Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA

 Switch
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 322 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 268 out of 322
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 322
  3. Negative: 27 out of 322
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  1. rumbledore
    Jul 22, 2018
    10
    Just finished this game and I miss the experience already... The story was breathtaking, the characters were admirable and the gameplay was topnotch... Can't wait for Ys IX. This is truly a hidden gem more people should know about. This is the first Ys game I've played and this makes me want to play the previous Ys games.
  2. GBG_Jason
    Jun 26, 2018
    9
    It may just be me, but I really miss the style of older JRPGs. Having grown up on them, they’re a sort of comfort food for me. As much as I enjoy modern RPGs and all the new mechanics they’ve brought about, I love to venture back to the olden days of the genre, typically by replaying games from decades past, but this manages to bring a lot of what those games had while still keeping thingsIt may just be me, but I really miss the style of older JRPGs. Having grown up on them, they’re a sort of comfort food for me. As much as I enjoy modern RPGs and all the new mechanics they’ve brought about, I love to venture back to the olden days of the genre, typically by replaying games from decades past, but this manages to bring a lot of what those games had while still keeping things a bit up-to-date. The dialogue and characters are very reminiscent of older games, and similarly, the dialogue options selected don’t affect the gameplay, so you don’t have to worry about what you’re selecting. This is obvious should you choose to pause during a section of dialogue and see the option of skipping it. Yes, if you feel like RPGs have too much dialogue and you’d rather just swing your sword, you are more than welcome to do that in this. While a strange feature to include, it was very welcome in the prologue having played through it just recently on PC. Should something happen for you to lose your progress, like the power going out, this will undoubtedly save you time if you were in the middle of a narrative heavy section.

    Once you get past the fact that this game won’t be winning any visual awards, you can focus on the fact that the game plays wonderfully. Ys has always been great for combat, and the latest game is no exception. Falcom didn’t sacrifice gameplay for graphics in the way that Final Fantasy XIII did. It could be argued they did the opposite in lieu of not only showing a great game is not dependent on its visuals, but also to spend more time with the mechanics they implemented into this. Combat with any of the characters you acquire throughout is fluid, with three of your party members being a button press away at any given moment – in battle or out. This is important not only for the types of eclectic battles you’ll face, but for the skills each one has for exploration. Battles are mainly hack and slash, with dodges, blocks, and skills to use. It’s a fairly simple system, but it can’t be overstated how well it works. You’ll be faced with using weaknesses on enemies, forcing you to strategize with the different cast members you acquire.

    While certainly not something that’s alien to the series, I can’t think of many RPGs that make use of the Metroidvania level design which taunts you with areas you can’t access until you gain abilities later on. And yet, it’s one of the things that make this so enjoyable. One of the other large portions of the game you’ll be introduced to fairly early on is building your base and recruiting people into it. Having just recently played through Ni no Kuni 2, this was a familiar yet very welcome addition to the rest of the game. Building up your base with differently skilled denizens while defending them from external threats will undoubtedly take up a major portion of your time.

    One of the more notably weak portions of the game will be dependent on your experience with the genre. If you’re like me, you’ll appreciate the story despite its shortcomings. If you’ve never seen anything like this, it can go either way – it can be seen as shallow or it may serve as an introduction to many tropes. As mentioned previously, should you really hate it, you can always skip it altogether. Did I mention there are dinosaurs in this game? You wash up on an island where boats are known to crash if they come within a certain distance of it for reasons unknown (sort of a Bermuda Triangle deal). Do note that if you’re not familiar with the series at all, that’s not a reason to skip out on this, as very little from the other games will help or hinder your experience with this. The one thing you don’t have to worry about is the localization, as this comes with the newly updated script that came out several months after its initial release.

    While this review started off rocky with the PC port, I believe the game is playable for most people there now. Should you not have a console, you would probably be safe nabbing it there. However, I definitely recommend the PS4, Vita, or Switch versions for the reassurance of it working properly. The Switch has that wonderful little feature that doesn’t tie you to a TV, and I enjoyed my time in the recliner with the screen a few inches from my face more than on the 4K TV across the room. This is especially true considering the fact that the game appears better on a smaller screen when played on Switch. I can honestly say this is probably the best Ys game I’ve played on all fronts, and am happy to see it make out of the PlayStation ecosystem, as it’s a game and series that deserves much more love than it gets.    … Expand
  3. AliasOrion
    Jul 16, 2018
    10
    This game was good enough to convince me to make a metacritic account just to combat the shameful score critics gave it. As with Xenoblade 2, the best game to date for switch, this game is hurt by short attention spans and the logistical difficulty for critics to play such a massive game to completion before launch. I am by no means a JRPG fan, but despite this heavily abiding by the lawsThis game was good enough to convince me to make a metacritic account just to combat the shameful score critics gave it. As with Xenoblade 2, the best game to date for switch, this game is hurt by short attention spans and the logistical difficulty for critics to play such a massive game to completion before launch. I am by no means a JRPG fan, but despite this heavily abiding by the laws of the genre, it does so in such a way that it doesn't feel like tedious constant micro-managing, but just fun preparation. The pacing teaches you everything you need to know and prepares you for things to get harder. The bosses are well thought out and the combat system is phenomenal. The primary story does not really even begin until 40% through the content of the game, which explains in large part the low scores of critics who recognized fantastic combat, a well thought out map and world, perfect music and many more positive aspects, but had not yet made it to the engrossing plot. This is a port of a ps4 port of a ps vita game, and as such it is heavily instanced and the graphics are not exactly BotW tier, however, it is easy to look past these few short-comings with everything else this game has going for it.… Expand
  4. TheFlannelFox
    Jun 26, 2018
    8
    Get ready for another grindy JRPG!
    With the wind in your hair and the horizon in the distance Adol is aboard a passenger vessel at sea, while proclaiming himself an adventurer he is working as a hired hand doing whatever the Captain requires. Beginning you tasks with patrolling as security during a dinner party, the ship is attacked by a huge kraken when Adol is tossed a sword and is    Get ready for another grindy JRPG!
    With the wind in your hair and the horizon in the distance Adol is aboard a passenger vessel at sea, while proclaiming himself an adventurer he is working as a hired hand doing whatever the Captain requires. Beginning you tasks with patrolling as security during a dinner party, the ship is attacked by a huge kraken when Adol is tossed a sword and is thrown into battle. While he is able to fend off the beast for just enough time for you to learn the basic mechanics of combat, the ship is sunk and you find yourself stranded on a legendary island known for explorers not returning from it.
    Quickly you realize that you are not alone on this island, you find a rusty sword and must defend yourself from the thousands of beasts that cover the island like sea salt. Soon you find Laxi and she joins you on your adventure, shortly followed by the Captain who sets you on the quest to map the entire island looking for more survivors from the shipwreck.
    On your adventure to find more survivors they will join your team and pressing the Y button during combat allows you to rotate between characters on the fly. Each character having a different color based skill set, where certain classed character will cause more damage to certain enemies. The difference is incredibly noticeable as attacking a green classed enemy with Adol is a red class will take you two to three times longer to defeat, than fighting with Laxia who is green class.
    Basic combat in YsVIII feels surprisingly good, as soon as I began running and jumping around the ship I was taken aback by the very responsive movement, jumping, and dodge-rolls. This feeling continued as I ventured further into the game. After locking onto your target you attack with A for short combos or hold down A to execute a more powerful attack. Then you have skills that you learn as you level up that you map to four slots connected to each face button while holding down the R button, these are all used to charge up ultimate attacks that will come in incredibly handy when encountering difficult boss fights. Which happen a lot more often than this cute anime 3d art-style would suggest and are welcome moments of strategy and challenge.
    As you find more survivors from the shipwreck they become a part of your settlement and how fortunate for you that they all have skill sets that you are in need of. Finding a blacksmith, seamstress, and many others soon has your town becoming more robust allowing you to upgrade all of your gear. Which is very rewarding as you have to using crafting items that you find when out exploring. Along with upgrading your gear, metroidvania style skill upgrades allow you to unlock new sections of the map that you were previously unable to travel to.
    Passing loads of green vines leading upward, at first is a huge environmental road block until you eventually get a pair of gloves that allows you to traverse them with ease. As you will travel through each area many many times grinding your way up in level, it’s great to have these areas that allow some new discoveries even though you’ve searched them many times before. As you work your way through, each little section of the map is broken up into loading points and the enemies respawn if you reenter a cleared area, which is great to level up your squad but can cause a frustrating challenge when your a lost on your way to an objective, which will certainly happen a lot. Certain environments can be quite the maze when slashing your way through, like the dungeons, which are the only areas in the game that your health doesn’t regenerate when you stand still, which raises the stakes quite a bit when retracing your path through dangerous monsters your third time in a row.
    I did want to add that while I have heard when originally launching in the states the dialogue localization was a bit rough, but has been fixed and I had no issues in my playthrough. Also when starting the game you do have a lot of DLC available, which is mostly just cosmetic and switching through costumes during gameplay is a nice way to feel fresh while grinding.
    YsVIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a great experience that should appeal to more than the average action jrpg fan. Yes the story and conversations between characters feels quite cliche and at times you just want to fast forward through the drawn out dialogue, which is an option, but it makes up for it the moment that you hit the ground running. Everything from the special moves, to dodging, jumping, blocking, and climbing feels so fantastic to execute that the hours upon hours you spend slicing through monsters does not get old. With rewarding RPG progression and base building, a weak story and yes very lengthy cutscenes, but amazing combat I can happily say yes to this island adventure.    … Expand
  5. inkling_girl
    Jul 14, 2018
    10
    I'm not a fan of JRPGs at all so I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying this game. This is probably the only JRPG I've actually enjoyed. I haven't played the other games in the series but I read Ys games are standalone and can be played in any order since the storylines are not connected so I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did. I loved everything about thisI'm not a fan of JRPGs at all so I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying this game. This is probably the only JRPG I've actually enjoyed. I haven't played the other games in the series but I read Ys games are standalone and can be played in any order since the storylines are not connected so I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did. I loved everything about this game- the compelling and action-packed storyline, the seamless combat, the characters, the exploration and environments, and of course the music. I had an absolute blast playing this game, there was never a dull moment. Highly recommended.… Expand
  6. kell32669
    Jul 8, 2018
    9
    Being My first Ys game playing, it is very welcoming with a great experience, love the story, the gameplay, and how its all put together, it gets you hooked to the game within the first few minutes of playing, some people complain about the visuals of the switch version, but to me, it looks amazing, i even tested the demo version, on the ps4, while its the graphics look slightly better,Being My first Ys game playing, it is very welcoming with a great experience, love the story, the gameplay, and how its all put together, it gets you hooked to the game within the first few minutes of playing, some people complain about the visuals of the switch version, but to me, it looks amazing, i even tested the demo version, on the ps4, while its the graphics look slightly better, its barely noticeable when playing on switch, which is acceptable being that u can take this on the go. AWESOME GAME, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. only downside imo, is that it should have contained more costumes either by in game or dlc.… Expand
  7. vahn
    Jan 24, 2019
    5
    I had to return this game and get myself a copy of the ps4 version instead, making this the third game I returned for the switch (Bayonetta, Doom and this one) for the sole reason that it's practically a crappier version on almost every level.

    Let me say this: the game ITSELF is great, now that I'm playing on a ps4 version instead, and it's clearly one of the best action RPGs of the    I had to return this game and get myself a copy of the ps4 version instead, making this the third game I returned for the switch (Bayonetta, Doom and this one) for the sole reason that it's practically a crappier version on almost every level.

    Let me say this: the game ITSELF is great, now that I'm playing on a ps4 version instead, and it's clearly one of the best action RPGs of the last years. However, I cannot pass over the big flaws that the switch version has and forced me to essentially switch - HAHAHA - to the ps4 version instead.

    And why am I here reviewing this game instead of ps4 version? Because I'm tired of everyone saying that "Switch version of X is better because it's portable" when it's clearly the opposite and like a dumbass, I fell for it. But this will be the last time, for sure.

    First but not least, 50 euros for an (almost) 2-year-old game...stay classy switch games! I mean it's not like I can buy this game for 30 euros NEW for ps4 and pc!

    Secondly, the game is locked at 30 fps and let me say that the difference is abysmal: on the switch, the gameplay is a lot less fluid and it feels like I'm playing an old ps2 game. Sure it works, it's functional and it's working but this game is meant to be played in full speed and having 60 fps does help a lot more. Not being able to play at 60 is a huge letdown and as a result, your actions feel not as fluid or as fast, which is honestly weird considering that, from what I found, the game was firstly considered for the VITA which is even worse, meaning that this is a port of a port! Even the PC version is better!

    And third, I experienced quite the slowdowns when there's too much action going on - and believe me you WILL have a lot of enemies on screen at times - which drops the framerate even lower and that was the moment I said "F--k it, I'm getting the ps4 version" because this is unacceptable.

    I will ignore the fact that this game had translation issues since that's an already fixed problem.

    In conclusion, I love Ys 8 and I wanted to give it a good try on the switch but it's just not really good and not worth the price, especially when for less you can get a much better version.

    "BUT IT'S PORTABLE" Yeah, I know it's portable, but so is my portable computer and guess what? It's also on steam, which is also a pretty decent port from what I know.

    So here's the thing: would you rather buy a version who has smooth 60 fps combat, no slowdowns, a better price point but no portability or buy a version who has 30 fps combat, lots of slowdowns, a full retail price with the only positive remark being it's portable?

    Measure your cons and pros I say, which is why I gave it a 5: it's a fantastic game, no denying that, and it's extremely fun and enjoyable and I'm having a blast exploring, fighting, fishing, crafting, everything. But on the switch, this game is only HALF of what's on the ps4 and pc version, which is why I'm giving it a 5.
    But if you only care about portability - AND ONLY CARE ABOUT THAT ONE FEATURE THAT ALSO A PORTABLE COMPUTER CAN DO AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE - then add another 5 and enjoy yourself with yet another amazing action RPG in your collection.    … Expand
  8. pcossf
    Oct 11, 2018
    8
    Narratively speaking, the game’s storyline unfolds almost perfectly, with a pace that doesn’t seem too fast or too slow. It is a very intriguing adventure from start to finish, that evolves organically well from a survival story to an epic tale, with various emotional moments along the way, coming either from the protagonist party or the different NPCs you meet in your journey. SpeakingNarratively speaking, the game’s storyline unfolds almost perfectly, with a pace that doesn’t seem too fast or too slow. It is a very intriguing adventure from start to finish, that evolves organically well from a survival story to an epic tale, with various emotional moments along the way, coming either from the protagonist party or the different NPCs you meet in your journey. Speaking about the latter, the characters feel sufficiently developed once you get to explore all their plotlines and backgrounds, giving the player a sense of truly bonding, caring and maturing in every case (all but one, you’ll know which). And while this all makes for great storytelling, all wrapped up by a theme of personal decisions and free will vs. destiny, the only drawback in this aspect of the game is the overabundance of plot twists, each more whacky and sometimes a little bit more nonsensical than the others. Perhaps for some people it’s not a real issue, but for others—including myself—it is (by the end of my playthrough I mumbled “Ooh, shocker!” in a rather sarcastic tone). Luckily, the pace of the game itself and some well-executed hints here and there mitigated an otherwise Deux Ex Machina plot treatment that would have felt lazy and wrong. It’s still there but buried well under the ground.
    Combat and exploration are the main gameplay mechanics in this JRPG title. But unlike other games of the genre, that sometimes prefer slow pace and turn-based battles, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA surprises by its fast pace and almost hack-and-slash approach, reminding a little bit of the treatment another long-serving franchise made to its latest entrance (I’m looking at you, Final Fantasy XV). Exploration is the other side of the gameplay coin. And while this title takes place on an island, the map is surprisingly big, and the hours spent to do to a completionist playthrough are a lot (for me, it was a 70 hour-long journey). Furthermore, Ys VIII offers a plethora of activities to do: from simple tasks given by NPCs, to treasure hunts; from escort missions, to optional dungeons… you name it. Of course, as in any other RPG, there is the classic upgrade system, but this time with a twist: you exchange resources, rather than money, to get new weapons, armor and accessories that will help on battles; consumables and various other upgrades. To top it all, you get to do raid and hunt battles to defend your village, which will grow with every castaway you save, all rounded-up by a ranking system that makes the experience a little bit more fun.
    The visual aspect of the game is perhaps the one that has more flaws than any other. While it is a completely playable title, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA for Nintendo Switch suffers from frame-rate drops a lot, more so when there are a considerable number of enemies on-screen (and sometimes with less as well). While for me the game seems to run at a normal frame-rate of 40fps, the visuals can go as low as—I believe—20fps. Again, the title is playable, but it becomes increasingly annoying as you progress, specially for a product whose main strength was the graphic component. Speaking of graphics, while I was sold on an anime-style game, the art seems a little bit disappointing: the textures are 3D anime-like, but they feel at times cheap, with background details being the worse. I know this wasn’t aiming to be a visual marvel but considering what other games have done (I’m looking at you, Breath of the Wild and Octopath Traveler), I would have expected that by 2018 we would have gotten as a standard decent grass details and water effects, at the very least. Finally, the characters’ modelling is fine—few aliasing in this case—but the shadows and light system are not very good, and some animations are sterile, at best. It may not be the game’s fault, but that of the developer’s at optimizing this port for the Nintendo Switch. Or maybe the console itself. Who knows.
    Musically speaking, the game offers a great soundtrack, plagued by fast-paced rock (synth-rock?) tunes intertwined occasionally with slow orchestral arrangements. Raid battles, boss battles and key fights are accompanied by powerful tracks that excite the player and set the mood properly for some good old hacking and slashing of monsters. On the other side, orchestral arrangements serve to give the game a sense of epicness and grandiosity to the story. They are beautiful and, more than that, able to fulfill their purpose. Add good sound mixing, especially for effects, and you have a great product. The only flaw in this department is the localization of voices: English dubbing feels weird, as it is at times good for some characters, but bad for others. What’s more, voices seem sterile and don’t quite end up transmitting the feeling they intended to. I believe it would be best to experience Ys VIII with the original Japanese voiceover, which thankfully is available to select.    … Expand
  9. Carlinhos
    Feb 7, 2019
    8
    Ys VIII is an OK game, both artistically and technically. It could use better graphics, attention to localization text, framerate optimization and physics. The story, characters and addicting gameplay mechanics are its higher points. All in all, the game is enjoyable but lacks the polish that would make it stand out among other JRPGs.
  10. Sunshadow87
    Jun 6, 2020
    10
    Juegazo donde los hayan.
    Ys siempre ha sido una saga de ActionRPGs que ha destacado por su jugabilidad y su música, y esta entrega no decepciona. También su historia resulta muy interesante siguiendose un cierto hilo en todas sus entregas que comparten los viajes del protagonista Adol, compartiendo personajes recurrentes y narrandose antiguos sucesos pero, exceptuando los primeros,    Juegazo donde los hayan.
    Ys siempre ha sido una saga de ActionRPGs que ha destacado por su jugabilidad y su música, y esta entrega no decepciona. También su historia resulta muy interesante siguiendose un cierto hilo en todas sus entregas que comparten los viajes del protagonista Adol, compartiendo personajes recurrentes y narrandose antiguos sucesos pero, exceptuando los primeros, siendo entregas independientes (no es necesario jugar a los anteriores, las referencias son mínimas).
    En ese sentido este juego no decepciona para nada, con una historia que francamente me recuerda mucho a la serie "Lost" pero con temática más medieval.
    Al principio del juego naufragaremos en una isla aparentemente desierta, que tendremos que ir explorando mientras rescatamos a los supervivientes del naufragio, reclutándolos para nuestra base que iremos haciendo crecer, y girando las misiones en la exploración y en la supervivencia de esta, buscando los recursos o personal necesarios; mientras que por supuesto, buscaremos la manera de escapar de la isla. Pero la isla esconde intrigantes misterios que resolver: ¿qué es la criatura que hace naufragar en el barco y cómo poder escapar en el mar de ella? ¿Qué son los monstruos (dinosaurios) jamás vistos en el continente que pueblan la isla? ¿Cuál es el motivo de los sueños de Adol con la extraña chica peliazul y quién es ella?
    Como digo, una historia muy interesante de principio a fin, un sistema de batalla genial, geniales personajes con los que te unirá un fuerte vínculo por la estrecha colaboración con ellos para escapar de la isla durante las decenas de horas de juego, y una sensación de exploración de una isla como pocas.    … Expand
  11. Patias
    May 4, 2019
    10
    An incredible masterpiece. Everything in this game is amazing. The art, the gameplay, the content, the original soundtrack. God, we talking about the king of action rpgs, and YS VIII is the best game of this incredible serie.

    You simply NEED this game!
  12. Lesh0
    Sep 12, 2019
    10
    My top 2 jrpg after xenoblade chronicles 2 hands down. The story OMG!! no word for the story. The music man you need to buy the game only because of the music you can just stand and listen to the music thats how good it is omg. 15/10 for music hands down best music in jrpg for me ! Characters were all amazing some fun some annoying and some cool but overall you will start to care for allMy top 2 jrpg after xenoblade chronicles 2 hands down. The story OMG!! no word for the story. The music man you need to buy the game only because of the music you can just stand and listen to the music thats how good it is omg. 15/10 for music hands down best music in jrpg for me ! Characters were all amazing some fun some annoying and some cool but overall you will start to care for all of them at some point. The only negatives i can come up with are frame drops at some points and combat scaling in some areas… Expand
  13. Dino84
    Feb 28, 2019
    9
    All new to Ys. I got it quite reluctantly, with mediocre expectations, and I was somewhat disheartened when the first character introduced looked like a blue haired male prostitute...
    But, just a few moments later I found I was fully enjoying myself, and now about 30 hours later (not even halfway through!), I got to say: this game has sailed up onto my top 10 games of all time.
    Which    All new to Ys. I got it quite reluctantly, with mediocre expectations, and I was somewhat disheartened when the first character introduced looked like a blue haired male prostitute...
    But, just a few moments later I found I was fully enjoying myself, and now about 30 hours later (not even halfway through!), I got to say: this game has sailed up onto my top 10 games of all time.

    Which is odd, because the graphics are not the best (especially on the Switch), the character interactions can feel a bit stiff (and ridiculous), and invisible walls are quite frequent during exploration. And the Switch framerate is around 30 rather than 60. Under normal circumstances, for me these would be major cons.
    But, everything else; the action, setting, story, soundtrack, progression, customization, pacing, variety, stability...
    All those are nailed to a degree that simply makes me quit caring about the cons. There is also some clever optimization done here, where creatures outside a certain radius are rendered with fewer frames, while keeping the players perspective smooth. This actually works very well, almost gives it an artistic touch.

    Few games makes me feel so good while playing as Ys8.

    Hoping for more Falcom Switch ports!    … Expand
  14. Vintoz04
    Apr 9, 2020
    9
    If you prefer action rpg more than turnbased. We probably have thesame taste and This is the game for you! I wouldve gave it a 10 but i am spoiled in BOTW and XC2 graphics, ys viii graphics is good but someone took the standards way up there . Anyway the gameplay outshines its flaws. I was thinking this or xenoblade chro 2.I prefer better gameplay than better graphics so here i am. HereIf you prefer action rpg more than turnbased. We probably have thesame taste and This is the game for you! I wouldve gave it a 10 but i am spoiled in BOTW and XC2 graphics, ys viii graphics is good but someone took the standards way up there . Anyway the gameplay outshines its flaws. I was thinking this or xenoblade chro 2.I prefer better gameplay than better graphics so here i am. Here you can grind but the battles depnds on the player itself, dodging blocking using the skill at the right time but still its an rpg. I reccomend it.… Expand
  15. Making_war
    Jan 2, 2021
    10
    Is one of the very veryyy few games that got me sentimental and I have played a lot of games, truly a majestic brilliant story that made me to become such a fan!
  16. Neatqt
    Jul 6, 2019
    8
    Cast: 8/10
    Story: 7/10
    Fun: 7/10
    Gameplay: 9/10

    Recommended
    ---------------------- 45 Hours Played
  17. ReyalsfoSwodahs
    Sep 14, 2018
    9
    After spending some time with YS VIII, I can safely say this game just works. The story is engaging and offers enough content to keep one entertained for hours on end. The combat is fun and switching between characters on the fly adds a more in-depth play style. Being able to switch between characters adds a sense of freshness to the game that other games lack. I have enjoyed recruitingAfter spending some time with YS VIII, I can safely say this game just works. The story is engaging and offers enough content to keep one entertained for hours on end. The combat is fun and switching between characters on the fly adds a more in-depth play style. Being able to switch between characters adds a sense of freshness to the game that other games lack. I have enjoyed recruiting people and building up the base so far (though I'm only like 15 hours in and haven't progressed a ton). Now, I will say one thing I do not like about the game is the walking/running animation. Adol and Co. seem to glide across the ground. I try not to nitpick stuff that does not really matter, but this is the main flaw I have with this game. If you're looking for a content filled RPG to keep you busy, YS VIII holds the keys to what you are looking for!… Expand
  18. Kadoosh
    Sep 30, 2018
    9
    This was an unexpected gem. Didn't know what I was getting myself into (especially with this being my first Ys game), but I stayed, and absolutely enjoyed the whole ride. Good story, great cast, and excellent gameplay. Got the true ending in one go, and while it wasn't hard by any means, is definitely the ending the shoot for. Looking forward to the next one. Just please make all ports ofThis was an unexpected gem. Didn't know what I was getting myself into (especially with this being my first Ys game), but I stayed, and absolutely enjoyed the whole ride. Good story, great cast, and excellent gameplay. Got the true ending in one go, and while it wasn't hard by any means, is definitely the ending the shoot for. Looking forward to the next one. Just please make all ports of future games better next time. I can see where the complaints are coming from for the PC version. I also hope newer titles go for a more improved artsyle, or showcase better graphics overall. The opportunity is there. They should take it.

    Note: I played the PC version. After 40+ hours for my initial playthrough, game only crashed once, had a couple of typos, and major slowdown in only one *optional* segment, so my experience overall was pretty good.    … Expand
  19. kiwijinxter
    Nov 1, 2018
    9
    This is the battle system Xenoblade Chronicles should've adopted!

    When I first picked up Xenoblade Chronicles, I expected the battle system to be like that of Ys VIII. It wasn't, but I still finished that game. However, my itch for a real-time action battle system remained... until I discovered Ys VIII. I had no idea what kind of game it was until I stumbled upon some reviews... after    This is the battle system Xenoblade Chronicles should've adopted!

    When I first picked up Xenoblade Chronicles, I expected the battle system to be like that of Ys VIII. It wasn't, but I still finished that game. However, my itch for a real-time action battle system remained... until I discovered Ys VIII. I had no idea what kind of game it was until I stumbled upon some reviews... after reading them, I decided to buy it... and I've no regrets - this game managed scratched that itch that left the battles wanting in Xenoblade Chronicles.

    Ys VIII is an action RPG, and it circumvents everything that I didn't like about Xenoblade. IN Ys VIII, I am fully in control of the battle, I use special moves when I want, I use normal moves when I want, I face the monster from the back / side / front, whenever I want. The upgrades to the weapons are straightforward, just keep going up, so I don't get flummoxed by complex systems. Almost all the time, I knew exactly where to go for my next quests / missions.

    The story is relatively straightforward, almost without any plot twists, so really, it's the entire battle system that shines through in this game. As you level up you gain new special abilities which you can assign to one of 4 buttons to execute (there are lots of abilities to choose from as you progress). In Xenoblade Chronicles, sometimes you don't really feel "in control" of the battles because of the way it's implemented. With Ys VIII on the other hand, you're completely in control every single second of the battle, which means you feel more engaged during battles.

    You also get to choose to play a number of characters each with different feel. You get the melee type character (the main character, Adol is one) which is great if you like it up close and personal. Then you get the "fencer" type which is a very agile and quick character but very good at "breaks". You get the tank which basically, well, the tank with huge HP and power hits but just slower than others. You get the AoE (area of effect) type which whacks everything around you, you get the gunner who actually has some super powerful moves, but can also jab when close up... this means you have a great variety of options to play.

    Another great design I like about this game is that, unlike Pokemon, those characters you are not using in your party of 3 at any time will also passively level up so you don't have to grind unnecessarily. The ones not in your party doesn't level up as quickly as the 3 in your party, but it's still helpful that they do level up almost as quickly. This further gives you the flexibility to interchange characters and really have fun at the action part of this RPG. That said, you could grind if you wish to grind as everytime you enter an area again, the monster respawn. Good for parts collection to upgrade weapons and armor too.

    It's a relatively long game, it took me about 60 hours to complete (I almost completed every single side quest), however, what I found was that often, when it started feeling repetitive, they introduce a new move, or new area, or new something, and it does help keep it fresh throughout. Admittedly, I changed from "Normal" to "Easy" about 3/4 way through because I wanted to get to the ending (note there's a "good", "normal" and "bad" ending depending on the reputation points you earn). Reputation points are earned as you complete side quests for characters, give gifts, etc.

    If you're a fan of action RPGs, and you like to be in total control of your action / battles, then this is exactly the game for you. The story is a bit light, but hey, I played this for the action, I sure got them!    … Expand
  20. Lexion
    Jul 3, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I must say that YS VIII got an incredible story and game play, but honestly i dislike the concept of there is only one place with human beings and each people blessed with talent to help Adol and his crew to solve their problem, they should make more places (villages, cities, etc). What makes this game great are the story and the gameplay, nothing else.… Expand
  21. Kee
    Dec 28, 2018
    4
    Poor optimizing. The frame is not stable and it makes me irritating. From Chapter 4 when the village has developed. Even I satisfied to play it with 30 frames but some dungeons have frame drops very frequently. So I've sick and tried to play this game. It really shames why the company doesn't make it possible to offer the game with the perfect frames for me. even that game's contents werePoor optimizing. The frame is not stable and it makes me irritating. From Chapter 4 when the village has developed. Even I satisfied to play it with 30 frames but some dungeons have frame drops very frequently. So I've sick and tried to play this game. It really shames why the company doesn't make it possible to offer the game with the perfect frames for me. even that game's contents were excellent.… Expand
  22. AllySky
    Jun 24, 2019
    9
    Ys does not what-so-ever struggle to obtain the number one slot as best rpg on the Nintendo switch, at least for me. Its competitors such as Xenoblade Chronicles and Tales of Vesperia are mighty foes, however what Ys offers over the others leaves them in the dust in the end.

    For starters, the combat, While Xenoblade is locked with auto hits and calls upon you to only tap a button for    Ys does not what-so-ever struggle to obtain the number one slot as best rpg on the Nintendo switch, at least for me. Its competitors such as Xenoblade Chronicles and Tales of Vesperia are mighty foes, however what Ys offers over the others leaves them in the dust in the end.

    For starters, the combat, While Xenoblade is locked with auto hits and calls upon you to only tap a button for specials, it quickly bores you with its repetitive and movie-like combat, where you have little control, or to the point it feels meaningless to try. And Tales of Vesperia, while the combat is nice, it's also locked in a awkward 2.5D perspective, sluggish combat, and perhaps even immersion breaking, where as Ys is far better. Ys has open, free, and full combat at your finger tips, nothing is holding you down,where you have all the control you'd want in a rpg.

    Now more about the game itself, it has a massive, wonderful world to explore, so much to explore, and lovable characters to meet and find. There were some characters I didn't like, but the game made me like them in the end through fantastic character building, not to mention the story is top notch, it'll be hard to put the controller down once you pick it up to play this game. If you've never touched this game before, I recommend getting it, it's worth every penny.    … Expand
  23. Phuz
    Feb 8, 2022
    5
    I would have given a 4 but I think an amber rating is more fair than a red. I rarely ever score in the middle ground because I either really enjoy a game and rate it high, or have wasted my money and give a 0. I don't often get a game I like just enough to persevere with but not enough to call it a good game.

    So Ys 8 has a lot going for it. The soundtrack although not as good as some    I would have given a 4 but I think an amber rating is more fair than a red. I rarely ever score in the middle ground because I either really enjoy a game and rate it high, or have wasted my money and give a 0. I don't often get a game I like just enough to persevere with but not enough to call it a good game.

    So Ys 8 has a lot going for it. The soundtrack although not as good as some other Ys games is still good. The combat is fun but again not as good as those on the previous engine but this game is heavily bogged down by certain elements. The characters whilst being likeable are rather uninteresting and some are very forced.

    The big failure is that this is an action rgp and the action is really stop start. You explore via a terrible map system and then when you get to your destination, you get called back to base. Sometimes this is automatic, sometimes it is fast travel but it always feels like an interuption. I don't like the fishing but I have no way of knowing if the treasure chests found fishing are needed, as in past Ys games chests hold items to advance in the game.

    The scenery whilst nice, I don't find to be as pleasant as SAO, Zestiria, Berseria, etc The whole base thing just feels like a waste of time. Collect ore, forge weapons etc. It is just another chore between the action. It feels like an action RPG that sidelined the action too often.

    Now when I play Ys 8 which I have been doing very slowly over a couple of years now, I often get a bit bored. When I played Ys Origin, I couldn't put it down. Even the grind was fun in Ys Origin and I hate grinding as a general rule.

    I am also playing Path in Felghana and Memories of Celceta at the moment and to me they are way more fun.

    I hope they develop a new engine, or do something more fun with the new engine because this 3D open world Ys does not work as well as the top down Ys games of recent past.    … Expand
  24. ActualReviewer2
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    The best JRPG available on the Switch. Period. It has EVERYTHING, literally.

    Real time combat, action, slow times when you want slowness, just to gather herbs and ore. Fast when you need fast. The soundtrack is through the roof, A+ to the sound department. The story is touching. I felt each characters pain. The only problem would be if Ys IX never came out on Switch!    The best JRPG available on the Switch. Period. It has EVERYTHING, literally.

    Real time combat, action, slow times when you want slowness, just to gather herbs and ore.

    Fast when you need fast.

    The soundtrack is through the roof, A+ to the sound department.

    The story is touching. I felt each characters pain.

    The only problem would be if Ys IX never came out on Switch!

    If you like action combat games, with plenty of time (at your discretion) to work on other game facets ..
    this game may be for you!

    I enjoyed it 100%. The only sad part is how Square-Enix games seem lackluster in comparison.    … Expand
  25. Nintendist
    Jun 30, 2022
    0
    this game is not good. really the worst soundtrack and the story is not fun it all
  26. lucinhagamer
    Aug 26, 2022
    0
    a very cheap game with no good quality gameplay. the improvements are so boring
  27. ket
    Sep 4, 2023
    6
    Ys 8 (VIII) is a fun game, well structured, a lot to do and plenty to explore with a solid enough story. On Switch though talking from a technical perspective out in the open (anything past the opening on the ship) it looks like total crap with shimmer all over the place, a result of either no TAA (Temporal Anti Aliasing) being used on Switch or mipmaps being removed from diffuse texturesYs 8 (VIII) is a fun game, well structured, a lot to do and plenty to explore with a solid enough story. On Switch though talking from a technical perspective out in the open (anything past the opening on the ship) it looks like total crap with shimmer all over the place, a result of either no TAA (Temporal Anti Aliasing) being used on Switch or mipmaps being removed from diffuse textures (likely to save space) which results in a harsh, grainy, uncomfortable viewing experience which ends up hurting your eyes (literally, I'm not talking figuratively). Even a minimal amount of TAA would dramatically cut down this shimmer and make for a vastly improved experience. Shadow quality also isn't great. Neither of these things should have been deemed acceptable when put together, bad shadow resolution you could live with if the overall image didn't have such absurd levels of noise and is easily enough to drag what should be a 9/10 down to a 6/10. The devs REALLY need to release a patch enabling a small amount of TAA even now because without SOMETHING being done to reduce the amount of noise it is truly horrendous. In terms of frame rate however I've not noticed anything drastic it has remained very consistent so there is at least that in favour for the Switch port.

    Until a patch is released (if ever) to drastically tone down or fix the image shimmer buy it on PS4 instead for £20 (or less) rather than blowing £35 (or more) on this Switch version because on anything larger than the tiny screen of the Switch the image shimmer will absolutely ruin your experience.

    An extremely disappointing port that didn't have to be this way.    … Expand
  28. Steyraus
    Jan 1, 2021
    10
    Amazing games, just as good as the ps4 version. Very few visual downgrades and with all the amazing story combat and exploring.
  29. DrZomboid
    Jan 25, 2022
    3
    Low budget game plus looks extra awful on Switch
  30. Djungelorm
    Jan 4, 2022
    9
    A beautiful experience that I would recommend to any JRPG fan; the characters' interactions are a joy to watch and I liked every party member, Dana in particular. The adventure grows into something bigger as you go through it, through exciting boss battles and dungeons, and it is worth it to stick through to the end. There are a few issues like with the translation or the framerate onA beautiful experience that I would recommend to any JRPG fan; the characters' interactions are a joy to watch and I liked every party member, Dana in particular. The adventure grows into something bigger as you go through it, through exciting boss battles and dungeons, and it is worth it to stick through to the end. There are a few issues like with the translation or the framerate on distant large enemies, but you would be a fool to let it put you off experiencing this beautiful tale.… Expand
  31. Firepistol95
    Jun 20, 2020
    9
    >>Story: It centers around a adventurer named, Adol, with his bud Dogi.Where he starts off on a ship coming from Xandria and heading to Eresia.(It takes place shortly after YsV)
    In search of his next adventure till they come close to a "Cursed" island, Seiren, tht has caused many a ship wreck.They got a lil too close and get attacked by a undersea creature tht sinks the ship.
    Adol ends    >>Story: It centers around a adventurer named, Adol, with his bud Dogi.Where he starts off on a ship coming from Xandria and heading to Eresia.(It takes place shortly after YsV)
    In search of his next adventure till they come close to a "Cursed" island, Seiren, tht has caused many a ship wreck.They got a lil too close and get attacked by a undersea creature tht sinks the ship.
    Adol ends up on the island as a castaway.He starts off his adventure trying to find any surviving castaways and a way to get off the island.But their seems to be more to wht this island contains
    Honestly the story was pretty engaging and when u find out a pretty good bit of wht this island is at the halfway point of the story, the pacing of the story just keeps hitting moment to moment and honestly never slows down, in a good way.
    Also has a Bad, Normal and Good ending.
    >>Graphics: Its a game ported from the PS Vita with a bump n resolution and higher res UI. Thts pretty much it....a pretty bare bones port imo They didnt bother updating some of the assets to look good on a tv.Shadows are still blocky, render distance for grass is pretty short, enemies move at half framerate at a distance and a few smaller things. BUT still the game looks great overall despite the noticeable Vita assets. (Switch version when played in handheld keeps constantly switching between 576p and 720p, even when there isnt much goin on and ur just standing. Most notable in the "hub" area of the game; but overall not noticeable in normal gameplay.) Plus the locations are pretty varied so never looks bland.
    >>Gameplay: So like typical jrpg fashion u start out as Level 1. As u continue to level up, u get incremental boosts to ur stats. As u level up, u unlock more skills for ur character (and other party members) to use in combat and the skills are pretty varied from each member. They may hav some similarities but overall hav their own "identity" to make it entertaining. U can hav up to 4 skills slotted to use in combat.The more and more u use a skill, it will level up and boost its stats to be more effective in damage or reduced SP use. (SP is essentially the currency in ur meter to use skills) Skills can be like slash upwards to air, dive honing onto a enemy, parry into a big blast, big wide aoe spin, blast radius shot, etc.; SP can be recovered by just normal attacks onto enemy, if u wait till a blue TING visual/noise pops on ur character then ur next attack will fill a good portion of SP to use.
    Now there is a skill called a, EXTRA skill where its unique to the individuals of the party; its a separate meter tht can be filled from constant use of ur regular skills. Once it fills completely, u can unleash it to a big powerful attack. (Pretty anime in nature u culd say. lol)
    >>Gameplay Part 2: Now as u find more castaways as u progress the story (some require ur own searching tht isnt in line with the story entirely), tht help open up more facilities. Blacksmith, clothing maker, Trade shop, Farming, Accessory making, etc.
    The ones I listed (except) farmer will be given to u just by following the story missions instead of a need to search.
    Also u need to rescue castaways to help clear blocks in paths to get to the next part of the island; story related and side stuff.
    Blacksmith is where u upgrade ur weps and get armor (obviously lol); For wep upgrading u can level up wep to lvl 3 if u bring the right materials; as u progress through the story u will find "Fire Stones" tht will help upgrade ur wep to the next Tier and affects them visually. (some cool designs) Same with armor on needing to find materials.
    Now on gathering materials, its typical to like survival games or MH, where u need to gather from material spots. Veins, trees, plants, fishing, etc.
    Now in the game as u reach a point in the story early on, u hav to partake in Raids. Where beasts attack ur hub.U need to build fortifications, support, etc. from materials u find out on ur adventure; level them up as well. Once u complete raids, u are graded with how u performed. Eradication, EXTRA skill use, no damage, etc. The higher ur grade, the better materials u get as ur rewards.
    Later on in the story, u partake into something similar called, Hunts. Where u eradicate overpopulation areas of the island tht might be a threat to ur hub. Where u places torches in set locations and protect them, since they weaken beast nests and enemies to make easier and faster to kill; till at the end the Boss appears tht u must defeat.
    Now to get the Good ending in the game, u must acquire 200 Rep by doing story, castaway related sidequests, giving castaways gifts (tht appear in the Trade shop or Chests u find in the game), rescuing more castaways, etc.Its not too hard to get it if u keep doin alot of stuff;Took me 46 hrs to get nearly everything done.
    >>Music: I'll just list some tracks tht I like and let u judge. I really luv the OST of the game overall. SunshineCoastline, NextStepTowardTheUnknown,AtoZ(best 1)    … Expand
  32. titten
    Dec 2, 2019
    5
    This is a bad port of the PS4 game.
    - Choppy framerate, usually around mid 20's during combats
    - No HD rumble (Actually no rumble at all) - The resolution/aliasing is lacklustre. There's A LOT of shimmering and jaggies everywhere. General: - The world isn't seamless - areas must load everywhere which kind of lower the experience. Feels like a game from 20 years ago in this regard.    This is a bad port of the PS4 game.
    - Choppy framerate, usually around mid 20's during combats
    - No HD rumble (Actually no rumble at all)
    - The resolution/aliasing is lacklustre. There's A LOT of shimmering and jaggies everywhere.

    General:
    - The world isn't seamless - areas must load everywhere which kind of lower the experience. Feels like a game from 20 years ago in this regard.
    - The game world doesn't let you explore anything other than the "beaten path".

    Having played several first party Switch titles, it's easy to see how bad this port is in terms of performance. It would be more than possible to get this game running in a solid 50-60 FPS, which would help the fluidity of the combat a lot.    … Expand
  33. Deathbackwards
    Sep 16, 2019
    9
    This game is absolutely fantastic. It is easily one of the best action rpgs of all time. The game, story, and music get a 10/10, but the switch port is lacking. It is a Playstation Vita game, which should run fine on the Switch, but it has some framerate and graphical issues that hold it back from its full potential. It's not a bad port, but it could be better.
  34. Paradox_
    Sep 12, 2019
    9
    un juego increible, la musica es de lo mejor que he escuchado, muy buenos personajes, una aventura tremenda y un juego extremadamente divertido :3, el unico incoveninente que le vi y por que no le puse 10 fue por el idioma, aunque si sabes algo de ingles como yo no tendras problemas
  35. hyjnpark
    Aug 14, 2018
    10
    I really don't know why the meta score is in the low 80's on this game. Feels this should be much higher. Great plot, great development of key characters and a very enjoyable game play experience on the switch platform. Yes, compared to the PS4, there were some adjustments due to console capability, but it didn't hinder the experience one bit. if anything, I got more playing time due toI really don't know why the meta score is in the low 80's on this game. Feels this should be much higher. Great plot, great development of key characters and a very enjoyable game play experience on the switch platform. Yes, compared to the PS4, there were some adjustments due to console capability, but it didn't hinder the experience one bit. if anything, I got more playing time due to the switch platform than anything else without having to sacrifice much. This one will be one to remember. Thank you for the memories Falcom. Excellent port.… Expand
  36. infectedA
    Sep 5, 2018
    9
    This game is what made me make an account on metacritic. I have completed the game and must say that it was a very good experience. The combat in this game is great and always keeps the game entertaining. The story feels fresh throughout the game. I usually do not really follow stories and completely found myself wanting more with this game. It does run at 30fps and graphicallyThis game is what made me make an account on metacritic. I have completed the game and must say that it was a very good experience. The combat in this game is great and always keeps the game entertaining. The story feels fresh throughout the game. I usually do not really follow stories and completely found myself wanting more with this game. It does run at 30fps and graphically reminds me of a Playstation 2 game. However, I am a firm believer that graphics do not make games and this game is a perfect example. The crafting system is fun. I never felt like I had to excessively grind for things to complete the game. I would highly recommend this game for your Nintendo Switch if you have not already played it. It's a great game to be able to play on the go. It really shines in portable mode. I would say I played 40% portable and 60% docked.… Expand
  37. MisterMacys
    Feb 28, 2021
    7
    Framerate isn't great, combat can get repetitive, resource gathering was shoehorned in to pad out the game length. Music is forgettable, character art is simple but clean.
  38. Nimander
    Feb 27, 2019
    9
    I would describe YS VIII as Lost the JRPG, but this one stays great until the end.
    The characters are great, and the story takes some nice twists and turns.
    The graphics leaves something to be desired if that is important(I like the art style though), but story and gameplay more than makes up for it in my book.
  39. huoc
    Sep 21, 2019
    9
    A perfect 10 is hard to give and only a handful of games have ever earned it. But this game is close.
    Graphics: fine. it's a Switch game. Some monsters and characters could have more polygons though.
    Music: brilliant. The usual JRPG stuff, in a good sense. You may want to listen to the soundtrack even when not playing the game. Story: great. not cliche and there are more threads. It is    A perfect 10 is hard to give and only a handful of games have ever earned it. But this game is close.
    Graphics: fine. it's a Switch game. Some monsters and characters could have more polygons though.
    Music: brilliant. The usual JRPG stuff, in a good sense. You may want to listen to the soundtrack even when not playing the game.
    Story: great. not cliche and there are more threads. It is satisfying. One of the greatest strenghts of the game.
    Game-play: it's more on the action side, not the usual JRPG turn based fights. This rather works like a TPS. It is a mixture of an action and a JRPG game. No grinding is necessary on Normal difficulty.
    Negative: people complain about frame rate and optimization. I had no issues, playing 100% docked, have not tried handheld. Still, people complain about all Switch ports...
    Overall: once you finish the game, you will miss it. The setting, the characters, the story are all engaging and heart-touching.
    Buy it, play it!    … Expand
  40. MagicHadi
    Jul 12, 2019
    7
    Ys 8 is not the best game of its kind, but it certainly doesnt disappoint. The combat is pretty standard. You hack at monsters and occasionally unleash skills. Some monsters choreograph their attacks too much and some dont do it enough (a few bosses have almost none) so the difficulty feels a bit inconsistent when you can beat many stronger monsters undamaged but some weaker ones feelYs 8 is not the best game of its kind, but it certainly doesnt disappoint. The combat is pretty standard. You hack at monsters and occasionally unleash skills. Some monsters choreograph their attacks too much and some dont do it enough (a few bosses have almost none) so the difficulty feels a bit inconsistent when you can beat many stronger monsters undamaged but some weaker ones feel cheesy. Speaking of the bosses, some of them are unreasonably difficult. One story boss in particular was a struggle for me to beat even on the easiest difficulty (i was playing on the hardest before that point and had to go down just for this fight). He had 0 choreography before any attack and his attacks were fast, with most hitting large areas of effect around him constantly dealing insane amounts og damage. It may be that i needed to grind more, so if you dont like grinding or high difficulty then the combat may not be enjoyable.

    The music is serviceable, with some tracks standing out but nothing too good.

    The characters feel pretty flat. The main character is a self-insert, so he has exactly 0 personality, and the rest are just archetypes. The female characters are also all fairly scantily-clad (including one thats clearly a child) so that may turn you off. Voice acting is bad. Nothing else really to say here.

    The story is interesting. Its compelling enough that you want to find out how it ends but does get boring at some points. It also has some interesting twists and is not afraid to kill off (minor) characters.

    Besides all that, its very clear that the main focus of the game is exploration. If youre a fan of exploration-based games then this one absolutely does not disappoint. Theres plenty of lands to unlock, all giving different materials and monsters to fight. The exploration is also woven in with the narrative in a way that makes you want to progress the story to explore more. You need a certain amount of islanders with you to clear new areas for exploration, so youre motivated to find more, and when any of them die then youre set back in this goal, investing you (even superficially) into the characters.

    Overall I had a decent time playing the game and would recommend it to anyone who likes exploration and doesnt mind the typical drawbacks associated with anime games.    … Expand
  41. Sanderbo99
    Dec 19, 2019
    10
    This is in my opinion the best non exclusive switch game, it's only one negative thing I can say about the game and that is the graphics, it doesn't look very good, everything else is perfect
  42. SenseiMiguel
    Jun 19, 2020
    9
    graphics 8/10
    story 9/10
    music 9/10
    control 9/10
    fun factor 9/10

    TOTAL 8.4
  43. qc00299
    Jan 1, 2022
    9
    Disclaimer: my first Y’s game
    This game was extremely satisfying to play! The story and the characters are full of life. Never seen a game have so many characters yet each so distinct and their own personalities. The island atmosphere is done very well and the world is fun to explore. The combat is nothing ground breaking nor extremely deep, however it is so satisfying and does not get    Disclaimer: my first Y’s game
    This game was extremely satisfying to play! The story and the characters are full of life. Never seen a game have so many characters yet each so distinct and their own personalities. The island atmosphere is done very well and the world is fun to explore. The combat is nothing ground breaking nor extremely deep, however it is so satisfying and does not get boring over many many hours of gameplay. The boss fights are fun and quite challenging. The pacing was very nice to me because you can go from very story heavy and intense to fast paced and very causal exploring. Would definitely recommend to any RPG/ Action RPG fan    … Expand
  44. Jholmes2785
    Nov 14, 2019
    8
    Starts off a little slow but once you get an hour in it really comes in to it’s own. Very enjoyable JRPG/beat em up style game. Tells a lengthy, but well thought out and rewarding story.
  45. IMR707
    Sep 4, 2022
    8
    Pro
    - Fast paced action
    - Challenging bosses

    Cons
    - Spongy enemies HP
    - Characters not memorable
    - 30 fps not satisfying for fast paced action game, although it is not too distracting in Switch.
  46. Lesser_Critic
    Sep 9, 2020
    10
    So, I picked up Ys VIII after I finished Memories of Celceta, and I loved every minute of it. I loved the story which turned out to be more than just the vanilla "Escape the Island" scenario. The gameplay was fun and addictive, there was a good amount of quests, and the music(chef's kiss) was some of the best music that I've heard this past decade. I regret not buying the limited editionSo, I picked up Ys VIII after I finished Memories of Celceta, and I loved every minute of it. I loved the story which turned out to be more than just the vanilla "Escape the Island" scenario. The gameplay was fun and addictive, there was a good amount of quests, and the music(chef's kiss) was some of the best music that I've heard this past decade. I regret not buying the limited edition of the game because it includes the CD for some of the music in the game. I just recently started playing the Ys series in 2018 and since then, it's become one of my favourite series, and Ys VIII pretty much cemented it. In my opinion, Ys VIII is the best game in the series. So looking forward to Ys IX!… Expand
  47. Alberto_Rahl
    Mar 4, 2020
    7
    Tiene muy buena historia y entretiene de principio a fin pero le falla las caídas en resolución en la switch y la falta de traducción al español.

    Espero que podamos ver más títulos de Ys para la switch (incluso si hay que jugarlos en inglés). Aunque me da la impresión de que no hizo mucho ruido y por eso nos hemos quedado sin Ys ix en esta plataforma.
  48. Aerrihn
    Mar 20, 2020
    10
    Firstly, I have sunk over 1300 hours on the Switch version of the game, on top of over 350 hours on the PS Vita version. I have played 27 complete playthroughs with 24 of them being 100% completions. The rest of the time is being spent grinding for a material that increases the base stats of the characters.

    Ys VIII is by far my favourite RPG ever. Do not be intimidated by the number    Firstly, I have sunk over 1300 hours on the Switch version of the game, on top of over 350 hours on the PS Vita version. I have played 27 complete playthroughs with 24 of them being 100% completions. The rest of the time is being spent grinding for a material that increases the base stats of the characters.

    Ys VIII is by far my favourite RPG ever. Do not be intimidated by the number VIII attached to the game as each Ys game has almost no connection to each other outside of small easter eggs and the main character who appears in almost all the entries. Adol Christin is known as a red haired adventurer, and each game is a travelogue that was found in his home after his death. Ys VIII takes us to the Isle of Seiren, basically the Bermuda Triangle of the game.

    The basic plot is that Adol and his friend Dogi were in transition from one city to another on a ship when it gets attacked by a tentacle monster and Adol is washed ashore. The game then revolves around finding the castaways and building up a village which will help Adol grow his gear and upgrade tools and weapons.

    The music is a highlight in every 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 ballads to kickass rock, the game has it all. It makes fighting the wolves at the very beginning of the game feel like a final boss fight that lasts 10 seconds.

    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 and allowing the rest of the party to then deal true damage as well.

    The map is psuedo open world. As in, it is not fully open world like Breath of the Wild, but the player may revisit any part of the map that the player have been to previously and it is not fully linear. The environment is filled with harvest points to gain resources, obstacles that the player need the right tools or number of people in the player's village to clear. Traversal feels right and it feels like there is a variety of ways to move across the map.

    The graphic and cutscene animations do feel a little outdated for a game that originally released in 2016, but for essentially an indie studio, it can keep up with the likes Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It is definitely the type of game where the longer you play, the less the graphics bother you.

    Progression is displayed in a very genius way. There is a village that the player builds up through finding other Castaways. Each time the player finds new castaways or advance in the story, they can come back to the village to see how it has developed. Sidequests will appear in every chapter, and have expiry times. You can't expect someone in the village to ask for your help and wait forever, can you? Some of these sidequests will also permanently develop the village.

    The endgame is a very boring, past the DLCs and the expansions that were intially introduced in the PS4 edition, the last thing the player has to do is to grind for a material called Aura Grass. This allows the player to trade for potions that increase one of the character's three base stats (STR, DEF and HP) by 3. As of today I have not seen a single person online who has maxed out all 6 characters. I myself has only maxed out two.

    Overall, it is an amazing game that showcases the best of Nihon Falcom and in my opinion, a must have on your Switch if you enjoy traditional JRPGs.    … Expand
  49. Simoss13
    Dec 31, 2020
    8
    When I heard that you are a castaway on a mysterious island, it had me intrigued. The plot had a 'Lost' TV show vibe, along with being an ARPG I had to get it.
    I found the music to be stellar and only judging by the music I would award a 10/10. Not my favourite type of music but enjoyed it as the guitarist seemed to have a blast jamming at times.
    Without going through details, the plot    When I heard that you are a castaway on a mysterious island, it had me intrigued. The plot had a 'Lost' TV show vibe, along with being an ARPG I had to get it.
    I found the music to be stellar and only judging by the music I would award a 10/10. Not my favourite type of music but enjoyed it as the guitarist seemed to have a blast jamming at times.
    Without going through details, the plot is well illustrated and makes you invested in every character. There is some plot twists and interesting ideas to keep you motivated. However, I feel the plot later sways to the JRPG cliché which loses a unique identity. The combat is deep yet straight forward and changing characters within the team add variety as they each have different moves and attributes. The button mapping is unsatisfactory, however you can customise this in the menu options.
    The upgrade system is easy to understand making it less of a chore to get into the action.
    A few issues I encountered on the Switch version I played are:
    - Enemies in the far background have a terrible framerate (like single digits) and is comical in a way. When approaching the enemy, the frame rate increases. I am not a FPS snob but something to notice if you are.
    - Graphics look strongly like an early PS3 game. Great attempt on their first 3D game but did disappoint me given the framerate issue above.
    - Some scenes seem to stretch too for and the characters seems to blurt out the obvious. There are moment I am not playing the game at for for over 20minutes and get me impatient to play the game
    - Some scenes jump from full voice audio to just text boxes and seem to be quite random when this happens. Wasn't a major complaint as file size and cost of voice actors, but was it was the inconsistent nature that was jarring.
    - The game is riddled with invisible walls that break immersion for me. The game seems more open-world in the images then what is actually happening also. The game is not fully linear but could be more open to explore this wonderful island.
    The game took me around 70 hours to finish on hard mode and I got the true ending. Some parts could be streamlined to make it a 60hour experience for me. I recommend playing but cannot say I will play again due to the investment made and long cut scenes in certain areas.    … Expand
  50. Denvers
    Nov 18, 2021
    7
    The story, plot, and characters of Ys VIII are all good, but the combat and length really ruin the game. It feels as if the game is dragging on forever. Long games aren't a bad thing, but when nothing new is introduced, it gets quite boring. Still, the game is memorable enough and isn't bad by any metric.
  51. Snowypods
    Sep 11, 2021
    9
    The story is what drives this game up. The pacing is excellent and supports the game play. Music is linked very well with what's happening on screen.
  52. adearriba07
    Mar 29, 2021
    9
    Excellent game! Great combat, great story, great characters. The start seems slow, but the game keeps getting better and better and the combat is always fresh! Lots of bosses to fight and different enemies too.
  53. ShadySandy
    Aug 31, 2020
    8
    The game looks really good and I like the option to use original voice; however, the English translation is really bad sometimes, with sentences that have missing words and don’t make much sense. For such an expensive and popular game, I expected more thorough checks...
  54. Rhonx
    Sep 25, 2020
    10
    This was one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had.
    This game has rewarding meaningful exploration with a nice central story progression.
    If you like Robinson Crusoe, the Mysterious Island, Treasure Island, Land of the Lost, or King Kong, you will probably love this game. I technically give this a 9.5 because the ending gets convoluted as almost every JRPG does. I cannot knock    This was one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had.
    This game has rewarding meaningful exploration with a nice central story progression.
    If you like Robinson Crusoe, the Mysterious Island, Treasure Island, Land of the Lost, or King Kong, you will probably love this game.
    I technically give this a 9.5 because the ending gets convoluted as almost every JRPG does. I cannot knock it down to a 9 because the experience it gave me for the first 3/4ths of it was absolutely superb.
    Simply an amazing adventure.    … Expand
  55. kyexvii
    Dec 14, 2020
    8
    solid game fairly engaging just missing endgame/high level content to make you feel like there was a reason for getting all the unlock-ables.
  56. Kirbyfan45
    Apr 26, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is something else, let me tell you. Starting out with a simple RPG plot of returning home to a plot that will make you love each character no matter what, alongside gameplay addicting that will be super satisfyingly to master, and makes each character super unique. Graphics are also super charming with great character designs and expressive characters. This game is perfect, no doubt about it. Ys 8 should set the standard when it comes to ARPGs, especially with story. Dana especially is an amazing character with so much depth. Falcom does a great job at making the player sympathize with her. And yes, you will cry. Especially in the true ending where Dana thanks you for everything you did for her. That ending deserves to be framed on a wall… Expand
  57. arwat23
    Sep 6, 2021
    9
    The game, story and gameplay wise, is fantastic! I like to describe the gameplay as Xenoblade, but more engaging. The story is ok, although somewhat predictable at times. The biggest flaw of both the Switch and PS4 version are the graphics and performance (more more of an issue on Switch). It's a Vita port, so the graphics are definitely outdated (arguably PS2 or GameCube graphics), butThe game, story and gameplay wise, is fantastic! I like to describe the gameplay as Xenoblade, but more engaging. The story is ok, although somewhat predictable at times. The biggest flaw of both the Switch and PS4 version are the graphics and performance (more more of an issue on Switch). It's a Vita port, so the graphics are definitely outdated (arguably PS2 or GameCube graphics), but even then the performance isn't great. Look up Ana comparison on YouTube because words do not express my disappointment in the performance of the Switch version. It isn't absolutely atrocious like the follow up game, but it definitely looks "offensive" to use the words of another review. But if you can get past the graphics and performance issues, the game is fantastic. However, if you have a PS4, I'd recommend getting that version over the Switch version. It preforms much, MUCH better and doesn't lower the resolution to what looks like 360p. Again, if you can get past the graphics and anime bs that often accompanies games like this, this is easily one of the best JRPGs in terms of gameplay.… Expand
  58. chosen0ne
    Feb 25, 2022
    3
    I can't get past the terrible dialogue and writing. The game feels like a lame, poorly-written anime that is too horny. The camera feels janky and the combat feels hollow. Ys Origin had much better action, though it similarly suffered from horrendous storytelling. I wouldn't recommend this unless you consider yourself a weeb and a fan of the action RPG genre.
  59. rechechelly
    Apr 26, 2022
    10
    我们并非神的道具，而是有生命有意志的存在
    即便如此，却依旧碰到超越人智的命运到访的瞬间
    这种时候，你会怎么做呢？ 那纵然置身于极限的境地 却依然秉持意志和尊严的姿态是那么的美丽 我渴望着也能成为那样的存在，因而即使到了数十年后的现在 我仍情不自禁地对【她】怀有敬畏 ——亚特鲁.克里斯汀    我们并非神的道具，而是有生命有意志的存在
    即便如此，却依旧碰到超越人智的命运到访的瞬间
    这种时候，你会怎么做呢？
    那纵然置身于极限的境地
    却依然秉持意志和尊严的姿态是那么的美丽
    我渴望着也能成为那样的存在，因而即使到了数十年后的现在
    我仍情不自禁地对【她】怀有敬畏
    ——亚特鲁.克里斯汀
  60. Ronoleo
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    This is an RPG well worth playing, 100+ hours of fun in my case. 50 hours in the game is still introducing new features that fit well and add to the loop. finding new castaways always brings progress and the story was a big surprise as I did not expect something so grand. The whole game was a wonderful surprise. As a big RPG player who has been playing final fantasy, dragon quest and y'sThis is an RPG well worth playing, 100+ hours of fun in my case. 50 hours in the game is still introducing new features that fit well and add to the loop. finding new castaways always brings progress and the story was a big surprise as I did not expect something so grand. The whole game was a wonderful surprise. As a big RPG player who has been playing final fantasy, dragon quest and y's this game is truly a great.… Expand
  61. GRAFAIAI
    Sep 1, 2022
    0
    this game is very very boring with no good content the gameplay is very empty
  62. Astavri
    May 25, 2023
    9
    This game is long, and I'm glad you are able to quick read the story and sort of fast forward it. But the story is worth it, even speed reading it. You'll get to know the characters and the plot is pretty well made. However, I'm here for the gameplay and that's what I enjoyed the best. There wasn't too much variation in the items you could wear, but the variety of characters and skillsThis game is long, and I'm glad you are able to quick read the story and sort of fast forward it. But the story is worth it, even speed reading it. You'll get to know the characters and the plot is pretty well made. However, I'm here for the gameplay and that's what I enjoyed the best. There wasn't too much variation in the items you could wear, but the variety of characters and skills made up for it.

    It's very fast paced action. Good side quests. It never felt like grinding. Also I played on normal mode.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Best Switch Game of 2018
29
#29 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
44
#44 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Oct 29, 2018
    95
    Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is just a joy, and I'm so thankful that I took a chance on it. [Issue #36 – November/December 2018, p. 87]
  2. Eurogamer Italy
    Sep 23, 2018
    70
    YS VIII for Nintendo Switch a lazy port from Sony’s consoles. Despite the use of dynamic resolution scaling (DRS) and halving the frame-rate to 30fps, both of these aspects suffer and fail to deliver in the heat of the action. Besides these technical issues, the experience is the same of the original release and this game offer a lot to old school RPG lovers.
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  3. Cubed3
    Jul 26, 2018
    90
    Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana does have some light, frustrating moments that await the pure completionists out there, but that comes with the territory. It is a fully realised artistic masterpiece, both visually and even more so in the audio department, and deserves a place in any serious Switch player's collection. To crown it all, everything is tightly packed into one cohesive package that, at retail, requires no additional download and even comes with some neat little bonuses.
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