As the latest and one of the best entries in the entire Ys series, initially released in 2023, Ys X: Nordics already set the fanbase ablaze, and now it’s set to do it again. Having previously been released on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC, all versions of the game were pretty great in their own right, but believing they can make it even better, developer Nihon Falcom have set out to do just that with Ys X: Proud Nordics.
Featuring improved visuals and performance, Ys X: Proud Nordics is still the same game we know and love, except now it’s a superior version of it. One could argue it’s a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition title, but it isn’t exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, as Ys X: Proud Nordics is also planned for PC and PlayStation 5.
But, for anyone who skipped on Ys X originally, don’t worry, we’re happy to provide you with a quick summary. As an action RPG, Ys X is the story of Adol Christin and takes place chronologically between Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter and Ys: Memories of Celceta. Having reached the Obelia Gulf, a new adventure gets underway, with Adol having no choice but to pair up with the Norman warrior, Karja Balta and take on undying monsters known as Griegr.
With Ys X doing away with the party combat system used in other Ys titles, such as Ys Seven, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox and Ys: Memories of Celceta, Adol and Karja are your only playable characters, with players free to switch between them as they please, and unleash all manner of moves.
During our playthrough of the original game, we rather liked this fact as it felt more animated and fluid. Then, when we interviewed Toshihiro Kondo about this, he explained that by focusing on a two-party system rather than six, it freed up resources and the development team to further expand on the game’s graphics and combat, resulting in the visually appealing title we got.
So, to answer the question of what this title has to offer that its previous one didn’t, Ys X: Proud Nordics features a Performance Mode, allowing up to 120 FPS gameplay and a Graphics Mode, which enables players to experience the entirety of the Obelia Gulf in perfect 4K perfection. Then, last but not least, new gameplay mechanics and content have also been added.
Bringing in an extra 7 – 10 hours of gameplay, Ys X: Proud Nordics introduces players to Öland Island, a new location home to a new adventure for Adol and Karja to experience. It also introduces two new shield brethren characters, Canute and Astrid. While the base game already does a great job of relaying the history of the Normans, Öland Island offers players a deeper dive into this expansive world we love so much.
However, just in case a new location is not enough, new mechanics add a new Mana Hold ability that allows Adol and Karja to manipulate the world around them, via a variety of new puzzle-solving challenges, by lifting and moving block objects. But, since this mechanic isn’t solely restricted to just puzzle solving, players can even use it against bosses such as Mökkurkalfe Geirr, throwing their projectiles back at them, which in itself is rather fun to do.
Players are also free to explore Ragnar’s Tower, a new “vertical play space”, and Mana Ride in general has been improved and more effective. But, for anyone wondering how all this new content ties into the base game, we’re proud to report that it is seemingly integrated with the original experience, adding to the whole adventure rather than taking away from it by being something thrown in separately.
And just in case, one last “one more thing” is needed to enrich Ys X: Proud Nordics even further, for any player looking for a true challenge, they are more than free to take on the timed dungeon and divine realm of Muspelheim, and win fantastic awards for surviving its “diabolical difficulty.” In short, Ys X: Proud Nordics is shaping up to be a Ys game Nihon Falcom can be even more proud of, but for anyone wanting to play it, unless you want to opt for the Japanese version, which is available now, we’ll all have to wait for next year for the western release, which for us, can’t come soon enough.
