Originally launched in 2016 in Japan and 2017 in other countries on the PlayStation Vita, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana heralds yet another adventure of the famous red-haired Adol Christin and his trusty sidekick Dogi. Since the small screen debut, Ys VIII has graced numerous platforms, and is finally on Sony’s current generation console, boasting graphical upgrades and including all previously available DLC. Is this good enough for returning fans who may already own it, and can it reel in new fans despite technically being an older game?
Shipwrecked on a strange island filled with dinosaur-like monsters known as Primordials, Adol must find other survivors and try to escape the harsh environment. His sleeping hours are disrupted by visions of a girl name Dana who lived long ago on the Isle of Seiren and seems to be helping him in her unique way.
The story flips between Adol and Dana often at the most inopportune moment, with Dana’s unique abilities as a Maiden of the Great Tree providing Adol’s intrepid team ways past literal insurmountable obstacles. Until great plot revelations that bring Dana to Adol’s time, gameplay involves navigating forests and beaches with Adol while Dana is stuck in her thriving city, which is now in ruins and holds the key to getting back to the outside world, with unnatural forces doing everything in their power to keep Adol on land.
Characters are not the only element of the game, but they are crucial. Returning players will be familiar with Adol from previous adventures, but new ones will quickly learn his love for adventure and be delighted with the wide range of individuals. Ranging from a secret murderer who vows to whittle down Adol and the rest of the Lombardia’s crew and passengers to a shy tailor, the NPCs and party members certainly keep Adol busy. Dana’s plight is entrancing. What she endures and her affinity with the elements, which cause her to change appearance late in the game, are what makes Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana so engaging.
There are so few downsides to this action JRPG. Battles are fast paced and the controlled character can be switched during battle at almost any time. SP skills, which both level up and unlock new ones with use, can be used at random on lower difficulties, although matching the correct weapon type for each monster becomes vital to secure victory for bosses, as well as speedily vanquishing regular enemies. Releasing what is named an extra skill at the right moment can make a heavy dent in a Primordial’s HP; released at the wrong moment can cause a halt in exploration, as even if the enemy is already defeated, the skill still gets played out into what feels like thin air and takes several seconds to complete.
Each area has the usual treasure chests to find and resources to procure, with some placed just out of reach until a new skill is learned, resulting in backtracking across the map many times. The base camp develops over time as new residents are rescued and provide new services; get enough members and certain field obstacles can be removed through a team effort. There are so many extra elements at play, and after a certain NPC is unlocked, each party member has the opportunity to learn a new skill.
Giving gifts to all characters increases their affinity with Adol, which has an impact on the final ending, so accidentally skipping quests can lead to missing out on the best ending. Cooking items provides buffs alongside recovering health, and the best part is that after a certain point, ingredients can be grown at the base!
There are many cut-scenes, which look spectacular on the PlayStation 5. Unfortunately, the actual graphic improvements are less easy to identify for those not technically minded, but there is no denying how beautiful Dana’s tale looks on a large screen. The waves lapping on the sand might not be cutting edge technology found in Final Fantasy XVI, but it is soothing to look at, as are the many vistas, which aren’t all on land.
Exploring underwater is a late game skill that has its own challenges and requires careful application of field equipment. Loading times are faster than the PS Vita, and being able to change the team’s outfits with DLC provides visual variety throughout the over fifty-hour adventure.
