Ys: Memories of Celceta

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.