Ys: The Oath in Felghana PC
User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 27
  3. Negative: 4 out of 27

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  1. samuraigaiden
    Sep 20, 2012
    10
    This is a top-quality console style action RPG (like Secret of Mana) and fans of the genre should most definitely give it a try. The game offer a strong challenge, but do not be discouraged. Much like the highly praised Dark Souls, Ys: The Oath in Felghana demands you master the controls to advance in the game. Players that only know modern console games might not be able appreciate this type of gameplay, but that's OK. Your loss. The story is good in a weird way, as despite being almost irrelevant in parts, it's efficient in maintaining the pace of the adventure. Yes, there is some standard JRPG nonsense like the classic (SPOILER ALERT) find the items that belonged (or are in some way is linked) to the hero from the legends, and so forth. However, one must remember this is a remake of a game originally released in 1989. It wasn't a cliche back then and there is more to the story than just that stuff. I have to set aside some lines to just say that the music in this game is awesome. If you like the music from games like Final Fantasy VI, you'll seriously dig it. It's that same genre of crazy Japanese instrumental heavy metal, but with real instruments. Just the music is worth the admission fee.… Collapse
  2. crunchbuttsteak
    Sep 13, 2012
    10
    Ys: The Oath in Felghana is one of the best action games ever made, period. If you don't like RPGs, you may have trouble with it. If you aren't the type who goes through and periodically talks to NPCs to gather information, you might find yourself missing out on important quests and items like ones that let you tell whether the floor will fall out on you or not (hint hint). Thankfully though, these are usually fairly obvious and only a braindead moron could go through the game while missing something that major. The difficulty is otherwise perfect - on lower settings, it will challenge casual players but not unfairly, and on the highest setting it's one of the most difficult games available. Every attack that a boss has is avoidable, though, it's VERY tough to avoid everything on higher difficulties. Some bosses will seem overwhelming at first and it's tough to get through a boss fight without dying on your first try, but the game lets you continue from the very beginning of the fight if you die during a boss battle. However, in the dungeon sections you go back to the last save point you've touched (regardless of whether you saved your game or not) when you die. This is the part that might frustrate a lot of players, as it's annoying to lose so much progress in the game, especially since you have no way to heal besides power-ups that enemies rarely drop on death, or with a late-game item that can only heal you outside of combat. However, the combat is a blast, even on lower difficulties. Boss fights are incredibly varied and each one requires a different approach, and has multiple ways for you to achieve victory depending on how aggressive you are. The soundtrack is one of the best in the industry. Every track is unique, ranging between aggressive guitar riffs, fast-paced violin rock, high-energy orchestral tunes and sad piano refrains and it's almost worth playing the game for the music alone.

    The game is a particular breath of fresh air, especially for those looking for an old-school style, challenging arcadey action experience. The only gripe I can lodge about the game is that it's a bit short - between 15 and 25 hours on a first playthrough, but there's a time attack mode and speedrun features that add a bit of longevity for players looking to challenge themselves further.    … Expand
  3. DrBrogbo
    Aug 30, 2012
    5
    Before playing this game, ask yourself: Am I the type of person who feels a sense of satisfaction for finally beating a platform-esque jumping puzzle after the 11th try? If your answer is yes, and the gameplay video looked cool, you will most likely like this game. As I am NOT one of those people, and being forced to repeat tedious jump-and-make-sure-your-shadow-lines-up-with-the-tiny-spot-of-floor-beneath-you puzzles fills me with controller-twisting rage, this game is absolutely infuriating. I did have a lot of fun with the combat (which is very fast-paced and fluid), and I enjoyed the background music a lot, but unfortunately the ice cave level pissed me off, and the castle level where 95% of the floor breaks away and dumps you 2 floors down was where I dropped my controller, proclaimed "I'm #$%^ing done," and immediately clicked on "delete local content." Video games are an inherent waste of time (be honest), and while some can really draw you in with their story like a good book does, this one does not. It is a rather mindless hack-and-slash, and growling at my computer in frustration is worse than pointless. I have tons of more important things to do, as well as better video games to play.… Expand
  4. sanjsanj
    Jul 31, 2012
    0
    If your idea of 'Action RPG' is unskippable cutscenes featuring some Japanese lady that happens to be blonde and have huge purple discuss-sized eyes followed by 30 secs of tutorial where it shows you the awkward controls that don't make any sense at all for the PC followed by another ten minutes (!) of unskippable cutscenes then give this game a shot. If it isn't then stay away because you'll end up doing what I did and uninstall it after getting bored to death of trying to actually play.
    The screenshots look great and the game looks fun, shame about the mind-numbingly boring hoops you have to jump through before you actually get to play. God, I wish Steam did refunds.    … Expand
  5. Rippedgeek
    Mar 27, 2012
    10
    My first impression of this game was one that left me somewhat impressed. Now, after spending several hours running through dungeons (mines) and slaying countless enemies I am completely and utterly hooked on this amazing game. The gameplay harkens back to what I used to enjoy in the coin-op arcades, it has a bit of a Rygar/Ghosts 'n Goblins feel to it, but even better. The graphics are fantastic for what it is, though it should not be compared to the likes of modern "graphics-over-gameplay" games. What really makes this game shine is it's content, the gameplay is sublime, the controls are buttery smooth (on my 360 controller) and the music... mmm... the music is absolutely perfect and really suits the game beautifully.

    It says a lot (in my little world) that I am eschewing the likes of Battlefield 3 and Mass Effect 3 for this little game. More than well worth the price of admission - I just wish there were more games like this little treasure.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. PC Gamer UK
    May 11, 2012
    56
    On its own merits, it's an okay hack-and-slash but one that feels as old as it is - and nothing special when there's the likes of Recettear and Fortune Summoners offering other flavours of action-JRPG in more interesting ways. [June 2012, p.100]
  2. CD-Action
    May 10, 2012
    75
    It's been a while since I played such a challenging game – combat is fast, rewarding and so difficult that you're gonna grind your teeth to the point of breaking your fillings. The game's cruelty is constant and goes off the charts during boss fights. [June 2012, p.70]
  3. DarkZero
    Apr 24, 2012
    80
    Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a game that derives from the old fashion days of action RPGs.
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