Ys X: Nordics Preview – Two is Better Than One

Falcom's Ys series may not be as popular as other JRPG series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, but the action RPG franchise developed by Falcom, alongside the other series by the Japanese studio, the Trails series, started seeing some well-deserved recognition in the West in the past few years. It has been almost 12 months since the release of the latest entry in the series, Ys X: Nordics, in Japan, and in a few months, fans of Adol Christin in the West will finally be able to experience how the tenth main entry in the series is the first one in a long time that attempts to shake the basic gameplay formula introduced in Ys SEVEN back in 2009.

Ys X: Nordics brings players back in time when Adol was only 17 years old, fresh out of his adventure in the ancient Kingdom of Ys, which took place in the second entry in the series. Finding themselves in the Obelia Gulf, the red-haired adventurer and his friend Dogi end up in the Obelia Gulf, an area inspired by Normandy in Europe known for its multiple islands and the powerful pirate group, the Balta Seaforce, that control them. At some point, Adol and the daughter of Grimson, the leader of the pirates, are bound together by a power called mana, forcing them to face the threat of the Griegr together and find a way to remove their bonds.

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During a press presentation hosted by NIS America last week, I was only able to experience some very short glimpses of the story, so how everything will play out remains to be seen. From what I experienced, the story and character development seem to be in line with the Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and Ys IX: Monstrum Nox approach, striking a middle ground between the classic games and the Trails series, which has had its influence on the Ys series, for a while.

What I was able to see way more of was the gameplay, which really sets Ys X: Nordics apart from the most recent entries in the series. Unlike every Ys