Ys: Memories of Celceta

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Ys: Memories of Celceta
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ys: Memories of Celceta is a fantasy role-playing game available on the PlayStation 4. This is a remastered version of the original Memories of Celceta game previously available on Windows-based PCs and the PlayStation Vita. Players control a young adventurer and members of his party as they explore the land, fight enemies, and uncover the mystery behind the player's memory loss. The story features themes of helping others and working together to overcome obstacles. Combat's constant in the game, with fantasy violence that occasionally shows small amounts of blood onscreen. The game's dialogue includes some mild profanity and suggestive lines, but otherwise, there's no inappropriate content.
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What’s It About?
In YS: MEMORIES OF CELCETA, players once again revisit the Ys series and the continued odyssey of the young adventurer, Adol Christin. This remake of the 2013 PS Vita release finds Adol arriving in the town of Casnan with no memory of who he is or the events of his life until that moment. He's discovered by a rogue information broker, Duran, who claims to have met him in the past while offering to help him recover his lost memories. What follows is an epic tale of fantasy and mystery, as Adol explores his surroundings, mapping the area while searching for the source of his amnesia. Along the way, he'll meet new allies with special skills and abilities, teaming up to fight against the strange creatures and magical foes that have started to pour forth from the forests of Celceta to threaten its people. Could these encounters tie in to Adol's memory loss? And more importantly, can he recover the fragments of his past in time to stop greater threat looming over Celceta's horizon?
Is It Any Good?
Over the years, this role-playing game (RPG) franchise has built up a strong audience for its exciting stories and innovative gameplay. Ys: Memory of Celceta harkens back to the past, remaking the original 2013 PS Vita release for the PlayStation 4. While fans of the series will enjoy the chance to relive this chapter in the life of Ys hero Adol Christin, it's hard to ignore the fact that the game is starting to show its age. Despite making the jump from the Vita to the PS4, the game still looks the same as it ever did … only on a bigger screen. Unfortunately, that only emphasizes the lack of detail in the game's character models and environments. Couple that with some lackluster and cheesy voiceovers, and the overall presentation comes across as bland and flat.
Gameplay in Ys: Memory of Celceta is a bit of a mixed bag. The combat's relatively solid, and each character Adol recruits has certain strengths and weaknesses against certain enemies. Players can switch on the fly to take advantage of this and make the most of key matchups. The flip side of this is that players are limited to only three active party members, which feels much smaller than most RPG parties. In fact, the game as a whole feels a bit on the small side. The world isn't huge and doesn't take long to fully explore, and the interactions between characters, while meaningful, are generally short and to the point. One upside of Ys: Memory of Celceta is that the story's pretty engaging. It serves as a great jumping off point for the series, with Adol learning about his origins and past exploits right alongside the player. By the end of the game, players have a much deeper understanding of Adol's character and his motivations, and are eager to see what the future holds for the young adventurer.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about working with others. What are ways that people can come together, using their different backgrounds, skills and personalities, to overcome obstacles? What are some good ways to encourage teamwork and to bring people together?
How can the events of our past help to shape the person we become in the present?
Game Details
- Platform: PlayStation 4
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Xseed Games
- Release date: June 9, 2020
- Genre: Role-Playing
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: T for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Last updated: June 18, 2020
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