Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Review (PS4, also on Switch, PC) | Backlog Battle

[@glass12]

Can I play this as my first Ys? Or do I need to play other games before?

[@BacklogBattle]

You absolutely can! Go for it!

[@glass12]

@@BacklogBattle Awesome, thanks! 😊

[@dhruvo100]

Play at least ys viii

[@revandaharjono9524]

Ys has a premise to make Adol (the main character) starts out as a blank slate. You might find some references here and there but it's nothing major. Fun fact it is actually a running gag that Adol keeps losing his most valuable belonging that he earned in the previous series at the start of his new adventure. The only thing that you should know about Adol is that he is an adventurer and an adventure nerd.

[@joeb2588]

I would love to see "Y's the vanished omens come to Switch. Or also known as Books 1 & 2.

[@thewaterreviewshow]

"I'll admit I appreciate the occasional change of scenery from the usual oceans and mountains. You of all people would understand that the most, huh?" - Dogi to Adol, Ys IX

[@BR-ec9zd]

Same. Setting of ys 8 made me hold off on it. Liking the darker vibe of this game

[@TocharaehD]

Man, it always surprises me that Ys is still going strong.

[@BacklogBattle]

It does?

[@TocharaehD]

@@BacklogBattle Last one I ever played was Ys III: Wanderers from Ys, on the SNES. Feels like forever ago XD It's like this sleeper series that still pumps out content.

[@weglarz]

@@TocharaehD Every one in the mainline with the exception of maybe 5 are absolute quality. You should totally play them.

[@dra6o0n]

Check out Ys vs Sora No Kiseki: Alternative Saga for the PSP. They really should remake those games into a arena brawler.

[@kanetidus]

@@TocharaehD at least play the 8th because it's soooooo good!

[@zonox1928]

What i like about Falcom is that they know what makes their games great and that they also know their own limitations. Can't remember a game from them that disappointed me. Great to see that Monstrum Nox continues that trend.

[@BacklogBattle]

It's such a fun and incredible experience! Love it!

[@virgil6298]

I discovered Ys 8 recently and it's now one of my favorite action RPGs. I've been really hyped by this episode since I played the demo and your review keeps making me want to play it, I'll play it as soon as it comes out on ps4. . I also want to say that I love Doll.

[@BacklogBattle]

I love Doll too! She's probably my favorite party member! Her melee attack range is insanely huge!

[@tken118]

Doubt any YS game will top the emotion that 8 gave towards the end. Played em all and 8 was the first that got me noticibly emotional.

[@sirmel11]

There's a demo?

[@Magus427]

@@sirmel11 Yeah, you can download a demo on PS4/PS5

[@sirmel11]

@@Magus427 Ah I wanted one on Switch. Oh well.

[@ony806]

Not gonna lie, your transition from talking about the cons of the grey color palette to flipping it on it's head and praising it as a stylistic choice left me a bit speecheless. That was a really clever way delivering that sort of information, the editing was done well too. The rest of the review was well written as well, of course, that part just stood out to me. In general it was nice to see someone mention how it can play to the game's strengths, a sentiment I share. Great job on the video!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much! I wrote that part to reflect my own personal perspective shift on the game. It was very important for me to capture that moment, in addition to adding in all the visual kei references I'd mentioned, just to people understood where I was coming from. I'm of the belief that developers should be allowed to experiment with changing up how they make their games, and for me, there were more positives in Ys IX that are truly deserving of praise.

[@seyahtan24]

Trails and YS. Such gems! Thanks Falcom!

[@kcmthecomgeek]

The "Boost" mechanic was present in some previous entries in the series, namely Ys Origin and Ys: The Oath in Felghana. The "Boost" mechanic is more of a returning (and slightly altered) mechanic than a new one. That being said, to those who have only played Ys VIII or the other more recent titles, it would certainly seem to be a completely new mechanic. Great review!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much for clarifying! I’m so happy that there’s so much more Ys I can play after this, so knowing this mechanic is present elsewhere definitely is making me more curious about playing them! Thanks for watching!

[@makojuicer]

I beat my backlog last month and I've learned my lesson. Wishlist, patience, and sales from now on baby. Amazing review as always by the way!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much!

[@bobbusc]

Subscribing for a reviewer that understands the pain of trying to decipher UI elements on a 50" TV that's 10 feet away. I wish more developers and reviewers paid attention to this.

[@BacklogBattle]

Much appreciated! Now I’m glad I mentioned it in the review!

[@joelputz3734]

Yes. This lol

[@ItzBlackace]

Currently playing Ys 8, and I’m having a blast playing it. 9 looks even better and I can’t wait to play it after 8!

[@BacklogBattle]

It really is fantastic! More Ys is a good thing!

[@magicbufo4277]

Same here man 60+ hours im Ys8, loving it, Laxia and Hummel are very fun to play as. Gonna definitely get 9 in the near future. Happy gaming man.

[@TheNrat]

“What up everyone Alex here “ something so comfy about. Kool see boost is back

[@BacklogBattle]

Boost is an old mechanic? Do share!

[@TheNrat]

@@BacklogBattle yea it was in orgins and ys oath like games

[@kimkom5648]

wait a minute .. the story didnt start as adol getting washed ashore ? his boat cursed is broken ?

[@BacklogBattle]

Can you believe it? It's crazy, right? 😅

[@RaifSeverence]

Its not THAT crazy when you consider 6 of the 9 games he stars in, start on boats, and only 3 of those are the aftermath of shipwrecks. 1, 6 and 8 are ship wrecks, 3, 5 and 7 he gets off a boat with no trouble. 2 starts with him landing in a field after using some ancient magic. 4 starts with him wandering around Casnan with amnesia (the only time he's ever had amnesia. And NO waking up in unfamiliar surroundings is NOT the same as amnesia)

[@MagisterXII]

@@RaifSeverence You seem like a fun guy.

[@natchu96]

tbf he totally got arrested over all those ship-related situations he's been in, among other things...

[@RaifSeverence]

@@MagisterXII thanks

[@TheGamingShelf]

I like your closing statement about looking past dreary atmosphere. Yeah it’s a bland looking castle tone but man is this game so much fun to play 🤤

[@BacklogBattle]

It really is! Also, totally unrelated, but I heard from some fans that you speed run these games so you can review them! I don't know how you do it!

[@Makoto03]

Great review. I loved Ys VIII and happy to hear this new one is also great. I bought it but still waiting till i finish Atelier Ryza 2 before i start it.

[@BacklogBattle]

Hope you're enjoying Ryza 2! Monstrum Nox is going to be a good contrast to play, with its darker themes!

[@Mangomesh]

I've never played a Ys game before, but this is by far the best review I've watched for this game. I'm so pleased you mentioned the music.

[@BacklogBattle]

I normally don’t try to talk about everything in a game, only what catches my attention. But when I do, I try to go all in on talking about that! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Mangomesh]

@@BacklogBattle I ended up subscribing to your channel, really like the content. You really recommend picking up this game? All I really play are traditional JRPG, Devil May Cry and I just can't get enough Skyrim.... Really think I should give Ys IX: Monstrum Nox ago?

[@BacklogBattle]

@@Mangomesh I think you’ll like it! Give it a shot!

[@ffviifakeremake3690]

@@BacklogBattle I'm not a fan of action RPG's, but after watching this video I'm tempted to give Ys IX a shot also! Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@ffviifakeremake3690 you’re welcome! Do let me know what you think of it when you’ve played more!

[@lordofchaosinc.261]

Ys 8 was so good. I'll instantly get 9 when the PC release comes.

[@seanpolis96]

As always, you can inmediately see all the work put into this review, amazing job bro, effort always pays

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you for recognizing and watching it! Very much appreciated!

[@daffyhat]

Hilariously, I had just finished Ys 8 today when KZbin recommended this review to me. I'm looking forward to when this is released on Switch and PC, thank you for reviewing it!

[@BacklogBattle]

You’re welcome! It’s worth the wait!

[@lukasfogel7892]

Love that you discussed some of the thematic elements you noticed through the game! Gives me something cool to think about as I play

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad that I'm able to add to your experience of the game! Hope you enjoy it a ton! I still think about it even after I've beaten it!

[@eSKAone-]

"Looks can be deceiving" is an important insight in the business of JRPGs, or games in general.

[@wodensthrone5215]

Playing this at a locked 60fps on ps5 is a treat.

[@PeteOliva]

Yes, this is what I want. I had gotten Ys VIII on Switch and I loved the game but man it got pretty chuggity. I need that smoothness.

[@TheDarkrwater]

Will this be locked 60fps on ps5?

[@swilliams409]

Great review! I really enjoyed 8 although never managed to complete it, so knowing this one has a stronger narrative hook seems to entice me even more. Cheers Alex keep up the great work!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much! I think you'll dig the story! It's really well done!

[@Stacks0587]

First time being first on a video, YS is my favorite JRPG series. Love your reviews!

[@Ancient_Ys]

As is mine. ❤️

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much!

[@AdamantMindset]

for a moment i was shocked, like i thought it was yet to be released. but i checked only PC version is yet to release the other ones are already out. sad, will come back to this review after PC version. don't want to get spoiled

[@kigeruse]

Playing thru viii right now having a blast. I hope I get into this one the same

[@feistywaffles]

Great review! It's good to see Ys still going strong. My backlog can't handle it right now but hopefully later I can pick it up.

[@BacklogBattle]

Yes it is! They really upped their level design game here! I loved how cavernous its dungeons are! Lots to explore, most certainly!

[@TheMickzaa]

That different opening got me lol

[@BacklogBattle]

I just woke up and saw your comment and it made me smile! I’ve been experimenting with different openings a la Walt Disney Studios (I did it for 13 Sentinels too!) so I really appreciate your reaction to it!

[@ordinaryhuman5645]

Whew, it looks like it's Summer 2021 for PC and Switch. I was wondering how I missed that this was out already.

[@kythlyn]

Whew--- this game was rough for me! I'm really missing older combat engines for this series. But your perspective on the game is refreshing. You recognized and appreciated many aspects that I glossed over in my playthrough! Glad you liked it.

[@BacklogBattle]

The motifs were literally staring me in the face the whole time! I'm glad that I was able to share it with everyone!

[@grassypond]

adol looks like a friggin Castlevania character and I never knew how handsome he would look in Gothic clothing until now

[@BacklogBattle]

Accurate!

[@Gamingnerd15]

Another great review! My copy should arrive in a few days. I recently finished Ys Origin and loved it, and I really like what I played of Ys 8 and I want to get back to it soon!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much! I'm excited to hear everyone's starting to get their copies! It's gonna be one hell of a ride!

[@plucascreams9517]

Awesome review bud! Y's VIII was very addicting for me, I breezed through it because I couldn't put the controller down. One of the reasons for this was the soundtrack. Looking forward to the Goth-inspired soundtrack for this one!

[@BacklogBattle]

Are you picking it up soon?

[@plucascreams9517]

Depends on when Steam will release it... Says only "2021" at the moment. Lol. Which might also be a good thing because I got my sights set on Persona 5 Strikers coming out on the 23rd. ; )

[@Suzakuux]

I haven't seen Malice Mizer in a long time... lol cool to see them used as a reference.

[@BacklogBattle]

Glad to oblige :D

[@kanetidus]

I can't wait, another 13 hours and 50 minutes until the release!

[@LadyLunaNini88]

I'll be getting this game once the Switch version comes out. I've played Ys VIII and man that game is so good. I'm just so glad The Ys series is getting recognized as a series that's amazing as some of the other popular franchises. It's such an underrated series in my opinion.

[@BacklogBattle]

I do wonder if Trails has eclipsed it’s popularity lately. Of the two, Falcom has said that Ys was more popular back when Cold Steel came out. Makes me wonder if that’s changed at all.

[@mrsgamer9218]

Just ordered viii. If i like it enough, ill get ix too :) Ok, im getting ix XD love viii so far

[@Mimowryyyyn]

Great review once again, Alex! I've been having a blast with this game. My only gripe about this game is that - and this is perhaps the fault of my TV settings, but - I've also noticed that some spoken dialogue gets drowned out during some scenes, thanks to the background music or ambiance. This wasn't too big of a deal during Ys VIII for me, with the exception of not being able to hear Hummel at times, but it feels a tad more prevalent in this game. Just got to Chapter 4, so I can't wait to see how the rest of this game unfolds!

[@BacklogBattle]

I haven’t had that audio problem at all! How bizarre!

[@marilagi]

Waited till midnight to play and I am loving it so far. Great video man!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks for watching! Glad you’re enjoying it!

[@Bornagainvillain]

Imma hold out for the Switch version. Hopefully, I can last... Edit: nevermind imma get it.

[@BacklogBattle]

That did not take long at all! Hope you enjoy the game!

[@Bornagainvillain]

@@BacklogBattleI'll have to wait a couple of weeks, but I definitely will grab it.

[@Bornagainvillain]

@@simonmeisinger7527 summer

[@Gambenoful]

I wish they would bring back the, "bump" mechanic. 😭😂

[@benhamadouchewalid]

a retro mode like dragon quest retro mode maybe would be so nostalgic lol

[@sazhenmari]

idk about ys9 but in ys8 there is relic that allow you tackle the enemies similar to bump

[@b0xxkn1gh79]

Well said and done! I liked that you referenced the Visual Kei movement and after doing a bit of research I agree with you the monstrum designs were most probably influenced by this. This is a game of the year contender for me. Thanks for the review 👏👏

[@BacklogBattle]

You're very welcome! This game definitely has led me through some interesting directions, so I'm really happy to share the knowledge and the existence of this movement!

[@tabris95]

I'm really curious what Visual Kei band was shown in this video. My personal favorites are D and Versailles in case you feel like checking out the genre further

[@BacklogBattle]

tabris95 Malice Mizer 😉

[@tabris95]

@@BacklogBattle Of course! Classic choice right there 👍

[@b0xxkn1gh79]

@@BacklogBattle Recently looked and listened to some songs from this band and so far they're really good. Au Revoir and Après midi are my favorites

[@Delta-pz9ed]

Another wonderful review, Alex! When I first saw a footage of Ys IX, I thought that they abandoned the colorful scheme of the island of the predecessor and it looked really bland in my eyes. After seeing your review, I am glad that the game looks way better than I thought. I am really looking forward to my copy of Ys IX so that I can immerse myself into the world myself! PS: The parallel to Visual Kei is really genius! You gave me an insight to something I have never seen before, let alone see the (possible) connection to it.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you very much! I've mentioned this before in the Discord, but it's always that one spark that usually drives how I make my videos! So when I made the visual kei connection, everything just kind of flowed out from that! I'm glad I was able to introduce you to something completely new!

[@shyguy2046]

Awesome review dude. I might pick this up (when on sale depending on Switch performance) however I hope we get a continuation review when the Switch port comes out.

[@BacklogBattle]

I might do a comparison! We shall see!

[@rexmon2592]

I love your JRPG reviews man, keep it up 👍🏼

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks a lot! Glad you're enjoying my reviews! More to come!

[@roynobody]

solid review! definitely gonna add this to my list.

[@cesardechoudens5922]

Def getting the switch version, it’s where I prefer to play JRPGs

[@BacklogBattle]

There's so many people here waiting for the Switch version! I've made sure to let NIS know that the Switch demand is real!

[@dra6o0n]

Base PS4 gets frame hitches at heavy actions, the Pro ver might avoid that, which tells a lot on Switch performance. 60fps+ is a definite must and you can't really get a good grasp of that with the switch.

[@cesardechoudens5922]

@@dra6o0n thanks for input. Guess I’ll keep observing for updates but ys8 ran good on switch so maybe they delaying that to Optimize. If not, I’ll wait for sale

[@michaelcoffey1991]

We will be getting this immediately. Ys series always has rivaled and sometimes surpassed the Tales of games as the best action rpg series. Love the Ys series, glad we have another gem to experience this February.

[@BacklogBattle]

That's a good point. When I think about it, I think for me Ys stands out for me just a little bit if we're pitting Tales and Ys against one another!

[@michaelcoffey1991]

@@BacklogBattle I agree

[@Chrysostomus_17]

Are you an Ys VIII newcomer? Well, happy to have you. I'm very impressed by all the people brought to the fold, so to speak, by Ys VIII. Impressed, but not surprised! Thanks for the review, it was really good. And also a huge lol because I never thought I would be reminded of good old Malice Mizer in an Ys review of all things! You have very good taste.

[@BacklogBattle]

Awesome! I was actually wondering how many people would know who Malice Mizer is and I'm happy that you were able to recognize them! Glad to hear you enjoyed the review as well! 😃

[@避けがたいカニ]

I'm also a YS VIII Newcomer! I'm a bit jealous of all the folks that had the chance to discover this serie from the beggining, and enjoy episodes by episodes! I personnally managed to catch up in 1 year by playing all the titles from YS I and II 😋

[@Chrysostomus_17]

@@避けがたいカニ I myself got into the series in 2013 with Celceta. After that, my gaming life changed forever.

[@JC-cb8oi]

Oh man, you got me so hype for this! More so for the Visual K connection. I’m about to rock out to Dir En Grey and Malice Mizer. Thanks Alex!

[@BacklogBattle]

YES! Fellow visual kei fan! I've been a huge Malice Mizer fan since the early 2000s! Such a great band! We got Gackt out of that! I wonder how many who've watched this video even realize that!

[@JC-cb8oi]

@@BacklogBattle Gackt. One of the greats!

[@pedroaguilarmora1535]

Great review!! I haven’t finished the game yet, but I am loving it so far.

[@BacklogBattle]

Gotta love that fast paced combat! It's so stress relieving!

[@JobyPlays]

I'm on the final dungeon and I gotta say, I'm afraid to beat it cuz I don't want my journey to end. Ys 8 still makes me cry upon finishing, every time I've beaten it... So many good moments, and this game has so many as well, and I'm in love with how the gameplay has developed and hope to god they keep more intricate level traversal in there

[@BacklogBattle]

Congratulations! Hope you finish the game at some point! 😃 I feel the same way every time it feels like my journey's about to end. It's such an intense feeling! It's probably why I have a huge backlog, to be fair!

[@JobyPlays]

@@BacklogBattle I just beat it and what a rush. It didn't break me like 8's did but after I sort my feelings and let things settle, I may consider this the better game between the 2... Damn. Pretty proud of my completion rating too!

[@shiningphantasy1393]

Thanks for the review; it was very informative. As a Ys veteran of 30 plus years (First game for me was Ys 1 on the SMS and then on from there) I have been researching and watching game-play footage ahead of time more than I typically would. My concern was--as you mentioned--too much of the same drab indoor stone dungeon environments and while that much is a letdown in some ways (All of the other Ys games are vibrant) I do understand the concept of a specific theme being emphasized; I just wish that the architecture of the dungeons stood out more and with creative set pieces to add a more attractive visual aesthetic. At least from what it sounds like there is a good connection and relation with the playable characters as well as the non-playable townspeople. I do think that future Ys games do need to change some game-play elements up again to keep the franchise from getting stale. Perhaps a transition to something else from the three character party battle system which is now on it's fourth consecutive game in the series. Also the music is still above average with a handful of standout tracks but is slipping in overall quality from previous games in the series.

[@timedasher]

That's a ver interesting information, I agree than making changes can bring new public , I'm new to the series staring on YS VIII, I dowloaded the demo on PS4 the character design looked very safe and a bit bland to me but I really like the combat so I got my own physical version, I spoke to some of my friends recommending the game but the told me the characters looked too generic and classic , but now that YS IX is out, the same friends that were't too keen into the series , now they saw the new more 'edgy" character design, music and atmosphere, and they are way more interested in this game than in YS VIII, I think people are looking for RPG wit more unique characters, music and worlds so this changes could be great for the series

[@sarysa]

Good review, not too spoilery...as someone who has played every Ys game so far at least partially, can't wait for this one. Just the movement tech alone looks like a dream to play.

[@BacklogBattle]

The movement really adds to the gameplay more than I anticipated!

[@CHOWKAIKIN]

YS IX is good but my favourite YS game is YS VIII. YS VIII is so good that Nihon Falcom may not be able to come out with a YS game that can surpass YS VIII.

[@BacklogBattle]

It's going to take a lot from Falcom to top Ys VIII!

[@AlexLoeding]

This is the combat xenoblade chronicles needs. I’m looking for a new game on switch that’s action adventure so I order ys 8 and ys 9. I hear there’s performance issues I just hope it doesn’t bother me too much. So glad it’s not a warriors game.. ys has the combat style I love. Thanks for the review! Good work.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you! I hope you have a blast!

[@AlexLoeding]

@@BacklogBattle thanks! Appreciate it. I’m sure I will!

[@Spenerico]

I wasn't sure on it but tried the demo and ordered it for when I beat Lacrimosa as I'm loving that, I've heard it's not quite the series high that game was but I'll make my own mind up on that, and I just can't ignore the new gameplay, characters and OST.

[@BacklogBattle]

I really do think that the story makes up for any shortcomings it’s had, so I’m sure you’ll love it!

[@Griffnix]

Got YS 8 and Switch and really liked it. Still need to finish it but definitely getting this one on Switch as well. Looking to past games I can play on my ps vita and from what I hear, there are a few in the bunch that aren't well received.

[@benfoster6715]

All the Ys games that can be played on Vita are good games, some might be more memorable. I'm not a fan of the PSP resolution stretching on Vita but that's a personal preference. Ys 1 & II are the biggest departure from formula but they are the oldest and come from a different era of design. I really like Oath in Felghana; Origins is in a similar style to that game. 7, Memories of Celceta are more in line with the new Ys style. Just know that 8 and 9 have more involved traditional JRPG storytelling sequences while the older games are focused on the fast paced exploration and combat.

[@anthonycastro9679]

I've been waiting for this ❤️

[@momarbeye9252]

Great review as always, I can't wait to play it

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you! I hope I got you hyped for the game!

[@momarbeye9252]

@@BacklogBattle of course it look really good and I'm happy to hear that the story is better than in the past games

[@explosive_shart9405]

I can't wait for this to come out on Steam

[@BacklogBattle]

I’m hoping they’ll come out with the release date soon!

[@KirbsterBCalane2]

I don't have a PS4 or PS5, so I have to wait for the Switch version. But darn it, Ys IX is looking incredible! I wish I could play it sooner.

[@BacklogBattle]

I’ve been asking NISA to give us an update on the Switch and PC versions for quite a bit! Here’s hoping they’ll say something about it soon!

[@FelixS.]

@@BacklogBattle The Switch version will be released in June (23rd I think), this is already cofirmed. I don´t know about the PC version though.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@FelixS. I don’t know where you got that info, but I’m staring at an email from NIS America themselves sent on 2/2/21 and it says Summer 2021 for both Switch and PC. I trust what the actual company would say over any outside “confirmation” Also, they replied and said the same thing: Summer 2021.

[@FelixS.]

@@BacklogBattle I am from Germany and here it will be released on June the 29th, I just checked my Amazon pre order. I don’t know if there is another time-schedule for the US but for Europe that is the release date.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@FelixS. ah, I see. Amazon actually estimates release dates a lot of the time, so that’s most likely what you’re seeing. NISA handles Europe as well, so I’d definitely wait until they make an official announcement

[@femtrooper]

Great video, Alex!!! This game does look pretty cool! I just need to bite the bullet and play one of these I think!

[@BacklogBattle]

Definitely can start with this one! It's such an awesome time that even with its references to previous games, it's the perfect first game for a newcomer!

[@unagisauce]

Was waiting on this one

[@GuttaUn100]

Favorite game of the year so far.

[@RikusonOne]

Very well put together review

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you!

[@hakunamatata7056]

Another Amazing review, i wish only to have money to buy all this amazing games in this channel. Damn you Covid-19 Keep doing this amazing work.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thank you so much! I hope that the reviews I make let you feel what it's like playing the game yourself, money aside! Hang in there!

[@AwsmNix]

I think after Ys 8, 9 will really bring the series to the west in a more meaningful way. Get them a bigger budget already!! Let them afford hd graphics and animated scenes in one game! These people can take every penny of production and make gold, now give them more!!

[@BacklogBattle]

It's the dream! I do know that Falcom's got a new engine they're testing out with the next Trails game! We'll see what it looks like later this year (in Japan)!

[@Javifaa]

Budget means nothing when Falcom both can spend several years without releasing any new game and does have less than 100 employees.

[@joaoteixeira92]

Playing (and enjoying a lot) this one before starting yakuza like a dragon! Started the year with the amazing Persona5Royal..so a lot of RPGs to start 2021

[@BacklogBattle]

Those are all great games! And there's more to come too!

[@defunct32]

Contemplating whether to get PS4 or wait for the Switch? Portability is always a plus for me.

[@BacklogBattle]

Depends! Can you hold out waiting until the summer for the Switch port?

[@defunct32]

@@BacklogBattle Is also concerned with framerate, logically the console is definitely gonna be the winner, either way no rush, I can wait it out as I have titles in my backlog that needs to be cleared first things first. Haha.

[@fierytigergaming8112]

i'm disappointed that they didn't put in Aprilis as a DLC character, lol

[@BacklogBattle]

SAME! Missed opportunity!

[@Robochris]

Great review! I really hope the switch performance is better than Ys VIII. I’d like to have them all on the same console.

[@BacklogBattle]

SAME! My first Ys game was actually Ys VIII on the Switch! Performance aside, I still quite enjoyed it! That said, I hope we get a date for it soon!

[@Robochris]

@@BacklogBattle will you review that version too?

[@BacklogBattle]

@@Robochris depends on what else is out at that time! I'll probably try and see if I can compare its performance at least!

[@JamesBantz]

147 Days till I can play. At least there are a bunch of good games until that time. Can't wait to revisit Mass Effect.

[@BacklogBattle]

Are you waiting for the PC or Switch version by chance?

[@JamesBantz]

@@BacklogBattle Will probably play on switch. Otherwise PC is my other preferred platform.

[@darwins.2646]

I loved Ys VIII and if this is more of the same then will definitely pick it up. Will wait for the Switch version though. Played Ys VIII on Switch and handheld mode is perfect for grinding to level up.

[@BacklogBattle]

This is actually the first time I've played a modern Ys game on a more powerful platform than the Switch, but overall, I'm quite pleased! I'd love it if I could've played it on the Switch though!

[@HybridAngelZero]

I don't know if I can point to one thing specifically, but for whatever reason, Ys VIII just didn't really resonate with me, even though I know tons of people love the game, and it's sort of the game that put Ys "on the map" in the west. It's even weirder to me, since I really enjoyed almost every other Ys game I've played. Because of that, I had some trepidation about Ys IX, but from the looks of the refined combat, slightly darker story tone and Visual Kei-inspired outfit designs, I'm definitely looking forward to getting ahold of this one. It also helps that it isn't constrained by having to have parity with a Vita release, which I feel was a big weakness of Ys VIII

[@BacklogBattle]

I'm definitely curious how you'll find Ys IX, so do let me know what you think if and when you pick it up!

[@HybridAngelZero]

@@BacklogBattle I definitely will let you know! I think every long running series will inevitably produce at least one or two entries that don't vibe with everyone,

[@jitterycore9753]

Can you compare the stadia version when it releases? I wonder if stadia will help the processing and prevent pop in and texture inconcistancies.

[@BacklogBattle]

I don't have Stadia

[@HARBRINGERZERO]

I’m dying to hit up this game but I’ve still got to beat Ys VIII. Never play the sequel without beating the older ones, you’ll be likely be disappointed when you go back to the older ones.

[@BacklogBattle]

Howso? The games aren't even released in chronological order, and the relationships between them are tenuous at best. Are we talking about gameplay?

[@HARBRINGERZERO]

@@BacklogBattle It’s because of the gameplay improvements and quality of life tweaks you won’t find older titles of the same series. An example would be Assassin’s Creed four being your first AC game and then going back to play AC1, you’ll be disappointed with it.

[@angrytacos5497]

Man ys ix looks great, falcom doing what they always do.

[@BacklogBattle]

I appreciate developers that can do a lot with little, and Falcom has always consistently done that for me!

[@seanbcusack]

just downloading this now. have to finish ryza 2 first though.

[@BacklogBattle]

Hope you're enjoying Ryza 2!

[@seanbcusack]

it's wonderful. better in almost every way than ryza 1, minus a couple minor complaints. taking away the ability jump ahead in the battle queue AND be able to interrupt boss super-attacks was a mistake. as was locking off high quality. but otherwise, everything's bigger and brighter and smoother.

[@kiepyon1]

Visual kei 😍

[@MrDarksol]

Well this is gonna be a little bit awkward because I just got the game yesterday and I play through it I think around maybe 9 to 10 hours before I had to stop so my experience is a little bit lesson because I only got up to the prolog chapter one and chapter 2 so I'm just gonna basically described my thoughts from those 3 experiences. 1st booted up the game it was about to start only to remember wait did I play on hard mode when I was on 8? So I shut the game off checked over my save file from the 8th game which by the way I saved a lot and that 1 and once I check that I did when threw it on hard mode I went back to 9 and immediately go to hard mode. Story starts and everything was great, until Adol got sent to prison then he busted out only to be stopped by Aprilis and then shot and turned into a Monstrum. Or as me and my friend loved to call this version of him edgy Adol. From there once I finally got out and was able to get everything Straighten out I ran around and notice how pretty much slightly small the world is mostly because of those barriers. Then upon seeing the other monstrums and seeing one of the core mechanics of the game which is the raid battles I was like I have a feeling I'm gonna hate these because I didn't like the ones in 8 and I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna like these. Thankfully thanks to the grappling hook it doesn't feel like that battles will not be that much of a problem just have to get used to the way the controls kind of sort of feel in this one. After that upon going through a boss fight and then dying which hurt on the inside I finally got a decent map out for the controls and how things worked especially around the time when I met white cat who my inner voice Actor encyclopedia was tingling really hard because I am certain that white cat has the same voice Actor as a someone who voiced a certain best girl/best female protagonist in the tales of series. Speaking of which I am digging a good chunk of the small bits of character development that's popping up bit-by-bit and with the chapters seemingly going into each of the monstrums I think that can work as far as storytelling is concerned. As for the dungeons I can definitely feel like that they are very very big like even from playing the demo I can tell how big the rest of the dungeons will be from here on out and thank God that we can save anywhere and those healing points are usually around spots where there's going to be a boss fight so it doesn't feel like it's going to be a problem. The references to previous games I barely knew any of them with the exception of 2 Memories of Celceta and Ys 8 because you can imagine the smile on my face when at least those two events were mentioned. I hope that I gathering material system will not be as tedious as it was in 8 but apparently it's not so I'll take your word for it. Over all from what I've played so far with the exception of the raid battles with some going and not like throughout the entire course of this journey I do like how this journey is progressing and that despite the fact that it has a bit more of an edgy esthetic in comparison to 8 it still has the same soul that 8 and all the other games have meaning it's not that much of a distraction. I didn't even know that the designs of the characters were based off of visual Kei because I heard about it but I never really thought it would get represented an action JRPG lol. I'm still gonna critique this game as harshly as I did with YS 8 because I still have to believe that these characters as far as the side characters were Concerned are just as strong as the side characters from YS8 were. Same goes for the best girl category because it's gonna be really hard to top Laxia and Dana from 8. But as it is things are looking pretty good for 9 even with our main character of looking like Velvet Crowe's edgy long lost brother which I have no complaints about that at all. And it also helps that a guy I follow even freaked out when he realized that you can use the crimson line as a grappling hook and I freaked out because we can double jump early in the game. Like yay!!!! Anyway very solid review as usual Alex!

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks for sharing your opinions as always and for watching the videos! Glad to see you're enjoying the game so far!

[@RA-ci8nv]

I've never played a Ys game before but am really into my JRPGs and the like, including DQ11S, FE3H, Persona/SMT, FF etc. Anyway, would you strongly recommend this game to add to my above collection of awesome RPG games? I'd get it on the Switch. And, how many hours of gameplay is there?

[@BacklogBattle]

Absolutely yes! Also, I finished the game in 60 hours!

[@kian26master]

Solid review.

[@wiper7000]

Would you say the combat of this game is... 8-) ... Ysy?

[@Zabasu]

hello alex, thanks as always for the review. are you actually better or are you still sick? I once asked about Ys, I'll buy this one and play. But wanted to know which older parts you can recommend? since the Ys series interests me a bit longer and I wanted to play older parts

[@BacklogBattle]

Hi Zabasu! Thanks for asking! I'm still taking medication right now and will be doing so for the next month. Otherwise, I'm feeling better! I actually worked on this video until 1:20am last night, but even with little sleep, I feel fantastic! To your question about older games, I'm really interested in seeing if I can play through Ys VI: Ark of Napishtim. I've been told that it's one of the better games of the older titles, so I've been looking into ways to play it!

[@Mimowryyyyn]

If I may, all of the Ys games - with the exception of Ys V: Kefin - The Lost City of Sand, and, of course, Ys IX - are available on Steam. Origin, Oath in Felghana, and Ark of Napishtim all use a similar game engine, while Ys Seven is the progenitor to the current style of Ys games. Ys I and II mostly retain how the games used to be, back before Falcom remade many of the older Ys games. My personal recommendation goes to Origin and Memories of Celceta, thanks to their narratives and strong characters. If you're itching for a butt-kicking challenge, though, look no further than Oath in Felghana!

[@RaidenKaiser]

loved memories of celceta cant wait to play this. I wonder if i should get lacrimosa of dana while waiting for it to hit pc because its got a page on steam just no confirmed release date yet or preorder option.

[@BacklogBattle]

I reached out to NISA this week and they don’t have a date for the Switch or Steam versions yet, so that’s not a bad idea to play Ys VIII

[@RaidenKaiser]

@@BacklogBattle wonder if the lockdown in Japan is affecting development delaying ports I can understand seeing that Japan is still in a state of emergency game development is hard enough to localize and then we got this madness going on at the same time

[@BacklogBattle]

@@RaidenKaiser the PC port is actually being done by Durante’s company, PH3. From my understanding, he’s based in the West and he’s worked on Cold Steel 3 and 4 on PC.

[@RaidenKaiser]

@@BacklogBattle honestly shocked that falcom/xseed stuck with Nisa tho alot of people were upset at Nisa last time I don't remember why but there was a huge controversy involving them and Bandai Namco and capcom have kinda been more positive reputation recently they would of made more sense as western publisher. Tho I don't understand Japanese business enough and there could be contracts and personal reasons why they chose Nisa

[@BacklogBattle]

@@RaidenKaiser Most Western publishers are too busy to deal with bringing other developers’ games to the West, and of all the publishers that do, NISA is probably the more prolific of all of them. Atlus used to do that, but they’ve got a lot of games to work on, along with SEGA’s games.

[@rjproduction486]

I recently finished ys 9 for PC, I can confidently say that Ys 8 still the BEST in the series! Ys 8 is a 10/10 Ys 9 is a 8/10. What I don't like about ys 9 is they put aprilis as an important character but in reality in the game, she hardly do anything. Aprilis should be a playable characters like Dana from ys 8 and and given a whole chapter for her back story.

[@brianjones2092]

These games got werid graphics and animations but then got the best combat

[@BacklogBattle]

The combat is so quick and frenetic! Gotta love it!

[@DaCaptainDerpy]

This game seems...interesting

[@BacklogBattle]

🤔

[@Brian-kl9tc]

I still haven't even gotten to playing ys 8. It's been on my backlog but gets bumped to others. Maybe once I finally finish FE three houses I'll get to 8 and if I love it, which I don't see why I won't I'll have to get ys 9.

[@BacklogBattle]

I'm actually playing through Three Houses right now on the side! Just finished Black Eagles and now going through Golden Deer! Either way, you should definitely check out Ys 9!

[@Brian-kl9tc]

@@BacklogBattle nice! Im playing golden deer right now as well. It's a great game. I think I'm going to do black eagles next though. The struggle is real though because I'm still tempted to get Atelier Ryza and Fairy Tail as well. Then i still have to consider both SMTs coming this year, pokemon snap, and bowser's fury... The neverending battle 😅.

[@Joseph928100]

Flash guard got nerfed? That sucks I used it all the time in 8 but it DID seem redundant that both move and guard had invincibility

[@BacklogBattle]

I don’t recall if this ever happened in Ys VIII, but when I did a successful Flash Move here, if I hit the Flash Guard at the right moment, it counts right when the enemy swings, so you get a two-fer! I kinda showed that in the video! It’s weird like you said, but it’s still there, in a way?

[@Joseph928100]

@@BacklogBattle only sucks bc my 2nd playthrough of 8 I did like.... 4 flash moves all game lol did hundreds of guards tho. I'll just have to get better with flash move is all. I ended flash guarding the entirety of theos de endograms massive laser was really funny to watch

[@larcek.giglamesh]

aside from the partial mediocre music compared to older titles, the heavy (long) story sequences had been one issue of mine. also, the twist of the antagonist always being close massively failed on me. as for the action we ys players have grown so fond of, it felt cut short at times. for instance, when you enter the prison the first time, asked beforehand to save a person, you'd remember (if you played previous titles) that escort missions had been a thing, but it's completely skipped here. i would have loved to see more action while escorting a prisoner out. and while Ys8 Dana Past Sequences and Dungeons had been an addon we just happened to get instantly in the western release, the lack of gameplay for Aprilis had been a big downer, even though the story tells us she solely fought of the grimwald nox by herself for years which could have made for a fun plot and interesting gameplay, we never really see her in much action. while many try to compare it to the fantastic Ys8, in all fairness, this game is more true to previous titles than Ys8 had been. it's a full story in itself, even the world aside from the main cast involved, has lost the knowledge of that story, so the game was able to delve into massive fantastic elements other series titles could just not approach as much. so in perspective Ys9 feels weaker than Ys8 but is more aligned to previous titles.

[@Ricobeans27]

when is the switch version coming out?

[@BacklogBattle]

No dates given

[@timothykirby4406]

Great game, highly recommended!

[@BacklogBattle]

It really is!

[@jonate79]

My backlog won't allow me to play this game yet 😒 😕 😪

[@BacklogBattle]

Don't let the backlog dictate what you can and can't play! Don't lose out on the Backlog Battle!

[@jonate79]

@@BacklogBattle Yeah you right but i can't play 3 rpgs at the same time lol ill wait a couple of months down the road

[@chaustin224]

I wish they will release this kind of combat system as a MMO game🤤

[@BacklogBattle]

Great idea :)

[@raciallyconfused]

PBS up in here

[@BacklogBattle]

No lie, I was waiting for someone to catch onto the wording of that! Glad to see you spoke up! 😂

[@raciallyconfused]

Were you a 90's kid?

[@BacklogBattle]

80s actually! But I was a teen in the 90s!

[@raciallyconfused]

High five, homie!!!

[@SquanchyCatDad]

I wish they would have come up with a better locale than a gray city. It's really preventing me from enjoying the game. I've played every Ys besides 5 and this is the first time I've put the game away after a few hours for something else.

[@BacklogBattle]

I can definitely empathize with you on that. There's plenty of ways to depict dreariness without overly relying on one motif. Purple, as I demonstrate in the thumbnail of this video, and in many other media, can also stand in for that color in spots. Thankfully, I pushed through thanks to the story.

[@Javifaa]

Mind you, every Ys besides 5 includes the old versions of 1 to 4 (and 4 has 2 old versions).

[@blackdragonx715]

Don’t get me wrong. This game is a lot of fun and I recommend it to most. But I’m in the latter when I say I didn’t like the story that much. I predicted most of it and I didn’t feel the stakes were high enough. Ys 8 blew my mind because when I realized what I was doing the stakes were so high it was mind blowing. A small gripe I have as well is I feel the game Is rather short when comparing 8 and 9. I’m not an avid gamer that’s plays hours on end. But I beat the game in about a week and a half compared To the almost month it took me to beat 8. Just my two cents. Buy ys 9 it’s quite fun.

[@BacklogBattle]

Thanks for sharing! Isn't Ys 8 considered one of the longest games in the series? I'll admit that I'm not familiar with most of the games, but I do know that Ys games are generally not as long. That said, I do prefer Ys 8's environments despite my revelation of Ys 9's setting.

[@blackdragonx715]

@@BacklogBattle for that I’m not too sure. I’ve beaten three other ys titles before I played 8. So I got a decent amount of the references. I just felt the true thrill of adol and his love for adventure in 8. The soundtrack my god is amazing. In Ys 9 I have about 3 or 4 song a I really like. The others are ok but forgettable seeing as how I put ys soundtracks on the same pedestal as sonic titles. Lol.

[@BacklogBattle]

@@blackdragonx715 your soundtrack taste is very unique, and very awesome!

[@debbiec4530]

Is this game hard? I heard Ys games are difficult- that’s why I never tried them. I hate dying constantly. I’m not that good at hard games. Thanks!🤠💕 .

[@BacklogBattle]

You can always choose the Easy difficulty! No shame in choosing that!

[@nadeshiko10100]

I always go for easy mode for story purposes. 😊 easy mode are pretty easy the boss are weak and dont attack much.

[@Javifaa]

The earlier ones are the difficult ones. And even then, they aren't that hard on normal either (barring some bosses).