|
Maia: "This is just another dream of mine..." This story is a reimagining of Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished: The Final Chapter. The content of this article is not canon to the timeline of the Ys world. |
|---|
"Eight centuries ago, Ys, a land of order and freedom, thrived under two goddesses and six priests. The Black Pearl, source of all magic, led to advancements through Cleria. However, Cleria's creation unleashed a demon that caused chaos. The priests sealed Cleria and elevated the Solomon Shrine to escape the monsters, who built Darm Tower. With the goddesses gone, the priests entrusted the Book of Ys to their descendants, promising great power when united."
~ Excerpt from Ys II Special (Adapted)
Ys II Special (이스 2 스페셜) is an action role-playing game developed for DOS, and is a re-imagining of Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished: The Final Chapter.
In 1992, Korean company Mantra obtained the rights to bring Ys II to IBM PCs. It took more than two years to get this version done, but it was more than just a mere port, as Mantra drastically redesigned and expanded the game into something completely new and unique. In fact, it’s far more fleshed out than even Falcom’s own remake, Ys II Eternal. The promotional artwork was done by Manwha artist Lee Myungjin.
A CD version was planned to add voices and redbook music, although it never came to fruition. Neither did a tentative similar treatment by Mantra for Ys IV.
The game's script is entirely in Korean and there is no English translation available.
Preface[]
Eight centuries ago, Ys, a land of order and freedom, came into existence.
Ys flourished under the guidance of two beautiful goddesses, Feena and Reah, alongside six wise and virtuous priests, enjoying great prosperity as a beautiful land adorned with lush greenery.
The Black Pearl, a magnificent jewel, was created alongside the birth of Ys, becoming the source of all magic.
Using the magic of the Black Pearl, Ys made significant advancements, thanks to a remarkable metal known as Cleria (later referred to as Silver), crafted by the six priests.
However, during the creation of Cleria, an unforeseen side effect occurred. The opposites of all things: right and wrong, light and dark, good and evil, came into being, resulting in the emergence of a demon that contradicted everything.
The demon's screams split the dark clouds, and the lava that erupted from underground burned the fields.
A calamity descended upon the peaceful land of Ys.
To contain the source of this disaster, the six priests sealed Cleria deep underground, yet they could not quell the malevolent energy that had already manifested.
As the people sought refuge in Solomon Shrine, their final sanctuary, the priests used the power of the Black Pearl to raise the temple into the heavens, escaping the encroaching darkness.
The monsters pursued the soaring Solomon Shrine, channeling their magic to create Darm Tower.
The two goddesses had vanished without a trace.
Soon after, for some unknown reason, the fierce pursuit of the monsters ceased.
For the time being, peace returned, but Ys was no longer the Ys of before.
With the goddesses, once said to be the treasures of Ys, now gone and Solomon Shrine vanished, the six priests, who hoped to one day restore true peace to the land of Ys, entrusted the Books of Ys, divided into six volumes, to their descendants.
When the six volumes of the Books of Ys come together, a formidable power will be unleashed.
Plot[]
The plot incorporates elements from Falcom’s game as well as the Ys II anime, leading Adol to rescue Lilia from a sacrificial fate at the outset, rather than merely seeking medicine for her. Additionally, there is a wealth of entirely new content: instead of exploring all the shrines of the six priests in the first dungeon, the quest structure now resembles that of Ys IV on the PC Engine. Each priest now has their own tower, with a "Dark" form serving as the boss. The snow plains have transformed into a sealed exile for criminals, resulting in the creation of a city of thieves, one of the new settlements. Furthermore, there is an incredibly secretive new dungeon called Dangun’s Tower, where the legendary founder of Korea bestows upon Adol the most powerful set of equipment.
Gameplay[]
Some mechanics have undergone slight changes. A dedicated sword button has been introduced, although players can still charge into enemies if Adol's level is sufficiently high. Special items are now necessary for health regeneration and saving the game anywhere; prior to acquiring these items, saving can only be done by resting at an inn. If Adol is defeated, he is returned to the beginning of the area, making the game challenging but not entirely unforgiving.
All maps have been completely redesigned, featuring longer dungeons and larger field segments. There is even an area to explore between the village and the ruins at the start of the game. Adol can be powered up to level 99, and the game also incorporates more traditional fantasy elements, such as elves and dwarves.
However, it is worth noting that the game is known to be quite buggy, with crashes and softlocks occurring frequently.
Music[]
Kwon Goo-Hee and Kwak Dong-Il from soundTeMP arranged the original Ys II music and also composed entirely new tracks that haven't been rearranged for any other game in the series.
Gallery[]
Screenshots[]
Video[]
Opening