Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a strong contender for being the best game in the long running Ys series. Adol and Dogi are sailing on the luxury cruiser the Lombardia until an unfortunate incident leaves the crew and passengers stranded on the Isle of Seiren. The island is feared by sailors, believed to be cursed as no ship that ventures near it is ever seen again. As the crew gradually reunites in Castaway Village and tries to figure out a way off the tropical Adol’s adventurous spirt leads him to discovering that extinct Primordials still thrive in region and a greater mystery about past civilization of Eternians that’s linked to an impending event known as the Lacrimosa. Ys VIII originally launched in America in 2017 and on November 15 an upgraded version will be available on PlayStation 5.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is one of the more memorable action JRPGs. As usual the primary protagonist is Adol Christin though there are a total of six playable characters, three of which will occupy the adventuring party at any given time. Each of the characters has their own skill set and fighting style with different weapons types being more effective against certain monsters. As the story progresses Adol finds more survivors to bring to the ever-growing Castaway village while unraveling mysteries of the island. All the necessary elements to make a memorable game such as good game mechanics, an engrossing story, epic boss battles and a beautiful soundtrack make Lacrimosa of Dana an essential title for RPG fans. A more in-depth look at the game and how much we enjoyed it can be read inour reviewof the original PlayStation 4 release, which is applicable to the PlayStation 5 version with the exception of the upgrades listed below.
Now that Lacrimosa of Dana is coming out for PlayStation 5, the question is whether it’s a worthwhile upgrade. Between the three versions in my collection (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Switch) the PlayStation 5 version is unsurprisingly the best one. For anyone who was eyeing this game but hasn’t got it yet, if they do decide to dive into the Isle of Seiren, PlayStation 5 is the recommended console. For those who have completed this travelogue already, it’s a harder sell since while there are visual and performance improvements, there isn’t any substantial new content.
The most noticeable improvement with PlayStation 5 is the tweaking of the visuals. Ys VIII runs at a smooth 120 FPS at 1080 and 60 FPS in 4K. The visual benefits extend into creating greater draw distance, showing off more detailed environments that are further away and making strides in eliminating pop in problems. The shadow system has received a major overhaul, allowing for much more detailed shadows. It’s a small touch, but does help Seiren look more alive. Mouse and keyboard support has been added, which more options for control is always a good thing, but it makes one wonder how many people who choose to play this on console actually prefer the mouse keyboard set up. The loading times are faster too, which helps make the overall experience smoother. Save files from the PlayStation 4 version cannot be imported, so if someone was looking to play New Game Plus on PlayStation 5, they need to start from scratch. Unlike Ys: Memories of Celceta, the trophy list is separate from the PlayStation 4 one, so trophy hunters can achieve these rewards all over again.
In addition to these upgrades there’s a bounty of DLC content included. All of it is cosmetic and consists of new costumes and accessories, some of which was previously exclusive to Japan. A lot of the costumes are various takes on swimwear or pirate costumes, though Adol’s old silver armor and red garments made into the mix for a small nostalgia shot. There’s a few other accessories such as sunglasses and plushies of characters from other games such as Rean Schwarzer that hug the character’s arm. These are strictly cosmetic changes, but playing dress up with game characters can be fun.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana was a great game when it was released in 2017 and holds up well today. It’s a title that’s recommended to all fans of the genre, and PlayStation 5 is the best platform to experience it. Whether it’s worth upgrading is a different story. This version of Lacrimosa of Dana looks and runs better than the previous ones and does have nice cosmetic DLC. Unless someone is dying for keyboard and mouse support, however, the improvements might not be substantial enough to warrant upgrading to the current generation. If someone is satisfied with the game’s performance on last-gen consoles and is ambivalent towards the new additions, sticking with the old version is just fine. But players who demand the best in performance or have yet to visit the Isle of Seiren, PlayStation 5 is the best way to go.
