Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished

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Ys

Developer(s)	Nihon Falcom Corporation
Publisher(s)	Various
Release date(s)	1987
Genre(s)	Action role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player
Platform(s)	NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801, Sharp X68000, Sega Master System, MSX2, NES, TurboGrafx-16, DOS, Apple IIGS, Microsoft Windows

Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (Ys: The Vanished Omens in the Sega Master System version) is a Japanese action role-playing game developed by Falcom in 1987. The name is commonly misspelt Y's due to an error on the packaging of the English-language release of the Master System version.

Initially developed for the NEC PC-8801, this first installment of the Ys series of video games was ported to other platforms including the MSX 2 and Famicom in its first year. The game saw many subsequent releases, such as English-translated versions for the Sega Master System, DOS, and Apple IIGS, and later bundled remakes for the TurboGrafx-16.

More recently, it was remade for Microsoft Windows-based PCs as Ys I Eternal, and later as Ys I Complete. Versions of the game have also been developed for mobile phone platforms.

1 Plot
2 Gameplay
3 Version differences
4 Music
5 Releases
6 External links

[edit] Plot

The game recounts the coming of Adol Christin to the land of Esteria, and his attempt to uncover the mystery of the land of Ys, which disappeared from the face of the world seven hundred years in the past. Adol is a rather taciturn fellow, and the game isn't exactly long on character development or plot depth. By modern standards, the story is rather straightforward, but it definitely has its distinct charm, and it manages to have a memorable cast in spite of its age and humble beginnings.

[edit] Gameplay

Screenshot of the Sega Master System edition of Ys I

The original game is best remembered for its rather unique mode of combat, which is as basic as basic gets: you damage enemies by running into them. There is no button-pressing involved, and you never actually swing your sword. The result of the attack is determined by positioning and the attack/defense stats of Adol and his target. As a general rule, attacking enemies head-on is a surefire way to get hurt. The best way is to approach them slightly off-center or from the sides.

Combat in Ys I is styled uniquely: while mostly determined by attack/defense statistics that develop in an otherwise traditional fashion for an RPG, the fighting is not turn-based nor menu-oriented.

The combat tends to make or break the game for most people... either people find it charming in its simplicity, or they're completely put off by it. As a result, the game is very much an all-or-nothing affair. For those relatively few non-Japanese who know what the series is, they either love it or they hate it, with virtually no middle ground.

There was slightly more to the game than simply charging, as the game also gave you several rings, each of which had a specific magical effect, such as doubling attack power, doubling defensive power, slowing down enemies or slowly healing you when you stood still. These rings had unlimited usage, which was quite the lifesaver, more often than not.

When Falcom later remade the game for Windows-based PCs, they tweaked the combat slightly, adding in some pushback when Adol collides with an enemy. This small change made a surprising difference, giving the combat a somewhat more visceral feel. All in all, it generally hasn't been enough to win over the series' naysayers, but those who love the game can attest that there's a certain pleasure to be had in simply steamrolling over weak enemies once you've leveled up a bit.

[edit] Version differences

Aside from graphical differences, the game layout remains essentially the same across the many ports of Ys I; however, there are some versions where the details were changed. The Sega Master System version, for example, saw the game's dungeon areas flipped horizontally.

The most unique of the early ports was the Famicom edition, which was developed by Victor Music Industries. This version was a vast departure from the original, featuring entirely new layouts for the towns, field, and dungeons, replacement of a number of the original musical tracks, and a new final battle sequence.

The version developed for the MSX contained a handful of new musical tracks which replaced part of the original game's soundtrack. Some of these tracks, along with a number of unused tracks first composed for the original, were later incorporated into the soundtrack of Ys Eternal and Ys I Complete.

The versions developed for the TurboGrafx-16 and Sega Saturn included additional cutscenes, such as an opening detailing Adol's arrival in the town of Minea. The Microsoft Windows-based remakes, Ys Eternal and Ys I Complete, expand further on this and many other story elements, through both cutscenes and additional gameplay.

In spite of its prolificacy in the land of the rising sun, the original installment of Ys has only ever been (officially) released in English a handful of times:

1. For the Sega Master System, under the title of "Ys: The Vanished Omens."
2. For the TurboGrafx-CD, as part of "Ys: Book I & II," a package which combined the first two games 
into one. This installment is how most fans came to learn of the series, and was the flagship title
for the ill-fated machine in the US.
3. For DOC PCs, in a port brought over by Sierra. An Apple IIgs version was also included.

[edit] Music

Ys also set a standard in the realm of music in video games. Composed primarily by Yuzo Koshiro (later of ActRaiser, Streets of Rage and Adventure Island fame) and Mieko Ishikawa, the music has a distinct style all its own. Even on the comparatively feeble FM synthesis chip of the PC-8801 and the like, it shows influences of progressive rock, among others. It manages to fit every situation, without being overly straightforward.

Several soundtrack albums dedicated to the music of Ys I have been released by Falcom. These include:

Music from Ys (1987): Contains the soundtrack to the original PC-8801 edition, along with a number of unused tracks and the replacement tracks used in the MSX edition, many of which were later incorporated into the Ys Eternal soundtrack. Also included are five arranged tracks from Ryo Yonemitsu, who arranged the soundtrack to the TurboGrafx-16 version of Ys I & II.
Perfect Collection Ys (1990): A two-disc release, the first disc of which is a new arrangement of the Ys I soundtrack by Ryo Yonemitsu. The second disc contains assorted arrangements of tracks from both Ys I and Ys II.
Music from Ys Renewal (1995): The complete Ys I soundtrack, including the bonus tracks, reproduced on upgraded synthesizer equipment.
Ys & Ys II Eternal Original Sound Track (2001): A two-disc release consisting of the soundtracks to the Windows-PC remakes of Ys and Ys II.

[edit] Releases

Release Information (Japanese releases only)

Release Date	Platform	Price	Media	Resolution	BGM
6-21-1987	PC-8801	¥7800	3 5½" floppies	640x200 8-bit	FM 3ch, SSG 3ch
6-26-1987	X1/X1-turbo	¥7800	3 5½" floppies	640x200 8-bit	PSG 3ch
8-28-1987	PC-9801	¥7800	2 5½" floppies	640x200 8-bit	FM 3ch, PSG 3ch
10-8-1987	FM-7/FM-77	¥7800	3 5½" floppies	640x200 8-bit	PSG 3ch
10-28-1987	FM-77AV	¥7800	3 5½" floppies	640x200 8-bit	FM 3ch, PSG 3ch
12-10-1987	MSX2/2+	¥7800	2 3¼" floppies	256x212 16-color	PSG 3ch
8-26-1988	Famicom (NES)	¥6200	1 MBit ROM cart	256x224 16-color	PSG 3ch, 1 noise ch
10-15-1988	Sega Mark 3 (SMS)	¥5800	2 MBit ROM cart	256x192 16-color	PSG 3ch, 1 noise ch/FM 9ch
12-21-1989	PC Engine CD (TurboGrafx)	¥7800	1 CD-ROM	320x224 256-color	CD-DA, PSG 6ch
07-19-1991	X68000	(unknown)	2 5½" floppies	512x512 256-color	FM 8ch, ADPCM
11-06-1997	Sega Saturn	¥6800	1 CD-ROM	320x240 256-color	CD-DA, PCM
04-24-1998	Windows	¥7980	1 CD-ROM	640x480 256-color	CD-DA, MIDI
06-28-2001	Windows	¥6800	2 CD-ROMs/1 DVD-ROM	640x480 256-color	PCM wave, MIDI
11-05-2002	NTT DoCoMo i-Appli	¥300	Download only	160x180, 16-bit	6-channel
12-18-2002	Vodaphone v-Appli	¥300	(unknown)	(unknown)	(unknown)
04-01-2003	NTT DoCoMo i-Appli	¥300	Download only	160x180, 16-bit	6-channel
08-07-2003	PlayStation 2	¥9800 (Limited) ¥6800 (Regular)	1 DVD-ROM	640x448 16-bit	PCM 24ch