Ys Book I & II

~ YS BOOK I & II ~

Falcom / Hudson Soft / NEC

CD-ROM

1990

Ys Book I & II, a thrilling two-chapter action-RPG featuring fast-paced bump-and-run combat, is by far the most captivating, awe-inspiring, involving video game I have ever played. And since the title is so special to me, I decided to do something different with this piece: I've noted the aspects of the adventure that have proven to be indelible elements of my recollections of it. Some of them are goofy little happenings, while others are unquestionably among the most dramatic scenes in Turbo history. So here we have IvaNEC's list of the most memorable moments from the greatest game available for the system:

I must start off with the duo of opening cinemas. The first one lays intriguing groundwork for the proceedings and is accompanied by enthralling audio that segues perfectly into the brilliant title-screen number. The second impresses to an extreme with its rockin' rendition of Adol's stirring theme and the stylish way it augments awesome imagery with cast-member names, making the affair seem like a grand production right off the bat. I always tell people to return to this cinema after they've completed the game so that they can connect names and plot points with the artwork. I particularly love the image of Lair playing her harmonica in the rain.

Engaging atmosphere is established within the Book I shrine thanks to an enchanting yet somewhat chilling tune that eerily incorporates the sounds of falling water droplets into its rhythms and concludes with beautiful piano lines. The game effectively switches gears by replacing that number with another cool (and more upbeat) tune when you delve deeper into the structure.

The mine boss gave me problems when I was a kid. I had no trouble figuring out the correct approach to utilize for the fight, but I hadn't reached an adequate level by the time I encountered the creature, so I had to stumble around the tunnels and power up for a bit. It seems like a lot of other folks find themselves in the same predicament.

I dig the spot in Darm Tower where the statues surrounding a chest come to life and charge at you as you attempt to nab the treasure, if for no other reason than the previously (and subsequently) worthless Timer Ring actually comes in handy.

While pretty Feena whines about headaches and the frightfulness of the shrine she was imprisoned in, cool, cunning Lair actually goes ahead and gets herself captured on purpose to gain entry to Darm Tower and aid Adol in his endeavors. Lair's VA had a very appropriate voice for the part and did a wonderful job.

One of the greatest scenes in video-game history is Adol's encounter with Dark Fact. The villain's cool voice, awesome speech, and chilling violin theme make the confrontation absolutely unforgettable.

The cinematic intermission that follows the Fact fight is nothing short of stunning. The cool exchange between Darm and Dalles and Adol's fiery trip to Ys (which is accompanied by one hell of a rockin' number) make for a dynamic and amazingly dramatic beginning to Book II. The first time I viewed this sequence (from the meeting with Fact through the subsequent cinema) was when I truly began to feel I was experiencing something special.

Want to hear some fantastic music that isn't of the red book sort? Take a moment to stroll around Rance Village and listen to the tune that accompanies your jaunt. It's incredibly beautiful and has a very soft and melodic hook.

The worst sentries ever have to be the two immobile dudes guarding a chest in the Ruins. You can alternate between hitting them and healing up until the path to the treasure is clear. It's such a goofy sequence, and I like goofy stuff, so of course this ridiculously obscure moment has stuck with me through the ages.

Adol's trek through the Divine Area is one of the game's most memorable stretches. You get to listen to a rockin' guitar-driven track while you're navigating the corridors (the first few bars in particular are incredible), and a majestic, ethereal tune inside the priests' chambers. The latter is so enchanting that it makes you feel like you really are uncovering the hidden secrets of a lost land. The events it accompanies seem extremely significant because of it.

Jira's basement, where loads of monsters come bursting through a wall, is quite simply the neatest "leveling-up spot" in any RPG.

One of the coolest things about the game is that you can actually talk to any beast you want once you possess the capability to transform yourself into a monster. During my very first playthrough, I spent ages simply going around and conversing with my enemies. Some of them are quite the comedians!

Keith is probably my favorite Ys good guy. A cool-looking friendly green monster--what better ally could one ask for? Quite memorable are his famous "Adol, this way!" line and his bashful costume dropping during the end credits.

My favorite puzzle in the game concerns Adol's attempt to eavesdrop on a monster meeting in Solomon Shrine. He must not only put on special earrings to hear what's being said but also turn himself into a beast to understand the language being used. Awesome stuff. When I was a kid, I felt so cool upon figuring it all out. ^_^

Dark Fact and Darm are the "household names," but Dalles is the villain who actually wreaks the most havoc. One of his coolest acts is changing Adol into a monster (who's topped by a little tuft of red hair, of course).

The boss guarding the Belfry, whom you have to fight by nailing his projectiles with fire magic, gave me fits back in the day.

The Belfry sequence was crazily intense the first time I experienced it. Adol must charge up the steeple with urgent music cranked, bells ringing ominously, and the threat of an ally's death looming large. Awaiting him at the top is the despicable Dalles. The whole sequence is extremely exciting and suspenseful.

The entire last stretch (from the glowing red tunnels on) might be my favorite part of all, with the "goddesses in flames" scene providing more excitement for me than any sequence in any other game I can think of. Darm's speeches, Feena and Lair's revelation (even though we all knew it was coming), Goban's "YOU ANIMAL!" outburst, the playing of the silver harmonica, Adol's sword beginning to glow as the music rocks more than it ever had before, the bridge to the core of the structure being struck by lightning and collapsing, Darm's promise to "crush and consume"... nope, I can't think of a more amazing string of events. I was wide eyed all the way through it the first time I beat the game.

It all culminates with the greatest Turbo ending. Cute stuff involving Lilia and Adol is followed by the most entertaining credit roll I've ever witnessed, and the music rules right through to the end.

Yawara

~ YAWARA! ~

SOFIX / Hudson Soft

Super CD-ROM

1992

This is a terribly bland digital comic in which you play a goofy journalist who hunts for scoops and scandals with his clumsy sidekick (a chubby cameraman) and takes an interest in the eponymous judo girl. The premise is uninspiring, and the plot is largely uneventful. Long stretches are spent on chatter-sessions, with the myriad newsroom meetings leaving me dozing every time.

Events intended to liven up the proceedings, including the many judo bouts, typically fall flat.

It doesn't help that the characters aren't particularly likable. The protagonist has wide owl eyes that make him look rather freaky, and he regularly finds himself on the receiving end of drubbings. Now, the hero in the far-superior 3x3 Eyes also gets tossed around like a rag doll, but that guy has to deal with frightfully fucked-up situations involving formidably fucked-up adversaries. The bum here suffers his defeats at the hands of other nerds, some of whom revel in hurling him off buses and into garbage cans.

But he's certainly not alone among the game's "stars" when it comes to making an unfavorable impression. Even Yawara herself isn't particularly cute or interesting.

While the plot and cast leave a lot to be desired, not every aspect of the comic comes off poorly. The graphics aren't very colorful, but the shades that are utilized are nice and bright, making the game easy on the eyes. The music also isn't completely awful. But these somewhat-decent aesthetic elements aren't enough to make up for the boring story and repulsive characters.

The game is very accessible, however. There are no Game Overs, no quizzes, and no first-person maze sequences. You typically don't even have a choice as to what course of action the protagonist will take; you simply click the given commands and proceed through the scripted events. This accessibility would seem to make the game ideal for those who are new to digital comics, but I'm afraid that Yawara! is so uninteresting that it'll turn newcomers off from the genre for good.

Champions Forever Boxing

~ CHAMPIONS FOREVER BOXING ~

Distinctive Software / NEC

HuCard

1991

My early impressions of this one weren't at all positive. The famous/infamous "hip hop" title-screen music disappointed me, as I found its "beats" technically unimpressive and the accompanying Fighting Street-quality voices unamusing. And then there was the horrid in-fight animation. Isn't boxing supposed to be the "sweet science"? There's nothing graceful about these plodders, and their blows seem extremely weak.

But once I got going in the career mode, I started to appreciate Champions for its gameplay style. It ain't about button mashing (though two-player battles can degenerate into back-and-forth bludgeon fests). It's about taking your time; utilizing your jab during a match's early stages to whittle away your opponent's stamina while powering up your blows of choice; and breaking out your power punches later on, when your foe has been sufficiently bloodied up. Most boxing games, especially older ones, take after the brief, action-packed slugfests of Rocky III, but Champions embraces the epic, go-the-distance style of the first Rocky.

It's a nice departure from the boxing-game button-smashing norm, but it's very methodical, and it won't make for nearly as good a test of your hand-eye coordination as Mike Tyson's Punch-out would. In fact, it's ridiculously easy unless you play foolishly. I didn't lose a single round in the fifteen-match career mode, let alone a whole fight.

And if anything, Champions is too averse to the unpredictable. I wish that it allowed for the possibility of solid, well-placed hits wiping out a fighter's vitality in the blink of an eye--the sort of random killer blows that are occasionally delivered in Andre Panza Kick Boxing. Devastating, tide-turning shots do happen in real-life boxing, after all. Champions' matches are very long and very easy; even the slightest chance that the computerized opposition could turn the tables on me with one huge punch would at least keep me on my toes and make things a bit more interesting. As it is, knockdowns are the results of systematic pummeling, which gets boring after a while.

Also problematic is the limited roster of fighters. Sure, it's nice that "real legends" are included, but I get sick of fighting the same five dudes over and over again in career mode, and it doesn't help that every match unfolds in pretty much the same way regardless of who your opponent is. Not once have I needed to alter my approach. The lack of variety makes me yearn for the good old days of Soda Popinski, King Hippo, and Mr. Sandman.

Sinistron (Violent Soldier)

~ SINISTRON ~

(JPN: VIOLENT SOLDIER)

IGS

HuCard

1991 (JPN: 1990)

This is actually my second-favorite chip game. When I was a kid, the possibility that it would one day hold that status never crossed my mind. I was only about twelve when I first played it; and as I hadn't developed any shooter skills at all yet, it CRUSHED me over and over and over again. I would get through the first three levels just fine, but then the fourth-stage asteroid field would absolutely murder me. Yet I still loved the game, and I kept trying... and dying... and trying... and dying.

It wasn't until years after I'd purchased the chip that I was good enough to beat that board. And once I did beat it, I kept on playing until I cleared the whole damn thing. To this day, I consider it the gaming accomplishment I'm most proud of.

I don't struggle with those asteroids as much as I used to, but I still find the final stretch of the game to be extremely tough. In fact, I consider this title more difficult than the infamous Rayxanber II. Sinistron starts off easy but becomes completely insane later on. And we're not just talking R-Type-esque difficulty; you can't merely memorize things and proceed. You'll certainly have to do some strategizing, but your reflexes are what will ultimately save you. You'll have to face lots of late-stage enemies who shoot lots of fast projectiles, and if you aren't playing at the top of your game, you'll be promptly obliterated--even if you know the layouts of the levels like the back of your hand. And right before the final fight, you'll have to beat the bosses from the first two stages again--but they're about a BILLION times harder the second time around. Figuring out how to annihilate them for good requires perseverance and thought, but the process is extremely enjoyable.

The entire game is enjoyable, in fact.

The Stage 1 base essentially acts as a warm-up area. Sit back and enjoy the multilayer scrolling and energizing music as you come into contact for the first time with the opposing army, which is made up of an interesting blend of mechanical troops and organic terrors.

Stage 2 is one of the more appealing levels visually (a flashing gas storm acts as the backdrop). It's amazing that the large cruiser vessels can fire off so many bullets and lasers yet pose almost no threat at all, but the intense music keeps the excitement level high.

Gorgeous yet foreboding melodies welcome you to Stage 3's creepy bug lair. Bring hanging creatures down on your fluttering foes while fending off gigantic worms and mushroom-headed abominations.

Cunning alone won't get you through Stage 4's infamous asteroid gauntlet. You'll need a great deal of skill to dodge the many stones and bullets--and having the blue energy weapon in tow won't hurt either.

The devious maze of Stage 5 houses large, fast missile-firing craft, but the biggest threats are the mischievous little drones.

The organic warzone of the final stage has you navigate some very tight, very crowded corridors.

Some of these levels are quite easy while others are hard as hell, but all of them are fun to play through. The ship's steel jaws (which can be opened to enable wide-range firepower at the cost of frontal defense) are an effective novelty and probably the most distinct aspect of the game. And I appreciate the option presented upon continuing to start from the beginning of a level rather than the checkpoint (once you've reached it). Going back to the start might not sound like an appealing option, but it definitely comes in handy at points (in one level in particular), and I can think of some other shooter stages that would've benefited from this feature (Stage 7 of R-Type being the most obvious example). The only downer here is that the "ending" is pretty horrible (although the tune that accompanies it is fantastic--as are all the other tunes).

Yeah, I gush over this game, but I recommend it only if you are willing to put in some practice and won't be put off by repeated deaths. It is HARD. You've been warned. And when you get through it--if you get through it--try its Japanese counterpart, Violent Soldier, which differs from it in more than just name.

Being that I've loved Sinistron since I was a kid, discovering the various ways that the original differs from it was a real treat for me. Some of the differences involve the graphics and audio; I won't document them all here because, if you're a fan like I am, you'll have fun noticing them for yourself when you play the game. But the perceptive player may spot a few interesting ones in this screen alone:

What I will comment on are some of the differences in the actual action that (can possibly) affect the level of challenge.

You know these fellas: the first-stage mini-bosses who float around in circles synchronistically and never, ever pose any sort of threat to your ship in Sinistron. Their approach is different (not quite as simplistic) in Violent Soldier. Not that they're at all hard in VS, but you've gotta wonder why they were rendered helpless in Sinistron. This appears to be an instance of unnecessary "dumbing down."

The fourth-stage asteroid field is much, MUCH different from what we get in Sinistron. Many of the asteroid formations here will be unfamiliar even to Sinistron veterans. In fact, the entire second half of the stage is completely different. And at first, VS's field seems a lot tougher: there are spots where asteroids come at you from every which way and instances when you'll run up against veritable walls of rock that span the screen. But after I came up with a plan, which didn't take long, I didn't have much trouble. In fact, while Sinistron's field doesn't require as much thoughtful planning, it does seem to demand more in the way of reflexes. In VS, I was able to deal with the parts where asteroids come from all over simply by knowing which rock to blast and where to have my ship positioned a second later. Heck, just remembering that the big blue "charger" rocks won't hurl themselves at you if you don't bother them makes a few spots quite easy to deal with after they initially seem daunting. Also, in Sinistron, when I die past the checkpoint, I find myself with little recourse but to continue from the start of the level to reacquire the all-important blue energy weapon. You don't need to do that here, as VS hands you a power-up pod containing said energy weapon following the checkpoint, and another gun works just fine anyway.

The sixth stage is much more challenging in Violent Soldier than it is in Sinistron (where it is also very hard). These small green bums prove to be extremely dangerous enemies, as they emit projectiles that spread in circular patterns all over the screen, allowing you no quarter as you near the game's conclusion.