Ys I Chronicles+

”Ys I Chronicles+” is a game I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did. I adore modern RPGs, but my experience with older games of this genre is very limited and I was always intimidated to approach older classics. To my surprise, things weren't as daunting as expected. There's basically none of the usual grinding you have to do in other similar titles of that era, which makes the experience feel strangely modern. I have to admit, the „bumping” combat system at first was hard to grasp, but once you figure it out, it becomes quiet addictive. The simplicity of it all truly helped me relax and explore at my own pace, taking in the atmosphere, environment and story. One of my favorite aspects of the game is being able to talk to literally any NPC you encounter, even finding different lines of dialogue the second time you talk to them. This made the whole world feel so alive and I'm genuinely astonished such a thing was possible during the time the game was initially created, considering RPGs struggle making an engaging world even now. I don't know what exactly made me choose to play Ys out of every other massively successful RPG out there, but something got me drawn to this specific game. From the very first second you boot up the game, you're welcomed by an OST that pulls at your heartstrings and makes you pause even before embarking on this journey. Gorgeous visuals and an elegant UI only add to the magical, heartfelt experience the game is trying to sell you and I'll be damned, it worked like a charm. Are the maps weirdly complicated and almost impossible to navigate without a guide? Yeah. Is the story quiet basic and not life changing in any way? Sure. Do we have the typical teenage boy silent protagonist that the target audience can self-insert into? Also yes. But somehow, despite all these overused tropes, the game still felt incredibly unique and memorable. I'm not sure whether it's the music, the characters, the world itself, the combat, or something in between, but somehow this game just captured my interest in a way that made me relax and unwind. What also helped my overall enjoyment of the game is how clean and sincere everything felt. Not being bombarded by constant fan service or crass jokes (that were mostly present in similar games of that era) made the game more welcoming and I appreciated it greatly, since I could just focus on relaxing and not getting annoyed by thinly veiled fetishes or not-so-subtle misogyny. Despite me saying it's been a relaxing experience, don't get me wrong, some of the bosses were absolutely brutal, with the final boss being almost comically unfair, but succeeding in defeating them left me with such a strong sense of accomplishment. Maybe the simplicity of it all and a good saving system contributed to me taking it step by step and trying again whenever I'd fail. Overall, I think ”Ys I Chronicles+” is a worthwhile, wholesome and memorable RPG and I'll definitely continue to play the rest of the Ys titles. 8/10