World-famous red-haired adventurer Adol Christin awakens in the unfamiliar land of Celceta, remembering nothing more than his name. Join Adol and his new friends as he embarks on an adventure to map the wilderness and reclaim his memories in this beloved action RPG from Nihon Falcom.
Combat in this Ys title features a real-time, hack-and-slash system that prioritizes speed and fluidity. Players can chain together various attack combos and special skills, with each playable character offering a unique moveset to experiment with. The combat system encourages switching between party members to capitalize on type matchups - certain characters excel against specific enemy types, rewarding strategic party composition.
A key mechanic is the "flash" system, which triggers powerful effects if players time their blocks or dodges perfectly. Executing a "flash guard" dramatically increases the character's critical hit chance, while a well-timed "flash dodge" slows down time, allowing players to lay on additional attacks. Mastering these defensive maneuvers and weaving them into combos is essential for success, especially on higher difficulty settings.
The game's large, open-ended overworld world promotes thorough exploration. Players can customize waypoints on an expansive map, marking the location of hidden treasures, optional dungeons, and rare enemies. Charting the full extent of the Forest of Celceta becomes an engrossing gameplay loop, as players uncover its many secrets and find valuable items to aid their adventure.
Character progression plays a significant role, with weapons, armor, and accessories that can be continually upgraded and refined. Each party member also has a skill tree to enhance their abilities, enabling players to tailor their preferred playstyles. This customization, combined with the varied combat options, ensures a high degree of replayability as players experiment with different party compositions and equipment loadouts.