Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana Review – A RPG classic remastered

In recent years, fans have been flooded with game remasters spanning various franchises. While some view remasters as mere cash grabs, others see them as valuable opportunities. Not everyone had the chance to experience these games when they first launched and remasters provide a second chance to enjoy them—this time on modern consoles.

For Falcom’s Ys series, remastering games has become a common practice. Originally released in North America on the PSP in 2010 and later on Windows PC in 2012, Ys: The Oath in Felghana is getting another chance to shine. Falcom is reintroducing the title under the new name Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, ensuring that both longtime fans and newcomers can experience it anew.

New Character Illustrations

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana retains the same content as the PSP version from 2010 and follows the journey of Adol Christin and his loyal companion Dogi in the land of Felghana. What begins as a simple visit to Dogi’s hometown quickly takes a darker turn as they discover the region is overrun by violent monsters. Driven to uncover the source of the chaos, the duo embarks on a journey that reveals a far more sinister plot threatening the land. Among the many entries in the Ys series, the story of The Oath in Felghana stands out as particularly engaging and compelling.

The combat in Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana retains the fast-paced hack-and-slash action the Ys series is known for. Players will spend much time battling through intricately designed dungeons that offer a significant challenge. At the end of each dungeon, players will face tough boss fights that can be punishing, even on normal difficulty. These encounters demand precise controls and perfectly timed attacks, as a single mistake can easily result in defeat. For those who find the pacing too slow, the remaster includes a turbo mode, allowing the game to run faster. Turbo mode is just one of the quality-of-life improvements introduced in this remaster, enhancing the overall experience for new and returning players.

Challenging boss fights

While the combat in Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana can become repetitive over time, the boss encounters stand out as the game’s highlight, requiring precision and proper timing to succeed. Each boss comes with unique gimmicks that players must learn and adapt to, making it crucial to study their attack patterns. Mastering these patterns can significantly simplify the encounters, but even with normal difficulty, the game remains challenging. If players struggle and repeatedly die during a boss fight, the game offers the option to temporarily lower the difficulty for that specific encounter, allowing them to progress. However, players who choose hard mode at the start of the game won’t have the option to adjust the difficulty mid-game, making their journey even more demanding.

Newcomers hoping for deep customization options in Adol’s equipment might find Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana a bit underwhelming in this regard. Unlike many JRPGs with intricate skill trees or complex customization systems, the progression in Ys is straightforward: defeat enemies to gain experience, and Adol levels up. Healing also diverges from the norm; instead of relying on items, players must defeat enemies and hope they drop restorative items or, if lucky, temporary boosts to defense or attack. Unfortunately, the extent of customization is limited to equipping and upgrading Adol’s gear, which may feel simplistic for those accustomed to more elaborate RPG systems.

Like other Ys games, The Oath in Felghana isn’t particularly lengthy. Most players can complete the game in about 10 to 12 hours. For those seeking a tougher challenge, the game offers a Nightmare mode, where players can replay under the most difficult settings. While it doesn’t fully embrace the traditional JRPG vibe—featuring limited towns to explore and a scarcity of side quests—it still delivers a solid experience. Despite its simplicity, the game has enough charm and engaging gameplay to make it a worthwhile addition to the RPG community.

Turbo mode that makes the game run 2x faster

Not much has changed in Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana compared to its earlier PSP or PC versions. Players who have already experienced the game may find little reason to revisit it on PS4, PS5, or Switch unless they’re particularly interested in the small updates. These include refined visuals with new character illustrations and, for the first time, voice acting for Adol, allowing him to speak a few lines. While this is a notable addition, fans of classic Ys games may still prefer the silent Adol, as he has traditionally been a silent protagonist in the series.

In terms of performance on the PS5, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana runs smoothly with a stable framerate. While the PS5 version boasts higher resolution, the character models and textures remain largely unchanged from the PSP and PC versions, highlighting the game’s age. Despite this, the visuals still retain their charm. For those who prefer the original aesthetics, the game offers the option to switch between the classic and refined character illustrations. Personally, I find the new character art to be a welcome improvement.

Editor’s Note: Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana was reviewed on PS5, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.