Getting both games in one package is a great deal for the US audience, and the fact that it comes with a music CD (a new staple for a lot of Atlus games as of late) is a nice touch, but if you really want to try the waters with this series on a budget, just do it on Virtual Console instead for 800 points. Yes, you'll get more on DS, including all the presentation updates, four player co-op that's added to the main game, and of course two full titles that helped shape the history of role-playing games, but this is a simple, aged, and very dated experience on DS. Only the hardest of the hardcore need apply.
Presentation - 5.5
Graphics - 5.5
Sound - 7.0
Gameplay - 6.5
Lasting Appeal - 8.0
Overall -
DG writes: "When Ys Book I & II was first released on the TurboGrafx-CD it was considered the first must-own game for NEC's fledgling console. Although it was largely ignored by the U.S. consumer, game critics of the time hailed it as one of the greatest role-playing games ever made. The game's revolutionary cinemas, amazing music and real voice acting (albeit ridiculously awful voice acting) set this game apart from the rest of the crowd, and may have been the reason why a very young Electronic Gaming Monthly handed out their first perfect 10 score to this adventure game."
When Ys Book I & II was first released on the TurboGrafx-CD it was considered the first must-own game for NEC's fledgling console. Although it was largely ignored by the U.S. consumer, game critics of the time hailed it as one of the greatest role-playing games ever made. The game's revolutionary cinemas, amazing music and real voice acting (albeit ridiculously awful voice acting) set this game apart from the rest of the crowd, and may have been the reason why a very young Electronic Gaming Monthly handed out their first perfect 10 score to this adventure game.
Stage Select:
The Legacy of Y's Books I and II is a reimagining of the classic, most closely aligning itself with the Turbo CD version of the game. While it compares favorably to that version, it also adds a few features that make sense given the passing of time. The addition of 3D graphics seems almost mandatory, and adding something simple like "press a button to swing your weapon" doesn't seem too out of place.
