Ys Seven / US

Ys Seven is an action-packed role-playing game that has been released exclusively for the PlayStation Portable and comes from Japanese developer studio Nihon Falcom. As the seventh main part of the traditional Ys series, Ys Seven brings with it numerous innovations without losing the typical charm and strengths of the series. Ys Seven first appeared in Japan in 2009 and was also released internationally in 2010.

The story of Ys Seven revolves around the well-known adventurer Adol Christin, who visits the mysterious kingdom of Altago together with his loyal companion Dogi. The two soon become embroiled in the political and spiritual conflicts of the land and become embroiled in an epic adventure involving the ancient gods of Altago and the fate of the entire world. On their journey, they meet numerous new companions, uncover hidden legends and face dangerous opponents in a world full of secrets and ancient myths.

Compared to its predecessors, Ys Seven presents itself with a completely revised real-time combat system that allows you to switch between up to three characters during battle for the first time. Each character in Ys Seven uses a different type of weapon - cut, slash or thrust - which adds a strategic component to combat. Enemies have weaknesses to certain types of damage, which adds depth to Ys Seven. The battles are fast, fluid and extremely dynamic, which is impressive for a role-playing game on a handheld and strongly reminiscent of action games.

The world of Altago is significantly larger and more open than in previous Ys games. In Ys Seven, players explore vibrant cities, expansive landscapes, branching dungeons and numerous side quests that provide variety and can extend the playing time to over 30 hours. The environments in Ys Seven are lovingly designed and the technical implementation is impressive with smooth animations, short loading times and clear, stylized graphics that make the most of the PSP.

A particular highlight of Ys Seven is the soundtrack, which - as is typical for the Ys series - was composed by the Falcom Sound Team. Ys Seven's music ranges from epic rock pieces and dramatic orchestral sounds to calm, atmospheric melodies and contributes significantly to the unique mood of the game. Many fans consider the Ys Seven soundtrack to be one of the best in the series.

All in all, Ys Seven is an outstanding action role-playing game that shows just how much depth, pace and atmosphere is possible on the PSP. The successful mix of an exciting story, fast-paced battles, likeable characters and a rousing soundtrack makes Ys Seven one of the best representatives of the genre on the handheld. For fans of classic JRPGs with a modern combat system, Ys Seven is still a real insider tip today.