Title: Ys Origin
Developer: Nihon Falcom
Genre: Action RPG
Release: May 31, 2012 (Steam)
Website: http://worldofys.com/yso/
Price: $19.99/€15.99/£12.99/399 rubles
http://store.steampowered.com/app/207350/
There once was a wildly prosperous land named Ys, ruled by the twin Goddesses Reah and Feena and their six
priestly retainers. It was a veritable paradise, with all its residents able to enact miracles at will through the use of
magic – a power granted them by a holy artifact known as the Black Pearl.
One day, without warning, enormous demons marched upon the land, bringing death and devastation in their wake.
Their numbers and their might were too much for the knights and sorcerers of Ys to handle, so the people sought
shelter within their holiest of temples at the top of the tallest mountain. In a desperate attempt to keep these people
safe, the twin Goddesses used the power of the Black Pearl to tear this temple from the ground and raise it into the
heavens, away from the ever-growing threat below.
The demons were determined, however. They erected an enormous tower from which further attacks were launched,
bringing the battle into the skies. An all-out war had begun, with forces concentrated in Solomon Shrine above and
the Devil's Tower below.
And it was amidst this chaos that the twin Goddesses stole away into the night. No one was told of their departure –
not even the Six Priests who served them. It seemed clear that they'd gone back to the surface, but no one knew
exactly why. Only one thing was certain: Without the Goddesses, Ys could not survive.
Intent on finding their missing deities, the Six Priests organized a search party of the most elite knights and
sorcerers in the land. These soldiers were given a single mission: Secure the safety of Ladies Reah and Feena, and
bring them back to Solomon Shrine alive and well.
But in the desolate, ruined remains of Ys, there's only place they could have gone...
The Devil's Tower itself.
Ys Origin is a prequel to the rest of the Ys series, taking place 700 years before Ys 1. The game takes place entirely
within the tower, but it is a much more varied place compared to how it appears in Ys 1. Along the way, you'll learn
quite a lot about the history of Ys, the tower, and the goddesses. And don't let the setting fool you into thinking the
game is just a dungeon crawler, as it has what I feel is the most well-developed story in the series.
In terms of gameplay, it's a very fast-paced action RPG that uses the next iteration of the engine that powered Ys 6
and Ys: Oath in Felghana, however it does not quite play the same, because of the different characters to play as.
The English Steam release features true widescreen support, Steam Cloud support, and Steam achievements.
Developer: Nihon Falcom
Genre: Action RPG
Release: May 31, 2012 (Steam)
Website: http://worldofys.com/yso/
Price: $19.99/€15.99/£12.99/399 rubles
http://store.steampowered.com/app/207350/
There once was a wildly prosperous land named Ys, ruled by the twin Goddesses Reah and Feena and their six
priestly retainers. It was a veritable paradise, with all its residents able to enact miracles at will through the use of
magic – a power granted them by a holy artifact known as the Black Pearl.
One day, without warning, enormous demons marched upon the land, bringing death and devastation in their wake.
Their numbers and their might were too much for the knights and sorcerers of Ys to handle, so the people sought
shelter within their holiest of temples at the top of the tallest mountain. In a desperate attempt to keep these people
safe, the twin Goddesses used the power of the Black Pearl to tear this temple from the ground and raise it into the
heavens, away from the ever-growing threat below.
The demons were determined, however. They erected an enormous tower from which further attacks were launched,
bringing the battle into the skies. An all-out war had begun, with forces concentrated in Solomon Shrine above and
the Devil's Tower below.
And it was amidst this chaos that the twin Goddesses stole away into the night. No one was told of their departure –
not even the Six Priests who served them. It seemed clear that they'd gone back to the surface, but no one knew
exactly why. Only one thing was certain: Without the Goddesses, Ys could not survive.
Intent on finding their missing deities, the Six Priests organized a search party of the most elite knights and
sorcerers in the land. These soldiers were given a single mission: Secure the safety of Ladies Reah and Feena, and
bring them back to Solomon Shrine alive and well.
But in the desolate, ruined remains of Ys, there's only place they could have gone...
The Devil's Tower itself.
Ys Origin is a prequel to the rest of the Ys series, taking place 700 years before Ys 1. The game takes place entirely
within the tower, but it is a much more varied place compared to how it appears in Ys 1. Along the way, you'll learn
quite a lot about the history of Ys, the tower, and the goddesses. And don't let the setting fool you into thinking the
game is just a dungeon crawler, as it has what I feel is the most well-developed story in the series.
In terms of gameplay, it's a very fast-paced action RPG that uses the next iteration of the engine that powered Ys 6
and Ys: Oath in Felghana, however it does not quite play the same, because of the different characters to play as.
The English Steam release features true widescreen support, Steam Cloud support, and Steam achievements.
Ys Origin features three playable characters, each with their own unique play-style and storyline. At first, you can
only choose between Yunica and Hugo, but upon beating the game once, "The Claw" becomes available to play.
only choose between Yunica and Hugo, but upon beating the game once, "The Claw" becomes available to play.
A descendant of Priest Tovah and an apprentice knight with a deep, almost obsessive attachment to the Goddesses.
After making an impassioned speech to Commander Galleon, she was given a chance to prove herself as part
of the search party. Though young and reckless, her skill with the Battle Axe is unquestionable – but she has
absolutely no ability to use magic whatsoever, which is a source of great embarrassment for her.
Yunica plays closest to Adol of the three, so she is a good starting character for series veterans.
A magical prodigy who's mastered the use of orb-like familiars known as the "Eyes of Fact." He was chosen as the
successor to the Fact family priesthood after his older brother elected to forgo the title in favor of becoming a knight.
Intent on proving his worth, Hugo has since completely devoted himself to intense training, shunning everyone and
everything else from his life in his quest to become the most powerful sorcerer Ys has ever known.
Hugo uses the Eyes of Fact to fire magical beams at enemies. Playing as him feels a little bit like playing a ground-
based a shoot-'em-up.
A mysterious white-haired individual who wields clawed gauntlets with speed and precision alike. Seems to have
taken on a demonic element, granting him faculties far beyond those of a normal human. His motives and his
loyalties are unknown.
You'll just have to give him a try to see how he plays!
Trailers
Original Japanese reveal trailer
Japanese trailer #2
English trailer
And always remember,
