Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
It’s definitely a great time for JRPGs when even a niche series like Ys is getting a lot of attention. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana has quite the interesting setup, casting Adol and other characters onto a deserted island where they have to band together and survive. This idea plays directly into gameplay with you having to track down survivors and upgrade the camp where everyone is gathered. Its blazingly fast combat system also lets you speed through the world, and your allied AI is genuinely great at assisting in battle.
Ys VIII reviewed quite well upon its release, garnering an 85 on Metacritic with the PS4 version, and then an 82 later on with the Switch version. The game set a new standard for the franchise in terms of story, combat, and world designs, and it debuted at number one in the sales charts upon its release in Japan. At the same time, the game has sold quite well in the west on Switch according to Media Create sales, with the game barely trailing the total sales of PS4+Vita after only one week on the Switch.
