Adventure is a term used a lot when describing video games, ostensibly almost every video game out there is about some kind of exciting journey. But outside of The Legend of Zelda, you could argue that no other series in existence captures the spirit of “adventure” as well as Ys. The journey of the intrepid explorer Adol Christin continues to yield fascinating tales and beloved characters, and it’s all thanks to the phenomenal foundation set by the first two games. Thirty-five years ago, Falcom’s series defined itself as an RPG powerhouse with Ys I & II.
The first game in the franchise, Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished released in 1987 was quickly followed by the second game a year later. But it was in 1989 that Falcom released an enhanced remake of both games, called Ys Book I & II — and that really set the standard for where the series would go next. Interestingly, the remake was also one of the very first games to use dubbing in its English localization. These enhanced versions added gorgeous animated cut scenes, a new graphical style, voice acting, and gameplay additions. This is where Ys really transformed into the hyper-intense action series that it’s become known for — focusing on tight gameplay that demands good reaction speed from the player.
In Ys, you play as the renowned adventure and fiery-haired Adol Christin — someone who’d become perhaps the most legendary figure in the game’s history down the line. But what’s fascinating about the Ys games is that each title is framed as a snippet from his adventure logs, like you’re playing through one of the stories or journals he left behind.
That approach instantly lets the Ys franchise go pretty much anywhere it wants and gives it ample opportunities to flesh out Adol at any point in his life — a bit like Zelda. Another similarity Ys has with Zelda: injecting character into a silent protagonist. Adol doesn’t say anything, but his interactions with NPCs help color his quirky personality, coupled with his unrelenting thirst for adventure and discovering long-lost secrets. He’s a happy-go-lucky dude who doesn’t get phased by any of the world-ending threats he faces.
The first two Ys games are Adol’s first chronological adventures, where he discovers a massive floating continent called “Ys” and the ancient civilization that was lost on it. The fresh-faced Adol discovers long-lost conspiracies and dangers and, as you might expect, ends up saving the world. This is also where he meets his lifelong friend Dogi, who’s appeared in almost every Ys game since.
Like future games, Ys I & II are contained, well-paced adventures where you explore towns and dungeons as Adol, fight enemies to level up, and take down climactic bosses. Both Ys games aren’t exceedingly long (you can beat each one in roughly 12-15 hours) and that’s to their credit. These game don’t overstay their welcome, finding the perfect balance between depth and length.
Ostensibly Ys is a hack-and-slash game where you unleash furious attacks to take down enemies, but there’s a real sense of timing and rhythm to the way combat plays out. These first two games are a little different than later entries as they use something called the “Bump System.” This means you attack enemies by literally having Adol run into them, or bump them, so you need to do it repeatedly to use combos.
This makes combat, as a whole, a fascinating risk-reward system where you literally need to get close and personal with enemies to take them down. It becomes a game of positioning and movement, mastering the way you bounce off of enemies — almost in a pinball-like way. Ys would opt for a more standard combat system in the future, but the Bump System stands out as something wholly unique that really gives Ys I & II its own personality.
But beyond combat, so much of what would come to define the series is established here — the adventurous vibe and town, colorful aesthetic, and focus on robust combat. The fact that Ys is still going strong to this day, with a big brand-new entry just this year, is a testament to what those original games have achieved. But more than that, going back to Ys I & II offers a window into the history of RPGs and video games themselves.
