[PS5] Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana – Game Review

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, crafted by Nihon Falcom and brought to you by XSEED Games and Marvelous, marks the latest chapter in this cherished series. It’s a revamped version of the Ys III remake, initially rolled out on the PSP back in 2010. Are you an admirer of the series? Then, let’s delve into the review of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana to uncover what fresh and thrilling upgrades await you!

First envisioned as a fresh take on the 16-bit console gem Ys III: Wanderers From Ys, this beloved installment is back, freshly remastered for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 as Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana. Nearly 15 years after it first hit the scene, devoted fans can look forward to a slew of enhancements and upgrades, including brand-new voiceovers for the iconic hero, Adol Christin. With revitalized high-definition visuals and soundtracks, this adventure has never looked or sounded more captivating. Added features, like multiple versions of the expansive soundtrack, accessibility settings, and new character artwork, make Ys Memoire the ultimate edition of this celebrated classic.

This edition from Nihon Falcom, offered through XSEED Games and Marvelous, polished and amplified the 2010 PSP title, Ys III, bringing in novelties like fresh voice acting, sharpened high-definition graphics, and trophy support. Accompany Adol Christin and his steadfast companion Dogi as they venture into the land of Felghana. As a longtime enthusiast of the Ys universe, I was thrilled to sink my teeth into an entry I had yet to experience.

The earlier games in the Ys series put a strong emphasis on action and exploration, dropping players right into the chaos with sparse preliminary introductions. However, newer installments like Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (my personal favorite), Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, and its follow-up, Ys X: Nordics, lean heavily towards narrative depth, often dedicating considerable time to establishing the prologue before diving into the action. Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana aligns more closely in style and structure with Ys Origin than other parts of the series, both in gameplay and its overall feel.

Playing Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is exhilarating, featuring dynamic, arcade-like action that will keep you engaged. You’ll find yourself mashing the attack button and throwing in jump attacks for aerial blows, dispatching enemies rapidly. The inclusion of magical bracelets—Fire, Wind, and Earth—adds a layer of complexity to the combat and exploration. They’re not only pivotal for tackling lighter puzzles, but also crucial in tougher battles, especially against foes with elemental resistances necessitating strategic shifts.

The controls in Ys Memoire have been carried forward from the Japanese original, though initially, they felt a tad cumbersome. Fortunately, they can be tailored in the options menu, and I suggest tweaking them for a smoother play—assigning jump to the X button, attack and talk to the Square button, and accessory to the Circle button felt much better to me. A persistent issue I faced was the overlap between the no-fall power-up and fast-travel feature, both mapped to the touchpad, requiring configuration changes each time you wanted to switch between them. With several unused buttons on the DualSense controller, assigning a unique button for each task would have been more efficient, eliminating unnecessary toggling during gameplay.

The level design in Ys Memoire has an endearing retro vibe, characterized by diverging paths and the absence of an in-game map. While the world is compact, comprising a few distinct locations, the sprawling dungeons take up most of your playtime. These dungeons, with their non-linear design, often require revisiting as you hunt for elusive items or hidden routes that unlock progress. Prepare to lose your way and retrace your steps until you find what you missed. This level design starkly contrasts modern games with linear paths and handy mini-maps guiding your objectives.

On normal difficulty, the dungeons present a formidable challenge, pushing you to defeat every enemy in your path to level up. Each boss fight feels like hitting a wall, which prompted me to gain a few levels ahead of each bout. If overwhelmed, retreating to town to buy and temper new gear is wise. Grinding for just a couple of levels can significantly alter the outcome, turning a tough boss fight into a manageable one.

Powered by a 3D engine reminiscent of Square Enix’s HD-2D style, the game features low-poly environments that offer a nostalgic charm and 2D characters, maintaining a steady 60 frames per second. While the upscaling of textures and character models is apparent, they retain a modest resolution. During dialogue scenes, you can view character portraits amid the discussion, toggling between original PSP graphics and the newly redrawn designs for this remaster. Personally, I favored the updated artwork, although fans of early 2000s anime might prefer the PSP version’s style.

In terms of audio, Ys Memoire offers both English and Japanese voiceovers, catering to players’ preferences. The English dub boasts familiar voices, with Patrick Seitz returning to voice Dogi seamlessly. Heather Hogan’s portrayal of Elena stood out, and I must say she sounded phenomenal. The background music gives you three options: Original, PC-8801, and X68000. While pleasant, it might not reach the pinnacle of Falcom’s musical achievements. Among the tracks, the Overworld theme stood out to me, though others, like the one accompanying the abandoned mine segment, left room for improvement.

For trophy hunters, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana has a rich list to conquer, featuring 59 trophies in total, divided into 52 Bronze, 6 Silver, and one Gold trophy. They range from natural story progression to demanding six separate playthroughs (indeed, six). Luckily, after an initial Normal run (taking about 12 hours) and a second run on Very Easy, the remaining four can be blitzed through in under an hour each. The game also supports Cross-Buy between PS4 and PS5 versions, enabling save transfers, with individual trophy lists offering a Platinum trophy for each.

I found Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana to be an outstanding action RPG, especially exciting for a fan like me who missed the 2010 PSP release. This remaster remains true to its roots, featuring three different music tracks and the brisk gameplay reminiscent of early Ys titles. Navigating the levels can be challenging initially, as the layout and objectives might not be immediately clear. Bear in mind that the normal difficulty is tougher compared to other editions, necessitating some grinding ahead of every boss fight. However, for those chasing the Platinum trophy or seeking an authentic experience, this difficulty setting is highly recommended. Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana comes as a Cross-Buy title, so for $29.99, you get both the PS4 and PS5 versions without any added cost.

Disclaimer: This review of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by XSEED Games.