Ys X: Nordics

RPGamerJohnathan Stringer

Adol's back at the helm again. This time the protagonist of Ys finds himself adventuring with a delightful cast of characters and brisk pacing that make Ys X: Nordics a winner in this storied franchise.

WayTooManyGamesLeo Faria

8.5/10

Ys is one of those gaming franchises that make me feel grateful for this website and how reviewing games opened up tons of doors to series I had never even considered tackling before. I had little to no knowledge of Ys prior to tackling Lacrimosa of Dana many years ago, but that was enough to turn me into a fan. Nowadays, I look forward to each and every brand new release, be it a new title or a remake of an older iteration of this nearly 40 year old RPG juggernaut. Suffice to say, Ys X: Nord...

Ys and I will never be best friends. I love storytelling in my RPGs, and Ys is quite firmly committed to making me press buttons instead. More than ten games into the series and I still wish the developers did something, anything, to make Adol interesting enough to be a frontman that has more entries now than most of the absolute greats of fantasy literature. He’s no Thomas Covenant or Pug, that’s for sure. Still, despite this dispute between myself and the series, I can appreciate what so many others live and why this has become such a cult favourite over so many iterations. No other JRPG…

Steam Deck HQNoah Kupetsky

8/10

Ys X: Nordics is a fantastic JRPG with wonderful combat and great cast of characters, and it runs wonderfully on the Steam Deck.

Twisted VoxelAli Haider

8/10

Ys X: Nordics effectively combines classic Ys elements with modern gameplay, offering a rewarding action RPG experience.

NoobFeedFaviyan Mustafiz

79/100

A captivating plot and interesting gameplay aspects make Ys X: Nordics simple to get into. Due to fast-paced action RPG combat, exploration, and special Mana powers, there are few dull moments.

Playstation UniverseJoe Richards

7.5/10

While Ys X: Nordics might not light the world on fire by itself - and certainly has some core issues that could do with refining - I found that most of these issues slid into the back of my mind as I kept on playing. The story of Adol, Karja and the Griegr is enough to keep the game moving forward and the character moments that flesh it out were good. Ys X manages to demosntrate the key strengths of the franchise but unfortunate balance and shaky new mechanics hold it back from being a homerun.

COGConnectedNicola Kapron

72/100

All in all, Ys X: Nordics is a fun action-RPG romp with vikings, frantic combat, and a truly entertaining silent protagonist. If you can figure out the parry system, it might even be a good game. I’m still docking it points for making me swear at my Switch so loud I scared my cat.

Pure NintendoKirk Hiner

7/10

Ys X: Nordics has solidified my appreciation for the Ys method of adventuring. Each game receives something new, and this time Adol gets a boat that becomes the central hub of his and Karja's adventure. Just one other partner? Yes, that's new, too.Read More

ShackNewsLucas White

7/10

Ambition that slightly misses its mark is my main takeaway with Ys X: Nordics. There’s still a rock-solid foundation here, as any fan of action-RPGs can attest to. Ys is a series that’s stood on business for decades and with good reason. The problems here are all in the efforts made to try something different, which isn’t the worst thing to happen with a long-running series. Instead of resting on its laurels, Falcom has tried some new things with Ys X and there’s credit due for those efforts. The story and characters are on point, and the way the core mechanics try to act as a mirror for the t...

Analog Stick GamingJeff Young

7/10

Ys X: Nordics sees Adol on yet another adventure as he teams up with a powerful warrior named Karja to stop an old evil from returning to conquer the seas. Nordics has engaging combat and a fairly decent story, but its ship combat and systems greatly disappoint.

WellPlayedNathan Hennessy

7/10

With some light visual touchups, Adol continues to dominate his PS2 era. The new sea air is good for his crimson hair, but the breadth of exploration can occasionally feel as broad as the Suez Canal.