Ys Origin

 Switch
Ys Origin Image
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: 700 years before the events of Ys I & II, the land of Ys was on the brink of destruction. Demons came in droves and forced the twin Goddesses who ruled the land to whisk their subjects away from the surface, into the safe embrace of the clouds. The demons were persistent, however,700 years before the events of Ys I & II, the land of Ys was on the brink of destruction. Demons came in droves and forced the twin Goddesses who ruled the land to whisk their subjects away from the surface, into the safe embrace of the clouds. The demons were persistent, however, erecting a massive tower in pursuit. The battle that raged upon the ground had begun ascending for a second round up above.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Gaming Nexus
    Oct 16, 2020
    90
    Ys Origin is a fantastic game and definitely a good way to get into the series itself. The controls feel pretty fluid for the most part. You have several different difficulty options to choose from, so anyone from newcomers to experts can enjoy the game. The visuals still look pretty good today, and the soundtrack is nice to just sit back and listen to. If you're looking for a way to get into the series, Ys Origin is a great place to start.
  2. Noisy Pixel
    Sep 29, 2020
    90
    Ys Origin is a title I hold near and dear to my heart. It’s not only my own personal favorite Ys title, but it is also one of my favorite games of all time. So it’s nice to see that some care went into this Switch port. While the repetition of exploring the same environments can undoubtedly dull the affair for some players, the stellar combat design, jaw-dropping soundtrack, incredible writing, varying level design, and the multitude of gameplay modes make this a one of a kind action RPG experience that any fan of the genre should pick up. This truly is the definitive version of this title, and I highly recommend it.
  3. Nintendo Insider
    Oct 8, 2020
    90
    I don’t know if I would recommend Ys Origin as someone’s first experience with the series – that goes to the masterpiece known as Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana – but this is a great port of one of its best games. The music is catchy, the art is great, and the gameplay is some of the snappiest from the classic Ys titles. Given the game’s pedigree, I came in with very high expectations, and I’m happy to say most of those were met. Rarely exceeded, but this is a blast of a game that’s well worth playing for any action game fan.
  4. Digital Chumps
    Oct 2, 2020
    80
    Ys Origins is more than just a simple hack n’ slash action role-playing game! Solving puzzles as you climb the Demon Tower and its unique boss battles make the game a truly magical experience and a great way to jump into the Ys series. Ys Origins may suffer from information overload and feels a little outdated it is still a game that you should consider trying out, especially if you’ve ever been curious about the Ys series.
  5. Hey Poor Player
    Oct 28, 2020
    80
    Ys Origin is an incredibly refreshing game. Featuring characters with incredibly diverse playstyles, simple-yet-challenging combat, and an unmistakably large amount of that tried-and-true Nihon Falcom polish, Ys Origin is not only a celebration of Ys, but of action RPGs as well.
  6. Eurogamer Italy
    Oct 15, 2020
    80
    While not particularly deep in combat system and level design, Ys Origin is still enjoyable today just like 14 years ago, thanks to reactive controls and an extreme fluidity of the experience, also on the narrative front.
  7. Screen Rant
    Sep 29, 2020
    60
    Ys Origin is fine on Nintendo Switch. It's a decent if curious choice for the Nintendo platform, although its simplistic nature means it should be fun to pick up to play on the go. With Ys IX coming to the rest of the world next year, this could be a good place to get an idea of what the series is about - although potential players should know about its limitations.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Phuz
    Oct 8, 2020
    10
    I can't believe some divvy critic has rated this at 60 and dragged the score down. I give this a 10. I own it on PS4 and Switch and doesn'tI can't believe some divvy critic has rated this at 60 and dragged the score down. I give this a 10. I own it on PS4 and Switch and doesn't bother me which version I play.

    This is an action, adventure, puzzle RPG. It is like Zelda, the birds eye view Zelda's, not the steaming bag of boredom that is Breath of the Wild. Now the whole thing is in one great big dungeon, in the form of a tower. As you clear a level, you climb to the next level of the tower. There is no outdoor world to find dungeon entrances, you just leave one, straight in to the next.

    I generally hate menu's but the menu's in this are easy to navigate and two simple pages.

    Graphics - great, looks really nice. I generally prefer games with a lighter colour scheme but I like everything on this.

    Sound - I really enjoyed the sound track, really good score, it suits the game and keeps the vibe of the game flowing.

    Enemy variety - loads of bosses, with new types of baddies on each level.

    Boss battles - Great, can seem incredibly hard at first but once you do a few attempts and learn the attack patterns they get easier until you win. Depending on difficulty setting you may need to level up.

    Gameplay - Just loads of fun. 2.5D platforming, hack and slash, puzzles, story. A bit of everything but lots of mashing up baddies.

    Story - I don't care for game stories because they're usually rubbish, or have terrible voice acting. This is written dialogue and great stories. Different depending on who you play through as.

    This whole game just gels so well, with all elements of it being fun. The graphics, sound, story, bosses everything is just balanced really nicely and all of the aspects compliment each other really well.

    I just can't understand the lack of attention this game gets. To sum it up, it is like a Zelda game on speed but without the overworld. Just a fantastic game and I mentioned the word fun a few times, it is something so many games lack and that is simple fun entertainment.

    I no longed have my PS4 but my GF borrowed her sons for the weekend and played Ys Origin on my account. We are getting the PS4 permanently next month and she liked Ys Origin so much when we gave the PS4 back she wouldn't even wait a month to play it again on there and bought it for my Switch straight away.

    She clearly would give it a 10/10 too.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best Switch Game of 2020

Current Switch Games

Full List »
93 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
93 Hades
89 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
88 A Short Hike
87 Filament
87 Super Mega Baseball 3
86 Huntdown
86 MO:Astray
86 Streets of Rage 4
85 Heroes of Hammerwatch - Ultimate Edition
85 Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
84 BioShock: The Collection
84 WHAT THE GOLF?
84 Hypnospace Outlaw
83 Spiritfarer
83 Horace
70 Banner of the Maid
70 9 Monkeys of Shaolin
68 Ninjala
61 Giraffe and Annika
All Current Games »