PlayStation 2

Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim

All in all, it's not that the latest Ys adventure is bad - the game suffers only by clinging a bit too tightly to its roots. Old-school appeal is there, but with the caveat that certain methods of character advancement, storytelling, and exploration have evolved for a reason, and Ys hasn't taken the train to Current Town with the rest of the hack 'n' slash crew.

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim isn't perhaps the sharpest-looking hack-and-slash adventure with the most refined gameplay, but it still provides a solid and satisfying experience. Fans of the series and button-stomping pros looking to carve up legions of foes in the company of a large cast of personable characters will be right at home with the latest iteration of Ys.

Anfangs kurzweiliges Monsterverkloppen der alten Schule - ohne die Spieltiefe eines RPGs.

Joe opens his second opinion with a clever comment which transitions nicely into his explanation of what bothers him about the whole "silent hero" routine found in this Ys title - the crux of which is the awkward way in which even the simplest concepts must be relayed through cumbersome narration. He then takes issue with the game's heavily scripted progression before admitting that, despite the formulaic action, Ys is pretty fun in a comforting and familiar way. As he wraps up, Joe makes a bard-laden quip that cuts Dave Coulier to the quick, who quietly weeps in his lonely dressing room.

The Ark of Napishtim ist nicht wirklich schlecht. Nur eben extrem unspektakulär. Genre-Fans werden mit Baldur´s Gate oder Champions of Norrath weitaus besser bedient. Wer diese Titel aber schon in- und auswendig kennt und sich darüber hinaus nicht am knuffigen Japano-Stil stört, kann ruhig einmal einen Blick riskieren.

"The Ark of Napishtim" é um daqueles jogos que não levanta altas expectativas nem tenta inovar, mas por isso mesmo também não tem defeitos sérios. Ele é uma boa pedida para quem procura diversão simples e acessível, ou simplesmente sente falta dos games sem firulas da geração 16 bits.

The game is easy, small, and short. Clocking in at around 12 hours, you'll easily blow through this game like a tornado through a trailer park. But the brevity isn't a huge turn-off, since a throwback game such as this one is only good for about twelve hours'and when the ending credits roll you feel satisfied. While certainly not a revolutionary game or even a difficult one, it does hit the nostalgia chord perfectly and then, with perfect timing, quits.