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Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 35 Ratings

  • Summary: The kingdom of Altago is rebuilding their kingdom around a newfound peace after years of war against the merciless armies of Romn. The classic adventuresome duo, Adol and Dogi, arrive in the harbor of Altago City, and quickly find themselves in a scuffle with the Dragon Knights, the kingdom's military police body, when attempting to save a local girl from harassment by one of their commanding officers. Upset by the interruption and subsequent humiliation, the commander arrests Adol and Dogi, charging them with espionage. The king of Altago, having known of the duo's pending arrival from an old trusted friend, quickly releases the pair from prison and summons them to his chambers. He tells the men about an ancient shrine that was uncovered after a recent earthquake, and asks for their help in investigating this mysterious new find. Adol and Dogi oblige, unaware that they are about to take the first steps on a long journey to save all of Altago from long-forgotten ancient forces, and to reunite the estranged five tribes who serve and protect the Five Great Dragons – deified beings who may well be the world's last hope. Ys SEVEN is the latest installment in the long-running Ys series which first debuted on PC in 1987. This is the first iteration to be built specifically for the PSP system, taking full advantage of the widescreen format and hardware. The battle system consists of a three-member battle party with enemies engaged on the field map in real-time for fast-paced combat. Old fans of the series and new players alike will be immersed into the rich vibrant world containing over 30 hours of gameplay. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Whatever notes Ys Seven is hitting, it's doing it right and marrying every smart mechanic in action-RPG gameplay between themselves to create an actually intuitive system that never tires nor lets up - even if it's more of a throwback than anything out today.
  2. 83
    Given the white-knuckle speed and immediacy of Ys Seven's action, it's strange to think the game requires so much patience.
  3. Jan 23, 2011
    80
    Along with being better suited to the PSP's capabilities than the previous Ys VI port, Seven also overhauls some major aspects of the series. [Issue#105, p.120]
  4. Always good, occasionally great, and never regrettable, Ys Seven is another notable title in the PSP's increasingly impressive RPG stable.

See all 27 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. 9
    A lot of the PSP RPGs you pick up at your local game store are ports from other platforms. So, as soon as I heard that Ys Seven was being made from the ground up for the PSP, it became an instant day one purchase for me. What's the difference between a port and an original game for the PSP? Load times are fast, the graphics look amazing, and gameplay designs can be implemented with the PSP in mind. That's the case with Ys Seven. Ys (pronounced like the eace in peace) Seven is actually the 7th game in the line of Ys games, but you don't have to play the prior ones. It's a standalone title made for people who may not be familiar with the series. The gameplay is fun and takes place in real time. You will travel the world and encounter and fight with enemies without any changes. You swing by hitting X, open up menu by hitting triangle, etc. The game is sort of an action RPG that's more RPG than action.

    If you are an RPG fan looking for something new to play on your PSP, you can't go wrong with Ys Seven. For 30 bucks, the amount of game you get is astounding especially considering it's an RPG and built solely for the PSP.
    Expand
  2. 8
    Great game. On a technical level, loading times are nil, framerate is smooth, menus and buttons are user-friendly. The gameplay is the star here and it's fast, furious and fun, and perfect for a portable system. Think Secret of Mana but refined and much faster, and you have an idea of the gameplay. Quick-switching between characters is a breeze and very fun, and the boss battles are epic. Music, as with most Falcom games, is excellent, though not quite up to the standard set by Ys I & II Complete. Only negatives would be slightly grainy visuals and a slightly saggy plot, but Ys games have never been about huge narratives, instead focusing on tight gameplay and great music. Expand
  3. Problem with X-Seed games is that they're lacking in the imaginative part, especially the RPG series. Ys 7 on the PSP is a prime example, the plot is yet another typical type and surprisingly short, the characters are as memorable as the monsters I killed (I feel nothing for them) and the soundtrack is just... solid at best. The standout feature is obviously the hack and slash gameplay, the simplicity and variety of skills provided does make an entertaining way to pass time but the lack of depth still made playing the game a chore sometimes. Collapse
  4. Ys Seven was a huge graphical downgrade from its predecessors, the story was long-winded, and the sound effects were very annoying in comparison to past entries in the series. Adol also traded his jumping ability for a roll, which, while it worked, not being able to jump made the animations go all funky when he would go down a slope, etc. The gameplay was no longer as action packed as it had been before, either. And last but not least, the translation was horrendous and throwing gamers names into the game because of some stupid contest Xseed ran really pissed me off because it made the world of Ys look so ridiculous as the names were completely out of place. I can't recommend this game to those who have played the other games in the series. Expand

See all 11 User Reviews