The Ancient Land of Ys is a Broderbund release that is as quaint as it is antiquated. Released in the late eighties before the flash and fire of modern video games, the Ancient Land of Ys is a lighthearted role playing game that relies on a good story and simple game play for it strength. It is the first of a series of seven, developed by the Falcom Nihon Corporation. It is a real time RPG with elements of adventure gaming and puzzle solving and it plays from a very user friendly overhead view.
The story of the Ancient Land of Ys begins in a peaceful manner in a farming community in Ys, the land that lends its name to the game. The people are simple and happy and average. Then, one of the farmers finds a precious metal known as kureria while he is working his fields. He has been brought up in the Ys way and shares his find with the others in the village, making them all prosperous and changing their simple lifestyles. For the most part, however, the people of Ys remain good. Then a series of disasters begin eating away at the land, and a prophet tells the people that the kureria is the cause. It is promptly gathered up and locked away in a magically sealed cave, guarded by two stone statues of the goddesses of Ys.
Enter Malificus. Years go by, and the Ys farmers have returned to their humble beginnings. Malificus arrives on the scene and steals the six books of Ys, which history the land and the secrets of kureria. He doles out five of the six books to his evil minions, saving one for himself, and begins to conjure all manners of deviltry and spread evil throughout the land. Your job, young swordfighter, is to defeat him and his minions and restore peace to the land.
You will travel all over the land of Ys, meeting people that will help you in your quest. Some will give you direction, others will give you items to assist you. Others still will request your help in some trouble or another. These numerous side quests will be great opportunities to gain more experience and gold, and will sometimes also yield gear that will help you in ensuing quests. You can also purchase gear with the gold you earn.
Combat is very easy, and is just a matter of walking into a creature on the screen. Walking from the front gives you a full battle, whereas approaching from the back or side reflects a sneak attack and allows you to take less damage. Of course, monsters can do that to you also.
And so the game goes, with the swordsman leveling up, gaining better equipment and forever seeking the bad guys in swamps, wildernesses and dungeons. It is a really easy game to learn and is still big enough and driven enough to offer a fun challenge.
Written by:
~dorento1
