Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta Review – Lost Memories, Found Momentum

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta Review

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a remaster of the fourth game in the classic Ys series. The Ys games are a collection of great action-JRPGs whose slick combat and gorgeous music have been making history since 1987.

The good news is that Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is still fun to play and great to listen to. The bad news is that it, like the previous Ys Memoire title, is still pretty ugly. And the map exploration system ranges from interesting to downright annoying.

In this game, renowned adventurer Adol Christin disappears into the Great Forest of Celceta seeking adventure. Then he pops up again a while later with amnesia. Retracing his steps means plunging back into the dreaded forest, but this time, he won’t be going alone.

Duren the information dealer recognizes a confused Adol on the street. He tells Adol that Adol  just returned from the Great Forest of Celceta. Supposedly, no one ever comes back from that place alive. That Adol has come back breathing, but without his memories, doesn’t bode well.

Soon, the town’s governor asks Adol to map the forest for her. Determined to recover his lost past and haunted by yet another mysterious voice, Adol ventures back into the forest. However, his amnesiac status means that he’s an ideal scapegoat for all sorts of misdeeds. If he doesn’t know what happened during his journey, how can he prove his innocence?

Another JRPG About Memories

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta opens on a classic JRPG note with Adol contracting amnesia. Unlike some games with that premise, the protagonist’s lack of memories factors into plot and gameplay.

Adol regains memories at certain scripted points in the game. However, you can also restore scattered memories by interacting with orbs of light in the field. These can trigger events and improve stats.

The writing is generally pretty decent and there’s a lot of characters to talk to. As usual, Adol’s primary motivation is adventure. Players can choose dialog options that reflect this.

However, this is a game about the journey, not the destination. As such, the narrative might feel a bit open-ended. Many topics and conflicts are raised and then left unresolved. There is a thematic reason, but I understand if you feel frustrated by the lack of closure.

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a Joy to Play

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta features four difficulty levels ranging from Easy to Nightmare. It also expands the early games’ trade action-JRPG gameplay by giving you a party to work with. Adol and friends can now attack, guard, or parry as well as using various skills.

Different characters do different kinds of damage, making them effective against different enemies. Swapping between party members, positioning, and building up a good rhythm is fluid and incredibly fun.

The battle system is a frantic mix of button-mashing and strategy. It isn’t as wild as the first two Ys games, but it still feels satisfying to fling Adol around the battlefield at top speed. The introduction of a guard system also adds some options, though I prefer to dodge as a rule. Precise dodges and attacking weak points earn more rewards.

This game is a real-time action RPG. However, you can pause to use items. As in the previous Ys Memoire title, you can snag coins, orbs, and materials after defeating enemies. And you can swap your party AI from attack to defence with the push of a button.

You can also harvest minerals and monster parts, refine them, and use them to upgrade your armour. Some of these resources are also useful for quests. Speaking of which, this game offers plenty of optional quests and hidden secrets. Keep an eye out for them.

Showing Its Age

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta has a lot going for it. Unfortunately, it also has some rather glaring flaws. One major gimmick of Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is the Map of Celceta. As you explore, Adol fills in the map of the area in more detail. You’re rewarded for reaching certain percentages.

Here’s the problem: you really have to hug every wall and explore every nook and cranny to get full marks. This rapidly became irritating and time-consuming, especially on top of the usual JRPG exploration and grinding.

The graphics are also quite dated. The character design is good, but the models did not impress me. You can tell this is a remaster from the PSVita era. I really recommend playing in handheld mode as a result.

Fortunately, the soundtrack is excellent as always. Burning Sword is one of the best JRPG songs I’ve heard in years. The game also offers a rearranged soundtrack you can change to. Sadly, the voice acting ranges from serviceable to very cartoony.

All in all, I had fun with Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta. If you can look past the dated visuals and annoying map mechanics, it’s a slick action-JRPG with something interesting to say about memory. But it’s far from flawless.

***Switch code provided by the publisher***