All Ys Games Listed In Chronological Order

The Ys series remains one of the best-kept JRPG secrets. Nihon Falcom has been making Ys games since the 8-bit days of yore. However, despite the popularity of more recent entries like Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, the series still remains niche. Maybe that is partially because of how confusing the Ys timeline is.

Players can easily be forgiven for not knowing where to begin with the Ys series. The games were not released in chronological order. Additionally, most Ys games have received remakes where even the name of the game was changed.

Despite the relative obscurity of the Ys franchise, it has endured. Fans love Ys games for their amazing soundtracks, strategic combat, and the lore that binds each game to the well-crafted Ys universe.

10

Ys Origin

Ys Origin was originally released in 2006 for PC but has since been made available on most modern platf0rms. It takes place about 700 years before the events of Ys I&II (and before the introduction of the series’ main protagonist, Adol).

Ys Origins sees the floating land of Ys assaulted by the demons who are trying to build a tower to reach it. The story centers around three playable characters and gives a lot of backstory to characters and locales that recur in the series like the twin goddesses, the six priests, and Darm Tower.

Ys Origins was a fast-paced entry that required the player to beat it with multiple characters to see the true origin story in full. Despite the whole game taking place in one giant labyrinth, the environments were varied, and the gameplay is as addicting as any Ys game.

9

Ys I & II

Ys I & II are often bundled together since they are essentially one continuous game, and they’ve been remade countless times. The TurboGrafx-16 version, Ys Book I&II was a landmark RPG in 1989 because of the CD technology. It allowed for fully animated cutscenes and richer sound quality. Players looking for a more modern experience might want to check out Ys Chronicles I & II.

The plot of Ys I & II introduced Adol and had him collecting the history books of Ys and traveling to the floating land of Ys to rid the land of evil.

Ys I & II feature the famous (or infamous) “bump” system where players run directly into enemies rather than using a dedicated attack button. These games are still surprisingly playable, and they really put Nihon Falcom on the map.

8

Ys X: Nordics

The latest game in the Ys series, Ys X: Nordics pulls the timeline all the way back to one of Adol Christin’s earliest tales. Set just past the first and second games, this title sees a younger, more gung-ho, Adol in a naval adventure that brings the world of Ys to life in fresh, splashy, ways.

Great bosses complement a robust ship-upgrading system, once again proving that Nihon Falcom can bring new tricks to an old series. There are even full-fledged naval battles. While it’ll be interesting to see whether Falcom chooses a more seasoned point in Adol’s timeline for the eleventh entry, a prequel-esque push has its own rich rewards.

7

Ys IV: Memories of Celcelta

Ys IV probably has the most confusing history in the franchise. Two versions were released in 1993 (both outsourced), Mask of the Sun by Tonkin House and The Dawn of Ys by Hudson Soft. In 2012, Nihon Falcom remade Ys IV for PSP (it was also ported to PS4 and PC) and renamed it Memories of Celceta. This version fused the stories from both previous versions of Ys IV.

It takes place one year after the events of Ys II. Adol has amnesia and starts to recover his memories as the story progresses. The plot heavily revolves around a powerful item called the Mask of the Sun that can be used to absorb mysterious powers.

Gameplay-wise, Memories of Celceta borrowed from Ys Seven and features multiple playable characters. Fans are divided on Memories of Celceta. While the gameplay is generally praised, the outdated graphics and thin plot didn’t please everyone.

6

Ys III: The Oath of Felghana

Ys III was originally released as Ys III: Wanderers from Ys in 1989. The gameplay was completely different, instead featuring 2D gameplay with a dedicated attack button. Issues like framerate drops and high difficulty kept it from being as acclaimed as the first two Ys games.

Luckily, Nihon Falcom remade Ys III from the ground up in 2005 and retitled it The Oath of Felghana. Graphically, Oath of Felghana resembles of Ys Origin, but the combat system comes from Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim.

It takes place one year after the end of Ys IV. While the plot is very basic, revolving around Adol and Dogi protecting the city of Felghana, the remake was a huge improvement upon the original game. Extra cut scenes were added to expand the plot and add to the lore.

5

Ys V: Kefin, The Lost Kingdom Of Sand

Ys V: Kefin, The Lost Kingdom of Sand is probably the most forgotten Ys game. It was released in 1996 on the Super Famicom. It has never received a remake or a western release. On top of that, the franchise took a long hiatus after the release of Ys V.

Ys V is set a couple of years after Oath of Felghana. The plot revolves around exploring Xandria in order to find a lost desert kingdom called Kefin.

One reason Ys V might be so forgotten is that it took so few risks. It didn’t really build upon the combat established in past Ys games, which were all experimental. Worse yet, some consider Ys V to be nothing more than a decent Zelda clone.

Maybe someday Nihon Falcom will bless fans with a proper remake, much like the other early Ys games have received.

4

Ys VIII: The Lacrimosa of Dana

Ys VIII was released in 2016, and it’s available on most modern platforms. It takes place shortly after Ys V (Adol even starts the game with equipment from Kefin). After a shipwreck, Adol finds himself stranded on the Isle of Seiren. He works with his allies to escape while helping the locals build a safe settlement. Players can switch between six playable characters who specialize in specific kinds of attacks.

What really separates Ys VIII from the pack is the perspective shifts between Adol and Dana (a mysterious girl who is the last of her kind). Decisions made with Dana can impact Adol’s adventure and the landscape itself.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana catapulted the popularity of the Ys series (and makes for a great introduction to action RPGs). It is the biggest Ys game to date and focuses more on a central plot and the emotional stakes of its main characters.

3

Ys VI: The Ark Of Napishtim

Ys VI was released in 2002 and broke the near-decade hiatus between Ys games. It takes place after Adol’s escape from the Isle of Seiren. Once again, Adol has some bad luck at sea and finds himself stranded on a mysterious island.

Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim marked a huge shift in the direction of the series. It was the first 3D Ys game, and it featured a brand new combat system. No more bumping, 2D action, or Zelda-style gameplay. Instead, the combat was made more frantic with the addition of jumping and magic spells.

Most fans look favorably upon Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim for a plethora of reasons. But its historic significance is mostly due to forging a new identity for the series and modernizing Ys.

2

Ys Seven

Ys Seven was released in 2009 for the PSP. It takes place about six months after The Ark of Napishtim. Ys Seven sees Adol and Dogi finally reaching the Capital of Altago (their destination after escaping in Ys VIII).

Adol and Dogi are tasked with investigating recent earthquakes. This leads to a grand adventure where they need to try to reawaken the five dragons to prevent a horrible calamity.

Ys Seven is generally praised, but it was a massive departure from the older games, dividing some older fans. Ys Seven has multiple playable characters that can be switched in and out. The AI controlled the other characters, and the combat system revolved around using weapon and element types to match enemy weaknesses.

1

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the latest in the chronological timeline. It takes place in a prison city under Romun control. Beings known as “Monstrums” (supernatural beings) are appearing and causing trouble with locals.

Adol is falsely accused of a heavy crime and becomes a Monstrum himself. He needs to escape the prison city with the help of both new and old allies.

Falcom built off of Ys VII and continued with the usage of multiple party members and different types of attacks. Monstrum abilities like wall climbing and gliding also add a new layer to the exploration and combat.