Ys: Memories of Celceta

I picked up the US version of Ys: Memories of Celceta rather than wait for the EU release. Not how I normally buy games — usually I wait because of DLC — but I was pretty certain there wouldn’t be any for this one, and when I spotted the silver collectors edition in a shop in Groningen I couldn’t resist.

I love a good collectors edition. The art and guide books are fantastic — there’s something nostalgic about a miniature guide book shipped with a game, and the silver edition delivers that properly.

The game

Ys: Memories of Celceta starts with a small tutorial before opening up, and once it does the world feels bigger than it actually is — which is exactly the right way for a map to feel. Graphically it’s good but not the best on Vita; the level is close to Ys Seven on PSP. That’s not a criticism — the environments still look great and the distance angles in particular are a real highlight.

One of those moments: I was down in that town and looked back up to see this waterfall towering above where I’d just come from.

Combat

Combat is where Ys always delivers. Hack and slash at its core, but the harder monsters demand proper timing and a real understanding of the mechanics. I’d recommend trying a higher difficulty than feels comfortable — even if I didn’t follow my own advice because I was also trophy hunting.