XSEED Games will release Ys I & II Chronicles+, a completely remastered version of the first two Ys games, for PC via Steam on February 14 at a 15 percent discount off the $14.99 price tag, it has announced.
New to the release is widescreen support, selectable art styles, smooth pixel scaling in windowed mode, achievements, leader boards, Steam Cloud support, classically-styled decorate screen frames, four difficulty levels, and an optional boss rush mode.
Story and gameplay details are as follows.
Story
Ys I & II follow the tale of wandering swordsman Adol Christin on an adventure to rid the land of Esteria of a horrible blight. Once known as the ancient land of Ys, a historic kingdom protected by goddesses and rich in mystical power and wealth, Esteria was settled by hardy inhabitants who established prosperous port towns and humble fishing inlets. But this peace was short-lived, and soon word spread of a looming darkness – confirmed by the appearance of horrendous monsters (first few, then many), swarming and destroying all of Esteria in their wake. Told to seek out the six books of Ys to reveal the key to defeating this evil, Adol ventures forth boldly, not knowing his very arrival had been written by the fates many centuries before.
Gameplay
Ys I & II Chronicles+ sees a series of modern conveniences and conventions mix with classic action gameplay in this all-new version of the founding title in one of Japan’s most celebrated RPG franchises. Old-school gamers will still recognize the timeless “bump” combat system, through which running into enemies auto-triggers an attack, and the angle of impact determines the damage inflicted. Players can choose to experience the game with the original ‘80s FM-synth soundtrack, opt for a more “early modern” MIDI-style soundscape, or even cleave through enemies to a studio-recorded metal interpretation of the soundtrack courtesy of Falcom’s in-house JDK Band.
Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.
