Ys is a beloved action RPG series starring the characters Adol Cristin and Dogi as they go on their journeys, and the newest entry Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is an interesting entry in the franchise. While Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana received widespread acclaim for all versions, even the Switch and PC version after the latter was patched, Ys IX is a bit of a mixed bag. Depending on which version played, the experience will vary in terms of performance, and the differences can be very noticeable.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox sees Adol and Dogi in the city of Balduq where Adol quickly gets arrested by the Romun Empire for his actions in previous games. As Adol escapes, however, he is transformed into a Monstrum, a human with monstrous features and abilities. Adol and his fellow Monstrums must find a way to lift their curses so they can leave the city, and to do so they must aid the figure named Aprilis in fighting off a threat.
Ys IX has some excellent high points, such as exploration and unlocking more areas with a Monstrum ability and solving the mystery of what has happened to Adol. At various points, you will control Adol still within the prison which only adds to the said mystery. These sections do not serve as annoying stops in the action though, and instead, serve as a nice change of pace that offers variety.
While the Monstrum abilities are nice and give the game the feeling of a Metroidvania in 3D, the best parts are when you can leave the city for a bit and explore the outside areas. This part of the game feels far more satisfying and will remind players of Ys VIII and that game’s open world. It takes a while until this is unlocked, but once that happens, Ys IX starts to feel like a different game.
Combat is once again done with the three-party member system from Ys VII, while the combat is a more refined variation of the style from Ys VIII. Each party member has enemies they are strong and weak against, and their Monstrum abilities are a nice addition to the series. The combat chatter can be a little annoying, however, but fortunately, there are options in the game for adjusting that.
The bad part, however, is that the tower defense elements of Ys VIII are back again in a big way. While only a few instances were mandatory in the previous game, these segments play a much larger role here in order to open up more of the world to explore. This recent aspect of Ys is a chore to play after a while and should not have been such a major part of the game.
Now for the performance, as stated it varies depending on the system played on. On PS4, the game will hit around 30 fps give or take but will hit a mostly consistent 60 fps if played on the PS5. The PC version has options for 30, 60, 120, and 144 fps along with V-sync and more resolution options to have the game look the way you want. Sadly, the Nintendo Switch version takes the biggest hit as the game struggles to reach 25 fps at times, and the resolution has a serious downgrade, with some textures looking more along the lines of an early PS3 game.
Considering how good Ys VIII looked on all systems, the visuals of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox could have been a lot better, especially with how the previous entry looked on Switch. That said, the game is still very playable and can easily be enjoyed on all systems. If the looks matter, then the PC version is the one to play and if they do not, the Switch version is an acceptable if not great port.
Ys IX: Monstum Nox has excellent music that, while not living up to the best of the series, is still far beyond what most games have. Some of the voice acting choices are a bit strange, and the game is only in stereo, with no surround sound options. Still, there is enough to enjoy in the game with what is here.
With a large number of quests and side-quests and a story that actually is not as predictable as some JRPGs, Ys IX tries some new things narrative-wise. While Ys VIII remains the best entry in the series for many, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is still a great entry, with dungeons to explore, enemies to fight and twists that actually are rather clever. This is a game that will leave you feeling satisfied at the end, and that is what is more important.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
Images were taken from Steam Store
Reviewed on PlayStation 4, PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch