Ys X: Nordics Reviews
Ys X Nordics is an intuitive and refreshing action JRPG (more action than RPG, to tell the truth) that captures the spirit of the old episodes of the franchise and gives the player a lot of room to explore, loot and fight across the islands of the Obelia Gulf. Not the prettiest PS5 title to date, but certainly a funny and intuitive one.
Review in Italian | Read full review
I have deeply conflicting feelings towards Ys X: Nordics, to such an extent that it turns out to be difficult to score. The part of me that really enjoyed the battle system and sense of exploration, which are both better than ever before in a Falcom release, would opt for a high mark; the part of me that's disappointed with the characters, narrative, and visuals would score it lower.
As the latest game in the Ys series, Ys X: Nordics doesn't stray far from the familiar formula. It takes a cautious approach, delivering a JRPG experience of consistent quality that lasts around 30-40 hours. If you're looking for a return to a classic RPG adventure with well-rounded combat, systems and gameplay, or if you have a deep affection for the Ys series, then this game will certainly meet your expectations.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Ys X: Nordics simplifies and streamlines aspects of its gameplay compared to some of the recent entries, but it more than makes up for it with its fun and epic scale, and flashy spectacle. Adol may be along for the ride in Karja’s story, but her story is compelling and any RPG with fishing in it is always an RPG worth playing.
Ys and I will never be best friends. I love storytelling in my RPGs, and Ys is quite firmly committed to making me press buttons instead. More than ten games into the series and I still wish the developers did something, anything, to make Adol interesting enough to be a frontman that has more entries now than most of the absolute greats of fantasy literature. He’s no Thomas Covenant or Pug, that’s for sure. Still, despite this dispute between myself and the series, I can appreciate what so many others live and why this has become such a cult favourite over so many iterations. No other JRPG property does extreme-paced action as well as Ys, and with Ys X, that quality is supported with a sense of wonder and adventure in the exploration that makes it very difficult to put down.
While elements of the technical design still feel rooted a few generations in the past, an updated engine and attention to the Switch version in particular make this the most technically accomplished game in the series. Perhaps most of all Ys X: Nordics presents a fun world to exist in and a charming cast of characters that I became genuinely invested in. It is somewhat reassuring to know that despite my earlier fears, there may in fact be hope that I like this series as a whole, and not simply one game.
Ys X: Nordics isn't a bad game, but it's not great either. The graphics don't look any better than when Ys VIII came out years ago on older systems. The story and characters are passable, but in a crowded field of games, this isn't enough anymore. The time spent on this game felt more like a reminder of what it could have been rather than an entertaining adventure. One's enjoyment of this is going to be directly proportional to if someone wants 'more of the same' of the recent Falcom formula. It is clearly selling, so the trend is likely to continue for better or worse, but there is a lot here that is tough to recommend except for diehard series fans.
Ys X is a fun time, but there are so many elements that feel underbaked. Combat is responsive but Duo Mode is completely unbalanced, and Mana abilities are vastly underutilised. Hopefully some of these systems can be built upon for a potential Ys XI, since I definitely think they can be reworked into something special.
Ys X: Nordics is an exceptional action RPG. The game returns to the origins of the series to deliver a pretty solid experience built on a more strategic gameplay system and a great narrative with excellent characters that captures the sense of adventure and exploration that make the series so fun.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Just when I finally got burned out of the franchise after Ys IX, Ys X took all the necessary steps to elevate the franchise to higher heights and make one of the best games in the long running franchise by providing the most action packed RPG in Falcom's history despite the obvious budget choices.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
I had an excellent time with Ys X: Nordics and it's outstanding that after all these years, Adol's adventures are still taking him to such refreshingly different worlds that are home to distinctly memorable characters. It makes me wonder: where will he end up next? ⚓
Ys X: Nordics is a fantastic action RPG that provides dynamic combat thrills and meaningfully rewards exploration on land and at sea. Despite a few pacing quirks and relatively sparse environments, any fan of the genre should absolutely give this game a shot.
Overall, my play time for Ys X: Nordics was around 45 hours. A decent length for an action JRPG, though I did complete the majority of available side quests, including the Recapture missions which can end up taking almost 20 minutes for the highest difficulty ones. If you wanted to speed run the main story only, you could probably drop the time around to about 30 hours or less. If you are an action-JRPG fan, then I would recommend a play through of Ys X: Nordics. This is unlikely to be on anybody’s game of the year lists, but it is definitely worth your time.
It’s hard not to come away from Ys X Nordics loving it, even if I have my qualms on the overall package. The game largely feels like an experiment, to push the series forward without fully abandoning the fans it gathered with the Party System Ys games. This is by far the best combat I’ve seen from any of the games, and it absolutely carries the experience. If we can get a sequel that builds all these concepts, fleshes them out further and adds a lot more visual variety, I think we could have the best Ys game ever made. We have a pretty good one with Ys X, and that’s still impressive. This is a step in the right direction for this new gameplay system, and there are so many great ideas here. I sincerely hope this manages to capture the hearts of new fans just like VIII did with me all those years ago.
Ys X: Nordics is, hands down, one of my favorite entries in the franchise thus far. I really enjoyed the “Vikings meets pirates” theme, the characters, the naval encounters, and without a shadow of a doubt, the fast-paced and cathartic combat system.
Despite introducing some strategic changes to the combat system and campaign progression, Ys X: Nordics keeps the soul of the series alive and reaffirms itself as one of the most enjoyable and engaging action RPGs of 2024.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ys X: Nordics is an easy recommendation for those who love action and adventure games, and, even with some blunders, this entry is one of the best action RPG experiences you'll find in the market.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ys X is a less ambitious game but still manages to convey what the series has been going for for decades, which will surely please newcomers and long time fans.
Ys X: Nordics allows the series to breathe new air with its new combat system. Adol's new adventure brings a more mature narrative and makes the franchise's most avid fans see it in a new perspective after certain revelations.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It’s quite easy to have you captivated by the plot and the innovative gameplay features that are introduced in Ys X: Nordics. You’ll rarely come across any dull moment because of all the fast-paced action RPG combat, exploration, special Mana skills, and not to mention the memorable music that makes up the game.