What RPG are you playing right now?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Is it just the music that makes you say the TGCD versions are definitive?

TGCD has.......
- the phenomenal redbook CD audio
- my personal favorite graphical style (16-bit with the beautiful 80s anime character portraits)
- Adol's levels carry over from Book I into Book II
- well-balanced difficulty

It's really just the perfect balance of everything. While the original games feel a bit slow and rough around the edges and the newer ones are a bit too polished (and easy) the TGCD just nails everything perfectly. Have you noticed that when retro reviewers/writers/whatever reference Ys I & II it's almost always this specific port? There's a reason for that.

And yeah, Ys II is a lot of fun. It's a "mission pack sequel" - it plays just like the first installment but with the addition of magic (which arguably breaks the whole game). I can never decide whether I like part I or II better. II is lengthier with more varied environments, but some of the dungeons are annoyingly maze-like. And part I has better music overall. Can't go wrong with either one though.

[Exhuminator]

It's really just the perfect balance of everything.

But have you played through the YS I & II CHRONICLES versions on either PC or PSP?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Oh yes. Love 'em. After the TGCD those would be my top recommendations.

The only Ys I & II variations I haven't completed are the ones on PlayStation 2 and some of the (older) computer versions.

[Exhuminator]

I'm okay if this is the swan song for the USA Vita:



HIGH SPEEDO BATTLE

[Sarge]

Picked back up a prior playthrough of Phantasy Star, inspired by all the posts I keep seeing about it. Got Lutz / Noah. I'm using the retranslated version, so they've changed things with the names, it's Alisa, Tylon, and Lutz. I much prefer Alys, but whatevs.

We'll see if I stick with it. I'm having to recalibrate my expectations again, as it's been a while since I played an 8-bit RPG. Graphically, there's no question it's astounding, but I really have a soft spot for the in-battle balance of Dragon Warrior III. Still, it's getting better now that I'm not using a really crappy weapon for Alys.

Was going to try to get this going on the PSP, but MasterBoy doesn't support FM, and SMS Plus PSP crashes on trying to load games. So... bleah.

[Nemoide]

Ys Origin is probably my second-favorite Ys experience, after the masterpiece that is Book I & II on TurboGrafx CD.

Ys Origin is available digitally on GOG. Or Steam if you enjoy leasing games. Play it. It rules.

Oh and make sure you dudes play Ys II as well. Don't skip out on that one.

Would you recommend the PC version of Ys Origin over the European DS one? Or the PC version of Ark of Napishtim over the PS2 version? I'm normally not one for PC gaming (download-only especially) but I want the best versions I can play!

And yeah, I plan on jumping straight into Ys II once I'm done with the first one. And at some point in the not-distant future I'll watch the anime and play Oath in Felghana.

[Exhuminator]

Would you recommend the PC version of Ys Origin over the European DS one?

There is no DS version of Ys Origin. Ys Origin is currently PC only. (There is a Ys I & II collection on DS but it stinks.) Ys Origin is not a version of Ys I & II. Ys Origin is a prequel to Ys I.

[Nemoide]

I was confusing it with Ys Strategy! I guess that answers which version I'll be playing then.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Yeah, Ys Origin is PC-only. If you really want you can import a physical copy and patch it, but downloading from GOG is 100 times easier.

Napishtim is about even on PC and PS2. The version you want to avoid is PSP: a botched port with awful load times.

I have to disagree with Xumy about the DS Ys I & II. It's admittedly probably the worst Ys I & II collection but it's still loads of fun. I really like the remixed soundtrack too.

Oh, and Ys Strategy is something you want to avoid unless you become obsessed with the series. It's a sub-par RTS game.

[Exhuminator]

Napishtim is about even on PC and PS2.

I like the PC version better because the sprites are hand drawn 2D, the PS2 version replaces them with rendered 3D images. Also the PC version can run at a much deeper resolution then PS2 version does, and a consistently higher frame rate. That said, the PS2 version isn't terrible or anything. The PSP version I agree should be avoided because it is a much lower resolution and a lot of detail is lost. The same goes for Oath on PSP as well.

Oh, and Ys Strategy is something you want to avoid

Yeah it was developed by "Future Creates" and not Falcom. I can't even find any other games developed by Future Creates before or after that release, so that says something.