Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Name: Falcom Classics
Item: Falcom Classics
Author: Retro Replay

Falcom Classics delivers a trip down memory lane by gathering three seminal Nihon Falcom titles—Dragon Slayer, Xanadu, and Ys: The Vanished Omens—under one Saturn cartridge. Each game retains its original core mechanics, from the real-time action combat of Dragon Slayer to the more deliberate exploration and character progression in Xanadu, and the fast-paced hack-and-slash of Ys. While purists will appreciate the faithful preservation of these foundational systems, newcomers can take advantage of modern quality-of-life tweaks that help smooth out rough edges.

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Perhaps the most notable gameplay enhancement comes to Ys with the introduction of a dedicated dash button, allowing players to evade enemy attacks and traverse towns more swiftly. This simple addition fundamentally changes movement dynamics, making the game feel more responsive without altering the challenge. Xanadu benefits from adjustable difficulty options and an improved inventory screen that lets players manage equipment and items more intuitively, reducing menu tedium that could bog down the pacing in the 1980s original.

Dragon Slayer’s retro dungeon crawling remains deliberately relentless, but the compilation offers optional experience‐gain multipliers to lessen random encounter grind. Whether you’re hacking through hordes of monsters in a pitch-black labyrinth, hunting political conspirators across Xanadu’s cityscape, or racing to rescue Esteria in Ys, the control schemes on the Saturn pad feel tight and well-mapped. Button layouts are consistent across all three titles, so once you learn the basics in one game, you can jump into the next without fumbling for commands.

Graphics

Visually, Falcom Classics is a showcase of revamped artistry. All three games feature new, high-resolution sprites, richly detailed backgrounds, and a broader color palette that breathes fresh life into environments that once looked pixelated and sparse. Forest glades in Dragon Slayer now shimmer with layered foliage, Xanadu’s palace halls are bathed in warm torchlight, and Ys’s villages buzz with vibrant market stalls and bustling townsfolk.

Character designs have also been modernized while remaining true to their original silhouette and style. Hero avatars exhibit smoother animations, from Ys protagonist Adol’s sword swings to Xanadu’s stealthy backstep. Enemies sport more menacing proportions and nuanced movement patterns, making combat feel both nostalgic and novel. Cutscenes—though limited—are treated with subtle visual flourishes, like parallax scrolling and soft lighting effects, that heighten drama at key narrative moments.

Remastered music complements the graphical overhaul with reorchestrated soundtracks for each title. Dragon Slayer’s minimalist tunes gain richer instrumentation, Xanadu’s moody themes deepen with layered synths and strings, and Ys’s legendary melodies soar anew in crystal-clear stereo. Sound effects have been polished as well, lending sharper sword clinks, ambient cave drips, and bustling town noises that pull you back into Falcom’s early audio design with a modern sheen.

Story

Dragon Slayer launches you into a bare-bones quest: locate the Dragon Slayer blade, explore subterranean levels, and slay the dragon at the dungeon’s heart. While the narrative framework is simple, it serves as a pioneering template for action RPGs. In this compilation, the story is presented via brief opening text and item descriptions, letting players fill in the blanks with their imagination—a charming throwback to the era’s storytelling conventions.

Xanadu offers a deeper, more political narrative, weaving a tale of revolutions, shifting alliances, and personal honor. The redone version retains all original dialogue but adds glossary entries and expanded journal logs that clarify character motivations and world lore. You’ll find yourself drawn into a drama that balances dungeon-delving with town intrigue, giving Maria and the enigmatic Count Ramses moments to shine beyond simple quest triggers.

Ys: The Vanished Omens arguably boasts the strongest plot through its continuous, event-driven structure. Adol Christin arrives in the besieged land of Esteria and uncovers ancient mysteries in a story presented in real time as you travel from village to village. The Saturn compilation enhances NPC portraits during key dialogue exchanges, making character reactions more vivid. While the overarching quest to restore the six Books of Ys remains intact, extra context in item descriptions and NPC chatter helps newcomers follow the arc without prior knowledge of the series.

Overall Experience

Falcom Classics stands as an exceptional value for retro enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike. Three cornerstone titles—each influential in the evolution of action RPGs—are lovingly preserved and modernized for a single package. The compilation’s consistent user interface, optional difficulty adjustments, and added dash functionality in Ys ensure that even decades-old mechanics feel accessible. Whether you’re replaying these legends or uncovering them for the first time, there’s a cohesive polish that holds the trio together as a definitive Falcom anthology.

That said, the games still carry vestiges of their age. Random encounter rates in Dragon Slayer can feel relentless if you tweak out of the experience multipliers, and Xanadu’s pacing occasionally drags during extended fetch quests. Yet these rough spots are partly why fans cherish the originals, and Falcom Classics lets you choose preservation or convenience with minimal compromise. The Saturn hardware handles it all smoothly, with rare loading pauses and solid frame rates even in the busiest battles.

In sum, Falcom Classics is a must-have for Saturn collectors and retro RPG aficionados. The marriage of old-school design with tasteful modern enhancements delivers three unique adventures that showcase Nihon Falcom’s pioneering spirit. As a compiled experience, it not only preserves gaming heritage but also bridges the gap between 1980s gameplay sensibilities and the expectations of mid-’90s console audiences—offering an engaging package that stands the test of time.