In the court of the crimson king
When it comes to JRPGs, having a delay between the Japanese and international versions of a game is quite normal. Nihon Falcom’s latest offering, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, is no exception. The game originally released in Japan in 2019 and then hit our screens earlier this year. Now, Ys IX is finally out on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia (despite Stadia’s issues).
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the latest title in the nearly 35-year-old Ys franchise. The first game, Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished, was a pioneer in the realm of story-based RPGs, introducing the series’ now iconic “shock attack” system in which characters automatically trade blows with their enemies. simply by walking past them.
Since the release of Ys in 1987, there have been nine titles in the main Ys series, as well as a host of spinoffs and remakes (and, interestingly, two separate Ys IVs, released at the same time and following the same basic plot, but developed by different companies). Ys has managed to do something few, if any, other JRPG series that last this long: follow a single character’s story throughout.
Like all of Ys’ other main titles, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox follows legendary adventurer Adol Christin as he wanders the town of Balduq, where he is quickly arrested and imprisoned. In his captivity, he discovers a dark secret that lurks in the heart of the huge Balduq prison, and must work alongside the mysterious Monstrums in order to root out the truth. Of course, things aren’t that simple: Adol himself has been transformed into a Monstrum by a mysterious antagonist and takes the nickname “The Crimson King” until he can regain his own form.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is available now on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC and Stadia.
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