Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys: Memories of Celceta were the games that turned me into a fan of Nihon Falcom many years ago. Although Ys: Memories of Celceta isn’t one of my favorites, Ys: The Oath in Felghana remains a game I cherish and play frequently. In fact, I didn’t hesitate to play the Japanese version of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana when it was released on Nintendo Switch in Japan. Since I knew the game well enough, I played through it in Japanese back then. Now, fast forward to today and Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana has been finally released in the West for Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4.
For those not acquainted with Ys: The Oath in Felghana, it is essentially a revamped version of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys, initially launched on Japanese PCs in 2005. This was a time when Falcom was still producing games for personal computers in-house (a rarity these days with the upcoming release of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter). The game first surfaced in the West on PSP in 2010, later arriving on Steam PCs in 2012. It could be played on PS Vita through backward compatibility, though it wasn’t until Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana that it was officially ported to other platforms. That’s how I first encountered it, but for those interested, it’s now available on multiple platforms.
As a dedicated gamer, I was thrilled to dive into Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, expecting nothing less than the pinnacle of Ys: The Oath in Felghana’s iterations due to its enticing new features. However, after immersing myself deeper, I must confess that while there are elements I truly appreciate, there are also areas that leave me feeling somewhat let down.
Last month, I had a sneak peek at Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, but upon investing more hours into it, I’ve uncovered aspects that delight and others that fall short of my expectations. Here’s hoping Falcom uses this experience to refine their approach for future potential Memoire releases. For those new to the series, you might be pondering what makes Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana a standout title and why I hold it so dear.
As a devoted fan, I’ve found myself drawn to Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana for its unique approach compared to more recent Ys games. Instead of being deeply engrossed in the plot or characters, this game uses them as tools rather than the main focus. It’s an action-packed RPG starring Adol, where you traverse various locations, vanquish foes, solve puzzles, and acquire new abilities to prepare for formidable boss battles. The swift combat, augmented by a turbo mode, immediately captivated me, but it was the pulsating soundtrack that truly reeled me in from the get-go.
Experiencing Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana’s narrative and core mechanics felt distinct for newcomers, but it may aid those who previously played it on PSP or PC. For me, it was my first real Falcom game without any guides, and I swiftly got stuck due to overlooking a few scenes and not understanding that early progress required a specific magic bracelet. This situation somewhat echoed my initial challenge when I started playing a Legend of Zelda game many years ago. Subsequently, I adapted to the rhythm of enhancing or acquiring new equipment, thorough exploration, and saving frequently.
I’ve found myself repeatedly drawn into the world of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, yet I must warn others – this game is no stroll through the park on its normal setting. Countless times have I met my demise within it. Even with my repeated playthroughs, the turbo mode posed early challenges that left me scratching my head. Fortunately, the game offers a range of difficulty options and a no-fall mode which can be adjusted in settings. This proves helpful as you navigate the platforming and face groups of even regular enemies, often finding yourself toppling off platforms.
Incorporating Adol’s voiceover significantly enhances the experience, and I believe the original English voice acting was excellent. To maintain intrigue, I opted for Japanese voices along with the X68000 soundtrack. The new audio features introduced in this release are a delightful addition to the gameplay.
Without delving immediately into other remaster details or comparisons with previous versions, it’s essential to acknowledge the exceptional quality of Ys: The Oath in Felghana’s soundtrack. This score is outstanding, boasting magnificent guitar solos and riffs that rank among my all-time favorite video game soundtracks. Although Falcom has marketed Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana with various soundtrack options, these are already available in the Western PSP and PC release, making no additional offerings noteworthy. Including more soundtrack choices in this remaster could have made it more appealing for existing owners.
Ever since I started playing Falcom games on my PS Vita, I’ve found myself leaning towards the ports and new releases on Nintendo Switch. The quality of these ports has been somewhat inconsistent due to technical problems or less-than-ideal adaptations, with a few exceptions that are quite good. While Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana isn’t technically a port for Switch since it was initially released as a remaster on the platform, it stands out among Falcom games on Switch due to its smooth performance (with some hiccups) and overall responsiveness during gameplay.
I tried playing Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana with its turbo feature on Switch, and the performance could’ve been smoother. To be honest, even the 1.5x speed option feels awkward (even on PS5), and 2.0 is quite difficult to play with. I usually don’t play Ys games at Nightmare difficulty, but it would be interesting to see someone do that with the game set to 2.0x speed. The early to mid-game locations on Switch seem to have trouble keeping up with the target frame rate when there are many effects. Since turbo mode was one of the main new features, this is a bit disappointing. I didn’t notice a significant difference between docked and handheld play, but I would prefer playing in portable mode because the visual inconsistencies are less obvious in that mode.
If you’ve previously experienced Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana on a PlayStation Portable (PSP), this updated version stands out with improved visuals in higher resolution and a targeted 60 frames per second (fps). An additional feature is the inclusion of voice acting for Adol, along with the option to switch to the Japanese voice track, which wasn’t available in the North American PSP release. However, a drawback is that you can no longer use the d-pad for movement, a feature I hope will be reinstated in a future patch.
In terms of appearance, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana appears somewhat inconsistent across different platforms. For instance, when playing on Nintendo Switch (docked mode) or PlayStation, there are tile discrepancies that stand out, and certain textures seem awkwardly upscaled. It seems Falcom opted to use the PSP version as a foundation for Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, rather than the PC version which handles higher resolutions more effectively. This is particularly evident in the field of view and user interface, which appear overly large and lack sufficient sharpness at higher resolution settings.
Regarding Ys: The Oath in Felghana, the console version, if you’ve already experienced it in its PC form, the new release primarily provides turbo mode, improved voice acting for Adol, the option to switch to Japanese audio, and an alternate portrait choice as its main enhancements. Unfortunately, the graphics in Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana don’t hold a candle to the PC version of Ys: The Oath in Felghana, even when played on the latest PS5 console. I wish Falcom had utilized the Western PC version as a starting point for this release, allowing it to perform better on modern screens and not just be acceptable on Switch in handheld mode, where the issues are less apparent but still noticeable – and essentially hidden by the smaller screen size.
In my previous discussions, I haven’t delved into the novel portrait feature introduced in Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana. To be honest, it’s not something I enjoy. During my initial playthrough for the preview, I gave it a try for a few hours, but ultimately reverted back to the traditional portrait option. Frankly, I feel that this design doesn’t align with Ys: The Oath in Felghana’s aesthetic, and it seems incongruous overall. The artwork on its own is commendable, but I can’t envision myself using it when I replay Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana in the future.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana vs the Steam release
In essence, buying Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is primarily beneficial if you’re a fan seeking to replay the game on either Switch or PlayStation 5, due to its platform exclusivity. Although the turbo mode, Japanese voiceover, and new voice for Adol are appealing enhancements, they don’t outshine the PC version, given the visual discrepancies. As a frequent replayer of Ys: The Oath in Felghana, I find the option to skip cut-scenes from the get-go quite convenient.
In my initial discussion, I expressed my disappointment that Falcom hasn’t significantly enhanced Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana for the PS5, nor has it provided a substantial upgrade compared to the Nintendo Switch release. The PS5 version aims for 60fps like its Switch counterpart, yet lacks additional features other than potentially more stable frame rates. The visual inconsistencies remain unaddressed. If they had aimed for 120fps and adjusted the UI for larger screens, this version could have been significantly improved, making it possible for me to suggest playing Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana on Switch in handheld mode or PS5 connected to a TV.
If you haven’t experienced Ys: The Oath in Felghana yet and have multiple gaming devices, I would suggest opting for Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana on Nintendo Switch, particularly if you prefer handheld gaming or want a physical copy of the game, as it has an attractive physical release from XSEED Games. However, if you have access to a PC or Steam Deck, the Steam version is not only more affordable but also visually superior. The additional features don’t justify the higher price compared to the PC version. While I own multiple versions of every Ys game, including Ys: The Oath in Felghana as seen in the photo above, I believe new players should have the best gaming experience and accurate expectations, so I would recommend the Steam release for those with a PC or Steam Deck.
Experiencing Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana offers a great rendition of a timeless game, yet it falls short of being the ultimate version. This port is fantastic for new players or those only familiar with recent Ys titles. However, I can’t help but feel let down by what might have been. Despite my feelings, I’m looking forward to revisiting Ys: The Oath in Felghana via this PS5 and Switch release. Here’s hoping that if Falcom decides to revisit Memoire in the future, they’ll handle it more effectively.
Versions tested: Switch
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2025-01-08 05:56