The best recent Ys game to play first: Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch

Pros

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is an engrossing action-RPG adventure that many consider a high point of the series. Shipwrecked on the Isle of Seiren, series protagonist Adol Christin must lead a party of up to six playable characters as they battle against massive prehistoric foes and uncover a mystery that will change the way they perceive the world as they know it.

The scope of Ys VIII is grand and intimate in equal measure. Much of the story focuses on the relationships between the shipwrecked survivors, which gives a strong “home away from home” vibe as you play. Additionally, Ys VIII features some of the most intense battles the series has seen. More than 30 bosses each feature unique attack patterns to learn, and learning to utilize your Flash Guard and Flash Dodge (think Precision Dodges from Final Fantasy XVI) is key to success. Accompanied by an absolutely incredible soundtrack, Ys VIII is just a great RPG, even if you have no interest in the overall series.

Cons

Ys VIII is a long game. Clearing the main story can take about 40 hours, and aiming for 100 percent completion can push you past 60. You may consider this a good thing if you want the best bang for your buck, but that is a hefty time commitment nonetheless. Further, Ys VIII has a slightly slow start. It takes roughly 30 minutes to see any combat, which gives an awkward first impression for an otherwise fast-paced adventure.

Ys VIII does contain some accidentally missable quests, which can prevent you from getting the true ending of the game. Fortunately, this is easy to avoid by completing side quests and exploring optional areas as they appear. To save yourself some anxiety, note that you may lose some characters even though their personal quest lines remain seemingly incomplete, but that doesn’t mean you missed anything.

You will encounter one character who is a direct reference to Ys: Memory of Celceta, so you won’t get that callback by starting with Ys VIII. However, as mentioned above, this is more of a novelty that doesn’t impact the main story in a meaningful way.

Note on platforms

The Nintendo Switch version of Ys VIII runs at a lower frame rate than on other platforms. It’s playable, but less preferable to the other options if you can access them.

If you like Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox builds on the systems seen in Ys VIII and offers the most similar play experience. Ys Seven and Ys: Memories of Celceta also established many of the fundamental ideas that Ys VIII builds upon.