Few RPG franchises, let alone games series, are as frequently mispronounced as Ys. People inevitably mangle it as "wise," or worse, "wises." The true pronounciation is "ease," but that's hard to know unless you're already a fan of the series. Sadly, not many American gamers are, as the Ys series hasn't seen a Stateside release since 1993. Nevertheless, Ys has an impressive pedigree. The TurboGrafx-16's Ys Book I & II was the first CD-ROM-based RPG, and is remembered even today for its awesome soundtrack of symphonic rock and its beautiful cinema scenes. It definitely left a lasting impression.

Now, Ys'll have another chance to change our lives and inspire dew-eyed children, as Konami is bringing the PS2 version of Ys VI to America. Ys: The Ark of Napishtim is the first Ys to feature 3D polygonal graphics, a huge change for a series known for its lush 2D artwork. Luckily, fans will find that the game still feels very much like Ys.

A New Take on Classic Conventions

Ys games always follow the adventures of the red-haired wandering hero, Adol Christenson, and Ys VI is no different. In fact, the game employs the same Action/RPG format that we loved so much in the past, only in high resolution, slightly angled 3D. However, the combat is a little more complex this time around, at least by Ys standards. Now, Adol can not only swing his sword, but can engage in multi-hit, timing-based combo attacks. This is a far cry from Ys Book I & II, in which Adol had to simply run into enemies to "slash" them.

Looks like Rehdan Village could use a lawn specialist.

But Adol's sword-based shenanigans grow deeper still. There will be three separate swords to acquire, and each one has a completely unique arsenal of attacks. The water sword is quick and combo-based; one attack sequence I saw sent Adol spinning across the screen in a whirling dervish of blades. Again, careful timing is required to pull this off -- button-mashing won't cut it. The fire sword is sort of the opposite; its combo potential is low, but it really packs a wallop. It also allows Adol to wield powerful fire magic, which will presumably play a role in puzzle solving. Lastly comes the Lightning sword, which I didn't get to see.

Given that the demo time was limited, I didn't get to see much of the game. Adol started out in a town, and every NPC, no matter how minor, had a beautiful facial portrait displayed when they talked. For his part Adol was silent, as is the series tradition. The framerate has been doubled since E3, and is now a wonderful 60 fps, with only a few hitches that I'm sure will be worked out. After chatting a bit, he proceeded out into the wilderness, where he slashed through a mob of enemies with ease. Then the demo ended -- I told you it was brief.