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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Ys: The Ark of Napishtim
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 29 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 11 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre(s): Action, Role-Playing Game
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Release Date: February 28, 2006
Summary
Washed ashore on an uncharted island, Adol Christin begins a new journey in Ys: The Ark of Napishtim. Lush environments, beautifully rendered characters and animated 3D backdrops combine to create the setting for Adol's newest adventure. Now on the PSP, our red-headed hero must fight deadly monsters and menacing bosses with a variety of sword combinations, special attacks and magical spells to uncover the secrets that lie in Canaan's mysterious whirlpools. Power-up three magical swords to gain special abilities and attacks. Combines real-time, fast-paced action and strategic boss battles. Unlock and play fun new mini-games with characters from the island. Play soundtrack & view character profiles in brand new modes. [Konami]
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Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
eToychest
It is very addictive and challenging, and offers two additional difficulty levels if the default is not challenging enough.
Read Full Review >PSM Magazine
Ark of Napishtim is a sterling example of how a simple tale can be told well, and now it comes packed with 200% more convenience. [Apr 2006, p.84]
Console Gameworld
Yet another PSP title that is held back from greatness due to excessive load times. Despite this, it's a must own for RPG fans.
Read Full Review >GamingTrend
Some will get bored with the RPG combat elements because of their simplicity. Some will get frustrated by the balance issues. Others will be disappointed at the length.
Read Full Review >TotalPlayStation
It's the exact kind of game -- if not the presentation of it -- that the PSP is hurting for so much right now, and in all honesty, once you're a few hours in to the game, it's fairly easy to overlook the loading screens and lose yourself in the action.
Read Full Review >Gaming Age
This is a no brainer for gamers over 25 who remember a better time, as well as the others who may not get what us geezers have been talking about all this time when we say, "Back in my day, my RPG titles were full of substance with wonderful hand drawn art."
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
The great thing about the PSP version of the Arc of Napishtim was that it was to mirror the Japanese PC game which.....picked up a bad case of American localization, conceding its hand-drawn sprites for renders, and anime scenes for bulky CG. [Mar 2006, p.48]
Digital Entertainment News
Y’s The Ark of Napishtim was an okay PS2 title. Now, it’s an okay PSP title with virtually nothing new to offer. At least the game’s low-res textures look better on PSP’s lower-res screen.
Read Full Review >Gamezilla!
The visual effects are okay and the different environments are diverse but not outstanding (almost exactly the same quality as the PS2 release).
Read Full Review >GamerFeed
If you're looking for a capable role-playing adventure with plenty of hack n' slash action, it still delivers like its console brethren did. However, it has its share of flaws, like loading time that grows abundanting into being a pain and mini-games and a Media Player that seem better suited to the hardcore fans of the series.
Read Full Review >Next Level Gaming
This is an old school style RPG, those of you that enjoyed the old styles should grab a copy of this game. Those out there that enjoy overhead fast RPG’s should also give this game a shot.
Read Full Review >Just RPG
An interesting hack-and-slash RPG for the PSP. However, the game suffers drastically due to some long and extremely annoying load times.
Read Full Review >Game Informer
What was an average nostalgic sword-slashing game on the PS2 has become a choppy, awkwardly-paced handheld adventure with a soundtrack player and a couple of new minigames tacked on to throw you off the obviously evil scent. [Apr 2006, p.133]
GameZone
Ys: The Ark of Napishtim falls short in innovating or creating something fresh from an old idea.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
This PSP port of Ys: The Ark of Napishtim keeps pace with the hack-and-slash action, but long loading times and other issues mar the overall package.
Read Full Review >Gaming Target
In general Ys: The Ark of Napishtim is a competent game that isn't really flawed technologically aside from the loading issues, and is better than other US-released role players, but the game isn't exactly brimming with excitement thanks to a cliché story and ultimately repetitive hack and slash action.
Read Full Review >Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
Fits the format very well...Not very ambitious. [May 2006, p.96]
DarkStation
The relatively unknown old-school action RPG gets ported to the handheld, but suffers from all the flaws of its PS2 version, and some new ones as well.
Read Full Review >Deeko
Though the controls, plot and soundtrack remain unharmed, the frequent and long load times, coupled with the incredibly odd presence of slowdown, cripple the title to the point of not being entertaining at all.
Read Full Review >DailyGame
A tired port that received no real updates before being brought to the PSP. Pass.
Read Full Review >1UP
The combat is engaging, the controls can be mapped however you like, and the load times could be worse. But the minigame additions to this version aren't nearly enough to justify a PSP port.
Read Full Review >PSX Extreme
The scope of the game is too small (it can be finished in less than 10 hours), the mechanics are really basic and/or sloppy, and the graphics are nothing to get excited about.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
Just be warned that you'll be sitting through a lot of black screens before you get to the good parts. And even then, they might run a little slow.
Read Full Review >Worth Playing
There isn't anything special about it that "Alundra," "Shining Soul II," and a great number of other games haven't done before it.
Read Full Review >Games Radar (in-house)
So what would the average person want with a tough-as-nails, sloppy conversion of a year-old adventure? Nothing. Even the hardcore Ys fans should skip the PSP game and go straight for the PS2 verison.
Read Full Review >AceGamez
But kids used to load times for the GBA or DS will quickly become frustrated with the constant loading in this game, as I discovered with my 8 and 9 year old sons.
Read Full Review >GameShark
If you can look past the long load times or are a Y’s purist and need to have your fix while on the road, then you might want to consider picking this up, but otherwise you might be better off looking elsewhere for an RPG on the go.
Read Full Review >Yahoo! Games
Quite simply, Ys isn't good enough to make it worth the pain in the butt of the constant loading. It's designed to play fast and easy, but on the PSP, it's a staccato exercise in waiting before you're allowed to do a few very simple things.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
JaX J. gave it a10:
A very good game for all RPG fans, and I am not a fan and I still liked it. The combat is simple, so even the stupidest of us will know how to play this. A must-have, apart from the long name.
Eugene T. gave it a3:
This game is just plain bad, just slash all the way till every boss fight. The fighting system r bad, u'll need to reach certain level to kill a boss, if not the damage will just be 0.
Evan H. gave it a6:
long loading times take away from the expirience. Otherwise the game is ok.
Nathan K. gave it a0:
this game is so much bs i returned it before i even got to the second part.
Shawn G. gave it a10:
The game is great, despite the card based playing, it's interesting to be able to play a female character in one of the series, not only that but one that owns the helll outta' people.
