Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 296 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 254 out of 296
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 296
  3. Negative: 29 out of 296
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  1. somedude14
    Nov 3, 2017
    7
    The only aspect this game really nails as far as the Ys formula goes is the music. The combat is more like Dynasty Warriors and the deeper crafting aspect kind of bungles things.

    What's also interesting is the game can't maintain a constant 60fps, not even on my PS4 Pro, which is extremely disheartening when it's clear this version is nothing but a dump of the PSVita release with a    The only aspect this game really nails as far as the Ys formula goes is the music. The combat is more like Dynasty Warriors and the deeper crafting aspect kind of bungles things.

    What's also interesting is the game can't maintain a constant 60fps, not even on my PS4 Pro, which is extremely disheartening when it's clear this version is nothing but a dump of the PSVita release with a resolution bump. It isn't that demanding, they just did a bad job optimizing it (if they did any effort at all beyond dumping it on PS4 and letting its hardware brute force the Vita engine to meet - not maintain - their framerate goal).

    There's a decent amount of noise being made about the translation. I don't see the issue with most of it, there are some incorrect item descriptions but that isn't poor localization so much as it is just pure ineptitude when it comes to labeling. People are complaining about things like "My name is Alison, please just call me Alison" like it's the worst thing they've ever read in what's essentially an imported JRPG with a translation slapped on. Castlevania 2 is bad localization. This is that humorous Engrish that comes from adequate translations and to me is part of the charm of these games. Making it perfect English is going to ruin even more of the charm of Ys, I don't know why people are picking a bone over this when 1) the story sucks anyway (the shoebill is the best character in the game) and 2) the technical issues are genuine issues. The intent with the translation here was clearly "Ys Meets Kung Pow".

    There is also some enemy scaling involved - as you get stronger, enemies do more damage as well, to a certain point. Just like Oblivion. Enemies still maintain that traditional Ys format of giving less XP as your level gap grows, so despite becoming more threatening (again to a point) as you level, enemies give you less and less for exterminating them. If this combination isn't a cardinal sin in RPGs, I don't know what is.

    Giving it a 7 regardless because the generally outstanding soundtrack and gameplay is enjoyable enough anyway. It's no Oath and while some of the pieces of a Ys experience are still here, it certainly doesn't feel like Ys anymore, which has been the case for me ever since they adapted a party system.    … Expand
  2. AsaZimbabwe
    Feb 2, 2018
    6
    clearly made for Vita.. pleasant enough, decent polish, but hard to feel inspired by it.. clean, colorful graphics; respectable but plain, uninspired art direction.. semi-interesting story.. semi-engaging combat, leveling & loot system.. generic everything else.. awkward maps, occasionally vague objectives, un-inspiring characters, slow start that doesn't pick up much steam.. extremelyclearly made for Vita.. pleasant enough, decent polish, but hard to feel inspired by it.. clean, colorful graphics; respectable but plain, uninspired art direction.. semi-interesting story.. semi-engaging combat, leveling & loot system.. generic everything else.. awkward maps, occasionally vague objectives, un-inspiring characters, slow start that doesn't pick up much steam.. extremely weak use of changing a letter from Greek, to Roman to Africa for establishing location & cultural background.. bored within a few days.. not bad, just over it… Expand
  3. ZXSth
    May 3, 2021
    6
    When looking up some of the reviews for Ys VIII prior to purchasing it (I was reticent to play it without getting some feedback from others on it), I sometimes would run across the phrase "If you like the Ys series..." This sentiment aptly describes my experience with the game - having never played any game in the series before, I found this game pretty mediocre, and it did little to pullWhen looking up some of the reviews for Ys VIII prior to purchasing it (I was reticent to play it without getting some feedback from others on it), I sometimes would run across the phrase "If you like the Ys series..." This sentiment aptly describes my experience with the game - having never played any game in the series before, I found this game pretty mediocre, and it did little to pull me in.

    Admittedly, I come at Ys VIII as someone who prioritizes engaging gameplay and mechanics over a good story - however, I can't say I skipped any of the cutscenes in a game like Ghost of Tsushima, for example, whose story had me enthralled for most of its story. And while that game featured some cliché story beats, it was consistently gripping. By comparison, Ys VIII opens with what I've found to be an obnoxiously expected anime trope - a man bashfully approaching a naked female party member bathing in a river. This, I feel, set a poor precedent story-wise from the start, and my apathy towards the game stayed fairly consistent throughout my time playing the game. On top of this, suffering through dealing with a silent protagonist surrounded by schlocky, drivel-spewing side characters felt like a pointless waste of time.

    For all my complaining, and despite not finishing the game, Ys VIII has flashes of excellence - the Metroidvania-esque revisiting of areas inches towards being interesting, but it doesn't carry that true thrill of re-exploration solidified by its superiors (such as Symphony of the Night). Additionally, this game's combat, too, is worthy of praise - while not being outstanding, the developers' attempts at creating engaging real-time combat mechanics are worthy of praise. When talking about solely the game's combat and technical aspects (it loads quickly and doesn't drop any frames), I believe the game has so much going for it. Unfortunately, when combined with other frustrating aspects of the game (including its linearity, which I had not mentioned until now), Ys VIII feels lacking.

    Overall, Ys VIII is somewhat enjoyable, but did not do enough to keep me interested in returning to the world it had created. It comes close to being great in many ways - it is technically stable, its combat is solid, and the Metroidvania aspects of its gameplay show promise. But its linearity, occasionally repetitive nature and its relatively thin and cliché narrative leave something to be desired.

    As a side note, I paid a full $80 CAD for this game, and while I could see myself recommending it at a lower price, I absolutely cannot condone paying $80 for a 2017 port of a game for the Vita. Don't buy it unless it's discounted (Note to self: Lesson learned).    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Best PS4 Game of 2017
59
#59 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
98
#98 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. GameGrin
    Oct 18, 2017
    90
    If you’ve never played a previous Ys game, like me, this is a great game to experience despite the long history and number in its title. Lasting just over 40 hours for me, this is a relatively easy recommendation for even none JRPG fans who prefer more mechanically driven games.
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  2. 4P.de
    Oct 18, 2017
    87
    The visuals are a little outdated but that can’t take away much from the rest of this gem, that.
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  3. Impulsegamer
    Oct 13, 2017
    80
    While obviously not without its flaws, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is one of the stronger, albeit more obscure, JRPG offerings to hit the PS4 this year.
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