Ys: Origin - Hack and Slash Dungeon Done Right

I became a fan of the Ys series late in life.  I wouldn't say the Japanese RPG are becoming a dying breed out here in the west but gaming has evolved from just waiting for games to get a translated version from SquareEnix.  There's many others that are sold straight from the Playstation Store in their original Japanese form. Ys is one of those underground cult series that not many people would hear about but are nonetheless widely popular and loved among the fans.

Ys: Origin, the most recent in the series takes place before the events in Ys 1 and gives us a new cast of playable characters different than the main series hero, Adol the Red. On our journey into Ys we get to take control of three different characters as they travel through The Tower in search for the goddesses of Ys and the Black Pearl. Without notifying their protectors the goddesses set off on a quest to Tower with the Pearl and it's your job to find them.

Congratulations! At the beginning you can choose between mid-range ax fighterYunica Tovah or long range magician Hugo Fact. Each unfolds a slightly different story as you climb up The Tower. Yunica is your average impulsive gogetter, who is entirely too perky, wears her heart on her sleeve, and totally devoted to the cause. She's the type who rushes head first into any situation without much thought.

The complete opposite is Hugo Fact. In short Hugo's an cocky prick who believes only in his own power, never asks for any help and just thinks the mass group of heroes are a mindless pile of idiots. Of course you'll find out he's just an insecure brat who is trying to get out of his older brother's shadow. He opens up more to the villain Epona more than any of the other heroes he came to the surface with.

Now if you were wondering, Yes you play this entire game in The Tower. You will not leave The Tower for the entirety of the game. Now if you remembered the tower/school in Persona 3 all that constant fighting got a little bit monotonous and tedious because all the floors pretty much looked the same.  Very little changed until you got near the top no need to worry about that here. There's a lot more variety in the dungeon sections that you won't get bored looking at the same type for too long.

Aside from your simple hack and slash RPG Origin features some really punishing bosses at the end of each section. You'll die at least once on each while you figure out the boss' attack pattern. You won't beat this game going out guns blazing.  And as the story unfolds you'll find yourself really committed to uncovering the reasons of your visit. Who is pulling the strings and answers to all of life's little questions. There's a full cast of NPCs to help you along your journey, either by giving sage advice on what to do next or strengthening your weapon. The other heroes and villains are a decent complement especially as you progress in the game.

In addition the game is easy to pick up and play for an hour or two put it down and pick up where you left off, without getting lost on where you have to go next... which is usually up. After you finish the game with one of our lovely heroes you get the option of playing as one of the villains as you uncover the story from his point of view. There's also your standard Boss Rush and Arena challenges that get unlocked as you complete the game with other people and at higher difficulties. Ys: Origin is a great game and won't disappoint any gamer who's looking for a good hack and slash dungeon crawler.