E3 2010: Ys Seven Brings Back Classic Gaming (Hands-On Impression)

The recent partnership of XSEED Games and Nihom Falcom several weeks ago gives gamers the chance to play the good titles of Nihon Falcom, namely the Ys Series. A game that XSEED has in store for us in this year’s E3 is the collection of Ys games that was completely remade on the PSP. Ys Seven is the first game in the trilogy that will be coming out this summer exclusively on the PSP.

The original Ys was released more than two decades ago by Nihom Falcom during the NES era. With the remake version of Ys Seven coming in just a couple of weeks, players can relive the classic action RPG title. My brief session with Ys Seven gave me a classic and old-school feeling like I was back in the past. The game sprites look neater and the environments are very colorful and detailed.

There are more than three characters in the game that will be joining the main protagonist and up to three can join a party. Before starting a new game, there will be four difficulty levels that a player can choose from. Take note that once a difficulty is chosen, the player can never change it to another one unless the player decides to start a new game. For every weapon that the characters get in the game, there will always be unique skills that can earn experience to level up.

The battle system of Ys Seven is similar to the ones we have played in the past. There will be a limit break in the game where it can be executed once the meter on the HUD is filled. In each dungeon, there are gimmicks that a player can expect, such as a broken floor or an elemental portal. Players can now save anywhere without worrying about finding a save spot. Ys Seven will take at least 40 hours to complete.

Ys Seven is scheduled for summer 2010 release on the PSP. Check back with us near the release date for our exclusive review of the game.