Ys: Memories of Celceta

 PlayStation Vita
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 287 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 249 out of 287
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 287
  3. Negative: 23 out of 287
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  1. tattoosteve
    Dec 9, 2013
    10
    For a vita game the map is pretty expansive and you can explore a ton. It's also pretty hard and that's a plus if you want it to last longer (like me). Great combat. Great game overall.
  2. AbelTensor
    Dec 19, 2013
    10
    Ive been a Ys fan for as long as i can remember. A while back i got my hands on Ys 1 and 2 when falcon had released them as a double pack and i just fell in love with the story, lore and characters. Having never been into other big Jrpg titles, Final fantasy for example, I was pretty surprised, Now here we are years later talking about a remake of the 4th Ys game. It wouldn't beIve been a Ys fan for as long as i can remember. A while back i got my hands on Ys 1 and 2 when falcon had released them as a double pack and i just fell in love with the story, lore and characters. Having never been into other big Jrpg titles, Final fantasy for example, I was pretty surprised, Now here we are years later talking about a remake of the 4th Ys game. It wouldn't be correct to call it a remake more of a re-imagining/redubbed game, just keep that in mind.

    Memorie's of Celceta is by far the best RPG on the PSvita. Maybe thats just my subjective opinion but i personally think it certainly is better then most in an objective way and since its one of the few true Arpg's in the vita catalog right now, it is certainly the best Arpg for the vita.

    Story: Ys 4 follows the exploits of Adol Christian, our red haired hero/adventurer and starts out like most Ys games in that he has no memories. Him and his friend decide to go explore the "great forest" at the behest of the commander general of the town they start in for a grand reward that will be claimed by the first people to fully complete a map of the forest. The story seems simple but as with all Ys games it is anything but that. As the story starts to flesh out and the characters become more and more established you really start to pull for adol. The game makes you feel a sense of being on a grand adventure. The story is very strong like all Ys games, it starts out simple and is very easy to follow but still has its twists and turns and keeps you interested the entire game. The characters as well are rich and deep as well as interesting to interact with. You want to know more and you get to know more as the game progresses.

    Graphics: One of the best looking games on the Vita, baring tearaway. At first it doesnt seem that grand but then you see all the little details involve, the day/night cycle, the different skills and sprites as well as the seamless world. The character design is what you would expect from a JRPG but its not overly moe like some other games in the genera.

    Controls: As a note here, when i first heard they were going to use the Ys 7 mechanics over the ys origin etc platforming i was a bit saddened as I felt that the Ys 7 combat was weaker then previous installments. This was all misguided. Ys 4 effectively expands upon the ys 7 combat mechanics and makes them into something far more interesting and grand. You may not be able to jump but you can dodge/block and you have 5 skills at your disposal as well as very fluid controls. You are able to seamlessly swap between party members in the heat of battle each with their own play style and strength. Weapons and Armour can be upgraded via reinforcement with different attributes such as chance to crit and regeneration allowing you to fully customize your party to meet your play style. As you progress you unlock various artifacts that allow you to do things like run up steep cliffs or swim underwater, each of which adds more and more depth to the game.

    Sound: As with any Ys game you have some of the most unbelievable music. The soundtrack for this game really gets you involved emotionally, building great tension in large boss battles and producing emotion in somber moments. Roaring guitar's mixed with violins are a trade mark of Falcom's games and this one is no exception. The voice acting is a little weak as it is an English dubbing and personally i would prefer the Japanese dub over the English one, but there is very little of it in the dialogue and cut scenes that it wasnt enough to detract from the experience. The sound effects provide impact and make the combat feel more visceral and add to the already fluid game play in a great way.

    Overall: This game is a very solid RPG for anyone who likes the genera. There isnt anything overly complicated about the system but it still has enough to keep even the most hardcore gamers involved. The difficulty levels of the game make it very challenging like all Ys titles that came before, which is a breathe of fresh air in a very "casual" game market. With my playthrough i clocked about 25-30 hours of game time on hard difficulty which is in my opinion more then enough, but they've added a new game+ mode as well as boss time trials to extend the replay-ability and while i doubt ill be playing it again so soon after completing it, i will certainly come back to play it not long from now. The last difficulty nightmare is certainly something i need to explore.    … Expand
  3. seaban
    Nov 27, 2013
    10
    Awesome game, just all around fun. Story is a little light, but everything else is just great. Aside from P4G this is my favorite so far. I hope xseed can bring more over.
  4. DeadP47
    Nov 26, 2013
    10
    Best game for Vita, I bought PS VIta just to play this game and it was worth my money! It's a high speed non-stop action RPG with the hugest world ever seen in portable RPG. And music... I just love it.
  5. SteveGonzola
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    The game is colourfull , fast paced, long and it has a good story.

    The story is that Adol (you) went into the Great Forest of Celceta and was the only one so far to come back alive. But he has forgotten who he is or what he did.

    The gameplay is great and fast, and the game is overflowing with color.

    Stop reading this review and buy it!
  6. TimmytheGamer
    Dec 8, 2013
    10
    Definitely in my top three favorite vita games that I owned. The music soundtrack is great and game play is very addicting. Hope to see more RPG's on the Vita in the future.
  7. MGdawg
    Nov 28, 2013
    10
    This is one of the best games for Vita. I was skeptical when purchasing this game because I am not a big JRPG fan Ys: Memories of Celceta is really fun. I have about 10 hours into it and I am really enjoying it.
  8. Blly
    Dec 1, 2013
    10
    Absolutely beautiful game. Truly amazing. another excellen game for the Vita A true classic. 9/10 must own for any JRPG fan The last boss was very hard to beat though lol.
  9. JiveAfro
    Nov 26, 2013
    10
    Probably one of the best action RPGs to come to the Vita, it has excitement at every turn and the game-play is memorizing. The music is amazing, fits the game really well. The world for this game is huge! I love this game!!!
  10. commodorewheele
    Nov 28, 2013
    10
    This is the second-best JRPG released in the past few years, behind only Persona 4 Golden IMO. The bread and butter here is the fast, smooth gameplay, which keeps the action really intense, and the rock-based music and art style are fantastic as well. Only weaknesses are that the graphics aren't quite up to the standards of the best that the Vita has seen so far, and the sound effects seemThis is the second-best JRPG released in the past few years, behind only Persona 4 Golden IMO. The bread and butter here is the fast, smooth gameplay, which keeps the action really intense, and the rock-based music and art style are fantastic as well. Only weaknesses are that the graphics aren't quite up to the standards of the best that the Vita has seen so far, and the sound effects seem to be sampled at a lower-than-average rate for a Vita game, but I'd say that those flaws still didn't really detract from my overall enjoyment of the game. I definitely recommend this one!… Expand
  11. OverSoul2012
    Nov 30, 2013
    10
    This is the perfect type of game for Vita. It has really fun gameplay and well thought out rpg mechanics. The graphics aren't the best on the platform, but they make up for it with all around great design. Anyone who's into RPGs will love it.
  12. thedeadcat01
    Dec 2, 2013
    10
    This game is another showcase that really shows why the Vita is so special. The graphics are stunning, the gameplay is amazing, the story is memorable and it just keeps you coming back for more. Highly recommend it to anyone own a Vita.
  13. EvoTheGamer
    Dec 5, 2013
    10
    I Have played many Ys games this one reminds me of Ys SEVEN and its even better! If you own already a PS Vita this title is MUST HAVE! Awesome quick combat system bosses locations and like in every YS Music is fantastic! I Really recommend it to everyone even if you didn't play Ys before!
  14. MarcinOS
    Dec 20, 2013
    10
    My first YS game was YS: The Ark of Napishtim. Later I played YS Seven, but this one is amazing. Nice story, combat system and music confirmed me in my opinion that this is the best action RPG ever. I recommend a special edition of the game.
  15. godef
    Feb 8, 2014
    10
    One of the best games for psvita.It's an action RPG wonderful,perfect to play it in a handheld.The soundtrack is brilliant,one of the best I heard.Every psvita user would have to own this game because is awesome.C'mon buy it!
  16. xpaultheman
    Aug 25, 2014
    10
    I love the fast paced combat, the story, the special moves, the map progression system, the crafting system and the RPG elements. One of my favorite JRPG! Best $30 well spent in a long time.
  17. FlipYa4Real
    Apr 4, 2014
    10
    This is an arcadey action RPG. You basically mow down hordes of enemies while upgrading your gear to 'Godly' levels if wanted, or forgo to save your money for later - which I should have done more of.

    In any case, the music is top notch. I'm not sure who created the soundtrack (that's probably elsewhere in these reviews) but rock fans will be pleased. In any case if it is not your    This is an arcadey action RPG. You basically mow down hordes of enemies while upgrading your gear to 'Godly' levels if wanted, or forgo to save your money for later - which I should have done more of.

    In any case, the music is top notch. I'm not sure who created the soundtrack (that's probably elsewhere in these reviews) but rock fans will be pleased. In any case if it is not your cup o' tea you can play your own music over the top of it.

    The gameplay is superb, for what it is. You won't find better on the Vita in the Hack n' Slash sense.

    Kill mobs
    Return quests
    Upgrade
    Fight a boss
    Proceed to next town while mowing down mobs
    Listen to some story
    Get quests
    Repeat

    In general the above will be the formula. There is some extra content if you return to towns, find an interesting spot on the map that maybe wasn't accessible until you got item 'XYZ', or just out of exploration. The world itself is fairly vibrant. Mobs spawn for the most part in 'what is that on the horizon?' mode. You mostly get first attack, however there is dodge and block - both of which can trigger a slow motion mode where all of your attacks are critical. It seems I mostly just mashed buttons while throwing in the occasional Special or Ultra Special combo. This probably can't be done so much at higher difficulties. For what it is - with enemies exploding like pinatas with loot - I loved it. I wished that the game had some level of gore or blood to accompany the violence. It would make combat that much more satisfying.

    Graphics. Graphics. Graphics. Wow! These sure do disappoint. The characters seem to be worthlessly upscaled to the Vita resolution. The same for all of the textures in general, although the characters will be the most annoyingly noticeable. The game world has it's share the same issue but seems to have fared better. In any case this is only just enough of an annoyance to merit a slight knock to the score. If you're playing this game you've come for the gameplay after all, amirite?

    Story is alright. It has some interesting concepts that are enough to keep you reading. The characters are not deep at all. Most of them have quests related to them where you learn about them, then you're back to the main story. I think this game could do with some more mature themes, but I see the direction is more light-hearted so I wouldn't count on being pleased or displeased in this aspect. If you're a fan of the series I'm sure it will be quite a bit more interesting.

    All in all a very quality title. I will rate up slightly due to it slaying any similar competition (or lack thereof) on the Vita. There really is not another game that delivers hack n slash, loot fest, quality action gameplay with a neatly-riffed soundtrack, and a decent story in one package. I really enjoyed the time I spent with it, enough that I purchased YS:Seven to play afterwards. I play this more than Soul Sacrifice which is slightly similar, but with a more mature story and graphics only because I prefer the details I outlined above.

    I will rate down slightly due to poor graphics and what I thought was a mediocre story - but this is my FIRST Ys game, so I think my appreciate of the story can only increase as I believe they all follow the main character Adol in his monster slayings.

    A '8.5' with the nerf from graphics + story. A '10' because there is nothing else on the Vita that compares to it and I'll round up from '9.5' because it's mathematically correct (lol) and because I'd love to see more Ys or similar titles on the Vita.

    Buy it. Support the devs, they give the Vita plenty of love. At a decent file size.    … Expand
  18. Sikko
    Jun 7, 2014
    10
    Great action RPG, Adol is a little annoying, but that is easily dealt with in the early stages of the game. Fun action based combat, that is better played on the harder difficulty, otherwise the temptation is to be button mashy. Good for at least 2 play throughs.
  19. Yanarchy
    Jan 7, 2015
    10
    I could write a freaking novel on how good this game is. Instead, though, I will only say that if you own a Vita, you owe it to yourself to play this one.
  20. yktan9
    Jun 15, 2015
    10
    It's a gem for the PS Vita platform!

    The gameplay is simple and effective: - Player can switch among the characters in the party real-time, based on the their skills, both in combat as well as exploration. - The levelling up mechanism is not too repetitive. Boss fights requires different strategies. - It's open world but at the same time there is a strong storyline to lead the    It's a gem for the PS Vita platform!

    The gameplay is simple and effective:
    - Player can switch among the characters in the party real-time, based on the their skills, both in combat as well as exploration.
    - The levelling up mechanism is not too repetitive. Boss fights requires different strategies.
    - It's open world but at the same time there is a strong storyline to lead the player.
    - The teleport stones help to reduce the labour of travelling within the areas players have visited.
    - Special moves are easily executed.

    Excellent artwork, character/beast designs, soundtrack.
    Good story-line that blends well with the exploration and leveling up nature of the game.
    The appropriate voice in during text conversations adds on to the characters' personalities.

    Improvement
    - As with all games personal preference comes into play. I would prefer a little bit more depth to the combat (perhaps, possible to turn it on in hard mode?). Some more combo moves to make the combats a bit more engaging. Being an option, it can still be kept simple for a portable pick it up game, and at the same time satisfy hardcore gamers.    … Expand
  21. southtree
    May 1, 2016
    10
    Excellent game and really underrated by reviewers for some reason. Best game for Vita I have played in the last two years. Story is great and it is really easy to get into.
  22. Aerrihn
    Mar 20, 2020
    10
    Firstly, I have sunk over 500 hours on the PS Vita version of the game in the year that it had initially been released. I have Platinum Trophy'd the game and the rest of the time was spent grinding for materials that basically make god weapons for each character.

    Ys Memories of Celceta has a special place in my heart as my favourite PS Vita game. It is a remake of Ys IV which had    Firstly, I have sunk over 500 hours on the PS Vita version of the game in the year that it had initially been released. I have Platinum Trophy'd the game and the rest of the time was spent grinding for materials that basically make god weapons for each character.

    Ys Memories of Celceta has a special place in my heart as my favourite PS Vita game. It is a remake of Ys IV which had originally had a 1993 release as two different versions by two different studios which Falcom had licenced out. So technically, this is actually the first time Falcom had made this game. Ys MoC is part of the Ys series, each game is a traveloge that was found in his home after his death. Ys MoC takes us to the Kingdom of Celceta and the Great Forest.

    The basic plot is that Adol had ventured into the Great Forest only to return with amnesia. As luck would have it Adol is then tasked by the Governor General in the town of Casnan to map the Great Forest. The rest of the story follows Adol as he maps the Forest, literally picking up pieces of his memories as he visits places he had been to before and unravelling the secrets of the forest.

    The music is always the best part of any Ys game. Each track can be found on YouTube for free as the game studio makes their music inhouse and allows anyone to use their music provided they are given credit. From calm, soothing pieces to hard rock and hints of metal, the game has it all. Each boss fight, each dungeon and each monster encounter has a heightened experience thanks to the music.

    The combat is a slightly less polished version of the Ys VIII combat system, so I'll borrow that section of the review and place it here. The game is action combat, with a button for a basic attack, a block, a dodge and a button to switch characters on the fly. On top of the fact that there is a skill point wheel where the first basic attack the player deals after a brief moment out of combat gains the player skill points. While holding down the ZR trigger (which can be mapped elsewhere, in fact everything can be remapped and should be, the defaults pretty awkward to use), it turns the face buttons into skills that can be assigned in the menu and leveled up through just using them. Blocking at the exact moment the enemy attack hits the player will grant a "flash guard" where for a short while every attack the player deals is a critical hit, and dodging at the right moment grants a "flash move" where time is slowed for all enemies for a short while and the player is immune to damage.

    There are a total of 6 different playable characters and there are three damage types. Slash, Strike and Pierce with one type for each character. The player can switch between three party members on the fly in order to "break" enemies by attacking enemies with their weakness hence stunning the enemy and removing their resistances altogether.

    The map is open, with instanced sections. The player may revisit any part of the map to look for particular monsters to gain their materials or any plants for their ingredients as well. Each character has a special interaction with the environment that allows for an excuse to stop the player from exploring further than their prepared for.

    At the start of the game, the character models feel very outdated, almost like a PS1 title, however, as soon as you start to play, you realise you never get to see the details of the character models outside of cutscenes anyway. Not to mention in combat the combat effects mask a lot of the bad grpahics that you would've otherwise been exposed to. The in combat animation work is also stellar given the models they would've had to work with.

    Sidequests appear on request boards in each of the different towns. Many of the sidequests are limited time only. Which means if the player missed one, they would have to wait until the next playthrough to be able to 100% the game.

    The endgame is a grind. Outside of some hidden bosses that are never really given an introduction or context outside of their names, the rest of the endgame comes down to grinding materials that are able to max out the player's best weapons and armour. To get all six of the best weapons 2 playthroughs are a necessity. However, since the combat is so fun, the grind is actually quite fun as well. As the last thing I ever did on my PS Vita I had maxed out all six weapons and armours for all six characters.

    Overall, it is a great game to have either on your PS Vita or even the great port for PC courtesy of XSEED games. If you enjoy a classic JRPG that is not turn based combat, this has got to be one of the games at the top of your list.    … Expand
  23. Mando44646
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    Fantastic handheld RPG. My second favorite Vita game behind Persona 4 Golden it is a must-have for every Vita owner. I cannot recommend it enough. My score is a 9.5 only because I do not tend to give perfect 10s.
  24. Compozer
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    One of the best ARPG's of all time, just a great game.
    +Amazing soundtrack
    +Tight Challenging gameplay
    +Great game world and atmosphere, really makes you feel like you're on an adventure

    Just a great game. Stories a little weak though.
  25. simpletaste
    Jul 4, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Falcom brings Ys:MoC to the PSV with a very well done adventure that I could recommend to anyone with the handheld system.

    The story is well paced and told nicely with story beats that tie into one another which keeps things interesting.

    Battle system is fun, where individuals can create their own play styles. You can button mash if you wish, or you can slow it down for a more methodical approach to situations. Either way the action is fast and can get intense at times.

    In game character portraits are great. The world is colorful and varied and doesn't fall into lava dungeon here, ice dungeon there cliches.

    Voiced dialogue is usually used in introducing main characters in the plot and in certain scenes here and there. The voices are okay. The voices themselves match the characters quite well, but the delivery of some of the actors lines can be hit or miss. Their is very little of it through the adventure so It shouldn't bother even the most snobby of critics too much.

    The pay off at the end is so so(pre-credits) but it didn't upset me, just a little underwhelming. The true payoff of the story was in the journey itself which I had a great time.    … Expand
  26. Gwyndolin
    Sep 22, 2016
    9
    Definitely one of the best titles on the PS Vita.
    If you like Action RPGs you should definitely check this one out. Fast paced hack and slash gameplay that is fun from beginning to the end. The soundtrack is great, it made exploring the maps more fun than it already is.
    Story is decent. I'm a story-oriented player so I must say its strengths does not lie in the storytelling. It's not    Definitely one of the best titles on the PS Vita.
    If you like Action RPGs you should definitely check this one out. Fast paced hack and slash gameplay that is fun from beginning to the end. The soundtrack is great, it made exploring the maps more fun than it already is.

    Story is decent. I'm a story-oriented player so I must say its strengths does not lie in the storytelling. It's not really bad or anything, it just isn't the main selling point.

    As for graphics, it's fine and there was not any frame rate drops that I can remember. If there was it was probably minor and rare.    … Expand
  27. Zeag
    Nov 29, 2013
    9
    Each new Ys game is a guilty pleasure. Every other games in progress are set aside for long sessions of incredibly satisfying hack and slash adventures with Adol.

    Very few changes have been made to the great party and skills systems of Ys Seven for the PSP and that's quite alright since Seven had already brought along changes like crafting and sidequests board that made the game feel    Each new Ys game is a guilty pleasure. Every other games in progress are set aside for long sessions of incredibly satisfying hack and slash adventures with Adol.

    Very few changes have been made to the great party and skills systems of Ys Seven for the PSP and that's quite alright since Seven had already brought along changes like crafting and sidequests board that made the game feel much more substantial than previous games of the series.

    If you're a fan of the series or looking for a Diablo-like with an anime flair, Ys: Memories of Celceta's is another great production from Falcom and a solid buy for any Vita owner.    … Expand
  28. StaticSpine
    Apr 1, 2015
    9
    A very fun Action RPG with simplistic but catchy gameplay, decent story, several playable characters, lots of side quests and crafting. A must-have for all Vita owners!
  29. MurphyBear
    Dec 13, 2013
    9
    Now THIS is the RPG the Vita has been DYING for! If you're like me and would rather play an action RPG as opposed to spending all your time maxing out your "social links" as a four-teen year old Japanese girl buy this game now and pass on that other crap....
  30. Tielur
    Nov 26, 2013
    9
    Honestly I just picked up the special edition version of this game, and my vita died before i could play very much. But this game sticks out. It's art style is amazing. Being my first game in the Ys series this seems like a good starting point to anyone looking to try the games out! also it's so very good to see another good rpg after P4G.
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best PS Vita Game of 2013
4
#4 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2013
2
#2 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Apr 27, 2014
    60
    Not even the savvy touchscreen controls can gloss over the real problem: the uninspired world you're forced to inhabit - and for a 20+ hour commitment, that's a bit of an issue. [May 2014, p.83]
  2. Hyper Magazine
    Apr 9, 2014
    80
    Utterly generic but brilliant fun nevertheless. Shame about the perfunctory ending, though. [May 2014, p.74]
  3. Eurogamer Spain
    Apr 8, 2014
    80
    Nice characters, a simple but deep combat system and a well written story makes difficult to stop playing while this adventure lasts.
    Read full review
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