Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 107 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 107
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 107
  3. Negative: 10 out of 107
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  1. notBaRt
    Feb 4, 2021
    10
    This is my first Ys game and I was blown away by the graphics and music. Anyone who calls him himself a gamer should do themselves a favor and play it
  2. Gamingking007
    Feb 4, 2021
    10
    Loved lacrymosa of Dana and this is also exceptional! Everything is just elevated from that almost perfect previous instalment . Stories are about on the Sam level though! Amazing jrpg. Definitely a contender for jrpg of the year !
  3. Naedeslus
    Oct 26, 2022
    5
    +Great combat.
    +Music is good.
    +Story is overall interesting when it lets you experience it. -The pacing is way off. - It's down right boring for most of the story. -Takes about 6-7 hours to have any sort of openness to the design. Heavily linear to a fault. -The main setting is not that interesting at all. You play mostly in one location and it's not an interesting one at that.    +Great combat.
    +Music is good.
    +Story is overall interesting when it lets you experience it.

    -The pacing is way off.
    - It's down right boring for most of the story.
    -Takes about 6-7 hours to have any sort of openness to the design. Heavily linear to a fault.
    -The main setting is not that interesting at all. You play mostly in one location and it's not an interesting one at that.
    -The gameplay loop is extremely repetitive. You have to do these MMO-style fetch quests to progress the story and that really has no impact on the main plot at all, it's impossible to just see the story and ignore these and it's a shame because the story is actually pretty interesting.
    -Heavily dated PS3-era graphics for a full-price game at the time of release.

    Bottom line:

    I loved YSVIII. I do not love YSIX. YSIX is boring, feels well too padded out for no reason and has these boring MMO style fetch quests before you can even see a slight hint of story progression. It's a shame because the story is actually pretty interesting but you know if you have to skip cutscenes of nonsense filler just to get to some good stuff, you know you're in for a repetitive mess. What's also worse is that you literally revisit the same location time and time again, and you're stuck in one city. While it could've worked, this city is no Midgar. It has nothing interesting around it. After about 9 hours, I gave up because I was just bored by it and I hope the next YS game does not try to ever follow this formula.

    It will have its fans but I personally found it to be a very boring action RPG with occasional great moments and probably is better just spent playing YS VIII or Memories of Celceta which are far better YS games.    … Expand
  4. Demitium
    Feb 7, 2021
    10
    Absolutely amazing one of the best ys games I've ever played. The combat is superb and the story is great played it on ps4 and never had any drama rate issues ran smoothly. Only downside was that the city setting was slightly repetitive but near the end it opens up quite a bit . Overall its a great addition to the ys franchise.
  5. notMalk
    Feb 4, 2021
    10
    Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is my fourth Ys game. Like the name says it is Ys VIII's sequel. It takes the gameplay of the latter and enhances it. The gameplay is great and it gets better and better as you progress through the game. The soundtrack is also the most memorable soundtrack in all Ys games because of the music itself and the usage in game. In conclusion Ys IX is a great game and everyYs IX: Monstrum Nox is my fourth Ys game. Like the name says it is Ys VIII's sequel. It takes the gameplay of the latter and enhances it. The gameplay is great and it gets better and better as you progress through the game. The soundtrack is also the most memorable soundtrack in all Ys games because of the music itself and the usage in game. In conclusion Ys IX is a great game and every action rpg fan should check it out.… Expand
  6. MoniWhite
    Feb 7, 2022
    0
    It looks like a PS3 game, there are better ways to spend your time, this does nothing new
  7. Steyraus
    Apr 26, 2021
    3
    To much dialogue and reading, ended up giving up on the story and just enjoyed the stock Ys combat. Ys games have always had great stories told in a way that dosent detract from the gameplay. Ys 9 fails in this completely, there hours of mind numbing dialogue mixed with Dull quests that simply have you running from one npc and back again..Easily the weakest Ys game I've ever played. HowTo much dialogue and reading, ended up giving up on the story and just enjoyed the stock Ys combat. Ys games have always had great stories told in a way that dosent detract from the gameplay. Ys 9 fails in this completely, there hours of mind numbing dialogue mixed with Dull quests that simply have you running from one npc and back again..Easily the weakest Ys game I've ever played. How did they go from a Masterpiece like Ys 8 to this????.Even though the combat is still good it's not as good as Ys 8 either.. Please get a smarter writer for the next game.… Expand
  8. SWERY_51
    Feb 6, 2021
    5
    The game seems fine, but on PS4 Pro it's a technical DI-SAS-TER.

    The framerate is rather pretty stable in dungeon, but in town, damn, looks like an early PS3 game with a very poor optimization.

    It probably runs pretty fine on a PS5, but if you only own a PS4 Pro, avoid it for now unless you don't care fight enemes in town with an awful framerate...
  9. Anthor
    Feb 11, 2021
    8
    Jugabilidad de 10 como siempre y con muy buena agilidad con la nueva verticalidad por escenarios, pero a nivel técnico, tanto gráfico como de rendimiento (PS4 FAT) e incluso de diseño de juego está por debajo de Lacrimosa of Dana, el cual daba una mejor sensación de aventura y descubrimiento, con más coherencia y variedad de zonas y jefes. Ni siquiera le han hecho al IX una intro animeJugabilidad de 10 como siempre y con muy buena agilidad con la nueva verticalidad por escenarios, pero a nivel técnico, tanto gráfico como de rendimiento (PS4 FAT) e incluso de diseño de juego está por debajo de Lacrimosa of Dana, el cual daba una mejor sensación de aventura y descubrimiento, con más coherencia y variedad de zonas y jefes. Ni siquiera le han hecho al IX una intro anime como siempre.

    Aún así Ys IX es una buena entrega y de los mejores de la saga, la cual lleva un rumbo estupendo y subiendo en lo jugable. No es el caso con el tema gráfico donde deberían hacer ya un pensamiento serio para salir de la factura PS3 y sobretodo por la ausencia de localización al castellano que sigue sin darse. Si NIS America no tiene la iniciativa traduciendo jamás logrará vender lo que pide para hacerlo.    … Expand
  10. Antp1212
    Jun 29, 2021
    10
    Just got to the end. How on earth is this game not rated higher than Ys VIII? Falcom improved in this entry in nearly every way imaginable. Amazing story with an excellent cast, so many twists and surprises in the story and secrets in gameplay. Improved visuals and mechanics. This is a top tier RPG. While Ys VIII is great in its own right, it suffers from some pacing issues and some otherJust got to the end. How on earth is this game not rated higher than Ys VIII? Falcom improved in this entry in nearly every way imaginable. Amazing story with an excellent cast, so many twists and surprises in the story and secrets in gameplay. Improved visuals and mechanics. This is a top tier RPG. While Ys VIII is great in its own right, it suffers from some pacing issues and some other aspects. Anyone who has yet to play this, you owe it to yourself to do so.… Expand
  11. Dog4life
    Feb 4, 2021
    10
    Amazing combat system , lot of variety , skills and smart party management. The new dark/gothic style is a welcome change. A lot of interesting characters. Top notch action jrpg. Runs smooth 60 fps on Ps5
  12. faceless
    Oct 1, 2022
    9
    Having played all the latest ys games this has to be my favourite of the lot. Exploration is rewarding and fun to do with traversal being fun to move around. The characters are all engaging and interesting to learn about. The battles, while can become rather hack and slash and just pressing a couple of buttons can be lots of fun. The story however can be slow but comes into its own andHaving played all the latest ys games this has to be my favourite of the lot. Exploration is rewarding and fun to do with traversal being fun to move around. The characters are all engaging and interesting to learn about. The battles, while can become rather hack and slash and just pressing a couple of buttons can be lots of fun. The story however can be slow but comes into its own and then becomes a little convulted when you start learning the truth of it all. All in all I really enjoyed my playthrough of this and can't wait for more… Expand
  13. DeadsFortune
    Feb 21, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. YS 9 should serve as an example that you don't need to be a graphical powerhouse to succeed at being an excellent game. Throughout my playthrough the music & gameplay remained consistently refreshing and fun.

    The tracks are some of the best, with Evan Macha, Norse Wind, Glessing Way & The Cave of Groan being among my favorite.

    Experimenting with tag combos is something not many games do, outside fighting games, and YS 9 hits the nail on the head. With 4 customizable skill slots across 3 characters allowed in your immediate party, this gives me every incentive to come back even after beating the game to experiment with combos. It's as video gamey as video games get.

    The character designs are in my opinion the best the YS series has offered. Adol, Aprilis, Hawk & Doll are my favorite and the quality extends beyond the main cast too, with side characters being given the same level of dedication towards their designs.

    I think the overall story was pretty good but where it ties in with the characters is where I found a lot of enjoyment in it. I enjoyed the character's stories way more than the overarching story.

    I don't have too many complaints with YS 9 but my biggest one is Aprilis not being playable. At a certain point in the game she's with the main cast & in cutscenes but the lack of her being playable is a shame. Falcom should have took a similar approach as Sega with Shining Resonance Refrain, which allowed 2 of it's previously unplayable characters playable in a non-canonical fashion. Taking that but tying it to the completion of the story for YS 9 is a missed opportunity by Falcom with Aprilis.

    Also the lack of a good story synopsis sucks. At one point during my playthrough I had to quit playing a week due to my controller biting the dust on me. If the game offered a more in-depth synopsis like Tales does, it would be greatly appreciated.

    On the subject of the story, one of the of the character's ark hit their peak way too early. Whitecat hits hers within her introduction chapter. A couple chapters later Whitecat has another pivotal moment in her ark and there's good building but the conclusion, if you can even call it that, is poorly executed.

    And since Hawk's chapter introduction, his ark gets to simmer on the backburner until the final chapter, which comes off as a rushed when he suddenly leaves the party for spoiler reason. His ark conclusion is pretty good though but it could have had a better build up.

    I think Doll had the best of the main cast, since the game wants you to learn more about her as each chapter passes. I do like all of the character's stories however, but I wish with some of them were handled better.

    My final complaint, which falls more in realm of a nitpick, is normal mode is too easy. Thankfully I was able to scale the difficulty to my liking at any time throughout the game. I play a lot of action games & RPGs so finding normal so easy may just be a me problem. Anything above hard packs a real challenge, even for me, so I always have those modes to fall back on too.

    Also as a side note YS 9 does allow for button mapping. If the default control scheme doesn't mesh with you, you can change it at any time.

    I can hardly call this a review since it scratches the surface. There's so much more to the game like exploration and RPG elements. But I will just leave it here.

    In conclusion YS 9 has carved it's way into becoming one of my favorite Action RPGs in recent memory. If you have even the slightest interest in it, I suggest picking it up or at the minimum checking out the demo. I cannot recommend it enough.    … Expand
  14. FeiLong548
    Feb 5, 2021
    10
    Fantastic! Great action JRPGs are alive and well. Nice to see a bit older version of Adol. Must play for fans of the genre!
  15. Austin316
    Feb 9, 2021
    8
    Monstrum Nox is a great game. Yes, the graphics is very outdated and the next chapter will need to work harder if they want to keep the price tag at the same level as a AAA game. Is it better than Lacrimosa of Dana? No. i really don't think so, but he story is rich in wtf moments after a couple chapters.

    If you have the money and you don't care too much about graphics, go ahead, but if    Monstrum Nox is a great game. Yes, the graphics is very outdated and the next chapter will need to work harder if they want to keep the price tag at the same level as a AAA game. Is it better than Lacrimosa of Dana? No. i really don't think so, but he story is rich in wtf moments after a couple chapters.

    If you have the money and you don't care too much about graphics, go ahead, but if you're not sure, wait for a price drop. You'll like it.    … Expand
  16. Turki_Hamed
    Feb 5, 2021
    10
    It's everything I want from a video game. great exploration, great combat, great/ lovely characters, and an interesting story. if you love YS don't miss this one.
  17. Dubeau
    May 8, 2021
    8
    Ys 9 is a good successor to Ys 8. The story is pretty interesting but maybe not has surprising that was Lacrymosa. A large aspect of the game is for buying armours, weapons and items. You can upgrade them but it's way more easier to buy or craft them. No system for character upgrade, it's more about using the correct item. There is flagrant lack of costume, or they were too hard to find.Ys 9 is a good successor to Ys 8. The story is pretty interesting but maybe not has surprising that was Lacrymosa. A large aspect of the game is for buying armours, weapons and items. You can upgrade them but it's way more easier to buy or craft them. No system for character upgrade, it's more about using the correct item. There is flagrant lack of costume, or they were too hard to find. The fighting is really fun, I like the specials powers and gifts. Exploring is a blast. The map is relatively big. The game takes around 35 hours with all sub quests done. A word of advice: do the side quests before the main. Some of them vanish because of the main story progression. The voice over are perfect. Good graphics but the game fps slow down a bit in the final chapter. The music was classical and average. I give the game 82%. Nice game and fun to play for many reasons.… Expand
  18. Neatqt
    Mar 1, 2021
    9
    Cast: 8/10
    Story: 7/10
    Fun: 10/10
    Gameplay: 10/10

    MUST PLAY
    ---------------------- 45 Hours Played
  19. Phuz
    Aug 7, 2023
    0
    Yet another generic, boring slow burn like Ys 8. Please bring back the old engine where the games were actually fun.
  20. SenseiMiguel
    Oct 10, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ys y Falcom lo hicieron de nuevo. Excelente juego, musicas brutales, muy buena historia, y te dejan al final con un "to be continue". No le di 10 porque pienso q el final pudo ser mas emocionante.… Expand
  21. MonolithFuzz
    Mar 14, 2021
    10
    It is a ton of fun. Satisfying combat, believable characters you grow to love, solid story, wonderful music, and a fun world to explore with new mobility skills. It isn’t as good of a story or setting as Ys VIII, but still an incredible game.
  22. Spartacus_637
    Sep 25, 2022
    9
    It is good game, enjoyed it more than ys8, gameplay, story, ost are good, highly recommended
  23. Veru48
    Feb 5, 2021
    10
    A great improvement over Ys VIII which surprised me. I expected something limited and hammy and instead got more fluidity, a great soundtrack, vivid and fluid visuals and sympathetic characters. As before, I expected a hammy narrative but found myself pretty gripped by the twists and turns. Zipping around Balduc with all the gifts is fun enough to make me not spam fast travel in anA great improvement over Ys VIII which surprised me. I expected something limited and hammy and instead got more fluidity, a great soundtrack, vivid and fluid visuals and sympathetic characters. As before, I expected a hammy narrative but found myself pretty gripped by the twists and turns. Zipping around Balduc with all the gifts is fun enough to make me not spam fast travel in an "open-world" game. The game strikes a great balance between combat and exploration by allowing the player to engage in the city but at their own pace. Just a great time all around.… Expand
  24. Biizz
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    I might prefer the previous game but this game is also great. It's one of the best Ys games I think.
  25. Ablearcher
    Mar 24, 2022
    7
    This would have a higher score if I wasn't playing on the switch. Story is neat and keeps me invested, but the game is like the edgy black sheep of the Ys series in my opinion
  26. Carbofos
    Feb 28, 2023
    5
    Huge step back from two previous entries. Small world, repetitive missions, boring story. Let's hope Ys X will be more like Lacrimosa of Dana, which is a fantastic game.
  27. Ginger_Avenger
    Nov 16, 2022
    6
    I wanted to like this one more, as it looked great, but the overall setting and story were a bit hit or miss for me. Most of the time it was hitting, but it was gentle taps instead of impactful strikes. I liked the changing abilities, combat was great (maybe a notch above Ys 8), but for some reason the exploration wasn't quite as good for me. Still, if you like the series, as I do, it'sI wanted to like this one more, as it looked great, but the overall setting and story were a bit hit or miss for me. Most of the time it was hitting, but it was gentle taps instead of impactful strikes. I liked the changing abilities, combat was great (maybe a notch above Ys 8), but for some reason the exploration wasn't quite as good for me. Still, if you like the series, as I do, it's worth a playthru.… Expand
  28. ZaveG
    Jan 28, 2023
    9
    I really liked Lacrimosa of Dana, but Monsturm Nox was even better.
    The story starts a little silly, so to be honest my first impression wasn't that good. Fortunately, the story pacing is pretty fast, and after a couple of hours I was fully invested and very curious about what will the story uncover next. It's nothing exceptional but keeps you craving for more.
    Gameplay-wise it's the    I really liked Lacrimosa of Dana, but Monsturm Nox was even better.
    The story starts a little silly, so to be honest my first impression wasn't that good. Fortunately, the story pacing is pretty fast, and after a couple of hours I was fully invested and very curious about what will the story uncover next. It's nothing exceptional but keeps you craving for more.
    Gameplay-wise it's the same Ys, but every chapter comes with a little twist to the mechanics that makes it fun. The exploration in Lacrimosa of Dana got old very fast and quickly became a chore, so I was very happy that here the developers thought of a way to keep it fresh. Also, the dungeons (and the game itself) are fairly short so the ratio between battle/exploration and story-telling was perfect for me. Also, I was VERY pleasantly surprised how often Adol speaks. The dialogue options made Adol much more like an actual character, and not just a mute mc that watches the story unfold.
    I also really liked the cast of characters this time. Some of them have great dynamics, and they quickly grow on you. I was actually sad when I had to say goodbye to them at the end of the game, and I really hope that some of them will reappear in one of the next games in the series.
    All in all, it was a very pleasant experience for me, with the story and characters that I cared about. That said, I can understand why it might get worse scores than the previous instalment. Exploration of an inhabited island is for most a more interesting concept than a mystery around a prison city.
    But if you like jrpgs and you are a fan of Ys series, that's a must-play in my book. Enjoy!    … Expand
  29. MoGee
    Apr 23, 2022
    8
    就这画面还丢帧。
    法老空我真是服了他们的技术力。
    这么多年来难免失望。。。
    轨迹系列早已弃坑，不希望伊苏系列也这样。
  30. Tintler
    Jun 24, 2023
    2
    Artık grafik motorlarını güncellemeleri gerek, bildiğiniz ps3 oyunu gibi duruyor. Yine de şans vermeye çalıştım ama oyunu şehrin içine tıkmışlar, gri ve beton görmekten fenalık geldi o kadar sıkıldım ki dayanamayıp bıraktım.
    Bu arada lütfen kimse AA oyun bu demesin, fiyatını AAA olarak setlemeyecekler o zaman.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best PS4 Game of 2021
19
#19 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 48
  3. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. Meristation
    Jun 22, 2021
    85
    The new adventure of Adol Christin results in a notable game that keeps many of the features seen in the previous title with new ones that are mixing with an interesting story, a charismatic cast of companions and plenty of side content to do.
    Read full review
  2. Checkpoint Gaming
    May 29, 2021
    80
    It might be unfair of me to make so many comparisons between Ys VIII and IX, but like I said, I absolutely loved VIII. IX does a lot of things well, but many elements are subpar compared to how its predecessor handled them. Still, the Gift abilities make the city of Balduq a delight to explore, and the tried-and-true battle system is as exhilarating as it ever was. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is not as polished or as fulfilling as Ys VIII, but second best is nothing to scoff at. This is a fantastic RPG, and an excellent entry in this long running, underappreciated series.
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  3. Cubed3
    Apr 13, 2021
    80
    Newcomers risk drowning in a sea of references, while franchise veterans are bound to be put off by more cut-scenes than the series is known for, but Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is an astonishingly addictive action-RPG that just gets better as it goes on. A rough opening and choppy plotting undersell a genuinely gripping mystery that reflects on Adol's history as an adventure, culminating in an incredible last act. Falcom's dungeon design is the best it's been in years and the numerous gameplay additions made to combat bring the Seven Engine close to capturing the same highs that defined the Napishtim era. Monstrum Nox may not live up to its narrative potential, but Ys IX's gameplay only leaves one thing to be desired: more.
    Read full review
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