Ys: The Ark of Napishtim

Armchair Empire

A gift to those who spent their school years up late at night with "Illusion of Gaia" and "Secret of Mana."

eToychest

Nearly everything about the game is antiquated, yet at the end of the day it delivers a more fulfilling experience than many, more “advanced” Role-Playing titles.

Just RPG

Had the jumping mechanism been tightened up, and the challenge of the game been enhanced a bit more so that the strategy for bosses did not become power-leveling, the game would have been just as great as its predecessors.

BonusStage

The gameplay is basic and the story isn’t overly original, but there is this addictive and drawing quality to the game and storyline that makes my old-school heart yearn for more.

GameBrink

The story is also rather mundane and redundent in today's times. But with an action-rpg heart, it is to be expected and is natural for a player to just ignore any story and to focus on the objectives and the fighting.

Thunderbolt

Although Ys: The Ark of Napishtim isn’t the prettiest or most epic RPG around, it delivers with its fast-paced action and lack of a convoluted storyline.

NTSC-uk

The animation of the sprites is wonderful. There are minute details on sword and cape movement, something which changes when equipping different things. [JPN Import]

TotalPlayStation

Basic and unassuming, this is an RPG for gamers that love RPGs. No complex battle system, no hugely epic storyline, just old-school goodness by the fistful.

GameCritics

While it may not do anything new or anything spectacularly well, there's no denying that it's a hell of a lot of fun.

Gamezilla!

The only complaint I have is there isn’t much to set it apart from many other RPGs.

DarkStation

It combines the old school style gameplay from the games past and it takes on a new aged style as well.

GamePro

We praise the designers' decision to make Adol a speedy little devil, so darting around towns and inevitably retreading terrain isn't such a tedious chore.

GameSpy

The game makes it feel like maybe too much time hasn't passed since the 16-bit days, while somehow still seeming to be a completely competent entry onto the latter-day PS2's stage.

PSM Magazine

For those who cut their teeth on titles like "Landstalker" or "Alundra," Ys: Ark of Napishtim does them (and its own series) great homage while standing on its own two feet. [March 2005, p.74]

GameZone

Excellent graphics, a simple but addictive style of combat, and an excellent soundtrack, should be enough to keep fans of the Ys franchise happy.

IGN

My kind of game. It's personable, has a distinct artistic style, and gives me a great sense of nostalgia without feeling too dated.

Xequted

This game can be very short; about 15 hours tops. It’s a joy to watch, though, and serves as a quick fix for those in need of some shiny action.

Gaming Age

The only thing that really puts a damper on the game is that for an RPG, it isn’t very long.

netjak

It is action packed, artfully done, and has a wonderful story. Give it a shot.

Detroit Free Press

A worthwhile, if a bit short, trip down memory lane.

Game Informer

The game suffers only by clinging a bit too tightly to its roots. [March 2005, p.128]

Play Magazine

Sometimes it's cool to suspend disbelief and go back to what got us here in the first place - aiding villagers and killing monsters. [March 2005, p.50]

GameSpot

Despite feeling somewhat formulaic, this installment of Ys still provides a bunch of challenging, old-school hack-and-slash action for devoted thumb-warriors.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Ys noticeably lacks ambition, but it totally nails the classic feel it's going for. [March 2005, p.126]

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

Fun and even a little addictive - it's still an interesting walk down memory lane for us twenty-something geezers. [March 2005, p.101]

Game Chronicles

A tight, relatively deep gameplay system combines with classic styling and characters to create a time warp of a game that is still well worth a look for older gamers.

Worth Playing

While retro fans are sure to appreciate its nostalgic sense of game design, the simple-minded combat and primitive graphics severely take away from its entertainment value. And since the main selling point of Ys is that it plays just like old games... well, why not just put this game down and go play some actual old SNES RPGs?

Next Level Gaming

The music, controls, combat and environments all feel like they are straight out of my SNES, simply updated with a few nice touches added on for fun. Basically this game was put together well, and they stayed true to their design core.

1UP

It's a solid if uninspiring little game with a definite nostalgic appeal for fans of old action-RPGs such as "Crystalis" or "SoulBlazer." Or "Ys", for that matter.

Weekly Famitsu

6 / 7 / 6 / 5 - 24 [Vol. 848]

G4 TV

It's not nearly on the level of "Kingdom Hearts," and really doesn't stand out in a crowd.

Eurogamer

Ys simply falters in the face of the better games now on the market, and in that context, it's hard to recommend it as much more than a curio for the hardcore RPG fan.

Computer and Video Games

This is a game that knows its small target audience (basically anyone who's played an Ys game before) and sticks to it without even trying to appeal to anyone else. Good luck to you if you fall into that category. [PSW]

Game Revolution

While certainly not a revolutionary game or even a difficult one, it does hit the nostalgia chord perfectly and then, with perfect timing, quits.

games(TM)

This is clichéd, tedious, frustrating nonsense, as archaic in its gameplay as it is banal in its story. [Sept 2005, p.120]