- Publisher: Konami
- Release Date: Feb 22, 2005
- Also On: iPhone/iPad, PC
Buy Now
| Buy on |
|
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
A gift to those who spent their school years up late at night with "Illusion of Gaia" and "Secret of Mana."
-
Nearly everything about the game is antiquated, yet at the end of the day it delivers a more fulfilling experience than many, more “advanced” Role-Playing titles.
-
Had the jumping mechanism been tightened up, and the challenge of the game been enhanced a bit more so that the strategy for bosses did not become power-leveling, the game would have been just as great as its predecessors.
-
The gameplay is basic and the story isn’t overly original, but there is this addictive and drawing quality to the game and storyline that makes my old-school heart yearn for more.
-
The story is also rather mundane and redundent in today's times. But with an action-rpg heart, it is to be expected and is natural for a player to just ignore any story and to focus on the objectives and the fighting.
-
The only complaint I have is there isn’t much to set it apart from many other RPGs.
-
It combines the old school style gameplay from the games past and it takes on a new aged style as well.
-
Basic and unassuming, this is an RPG for gamers that love RPGs. No complex battle system, no hugely epic storyline, just old-school goodness by the fistful.
-
The animation of the sprites is wonderful. There are minute details on sword and cape movement, something which changes when equipping different things. [JPN Import]
-
While it may not do anything new or anything spectacularly well, there's no denying that it's a hell of a lot of fun.
-
Although Ys: The Ark of Napishtim isn’t the prettiest or most epic RPG around, it delivers with its fast-paced action and lack of a convoluted storyline.
-
PSM MagazineFor those who cut their teeth on titles like "Landstalker" or "Alundra," Ys: Ark of Napishtim does them (and its own series) great homage while standing on its own two feet. [March 2005, p.74]
-
The game makes it feel like maybe too much time hasn't passed since the 16-bit days, while somehow still seeming to be a completely competent entry onto the latter-day PS2's stage.
-
We praise the designers' decision to make Adol a speedy little devil, so darting around towns and inevitably retreading terrain isn't such a tedious chore.
-
Excellent graphics, a simple but addictive style of combat, and an excellent soundtrack, should be enough to keep fans of the Ys franchise happy.
-
My kind of game. It's personable, has a distinct artistic style, and gives me a great sense of nostalgia without feeling too dated.
-
This game can be very short; about 15 hours tops. It’s a joy to watch, though, and serves as a quick fix for those in need of some shiny action.
-
The only thing that really puts a damper on the game is that for an RPG, it isn’t very long.
-
netjakIt is action packed, artfully done, and has a wonderful story. Give it a shot.
-
A worthwhile, if a bit short, trip down memory lane.
-
Game InformerThe game suffers only by clinging a bit too tightly to its roots. [March 2005, p.128]
-
Despite feeling somewhat formulaic, this installment of Ys still provides a bunch of challenging, old-school hack-and-slash action for devoted thumb-warriors.
-
Play MagazineSometimes it's cool to suspend disbelief and go back to what got us here in the first place - aiding villagers and killing monsters. [March 2005, p.50]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 29 out of 36
-
Mixed: 6 out of 36
-
Negative: 1 out of 36
-
CurtisB.Mar 11, 2005
-
Aug 22, 2023
-
Jan 10, 2023