Ranking the Ys Series From Worst to Best and Determining Where to Start

Nihon Falcom's Ys series is one of the more beloved JRPG franchises that, for whatever reason, has always remained niche in comparison to other, more prominent series like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. Ys's one-two punch of its first game and sequel in 1987 and 1988 marks the franchise as being just as foundational to the development of RPGs as more well-known series, but a somewhat confusing timeline and a lack of proper localization have relegated it to being overlooked by many. Thankfully, recent entries (namely, Ys VIII and beyond) have seen the franchise getting the recognition it deserves as one of the more fun and rewarding action RPG series, which has only been aided by growing interest in Nihon Falcom's Trails RPGs. But knowing where to start can be tricky, prompting the need for a Ys series ranking to determine which entries are most worth players' time.

To celebrate the recent launch of one of the best Ys games (Ys: The Oath in Felghana) on PlayStation and Switch, we've compiled a definitive ranking of the Ys series from worst to best. Ultimately, though, even the "worst" Ys games are still quality action RPGs, even if they don't reach the same heights as the best entries in the series. Throughout its more than 35 years of history, Ys has grown from a simplistic action RPG utilizing the trademark "Bump" combat system to a full 3D open-world series with a surprising amount of depth and dimension to its satisfying, hack-and-slash combat. Along the way, the one mainstay has been its signature red-haired amnesiac hero, Adol Christin, whose sense of adventure seemingly knows no bounds.

• Release Date — March 23, 2006
• Release Platform — Nintendo DS
• Localized — Yes (PAL Region)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Import or Emulation

Unlike its more well-known contemporaries Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, the Ys series is notably absent of spin-offs save for the 2006 DS title Ys Strategy. Perhaps that lack of spin-offs can be attributed to how Ys Strategy fails to be either a good Ys game or a good strategy game, despite it being a sound title in terms of its presentation and mechanics. While a turn-based tactics game set in the Ys universe might have been a good fit, Ys Strategy is a full-blown real-time strategy game that is only held back by the technical limitations of the DS. That the title never received a North American localization only helps to underscore that players are better off not tracking this one down.

• Release Date — December 29, 1995
• Release Platform — Super Famicom
• Localized — No
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Import or Emulation (Super Famicom original or 2006 PlayStation 2 remake)

While Ys V is far from what could be considered a "bad" game, its greatest sin is that it's entirely unforgettable, especially when stacked up against its predecessor and follow-up. Add to that the fact that the game is largely unavailable outside of Japan except for emulation, and you also can add "hardest game to play on modern platforms" to Ys V's list of accolades. Still, Ys V is a solid action RPG that moves the needle forward for the franchise's simple yet effective combat system, even if its story leaves a lot to be desired. The new ability to jump adds a nice wrinkle to traversal and foreshadows the franchise's transition to 3D, and the new magic system is a nice callback to the new abilities introduced in Ys II. Still, players can skip out on Ys V and not miss much.

• Release Date — July 21, 1989
• Release Platform — PC-8801, PC-9801
• Localized — Yes
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Nintendo Switch

Despite having fond memories of Ys III on the Super Nintendo as my first experience with the franchise, there's no denying that the game is a bit of an outlier in the series. For starters, it's the only Ys game to switch perspectives from top-down third-person to side-scrolling third-person, which gives the title a sort of Zelda II-like place in the franchise. As it turns out, the Zelda II comparisons don't stop there, as Ys III has some genuinely head-scratching moments that can stonewall players' progression and leave them searching for a walkthrough for answers. While that's all too easy today, it was next to impossible to find such resources in 1992. That said, Ys III is a solid game in the franchise that was ultimately outdone by its much, much better 3D remake (more on that later).

• Release Date — September 27, 2003
• Release Platform — PC, PlayStation 2
• Review Aggregate Score — 76% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 89% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC

As a technical leap for the series, Ys VI: The Ark of Nepishtim is hugely important. It's the first full-3D Ys game despite still maintaining the franchise's classic top-down perspective, and it also happens to be the first game in the series since Ys III to receive a Western localization, marking the beginning of a new era. In terms of its plot, Ys VI follows many of the same major beats as the first game in the series, with hero Adol Christin once again finding himself washing ashore in a strange new world after his ship is attacked at sea. Notably, Ys VI would also go on to serve as the foundation for the short-lived Ys MMORPG. Ys VI is an excellent game whose spot further down on this list is not a knock against it, but rather an indication of how excellent the other games above it are.

• Release Date — September 17, 2009
• Release Platform — PSP
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC

After decades of entries in which players only control series mainstay Adol Christin, Ys Seven is a massive departure, letting players control a party of heroes for the first time. While Ys Seven is not without its growing pains as the first of the "modern" Ys entries, it's still a fantastic action RPG that features one of the more unique combat systems in the series. Rather than have players switch elemental types to deal bonus damage like in previous Ys games, Ys Seven utilizes a sort of "rock, paper, scissors" system akin to the Fire Emblem games where enemy types determine which weapons and attacks they're weak or resistant to. It may be a little rough around the edges in comparison to what came after, but Ys Seven more than earns its place as one of the better games in the series.

• Release Date — November 19, 1993
• Release Platform — Super Famicom
• Localized — No
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Import or Emulation (Super Famicom original or 2005 PS2 remake)

The saga of Ys IV is one of the more interesting footnotes in the history of RPGs, with the game receiving two distinct versions that each came from different developers. While PC Engine users would get Hudson Soft's Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys, Tonkin House would develop Ys IV: Mask of the Sun for the Super Famicom, with each title bearing distinct differences from the other. Ultimately, though, both Mask of the Sun and The Dawn of Ys are two parts of the same whole (as evidenced by the later remake of Ys IV), and both are worth playing for their excellent return to form for the series. Following the side-scrolling departures of Ys III, Ys IV feels like a homecoming for the franchise and a return to what players loved about Ys Books I & II. It's a shame this game never got an official localization to the SNES.

• Release Date — December 22, 1993
• Release Platform — PC Engine
• Localized — No
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Import or Emulation

The other half, and arguably the better half, of the Ys IV duo is the PC Engine's Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys. Thanks to the power of the PC Engine (including its ability to have far superior sound thanks to the CD-ROM format), Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys is a technical showpiece when stacked up against its Super Famicom counterpart, Ys IV: Mask of the Sun. While both versions of Ys IV mark a return to form for the series by going back to the classic "Bump" combat system of the first two entries, The Dawn of Ys looks and sounds better, and even features some stunning animated cutscenes and hand-drawn character portraits that bring its excellent plot to life. But while it was the definitive release of Ys IV at the time, that title has since been taken up by the far superior remake.

• Release Date — September 27, 2012
• Release Platform — PlayStation Vita
• Review Aggregate Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PlayStation 4

Following the positive fan and critic reception of Ys Seven, Nihon Falcom would utilize the series' new full-3D perspective to develop a remake of one of the most beloved games in the franchise — Ys IV. Ys: Memories of Celceta takes elements from both Ys IV: Mask of the Sun and Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys to make both its narrative and gameplay come together as the definitive Ys IV experience, and it also marks the first time Western players received an English localization of this important part of the Ys saga. Notably, even Nihon Falcom considers Memories of Celceta to be the definitive, canon release of Ys IV, and some of its additions to the series' combat system still reverberate throughout modern entries.

• Release Date — September 26, 2019
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 94% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Despite it being further down the list than the other two "modern" Ys games, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is an incredible action RPG that brings a whole slew of additions to the series' combat and exploration. One of the game's key mechanics is a brilliant idea that future entries will hopefully expand upon, with the Monstrum abilities completely transforming how players can explore and uncover secrets in the game's hub city (adding some slight Metroidvania elements to the gameplay). The real star of Ys IX, though, is its combat, which is arguably the best in the series when stacked up against its predecessor and follow-up, and the return of the "Boost" system is a welcome addition that needs to show up again in future entries.

• Release Date — December 21, 1989
• Release Platform — PC Engine
• Review Aggregate Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 88% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — Android, iOS, PC

While the first games in any series can often be viewed as important, going back and revisiting them is typically a harsh reminder of the technical limitations of the era, making them more of a historical curiosity than anything else. This is definitively not the case with Ys I and II, as both of these late-1980s action RPGs still hold up incredibly well in a modern context despite their more simplistic gameplay. Ys Books I & II are widely available on mobile and PC as Ys I & II Chronicles +, and it's amazing how fun both titles are to play more than 30 years after their initial release. The innovative "Bump" combat system helped Ys stand out from other games both at the time of its release and now, and its surprisingly competent fantasy plot and high-quality presentation mark these early games as being ahead of their time.

• Release Date — September 28, 2023
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 89% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Even with trying to avoid the recency bias, there's a strong case to be made that the latest Ys game, Ys X: Nordics is one of the best games in the series. Once again players take control of Adol and his longtime adventuring partner Dogi as the pair head off in search of adventure. But when an attack at sea from pirates leaves the duo stranded in a sleepy oceanside town, Adol quickly gets wrapped up in yet another adventure that stands mostly separate from every other game in the Ys series, making Ys X a perfect jumping-on point for newcomers. Aside from its breezy plot and excellent maritime setting, Ys X: Nordics further refines the excellent combat from Ys VIII and IX, all while adding in an addictive naval battle minigame when hopping around its archipelago setting.

• Release Date — December 21, 2006
• Release Platform — PC
• Review Aggregate Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

Leave it to a Ys prequel to take everything players love about the series and dial it up to 11. Ys Origin takes place a full 700 years before the events of Ys I & II, detailing the events that led to the creation of Darm Tower and the fall of the kingdom of Ys. Unique to Ys Origin is the ability to switch between three different solo protagonists, each of whom has a different style of play. Ys Origin is classic Ys goodness operating at its peak level, and were it not for the games above it on this Ys series ranking, it would have a legitimate claim to being one of the best games in the series. Ys Origin is also the first game in the series to introduce the Boost Meter, which can significantly turn the tide of challenging encounters, especially on higher difficulties.

• Release Date — June 30, 2005
• Release Platform — PC
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 94% (Very Positive)
• Availability on Modern Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

2005's Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a beloved entry in the series for a very good reason. Not only is it the best of the "classic" style of Ys game, but it's also the best remake in a series chock full of them. Oath in Felghana takes the series' one black sheep, Ys III, and completely reimagines it as a traditional top-down entry, complete with the new 3D engine from Ys VI and several notable improvements to the gameplay and plot. Ultimately, Ys: The Oath in Felghana marks the end of an era, providing a fitting send-off to classic Ys ahead of the series' modern pivot in Ys Seven and brilliantly capping off the franchise's top-down, Zelda-like beginnings. Now that the game is available on Switch and PS4/PS5, hopefully, more people will experience this underrated gem.

• Release Date — July 21, 2016
• Review Aggregate Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 90% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — Android, iOS, PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

In terms of where the Ys series found its modern footing and gained its greatest audience to date, look no further than Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. Ys VIII is a significant leap forward from Ys Seven, making it the de facto "true" beginning of the modern era of the series, introducing several new elements to combat, progression, and traversal that have since become series mainstays in its two follow-ups. Ys VIII's open world is an absolute joy to explore, and its combat never ceases to be fun or interesting, to the point where players will likely actively seek out encounters while traipsing from one end of the map to the other. On top of its excellent gameplay, Ys VIII features a strong plot and an excellent cast of supporting characters, making it no surprise that it remains the highest-rated game in the series.