Ys IX: Monstrum Nox - Review @ Hardcore Gamer

Hardcore Gamer reviewed Ys IX: Monstrum Nox - the action RPG will be released for the PC later this year:

Review: Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

Adol Christin and Dogi have had quite a few adventures over the years. While never becoming a household name in the States, Ys has always enjoyed a following which has seemed to be growing in the past decade as shown by the favorable reception of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. Their latest adventure has been out in Japan since 2019. This newest entry introduces new gameplay elements that have intrigued us since we started following its development, and now the wait is finally over as Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is available for western gamers.

The story begins with Adol and Dogi arriving at the prison city of Balduq. As is the case with everywhere these two go they approach the new city in an unassuming manner and then something out of the ordinary happens and their adventure spirals into some completely new and unforeseen direction. This time Adol has a warrant for his arrest and he’s promptly taken into custody in Balduq prison, which isn’t the first time Adol has visited a new area and been in trouble with the locals for reasons he can’t fathom. Adol takes the most logical course of action, which is to escape, but doing so leads him to a woman named Aprilis, who inflicts the Monstrum curse upon him, drastically changing his appearance while granting him powers. But as these powers come from a curse, Monstrums are imprisoned in the city of Balduq due to a barrier around town that doesn’t seem to affect regular people.

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Closing Comments:

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a continuation of what fans have come to expect from the series and the Monstrum gifts add a new and fun gameplay mechanic. In some ways the Monstrum gifts make this the most fun Ys game to play even though there are other arguments against it being the best one. The game isn’t perfect; some of the story exposition in each chapter feels unnecessarily long, and while the missions are varied enough to keep things from being too repetitive, the formulaic approach does make progression feel predictable. Closing off the Grimwald Nox in each chapter is fun, but after doing it few times it begins to feel routine. The story is one of the more interesting and also stranger ones in Ys with unexpected twists that should keep players scratching their heads for a few chapters. Overall, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a must play for Ys fans and worthwhile for action RPG fans in general.

Score: 4/5