is a Japanese Action RPG

Action role-playing game

Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...

 developed and published by the Nihon Falcom Corporation and the seventh installment in the Ys video game series. It was released in Japan during 2009 for the Sony PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Portable

The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...

 and was released by Xseed Games

XSEED Games

XSEED redirects here. For the proposed supertall structure see X-Seed 4000.Xseed Games is a video game publisher and distributor founded by former members of Square Enix USA. Their goal is to bring high-quality interactive entertainment to the North American market...

 in North America on August 17, 2010 and in Europe (only on Playstation Network) on December 29, 2010.

Plot

Adol and Dogi reach the Capital of Altago in an attempt to find more adventure. While exploring the town, they get into trouble trying to save two sisters who were being harassed by the local Dragon Knights, which is the army force of Altago. They are thrown into the cells but thanks to their reputation as adventurers, they get a request from the king to help him investigate some strange earthquakes going on lately, as his men have not been able to find anything. On their way, they find out the Five Dragons are awakening once again to prevent a great evil, lending their power to Adol to help stop it.

Gameplay

In previous Ys titles, players had to switch between elemental weapons to damage monsters and bosses. Not much is different this time around, except players change party members and use different attacks. The two other members are controlled by the AI while in combat and it is possible to set how they attack.

Music

Soundtrack releases for Ys SEVEN include:

• Ys VII: Original Sound Track (2009): The complete soundtrack to Ys VII.
• Ys SEVEN Musical Selections (2010): A compilation of 27 songs from the game, released by Xseed Games
  XSEED Games
  XSEED redirects here. For the proposed supertall structure see X-Seed 4000.Xseed Games is a video game publisher and distributor founded by former members of Square Enix USA. Their goal is to bring high-quality interactive entertainment to the North American market...
  
  with the Limited Edition version of the North American release.

Reception

Ys Seven has been positively received so far. Ryan Clements from IGN has praised the game's skill and battle system, calling it "unlike any JRPG I've played in recent memory. Even more surprising are the game's boss encounters, which require extreme focus to beat." He also noted that the music is "very enjoyable" and that, while the story is simple, the sincerity "keeps it from being boring". Still, he criticized the need to backtrack to the dungeons and the "modest" graphics. Brittany Vincent of Popzara lauded the game's combination of action and storyline, calling it "an acceptable gateway drug into the expansive game world that several RPG fanatics are already well entrenched in."

RPGamer awarded Ys Seven "Best PSP RPG of 2010".

RPGFan named it "Overall Best RPG of E3".

External links

• Official Xseed Ys Seven website
• Official Falcom Ys Seven website