GAME TITLE | : | Ys Origin |
| | Cover A / B |
PLATFORM | : | Vita |
DEVELOPER | : | Nihon Falcom |
TRANSLATION | : | XSEED Games |
LOCALIZATION | : | DotEmu |
PUBLISHER | : | Limited Run Games |
ENGINE | : | Napishtim Engine |
RELEASE DATE | : | May 30, 2017 |
PHYSICAL | : | August 25, 2017 |
Editor's Note: Ys Origin was developed to be a companion piece to the original Ys games. It is highly recommended that you complete Ys I & II before playing Ys Origin. For more about chronology, visit our "What Is Ys" page.
When I got my hands on the long-awaited Vita version of Ys: Origin I was thrilled. Steam is great, but for me, Ys has been dominantly a handheld experience. My life can sometimes be busy so having the game wherever I may be and able to put the game to ‘sleep' is a real asset. The trophies are also easier to hunt for when you have more time in between other engagements (and yes, the trophies are slightly different from the Steam achievements). I sometimes choose to play on the television via PlayStation TV, but in this case, Ys Origin isn't compatible. Disappointing, I know. We don't see any reason why it wouldn't have worked since the mechanics play exactly the same as the PS4 port.
I was impressed at how crisp and clear the graphics were. The music, story, gameplay… all delivered wonderfully, and quickly reminded me again why Ys Origin still remains as my favourite in the series (when paired with Ys I & II, of course). The fast paced combat, unique characters, distinct play styles, amazing soundtrack and depth of lore was just as thrilling as it was the first time I played (on PC). My biggest concern was that load times would be slow, but thankfully the extra months I waited instead of playing the PS4 version meant better optimization (Editor's note: the Vita port was delayed 3 months for additional polish). The load times didn't hinder my experience at all. It's worth noting that there was noticeable slowdown during some of the screen-filling boss fights. Depending on the fight pattern, this had sometimes given me trouble platforming into optimal attacking range, or defensive maneuvering. It didn't break the experience. I was able to complete all 3 campaigns and enjoyed every moment. I only experienced a single crash during Arena mode, which are short (and visually intense), optional stages post-game. Considering that I experience Vita crashes from MANY other games, this was something I easily overlooked, but was worth mentioning.
Like the PS4 version, Ys Origin on Vita requires the player to finish the game as both Hugo and Yunica before revealing the third playable character. This is how the game was originally programmed in the Japanese PC version. The localized PC version (by XSEED Games) does this differently: The third campaign unlocks after completing the game with only one of the first two starting characters. Once I cleared the game with Yunica and Hugo, the opening menu screen added the third character to the background image, which was oddly satisfying.
This version of Ys Origin had quickly become my preferred way to play. Portable gaming fits my lifestyle perfectly. I was also thrilled to get a physical copy from Limited Run Games! Now if only we could get a port of The Ark of Napishtim to complete the series on the Vita. One can dream.
DotEmu and Limited Run Games collaborated to release a physical copy of Ys Origin for PlayStation Vita. Unlike other games sold by Limited Run Games at the time, standard edition copies of Ys Origin were not limited to a specific quantity. Rather, preorders were live for 24 hours beginning at 10AM on August 25th, 2017. The standard edition game has a reversable cover. The cover facing outward under the seal were randomized during manufacturing, therefore not every forward-facing cover art was guaranteed to collectors who wanted each variant sealed. Below are the product shots of the reversable covers:
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