Ys IX: Monstrum Nox[lower-alpha 3] is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom. A part of the Ys series, it was released in Japan by Falcom for the PlayStation 4 in September 2019. A worldwide release by NIS America was released in February 2021, with additional releases for Windows, Nintendo Switch and Stadia in July 2021 and PlayStation 5 in Q2 2023.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox | |
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Developer(s) | Nihon Falcom[lower-alpha 1] |
Publisher(s) | NIS America
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Director(s) |
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Producer(s) | Toshihiro Kondo |
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Writer(s) |
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Series | Ys |
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Release | September 26, 2019
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Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is an action role-playing game played from a third-person perspective. It further builds on the gameplay foundation of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, where players control multiple main characters that can be switched between on-the-fly, each with their own play styles and unique skills. Players collect a variety of weapons and items by defeating enemies and opening chests.
Players can consume SP to unleash a character's unique skill attack, and SP can be restored by landing hits on enemies or it can regenerate faster when the player is not attacking. Boost mode, a returning game mechanic from Ys: The Oath in Felghana and Ys Origin, temporarily increases damage dealt, decreases damage received, and increases attack and movement speeds.[1]
New to Ys IX, each party member has traversal abilities, called Monstrum Gifts, such as gliding and running up walls. Players can reach various places and locate hidden secrets in the city of Balduq and dungeons by utilizing these actions.[2]
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox was initially teased as Project N.O.X via a teaser website that contained a key visual and a countdown ending on December 19, 2018. On that day, the game was revealed for PlayStation 4, scheduled for release in 2019.[3] Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo stated that he wanted the next Ys game to lean more towards the adventure genre, with Dana's arc in Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana as a hint.[4] In another interview, Kondo said that he wanted to take the new axis of direction and movement introduced in Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana to the next level, citing examples such as an air dash or a hook shot.[5]
The game was developed by Nihon Falcom and released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan on September 26, 2019.[3][6] It was released by NIS America for the PlayStation 4 in North America, Europe and Oceania respectively on February 2, February 5, and February 12, 2021, with additional releases for Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia in July 2021.[7][8] Nippon Ichi Software released the Nintendo Switch version in Japan on September 9, 2021.[9] The Nintendo Switch and Windows versions were ported respectively by Engine Software and PH3 Games.[10] A PlayStation 5 version is scheduled for release in Q2 2023, with all previously released cosmetic downloadable content included.[11]
It was announced on June 23, 2020, that Ys IX would be released on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2021, published by NIS America with English and French localizations.[12] Traditional Chinese and Korean localizations of the game were released in Asia by Clouded Leopard Entertainment on January 20, 2022.[13]
Aggregator | Score |
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Metacritic | PS4: 80/100[14] NS: 76/100[15] |
Publication | Score |
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Famitsu | 35/40[16] |
IGN | 8/10[17] |
RPGamer | 4/5[18] |
RPGFan | 81/100[19] |
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[14] Japanese magazine Famitsu scored the PlayStation 4 version a 35 out of 40.[16] Yūsuke Takahashi, writer from Japanese website 4gamer.net, recommended Ys IX for players who enjoy exploration, while remarking upon the game's difficulty as being well-balanced.[20]
The game sold 45,378 copies during its launch week in Japan.[21]
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