Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

Many game series are difficult to jump into because you need to know what happened earlier to get full enjoyment from a later game. With Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, you can confidently jump into this long running series because almost every game in the series has a stand-alone story.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is no different. Although the series has been ongoing since 1987, you don’t have to play any of the other Ys games to enjoy this fast-paced action RPG. In this latest installment, Sony has made a big shift from handheld consoles towards PC, that allows for many new additions to the game. The result is an RPG that is classic, yet still fun to play.

If you’ve played any of the previous Ys games, it’s most similar to Ys VIII, but with a bigger emphasis on plot. The result is a greatly improved game with all the action you loved, and an interesting story to go along with it.

Epic music

The Ys series has long been known for its quality soundtracks, and this latest installment is no different. Rock n’ roll music is the backdrop of the game, and the sound is enjoyable enough to make you want to buy the music to listen to outside of gaming.

Shift to the City

In past games, the Ys have often traveled through dense forest and forgotten corners of the world for their adventure. In this game, the plot has shifted to the city. This provides interesting new scenery and challenges all of its own. The focus on this game is dungeons rather than fields, which puts a fresh new twist on the game.

Boss battles reach a new level

The Ys series has always had boss battles to remember. They’re often fresh and unique from each other, with unique skills and challenging game play. These mobs usually look similar to some sort of real life animal, but are still monstrous on their own. Players typically need to rush in for an attack, string together a series of moves aimed at a particular mob’s weakness, and then dash out before they are struck themselves. At first, players will need to switch between characters to get the best attacks for a specific boss, but late game they’ll be able to use their favorites.

Story

Another fantastic aspect of this game is story. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has a well told story that sounds believable and adds another dimension to the story. The Ys series has mainly been action based in the past, with story coming in second. In this case, both the action and the story are equally good, making this particular game a great improvement over others.

The game opens with you breaking out of prison. During the escape, Adol is cursed by a strange woman, causing him to become a Monstrum. He must then connect with other Monstrums, who are all tied to the city and forced to fight against monsters. It’s an interesting theme, plausible, and carries the battles forward nicely.

Pros:

• Interesting plotline
• Amazing combat
• Quality soundtrack

Cons:

• Frame rate drops in busy areas