awe, wonder and excitement. Throughout the game many characters scoff, ridicule or even question Adol’s self-proclaimed title but each location in this game reinforces in us “why” we adventure. To that end, Lacrimosa of Dana does an excellent job of conveying this world to us as players. It is no surprise that Falcom was operating under heavy technical limitations between the Vita and PS4 but despite this, each location is incredibly inspired and purposeful. There is purposeful intent behind every new discovery you make and this is one aspect Ys VIII absolutely excels at.. even more so than its predecessors. This game is a masterclass in environmental story-telling. There is so much to learn just from paying attention to the world and how every location is oriented in respect to each other. One detail I feel many overlook is how each location is named by the party themselves. Discovering why “Nameless Coast”, “Eroded Valley”, “Nostalgia Cape” are named as such and how the landmarks present in these locations prompted such names is so much fun. One of my favorite moments in any game comes from Ys VIII and it is when the cast finally reaches the summit of Gens d’Armes. That view from South to North has no English dictionary word describing what it makes one feel. Add to this the underlying mysteries behind each Pirate’s Note or discovery you make regarding the truth of Seiren and there is so much subtle build-up that absolutely pays off in spades as you progress. To this day, the minute approach of Eleftheria and Captain Reed’s story is some of my favorite Ys storytelling to date. Add to this how each new location is delivered with soulful art and environment direction. Even despite its release in 2016, it is hard to say this game aged poorly when so many locations look incredibly beautiful and convey just how Seiren’s isolation from the progression of mankind is as magnificent as it is awe-inspiring. This purposeful world-crafting pairs sublimely with Falcom Sound Team JDK’s pure euphoria-inducing soundtrack. Tracks such as “Eroded Valley”, “Sibylline Road”, “Gens d’Armes”, “A Slow and Deep Breath”, “Iclucian Dance” and “Valley of Kings” to name a few all help illustrate the diverse and dense world of Seiren. The pure emotions conveyed from Unisuga, Jindo, Singa and Sonoda’s work here is unparalleled. I’d even go so far as to say Ys VIII’s soundtrack illustrates the golden era of Falcom discography. Every track has so much passion poured into it, each telling a story of its own that combines flawlessly with the emotion and tragedy of each location to deliver such profound sentiment. I cannot stress enough how much of a marriage the two are. And I cannot stress enough how this fuels your desire for “adventure”. This game very much feels like a love letter to the concept of discovery and fully embodies what Adol Christin as a character represents in this world.
And regarding the “world”, Ys VIII does an excellent job of tying together its theme of unity. From the very beginning it is stressed that only together can each castaway survive on Seiren. And this very theme is ever present in them, in Dana, in Eternia, in the Wardens and in Selen Garden. It is only through unity can humanity, or rather, our collective consciousness endure. Ys VIII takes this theme and masterfully weaves it into the ever-increasing stakes so well that you can’t help but root for each character as they overcome each tribulation. And oh man, the characters. This game has an incredibly strong cast from Laxia whose arc teaches us to overcome our own indecisiveness and take action, Sahad who reminds us to be humble in the face of how great the world is, Hummel who demonstrates how duty drives humanity to be ever greater in their cause, Ricotta who shows us no matter how lost we are never alone and Dana who enforces that so long as we are unrelenting we will overcome. It is hard to feel any character ever falls behind as each proves themselves to be more than just a caricature of some niche. Sahad’s words to Adol and Laxia under the night sky on remaining humble in front of the ocean stay with me to this day. It is hard to imagine this game without any one of its cast members.
It’s amazing for me honestly. I have played this game many times before but it hasn’t resonated so deeply with me until now. This is just a really good game and certainly one of my favorite Ys experiences. It encapsulates just what Ys means. It features some phenomenal story-telling, environments, OST, characters and really embraces what it means to sit down and go on a fantastical adventure. Ys VIII embodies both the legacy and philosophy of Ys. Ys VIII is at its core the truest Ys experience.
Ys VIII covers the travelogue of Adol’s shipwreck on the Isle of Seiren and what a gold mine Falcom struck with such a setting. This game was many people’s initial foray into this franchise and so orienting Adol in a world that is completely unknown to him fully embraces us into his role. This island is as mysterious to him as it is to us and each new discovery, landmark and detail really allows the player to inherit the role of “Adventurer”. Rather than Ys VIII explaining to us “why” adventuring is so exciting to Adol, we learn first hand just what it means to him by instilling in us that very same awe, wonder and excitement. Throughout the game many characters scoff, ridicule or even question Adol’s self-proclaimed title but each location in this game reinforces in us “why” we adventure. To that end, Lacrimosa of Dana does an excellent job of conveying this world to us as players. It is no surprise that Falcom was operating under heavy technical limitations between the Vita and PS4 but despite this, each location is incredibly inspired and purposeful. There is purposeful intent behind every new discovery you make and this is one aspect Ys VIII absolutely excels at.. even more so than its predecessors. This game is a masterclass in environmental story-telling. There is so much to learn just from paying attention to the world and how every location is oriented in respect to each other. One detail I feel many overlook is how each location is named by the party themselves. Discovering why “Nameless Coast”, “Eroded Valley”, “Nostalgia Cape” are named as such and how the landmarks present in these locations prompted such names is so much fun. One of my favorite moments in any game comes from Ys VIII and it is when the cast finally reaches the summit of Gens d’Armes. That view from South to North has no English dictionary word describing what it makes one feel. Add to this the underlying mysteries behind each Pirate’s Note or discovery you make regarding the truth of Seiren and there is so much subtle build-up that absolutely pays off in spades as you progress. To this day, the minute approach of Eleftheria and Captain Reed’s story is some of my favorite Ys storytelling to date. Add to this how each new location is delivered with soulful art and environment direction. Even despite its release in 2016, it is hard to say this game aged poorly when so many locations look incredibly beautiful and convey just how Seiren’s isolation from the progression of mankind is as magnificent as it is awe-inspiring. This purposeful world-crafting pairs sublimely with Falcom Sound Team JDK’s pure euphoria-inducing soundtrack. Tracks such as “Eroded Valley”, “Sibylline Road”, “Gens d’Armes”, “A Slow and Deep Breath”, “Iclucian Dance” and “Valley of Kings” to name a few all help illustrate the diverse and dense world of Seiren. The pure emotions conveyed from Unisuga, Jindo, Singa and Sonoda’s work here is unparalleled. I’d even go so far as to say Ys VIII’s soundtrack illustrates the golden era of Falcom discography. Every track has so much passion poured into it, each telling a story of its own that combines flawlessly with the emotion and tragedy of each location to deliver such profound sentiment. I cannot stress enough how much of a marriage the two are. And I cannot stress enough how this fuels your desire for “adventure”. This game very much feels like a love letter to the concept of discovery and fully embodies what Adol Christin as a character represents in this world.
And regarding the “world”, Ys VIII does an excellent job of tying together its theme of unity. From the very beginning it is stressed that only together can each castaway survive on Seiren. And this very theme is ever present in them, in Dana, in Eternia, in the Wardens and in Selen Garden. It is only through unity can humanity, or rather, our collective consciousness endure. Ys VIII takes this theme and masterfully weaves it into the ever-increasing stakes so well that you can’t help but root for each character as they overcome each tribulation. And oh man, the characters. This game has an incredibly strong cast from Laxia whose arc teaches us to overcome our own indecisiveness and take action, Sahad who reminds us to be humble in the face of how great the world is, Hummel who demonstrates how duty drives humanity to be ever greater in their cause, Ricotta who shows us no matter how lost we are never alone and Dana who enforces that so long as we are unrelenting we will overcome. It is hard to feel any character ever falls behind as each proves themselves to be more than just a caricature of some niche. Sahad’s words to Adol and Laxia under the night sky on remaining humble in front of the ocean stay with me to this day. It is hard to imagine this game without any one of its cast members.
It’s amazing for me honestly. I have played this game many times before but it hasn’t resonated so deeply with me until now. This is just a really good game and certainly one of my favorite Ys experiences. It encapsulates just what Ys means. It features some phenomenal story-telling, environments, OST, characters and really embraces what it means to sit down and go on a fantastical adventure. Ys VIII embodies both the legacy and philosophy of Ys. Ys VIII is at its core the truest Ys experience.