For the first time, Adol gets shipwrecked on to PS5

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a game that I have already reviewed back in 2017 when it first came out and now it has been rereleased for PS5 with previously released DLC. Adol finds himself once again shipwrecked on a mysterious island after the ship he was sailing on is attacked by a large tentacled monstrosity. After finding himself alone he soon meets a few other characters stranded who were also on board. Hereafter starts the adventure to uncover the mysteries and to leave the Island on which you are stranded.

In terms of Story Ys VIII: Lacrimoso of Dana is pretty standard. There isn’t a whole lot of dialogue after you do gain the ability to fight but the ratio between telling the story and action is really well done. The great thing is you do not need to have played any past or future Ys games in the series to play Ys VIII as it definitely feels like its own game, you will just be less familiar with the references that are versed in the game. Can I recommend Ys VIII: Lacrimoso of Dana as a starting point for anyone interested in playing a Ys game for the very first time? Yes very much so.

While being stranded on an Island sounds like a cliche thing to happen in any RPG, Ys VIII does respect this. As a stranded adventurer Adol finds himself without a weapon nor suitable attire for just about anything, that is until a pack of wolves decide they want to eat him for lunch. By grabbing the nearest rusty sword Adol defends himself and turns the wheels in motion for what will become his next great adventure. Here is where Adol meets more people that were also shipwrecked and become a part of his team making it safer for Island Exploration.

The greatest mechanic of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is the base of operations that soon becomes apparent once you meet the captain of the Ship and Adol’s adventuring buddy Dogi. Also known as Castaway Village, this small hub becomes the lifeblood of the Island. Adol is tasked with exploring the Island whilst finding survivors of the shipwreck and uncovering the secrets the Island holds, while it is apparent they are not alone, the hostile denizens of the Island don’t seem too happy that their home has been invaded.

The basic premise of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is to explore the Island during the day while resting at night back at the base at night whilst also taking care of the Villager’s requests. These requests can be things such as collecting materials to make furniture which makes them more comfortable, the more you put into this system the more you get out as you will be rewarded for your efforts. While there is no direct currency system here to buy new weapons and Items there is a trading system which Dogi has set up. By trading a load of a common Item you can get a rarer version of the Item, which is then used for upgrading Weapons by using the blacksmithing equipment. It’s a completely cashless system which makes sense due to the situation on the Island. You can’t just buy Items, if you want a healing potion you better have an empty bottle which you can fill back up providing you have the resources to do so. Fishing is great as you can get some unique Items through this which will help you in the long run and it certainly breaks up the gameplay if you want a break from exploring and fighting.

The combat in Ys VIII is relatively simple but rewarding, It’s a simple hack and slash where you can turn the tide of battle using timed dodges and blocks and skills. You can even build up a special attack if you use skills in succession. I have nothing bad to say about the combat, it’s intuitive, fun although I did have to change the default controls at one point as I kept dodging, this is because the left analogue stick moves your character and if you press it, it changes the map size which can take up more of the screen so when you’re in the heat of combat this does happen by accident but fortunately it can be changed. You aren’t limited to just playing as Adol either, the other characters you can play with have their uniqueness about them and own weapons and skillsets, it’s always fun switching them out mid-battle if you find yourself overwhelmed, also a lot of enemies can be weak or strong against a certain weapon type so if you find yourself doing far less damage than you normally would, it’s a good idea to switch characters and take out the enemy much quicker.

What makes Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana feel really unique is how every small action feels like progress. The game design is incredibly clever and opens up slowly, as you progress each part of the island more of it becomes available, and the gear you find will allow you to do so. Those vines that you see that you could not climb before are now accessible. Did you see a large tree with a path with currently no way to pass it? Don’t worry you will be able to later. Each area feels really unique too, you start off exploring the beaches and more rocky areas and you will then go on to explore caves and long-lost ruins and forests. No two areas look the same in Ys VIII, the feeling of being on an Island can really be felt here.

Ys VIII is a great game for exploration and combat and really fulfils both criteria. The story is the weakest aspect of the game but it is still charming, there are a lot of times when you will pick how to respond in a situation and there are a lot of cliche moments to do this, but the character responses can be serious or witty. Every character is unique in their own way and has their own plots to go with them.

What can I say about the sound and the music? It’s Nihon Falcom so you know it’s going to be great and it is. The voice acting does a good job and I am fine with the silent protagonist Adol although he is not as silent as you might think. When you delved into some of the other systems, especially Fishing you will hear him talk, it’s quite odd as he doesn’t speak up until this point aside from the occasional battle grunts.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana on PS5 is a fantastic game much like the previous version on PS4, just be mindful that it is the exact same game so you’re not missing out on anything apart from the added costumes which you could just buy if you really wanted to anyway. I have not noticed any slowdown in terms of gameplay but I’ve also not noticed any improvements either. The PS4 version ran really well and already had quick loading times between areas. Nothing has changed so if you decide to play the PS4 version or get this version on PS5, you will be in for a good time no matter what.

A PlayStation 5 Review Code was provided by NIS America