Ys VIII Review - Falcom's Masterpiece

Here it is, a review on what is now one of my favorite games of all time! This video was the most complicated one I've ever made, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks to NIS America for providing a review copy.

Follow Me~

Fact Checking Help:

#YsVIII #Ys #NintendoSwitch #Falcom

[Viraus]

Glad to see someone actually complement the story in this game. Sure it has some familiar elements and is simpler than what you'd get in Final Fantasy, but it's delivery is terrific. The slow drip-feed of new information is very well paced and there's tons of foreshadowing with varying subtlety. It's rarely too unexpected or too obvious, it hits just right throughout.

I love how it opens with such a simple premise and it takes hours of gameplay before the more typical high-stakes JRPG plot slowly emerges. Some people have complained about how the beginning is slow, but I much preferred this over the usual "huge info dump early on and then a bunch of nothing until the crazy end" JRPG structure.

[zennvirus]

You know what is the thing I absolutely HATE from this game? That it ended. Post RPG depression is a b...

[Sergeantmajormario]

My mate in America is a huge Ys nerd and wanted me to get into the series, so he sent me the COLLECTORS EDITION for the Switch version (After taking out the letter opener which he bought just for that.)

I was hesitant at first considering it said "RPG", but then i realised it was an Action RPG, so I put the game in my Switch and started playing at 5pm with the curtains shut (This detail is important.)

I was running around the Lombardia, not thinking much of the characters after talking to all of them, then I encountered the tentacles attacking the ship. I fought back at them, then the ship sank. One beautifully done intro later, Adol was lying on the beach, I was ready to play some more.

That's when Sunshine Coastline hit my ears.

The music spoke to me, this wasn't just another Action RPG, this was THE Action RPG where you explore the unknown with Adol!

I kept playing for hours, only stopping to get a drink and use the loo, it wasn't until my stomach growls became too much, that I looked outside to realise that it's still daylight, so I checked the time.

It was 7am.

I played the game non-stop for 14 hours without even realising, I was way too invested into it and was having way too much fun to even notice. Of all the games I've played, non of them have managed to hook me in like that before!

[Morbisus]

I agree, Ys VIII is also one of the best games I've ever played. I was very immersed in the game from start to end. Thank you for your fantastic review. Dana best girl

[RandomCraziness]

After playing tales of Berseria, I needed another JRPG fix. When I saw this on Steam on sale and that the patches had fixed most of the problems....I had to try it out.
Was not disappointed. Solid gameplay, good music, fantastic characters.
Mixed feelings about the true ending though. Not that it was bad, proper epic, just different expectations.

BUY IT! PLAY IT!

[DesMondesBlut]

As someone who grew up in the SNES era of JRPGs I became more and more alienated and disappointed by the current state of the gaming industry after the PS2 era. And then suddenly a little Falcom game (Trails in the Sky) came around and made me remember this unconditional trust and love I had towards a game developer in my childhood. Since then I've played every Falcom game available in English. I can't stress out enough how Falcom to me are now what Square used to be in their Golden Age. Thanks to Falcom I see the current gaming industry in a much more positive light and Ys VIII is definitely another masterpiece of this small 50 employee development studio.

I really hope Tokyo Xanadu and of course Trails also gets a Switch release. I don't own the system, but the more people get to play Nihon Falcom games the better!

[sylvanshroom]

I just finished Ys VIII today and it's now one of my favorite switch titles if not games period. Few games have ever scratched my itches for action, adventure, and RPG elements so thoroughly and simultaneously. I'm dying to get the OST now!

[Zidro]

Just beat the game tonight and came on YouTube for other opinions.

I loved the game. Aside the combat and music, I really loved the story and I got the true ending and man.. I felt sad and happy at the same time. A game that can produce emotions like this game, imo, really make for an exceptional experience.

For jrpgs, characters and story have always been the most important thing for me. But the combat is really fun too. So they nailed ev erything.

I'm shocked how much I ended up loving this and can't stop thinking about it. I'm not even an avid jrpg player, I have played a few this gen but mostly played them in the snes and ps1 era.

[alicephoebelousintern]

Ys 8 is one of the greatest games i’ve ever played, i could honestly go on for hours about how much i love the game and my experience with it, but the video title itself explains it, it’s just a masterpiece; Falcom is incredible at what they do, their games ranging from their notable Ys and Legend of Heroes, to the music which is pure ear candy, honest to god hoping Adol gets into smash soon as that’d be the biggest way to get people into this game, the ys series, and falcom games itself (smash did the same with snk and as a longtime snk fan it made me so happy lol) so yeah everything about Ys 8 ranging from its gameplay, music, story, characters, world design, art style, and enjoyability earns the title of the best Action JRPG that i’ve ever played

[sarahvonsydow]

Ys VIII was one of the most genuinely sublime experiences I've ever had with a JRPG. I was 100% engaged with the game 100% of the time, even up until the final dungeon and boss- which is almost always where I start to lose interest in RPGs. I truly believe Lacrimosa of Dana should go down in history as one of the best in its genre.

[superdriver]

you had me at "you don't need to play the previous ones"

[BondedgeXD]

I bought as many JRPGs on the Switch as soon as I got it just 2 months ago.
The only game I could play without stopping was Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and thought I couldn't find a game that could keep me seated as it did. I tried Dragon Quest XI, Fire Emblem 3 Houses, Some Disgaea and other titles I can't even remember the name to. Then I saw Ys VIII on sale on the Eshop and was my very first non-cartridge game.
I relived the experience of sitting down and playing a game from start to kinda-finish (still playing) and just loving it.

It somehow reminisced an experience I had with Mega man Legends 1 where you build friendship with the townspeople and how I feel so involved with them emotionally. It's a weird comparison but that's how special Ys VIII is!

[alanosmarceballosfranco]

I understand your feeling, i finished ys viii three days ago and i feel like i finally discovered jrpgs, the story is fascinating, it keeps unfolding itself and getting better everytime, i stayed up to 3 am playing ys for the last week and i can assure you this game is on pair if not better than breath of the wild

[akaia]

10:14 holy shit

cullen i can't believe this is why you wanted to learn how to cook bacon in an oven what a madman

[starknightlumina]

Very late to this review but I love this game. You nailed it with this review, especially when you say that it is the type of game that makes you remember why you liked video games in the first place.

Easily one of my favorite games to play through, even over many AAA games like Breath of the Wild.

Great job with the review!

[davidlein]

I just finished a second play-through and really enjoyed the game. The music is amazing and lives up to the high standards that has been set by other Ys games. While my favourite games is a tie between Ys - oath in Felghana & Ys VI, I like how YS VIII has a new game plus mode. Bring on Ys IX.

[amolsol]

Beautiful review! One of my favorite gaming experiences. Do implore people to play this title. Deserves all the love and praise it gets. I do have a few problems with it. One of them being how the combat is. Wish it was as detailed and complex as other action battle system I encountered, in and outside of battle. Certainly this won't be for everyone who don't enjoy action-packed gaming. Overall, the combat is addictive and fun as heck. Dana is deserving of being one of the best female characters and protagonist. Gosh. Her story brought me to tear. I did suffer a bit of a withdrawal after defeating the game. Went out of my way to obtain the true ending. Was a must to do so.

To add, this game became to be one my favorite rpgs on the ps4 from these recent times. Together with Tales of Berseria(my absolute favorite), NieR: Automata and Persona 5, they make it the Best RPG Quartet on the console and from this era of gaming in general. Now, if only I can find another one to transform them into a Quintet, that would be lovely. Would add Odin Sphere: Leithrasir, but that is a remake(one that is a masterpiece). Rather have new games from 2016 and up to make that happen.

[suntzu]

I love Dana. She's a strong character who happens to be a female and not a strong FEMALE character. She's strong inside and out yet still shows her femininity unlike some games I know with female leads.

In addition, the story is great. If it's just the story of Adol and his exploration of the island learning about it and finding Dana then I would have definitely dropped it but nope, they added Dana's story during the Eternian era. That was the thing that got me finish the game till the end. I wanted to know what happened and how it happened. You can really feel the emotions the characters during the era felt + the atmosphere is just spot on.

[lurrehsinigang]

Took me almost 2 years to beat because I couldn't get over the slow burn on the first few chapters, but when I finally beat the game yesterday MAN I was speechless. Ys VIII had one of the best stories I've ever played in a JRPG. Just the way Falcom was able to take literally 3 different storylines and give them proper closure was amazing. Thanks for this review 100% agree with your sentiment.

[nadstengco]

no problem on graphics for me.. played this game at 4k max setting on my pc..

best Ys game by far..