Ys X Nordics Details Ship Combat & Reveals New Characters

Developer Nihon Falcom has revealed new gameplay and character information for their upcoming action JRPG Ys X Nordics via the latest issue of Famitsu. Our team’s Ryuji translated the following information.

Firstly, the ship combat has been further detailed:

There are 3 POVs you can switch: Long, Middle, and Dynamic. Long places the camera far from the ship, allowing you to see your surroundings, Middle places the camera slightly closer, and Dynamic will have the camera behind Adol.

During your adventures, you can obtain an item called a Proposal Form (?), which allows you to carry out repairs and upgrades as stated on it. Furthermore, on the ship’s menu, you can check its various stats, such as Speed, Firepower, Endurance, etc. By modifying your ship (named the Sandras), you can upgrade those stats.

There are three types of ammunition: Regular, Rapid Shell, and Flare Bomb. While the latter two are limited, the Regular Shells are infinite.

There are two Mana Actions the ship can use at sea: The first is Mana Sail. You can use it to quickly ram the ship into another enemy, dealing considerable damage. There’s also the Mana Barrier, which protects the ship from enemy attacks.

Once an enemy’s ship has been damaged considerably, Adol and his party can perform an action known as a Naval Boarding Action, where you’ll directly invade the enemy ship and defeat the enemies inside.

You’ll encounter merchant ships while at sea, where you can spend Gold or sell your items. Be wary, though, because these ships might be disguised as enemies at first.

Secondly, four new characters have been introduced and profiled from left to right:

Leif Yvelise (JP Voice: Wataru Hatano) Age 17

A childhood friend of Glen and Cruz. He is not originally from Karnak and is instead a young man who came to the region in search of work. Whenever he’s with Rosalinde and Glen, he jokingly makes fun of them, perhaps due to his young age of 17, but he’s also surprisingly mature.

Mirabel Asarad (JP Voice: Kana Asumi) Age 21

A nurse who works at a clinic opened by her father. Friendly and good-natured, she has surprisingly strong convictions and naturally speaks to Carja. She’s been caring for Glen and the others since they were kids and is the only one who truly understands them, having watched them for so long.

Lila (JP Voice: Shion Wakayama)

When Adol arrives at Obelia Bay, he picks up a mysterious conch on the shores of Carnak. She only appears as a silhouette, giving Adol the power of mana. According to her own words, she seems trapped somewhere and asks Adol to help her.

Nameless Old Man (JP Voice: Shigeru Chiba)

A kind old man who lives in a small hut on a certain island. He teaches Adol how to prepare for battle using his newfound Mana powers. However, not only does he seem to have no recollection of how and why he lives on the island, but also his own name eludes his memory.

UPDATE 5/26/2023: PlayStation Blog Japan has shared full character renders, viewable via our gallery below:

Ys X Nordics will occur between Ys II and Memories of Celceta, making it the new third canonical entry in Adol Christin’s adventure logs. The gameplay has undergone a significant shakeup, with there only being two playable characters this time around.

Special maneuvers can be unlocked via story scenes and exploration, allowing for environmental interaction. Further, in solo mode, the character you’re not controlling performs actions judged by their own discretion.

• If you missed it, check out our announcement coverage of Ys X Nordics and the initial onslaught of info via Famitsu.
•  A Famitsu info drop shared an interview from Kondo, new in-game screenshots, renders, and more.
• The voice actress for Carja is confirmed to be Lynn.
• Adol & Carja Profiles
• New Character Profiles, Renders & Gameplay Info
• Gameplay Footage Reveal
• Release Date Reveal

Unused Ys Seven concepts are being utilized in this outing, too. Ys X Nordics will allow players considerable explorative freedom, enabling naval travel with a recruitable crew and ship combat.

Ys X Nordics will launch in Japan for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on September 28, 2023.