Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Reviews
By the end of my adventure I almost felt embarrassed that I'd missed out on the Ys franchise for so long. It has some pacing and technical issues, but the loveable characters, intriguing story and fantastic combat and movement far exceeded my expectations and made me want to experience everything I've missed. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox has made me a Ys fan and I couldn't be happier about it.
A better version of a great game with lots to do and intrigue abound. Ys IX is another winner for the venerable series and it's a far better port than its predecessor.
Ys IX adapts every positive aspect of its predecessor, and adds a new dimension of exploration. For those who love the series, it can offer joy and fun as usual. But as for the haters or newcomers, it is still lack of attraction.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
With a very fun and enjoyable story, even if its not without its issues, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox evolves the series' combat system to new heights, being another great title that lives up to the beautiful legacy of its name.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox sets up for some rather interesting possibilities to the eventual Ys X that I’m already stupidly excited for. The change of direction from the rest of the series and having Adol explore one city and its surroundings instead of unknown and untamed wildlands with loads of ancient runes and various villages and towns isn’t a bad one but I do hope for more of a mix of the two in the next adventure.
Agile action makes Ys IX: Monstrum Nox an engaging experience. Elaborate scenarios and great navigation skills that invite us to explore every corner are the main highlights. The combat remains frantic and full of energy, with mechanics that offer a mix of trivial action and strategic moments. Besides, the world has a lot of content and the plot has captivating characters. However, there are some issues: uninteresting visual themes, dated visuals and performance problems. In the end, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a great action RPG whose qualities surpass the few problems.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ys IX Monstrum Nox is one of the most ambitious games in the series. It is laser-focused on crafting a better narrative but also innovates the gameplay with new concepts.
Another excellent addition to the Ys series with better combat, exploration, and new traversal mechanics.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is another solid entry in the often underrated Ys franchise. It’s fantastic cast of characters will get you incredibly attached to the townspeople and their goals and motivations and the flashy, fast paced real-time combat keeps encounters engaging and chaotic. If you’re happy with a slight performance trade-off for portability, it’s a great addition to your Nintendo Switch library.
For all that Ys IX: Monstrum Nox does that's new, there's no denying that it's still a tried-and-true Ys game at its core. Although I wish it took more risks with its setting and gameplay, it's still a great action RPG that fans like me will love.
Ys Ⅸ: Monstrum NOX is the result of a bravely new attempt by the production team inspired by Ys Ⅷ: Lacrimosa of DANA. Although some fans may feel it ambiguous, they can meet Falcom's small but elaborate semi-open world and enjoy excellent actions through this work.
Review in Korean | Read full review
I ultimately found Ys IX: Monstrum Nox a satisfying Japanese RPG, but I wish the journey getting there was a little less conversation, a little more action, please.
Adol Christin shows us a good time as he grapples, glides, and wall-runs while mowing down innumerable monsters in Ys IX: Monstrum Nox-all while wearing some damn fine threads.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the most ambitious Ys game to date, delivering a larger focus on narrative and a much more involved and organic world to explore. The game stumbles under its ambitions a bit, with a slow opening chapter and a consistently struggling framerate. Despite those issues, though, this is easily one of the best entries in the long-running franchise, and while veteran fans will get a lot out of the callbacks sprinkled throughout the game, newcomers are still in for one of the best action RPGs of the year.
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.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a great RPG with fast paced combat and plenty to do in its dense world.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox isn't a massive step up over its tropical predecessor, but it hits all the right beats it needs to make for an addictive and engaging action-RPG. Fast-paced combat, a memorable setting, and a surprisingly content-rich open world make for an experience that action-RPG fans won't want to miss out on. Were it not for the performance issues, we might even be inclined to say this is the best example of the genre on the Switch yet. Given those problems, however, a totally unreserved recommendation of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox on Switch is tough to make. Performance is reported to be a little bit better on PS4 and PS5, so if you have access to one of those consoles, we'd recommend getting it there. Otherwise, you're still in for a good time on Switch - just brace yourself for those frame drops.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a fantastic starting point for newcomers to the series, as it effortlessly immerses you into the secrets behind the prison city of Balduq. The frantic and fast paced combat combined with slick traversal mechanics allow for a highly addictive gameplay loop. It is, however, a bit questionable the level of effort put into this native PS5 port considering there's very little improvements made and no upgrade path from PS4. If you haven't experienced this fantastic JRPG yet, then this is hands down the definitive way to enjoy it, but I can't recommend another purchase for those who already have.
Despite some pacing issues and repetitive level design, Ys IX: MonstrumNox is a worthwhile journey for Adol that pushes the series forward in the right direction by introducing a plethora of new gameplay elements that I hope to see expanded even further in the next adventure.
Ys IX Monstrum Nox remains another strong entry in the Ys franchise, offering up engaging combat fans will love. Visuals don't push any envelopes by any stretch and the writing has its hiccups, but Monstrum Nox has everything that makes a Ys title great.