Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim

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Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim
Ys VI - Ark of Napishtim Steam artwork.jpg
Developer(s) Nihon Falcom [a]
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)
  • Hayato Sonoda
  • Wataru Ishibashi
Series Ys
Platform(s)
Release
September 27, 2003
  • Windows
    • JP: September 27, 2003
    • WW: April 28, 2015
    Mobile
    • JP: July 2, 2004 (SoftBank)
    • JP: March 22, 2005 (i-mode)
    • JP: January 19, 2006 (EZweb)
    PlayStation 2
    • NA: February 22, 2005
    • JP: March 10, 2005
    • EU: September 16, 2005
    PlayStation Portable
    • JP: January 19, 2006
    • NA: February 28, 2006
    • EU: September 29, 2006
    • AU: October 6, 2006
Genre(s) Action role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim [b] is a 2003 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. It was first released for Windows before being ported by Konami to the PlayStation 2 in 2005 and the PlayStation Portable in 2006.

Contents

The Ark of Napishtim was the first English release of the series since Ys III: Wanderers from Ys in the early 1990s and the first to be released in Europe since Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished . A Windows version was released by Xseed Games in 2015. Ys VI was used as a base for Ys Online: The Ark of Napishtim, a free-to-play MMORPG that was released in the early 2020s.

Gameplay

Ys VI expands on the mechanics introduced in Ys III and V in that players are given much more control over Adol including the ability to jump and control his attacks and various magics. [1] Areas are presented in 3D graphics. Character, monster and minor bosses are presented using pre-rendered 3D sprites. Larger bosses are presented using full 3D models.

Plot

The story begins after Adol's ship is attacked by a fleet of Romun ships. Forced to sail into an unknown area, they encounter a large storm. Adol is swept off the vessel while trying to rescue a fellow sailor and washed ashore by the vortex that surrounds the Canaan Islands. He is found, unconscious, by the nieces of the chieftain of the nearby Rehda village, Olha and Isha, who are the daughters of his brother that died when battling with fellow Redha against the Wandering Calamity. The girls take him to their village and lay him to rest in their Uncle Ord's house. Adol hears them talking about him and wakes up briefly, afterwards going back to sleep because of his exhaustion. His adventure then begins.

Releases

Windows

The initial release of the game was the "Limited Edition". After this sold out, Falcom released a standard edition of the game with some new features. Two new difficulties and a Time Attack mini-game where the player fights through all the game's bosses were added. No patch or upgrade was released to initial buyers however, so players wanting these new features had to buy the game again. Years later, Falcom would similarly add features to Ys Origin ; this time, initial buyers were offered an upgrade disc for the cost of shipping. The game was later released by Xseed Games via Steam on April 28, 2015. [2]

PlayStation 2

Konami made several additions and changes when porting the game to the PlayStation 2. The most notable were the inclusion of both English and Japanese voice acting to all characters (including NPCs) and several new optional areas referred to as "Alma's Trials". While the Japanese voice acting could be selected in the NTSC-U version, the PAL version had all Japanese voice acting removed. [3] [4] Konami also added new FMV sequences, though the original animated sequences could still be selected through a code. Blood and gore effects were removed due to console games requiring a rating. Lastly, they changed the character and monster graphics from pre-rendered 3D sprites to fully polygonal 3D models. While this allowed for much better animation, it also changed Adol's appearance based on his equipment.

PlayStation Portable

The PlayStation Portable port does not include any of the changes of the PS2 port except for the removal of blood and gore effects. The European and North American versions came with a new set of bonuses including some extra fetch-quests that unlock a few mini-games and an image/media gallery. These were later included in a "Special Edition" re-release in Japan, although the game is noted for having particularly long and frequent load times. Voice-acting was never included in this version. It is not available digitally on the PlayStation Store, only through a physical UMD copy, which has no PlayStation trophies attached.

Ys Online: The Ark of Napishtim

Ys Online: The Ark of Napishtim, a free-to-play MMORPG, was first released as Ys VI Online on Android and iOS in Japan by Restar Games on July 20, 2021. [5] [6] An English version was released by VNG Games on June 5, 2022. [7]

Reception

The PlayStation 2 and PSP versions received "mixed or average reviews", while the PC version later received "generally favorable reviews", all according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [8] [9] [10] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of one six, one seven, one six, and one five, for a total of 24 out of 40. [13]

Notes

  1. ↑ Konami developed the PlayStation 2 and PSP versions.
  2. ↑ Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim (イース6 -ナピシュテムの匣-, Īsu Shikkusu -Napishutemu no Hako-)

Related Research Articles

Ys is a Japanese series of action role-playing games developed by Nihon Falcom. The series chronicles the life of the adventurer Adol Christin.

<i>Brandish</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Brandish is an action role-playing game by Nihon Falcom. Originally released in 1991 for the NEC PC-9801 and FM Towns, it was later ported to the Super NES and PC Engine CD-ROM² in the mid 1990s, including an expanded re-release titled Brandish Renewal. The game was the first in the Brandish series and was followed by three sequels. A remake, Brandish: The Dark Revenant, was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan in 2009 and worldwide in 2015.

<i>Ys: The Oath in Felghana</i> 2005 video game

Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a 2005 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. A part of the Ys series, it is a remake of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (1990). The Oath in Felghana was first released for Windows in Japan in June 2005, with an English localization by Xseed Games in March 2012. A PlayStation Portable version was also released in Japan in April 2010 and later in North America and Europe. A remaster, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana, was released in the mid-2020s for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

<i>Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished</i> 1987 video game

Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished, also known as Ys: The Vanished Omens or The Ancient Land of Ys, is a 1987 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. It is the first installment in the Ys series. Initially developed for the PC-8800 series by Masaya Hashimoto and Tomoyoshi Miyazaki, the game was soon ported to the Sharp X1, PC-98, FM-7, and MSX2 Japanese computer systems.

<i>Ys III: Wanderers from Ys</i> 1989 video game

Ys III: Wanderers from Ys is a 1989 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. It is the third game in the Ys series.

<i>Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand</i> 1995 video game

Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand is a 1995 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. It is the fifth game in the Ys series of video games and was released for the Super Famicom in December 1995. A remake by Arc System Works and Taito was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2006.

<i>Ys Origin</i> 2006 video game

Ys Origin is a 2006 action role-playing game by Nihon Falcom. It was first released for Windows in Japan with an English release by Xseed Games in 2012. Dotemu later released the game for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in 2017, for Xbox One in 2018, and for Nintendo Switch in 2020.

<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky</i> 2004 video game

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is a 2004 role-playing video game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game is the first in what later became known as the Trails series, itself a part of the larger The Legend of Heroes series.

<i>Ys I & II</i> 1989 video game

Ys I & II is an action role-playing game compilation released by Hudson Soft and NEC for the PC Engine CD-ROM² in 1989 and TurboGrafx-CD in 1990. It consists of enhanced remakes of the first two Ys games by Nihon Falcom for the PC-8801 home computer in Japan. It was released as Ys Book I & II for the TurboGrafx-CD in North America in 1990, and was a pack-in title for the TurboDuo in 1992. Ys I & II was released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan in October 2007, and worldwide the following year.

<i>Zwei: The Arges Adventure</i> 2001 video game

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<i>Ys Seven</i> 2009 video game

Ys Seven is a 2009 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. An installment in the Ys series, it was first released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable in September 2009. Xseed Games released the game in 2010 in North America in August, and Europe in November. The game was later released in Australia in February 2013. It was also released for Windows in China in June 2012, and worldwide by Xseed Games in August 2017.

<i>Ys: Memories of Celceta</i> 2012 video game

Ys: Memories of Celceta is a 2012 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game was originally released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan and later in North America by Xseed Games in November 2013, and in PAL regions by NIS America in February 2014. A Windows version was released in China in 2015, and worldwide in July 2018. A PlayStation 4 version was released in Japan in May 2019, and in North America and Europe in June 2020.

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<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC</i> 2006 video game

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<i>The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd</i> 2007 video game

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<i>Tokyo Xanadu</i> 2015 video game

Tokyo Xanadu is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. The game was developed out of Nihon Falcom's desire to create a game of a different type and setting than their other role-playing game franchises, The Legend of Heroes and Ys. The game was first released in Japan for the PlayStation Vita in September 2015, and worldwide in June 2017.

<i>Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana</i> 2016 video game

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a 2016 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom and published by NIS America. A part of the Ys series, it was first released in Japan by Falcom for the PlayStation Vita in July 2016, with later worldwide releases for PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Luna, Stadia and PlayStation 5. An abridged version for Android and iOS, Ys VIII Mobile, is also scheduled for release. Ys VIII had sold over 500,000 copies by the end of 2018. The game was followed up by Ys IX: Monstrum Nox in 2019.

<i>Ys vs. Trails in the Sky</i> 2010 video game

Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga is a 2010 crossover fighting game by Nihon Falcom. The game involves players choosing a character and participating in up to four-player fights against other characters sourced from Falcom's Ys and Trails role-playing game series. It was released only in Japan for the PlayStation Portable on July 29.

References

  1. ↑ Massey, Tom (February 9, 2014). "Inside Ys". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  2. ↑ Kyle MacGregor (April 17, 2015). "YS VI: The Ark of Napishtim arrives on PC April 28". Destructoid . Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  3. ↑ fedaykin (May 12, 2011). "What's the best version of Ark of Napishtim?". XSeed Games Forum. Archived from the original on November 19, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  4. ↑ Massey, Tom (February 9, 2014). "Chronicles of Ys: A Series Retrospective". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  5. ↑ Romano, Sal (January 29, 2021). "Ys VI Online: The Ark of Napishtim for iOS, Android launches this spring in Japan". Gematsu. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  6. ↑ Mr. Qoo (20 July 2021). "[Qoo News] Ys VI Online: The Ark of Napishtim Online RPG Launches Today". news.qoo-app.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  7. ↑ Joshua, Orpheus (13 April 2022). "Ys VI Mobile – The Ark of Napishtim Receiving English Localization". Noisy Pixel. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  11. ↑ EGM staff (March 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 189. p. 126.
  12. ↑ Fahey, Rob (August 5, 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  13. 1 2 "イースVI -ナピシュテムの匣- (PS2)". Famitsu . Vol. 848. March 18, 2005.
  14. ↑ "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)". Game Informer . No. 143. March 2005. p. 128.
  15. ↑ "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PSP)". Game Informer. No. 156. April 2006. p. 133.
  16. ↑ Star Dingo (February 22, 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro . Archived from the original on February 23, 2005. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  17. ↑ Hurh, JP (March 3, 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim Review (PS2)". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  18. ↑ Massimilla, Bethany (February 22, 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim Review (PS2)". GameSpot . Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  19. ↑ Massimilla, Bethany (March 2, 2006). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim Review (PSP)". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  20. ↑ Nutt, Christian (February 22, 2005). "GameSpy: Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  21. ↑ Theobald, Phil (March 2, 2006). "GameSpy: Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PSP)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  22. ↑ Hobbs, Ronnie (March 13, 2005). "YS: The Ark of Napishtim - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 17, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  23. ↑ Aceinet (March 13, 2006). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim - PSP - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 21, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  24. ↑ Dunham, Jeremy (February 21, 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)". IGN . Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  25. ↑ Dunham, Jeremy (March 6, 2006). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PSP)". IGN. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  26. ↑ Kohler, Chris (March 2005). "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . p. 101. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PSP)". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. May 2006. p. 96.
  28. ↑ Gardner, Omari (May 1, 2005). "'Ys: The Ark of Napishtim' (PS2)". Detroit Free Press . Archived from the original on May 3, 2005. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
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