Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Ys Origin delivers a fast-paced action RPG experience that immediately hooks players with its intense combat and streamlined progression. From the moment you select Yunica, Hugo, or The Claw, you’re thrust into the heart of Darm Tower, hacking, slashing, and spellcasting through endless corridors of enemies and traps. Each character’s unique combat style—Yunica’s melee prowess, Hugo’s ranged magic, and The Claw’s lightning-fast combo attacks—ensures that multiple playthroughs feel fresh and distinct.

The skill acquisition system is both generous and flexible. As you ascend the tower, experience points unlock an array of special techniques and spells, which can be slotted into a grid-based skill panel. This encourages experimentation: should Yunica focus on powerful area-of-effect sword slashes or on defensive counters? Can Hugo chain elemental spells for maximum crowd control, or is a balanced build more effective against later bosses? The Claw, unlocked after two complete runs, adds another layer of strategy with his rapid strikes and gliding moves, rewarding dexterous play.

Boss encounters in Ys Origin really showcase the game’s refined combat loop. Many familiar foes from earlier Ys titles reappear, each with unique patterns and phases that demand quick reflexes and pattern recognition. Dodging and positional play are as crucial as raw damage output. Between skirmishes, the absence of an overworld or hub towns means you remain focused on vertical progression, lending an unrelenting momentum that rarely lets up.

Quality-of-life features such as quick-save points, adjustable difficulty levels, and an auto-target system smooth out potential frustrations. The implementation is particularly welcoming for newcomers to the series, while still providing enough challenge for genre veterans. Overall, the gameplay in Ys Origin hits a sweet spot between accessibility and depth, making it an enduring example of action RPG design.

Graphics

Although Ys Origin was originally released in 2006, its revised PC port brings crisp, high-definition visuals that hold up remarkably well today. The game employs richly detailed 2D sprites against layered backgrounds, creating a sense of depth as you navigate Darm Tower’s labyrinthine halls. Subtle lighting effects and dynamic spell animations further enhance the atmosphere, making combat feel both impactful and visually satisfying.

Each level of the tower boasts a distinct visual theme, from ominous stone halls to fiery magma chambers and icy catacombs. The art direction strikes a balance between gothic foreboding and high-fantasy flourish, peppered with runic glyphs and ancient architecture that hint at the tower’s mysterious origins. Even minor enemies receive thoughtful design touches, ensuring that each area feels alive rather than repetitive.

Boss battles ramp up the spectacle, often featuring screen-filling attacks, multi-stage transformations, and environmental hazards that play out in real time. Character portraits and cutscene illustrations maintain a consistent anime-inspired aesthetic, lending emotional weight to key story moments without jarring transitions from gameplay. Overall, the visuals in Ys Origin marry old-school charm with modern polish, making it an appealing title for fans of classic sprite-based graphics.

Performance on contemporary systems is rock solid, with smooth framerates even during the busiest encounters. Optional widescreen support and customizable UI elements further adapt the presentation to modern monitors, ensuring that both purists and newcomers can appreciate the game’s visual strengths.

Story

Serving as a prequel set 700 years before Ys: The Vanished Omens, Ys Origin explores the foundational mythology of the series. The narrative revolves around the enigmatic Darm Tower, said to house the goddesses who shaped the world of Ys and the malevolent force that imprisoned them. As Yunica, Hugo, or The Claw, you delve deeper into the tower’s secrets, each for your own personal reasons, crafting a compelling lore-driven backdrop for the action.

What distinguishes Ys Origin’s story is its framing device: three protagonists with intertwined but distinct arcs. Yunica’s earnest pursuit to rescue her mentor and prove herself as a knight contrasts nicely with Hugo’s more scholarly quest for forbidden knowledge. The Claw, shrouded in mystery until his late-game introduction, offers a darker perspective that rounds out the narrative and sheds new light on the tower’s history. This branching approach lends replay value and encourages players to piece together the full tapestry of events across multiple runs.

While the game’s structure excludes traditional towns and NPC-driven sidequests, in-game dialogue and concise cutscenes fill in the world-building adeptly. The sense of isolation within the tower amplifies the stakes—each new floor reveals further desperation, betrayal, and divine intrigue. Even returning fans unfamiliar with the prequel timeline will find plenty of revelations that enrich the broader Ys saga.

Integral to the story are the recurring Ys series motifs—ancient runes, elemental goddesses, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Ys Origin embraces these themes wholeheartedly, presenting a tight, focused narrative that complements rather than overshadows its core action gameplay.

Overall Experience

Ys Origin stands as both a standout entry in the Ys franchise and a benchmark for action RPGs of its era. Its blend of rapid combat, diverse character builds, and high-stakes boss battles keeps players engaged from start to finish. The decision to confine the entire experience to Darm Tower might seem restrictive at first, but it ultimately delivers a relentlessly paced adventure without filler or downtime.

Graphically, the game bridges retro charm with modern reliability, offering a feast of sprite animation, detailed backgrounds, and fluid effects. Combined with a rousing soundtrack (not covered here but worth mentioning), the audiovisual presentation elevates every moment, from quiet exploration to epic showdowns.

On the narrative front, Ys Origin enriches the series’ lore by delving into its divine origins, presenting a trio of protagonists whose stories intersect in surprising ways. The lack of extraneous side content keeps the storytelling tight, focusing on the tower’s mysteries and the personal motivations driving each hero.

For potential buyers, Ys Origin represents exceptional value. With multiple characters, scalable difficulty, and a runtime that rewards multiple playthroughs, it offers lasting appeal. Whether you’re a longtime Ys enthusiast or new to the series, this prequel provides a compelling mix of challenge, discovery, and high-octane action that’s hard to resist.

Retro Replay Score

8/10