its age definitely shows with some dated features, the most obvious example being the questionable key system, but I personally didn't mind it. my pain point was frequently opening the inventory to swap accessories or skills depending on the situation, it was the one thing that got bothersome over time. another trivial concern was how I was playing on a controller and having to use a joystick for cursor movement got old fast. neither of these are much of a problem when it takes only 14 hours to complete as tracked in-game, including about one hour of grinding weapon proficiencies.
more importantly, I found the setbacks to be forgettable boss fights and a combat system that I just couldn't be bothered with fully engaging in anymore. the inventory and equipment management has its own charm to it, but after a certain point I got tired of running behind everything to capitalize on crits and just facetanked with potions half the time. it's a shame because it's cleverly designed, I just lost interest in it over the course of my playthrough.
none of that should understate its successes however. the soundtrack and ambience really set the tone, giving the game a strong sense of atmosphere, although it can get repetitive when you frequent an area for too long... especially that shrill flute in the Harlech Village theme. progression in general feels pretty good in terms of both leveling and the story. the plot is presented well, I found myself actually getting emotional at the ending which doubles as a testament to the game's overall charm. dungeons are intelligently designed and backtracking never feels like a slog, in part thanks to the shortcuts. puzzles are implemented well too; they make you think without taking too long to solve, they feel rewarding, and they're never too frequent.
with all things considered, this easily overlooked game really does deserve its flowers. I played Ys Origin way back in 2017 and loved it, yet I only just found out about Xanadu Next even existing. I'm pleasantly surprised everything came together in the way that it did, it's truly a hidden gem.
more importantly, I found the setbacks to be forgettable boss fights and a combat system that I just couldn't be bothered with fully engaging in anymore. the inventory and equipment management has its own charm to it, but after a certain point I got tired of running behind everything to capitalize on crits and just facetanked with potions half the time. it's a shame because it's cleverly designed, I just lost interest in it over the course of my playthrough.
none of that should understate its successes however. the soundtrack and ambience really set the tone, giving the game a strong sense of atmosphere, although it can get repetitive when you frequent an area for too long... especially that shrill flute in the Harlech Village theme. progression in general feels pretty good in terms of both leveling and the story. the plot is presented well, I found myself actually getting emotional at the ending which doubles as a testament to the game's overall charm. dungeons are intelligently designed and backtracking never feels like a slog, in part thanks to the shortcuts. puzzles are implemented well too; they make you think without taking too long to solve, they feel rewarding, and they're never too frequent.
with all things considered, this easily overlooked game really does deserve its flowers. I played Ys Origin way back in 2017 and loved it, yet I only just found out about Xanadu Next even existing. I'm pleasantly surprised everything came together in the way that it did, it's truly a hidden gem.