Y's 4
The Dawn of Y's
1993 Falcom
Story As told in the instruction booklet of YS IV:
A long time ago six priests brought freedom to the land of YS. But one day a demon came to YSand the six priests had to lift the land out of harms reach. Before they left, they placed six books and the cleria in hidden locations throughout the world, on the ground. 800 years later a monster (Darm) arises and searches for the books. Adol Christian at this time, looking for adventure, came to the land of YS and decided to look for the six books of YS. During his adventure, Adol got the six books and defeated the demon Darm, and YS was in peace once again. Two years later Adol decides to go on another adventure, this time to a place that had never even heard of YS, a place called Salusatar.
Some game information and my views on the game: For all you YS fans out there, this is definately a must have game for all who want to collect the YS series. This game, which is almost impossible to get a hold of now, is the best of the series so far. It is supposed to take place between YS book II and YS book III.This game has the overhead view of YS I and II that was so liked. and it has excellent animation. This game is also the first "True sequal" to a game I have ever seen. It ties in to Book I and II very closely. So closely in fact so that in YS IV you actually get to go back to the area's in the previous YS adventures. This game is a must for all YS fans! In the introduction, the exact ending scenes in YS book II is shown. Kind of like a flash back. The scene shows the world of YS coming down out of the sky. Then we skip to inside the YS core where Adol and Darm (The bad guy) are going for the final showdown. The exact same platform that you fight Darm on, is shown with fire underneath it. Just like at the end of YS II. The scene changes to the outer door where Feena and Lair (The goddesses of YS) are hoping for Adol's victory. You can also see Luta Gemma and Goban outside the door watching. They gave their last words of encouragement to Adol before he entered his final battle. The reason Adol is glowing with a Blue light around him, as he fights Darm in the intro. Is because he has the magic of shield on. Which is exactly the way it was in YS II. Finally Darm is slain and the crystal shatters, ending his life. Or so we think. After the intro. You start the game and a little story kind of unfolds to clear up some things and get the adventure going. Adol and Dogi sail into Minea (First town in YS book I) from some short adventure and are greeted by Goban. They go into town and go to the bar. After that the crew hits the sac and goes to bed. In the morning Lilia (A Character from YS II) comes to see Adol. But they find he has left in search of a new adventure. He arrives in a land called Salusatar. Here is where the adventure really begins.
Click this to see the intro of this game!
Characters of YS IV in the order they appear in the manual:
Adol Christian: The Hero
Leisa: A mysterious girl who lives in Lapro village.
Carna: Lives in fire village. Leader of the resistance.
Lilia: Lives in Rance village. Has a crush on Adol.
Dogi: Adol's best friend. Is a very strong fighter.
EL-DEAL: The last angel. No one knows who he really is.
------The threesome group----------
Hami: A magic caster
Guruder: Leader of the threesome. Is very smart.
Gadis: A real strong man. Can't talk very well, and really hates Adol.
The threesome group is a party of the three individuals described above and they are always up to something. They get in Adol's way all throughout the game and seem to make life miserable for him. They are very important to the story of the game however.
For those of you that have the game...
you know that it is very difficult to play in another language.
Here are a few tips on the threehardest spots in the game. Most of the game is very playable in Japanese but most people get stuck in one of these three spots.
1: At a certain point in the game you will eventually have to go back to Darm Tower (YS book I). There you must get to the top and fight Fact (AGAIN)! Most people, including myself, find it impossible to get to him. As you get to about the fourth floor of Darm Tower you notice that all the staircases are destroyed or blocked, which keeps you from advancing up the tower. The trick to getting to the top actually is hinted by an occurence in YS book I. there is a hidden room in a hall filled with statues. In book I a man was there who gave Adol the Blue necklace. In YS IV he is not there. However there is a secret passage where he used to be standing. Walk around in Darm tower with the Mask of Eyes on, which should've been acquired earlier. Eventually you will see the hidden door. Go through and walk against all the walls. When you are stopped by some Japanese text, that just pops up, you are there. What the Japanese writing says is "There is a draft coming from this wall". At that point use the Pick Axe and the wall will fall, revealing a way to the top of the tower. If you can just remember where the old man from book I stood, then you have it made.
2: After you have visited the town with the witch, you will find yourself stuck. What the witch wants is some gun powder. In order to get this and advance further into the game you must go back to the building, where Adol was captured and held prisoner near the start of the adventure. Go to the back door of the castle. There will be a guard there. Put on the full lineup of your weakest armor in your inventory. The guard will let you in and the gunpowder is inside the castle somewhere. Get it and take it to the witch and she will make an explosive to blow the rocks away that block the path up the hill. The hardest part to this trick is remembering to put on your weakest armor. It took me forever to figure it out. When you wear the weakest armor, the guards think you are one of them.
3: Another difficult trick is trying to help the little kid who gets turned into stone. This part of the game I spent hours on. I'm still not quite sure how it works. As soon as the little boy (in the village near the snow mountains) turns to stone. Seek out the doctor in Carna's home village. She is a character that joined in the beginning of the quest. She is also the one who gives Adol the Flute. Go talk to the doctor, he will want you to get some herbs for the boy. The doctor goes with you to the little boy. That village will now have a raft for you to ride on. It will carry you to a cave. In it find a piece of the medicine needed for the boy. Then talk to the doctor again. You must get him to take you back to Esteria (YS I) with him. When you do the final thing you need for the boy is in Darm Tower, at the top.
If anyone has ever seen the end of the game, you know that it is a long sequence with lots of people talking to you in Japanese. Here is the entire ending sequence of the game (In English), In kind of a skit form. I've written down the characters names and what they say. So it can be easily followed. Starting with the blob creature (The last guy in YS IV).
The blob before fighting Adol says: You have great power Adol. This is not the end, I will take you to the underworld if I have to. I am the ultimate evil. Spirits come and fill me with your power.
After defeating the last guy he says : You are very strong Adol, I cannot win against you. We shall Die together!!! AAAAAHHHHHH!
The creature then destroys the platform you are on and you both fall! Here is the rest of the ending.
Voices as Adol falls : The battle is done. It is finished. The evil is going to another world, we will soon vanish with our spirits.
Carna: Ah Adol! Are you alright?
Dogi: The temple has been destroyed already. I wanted to explore it more!
Leisa: Is this the end? No it is not. We must be prepared because the evil may return someday.
Dogi: That's right, we can never rest, because the temple may rise again one day.
Carna: Let's go back to the village Adol. Everyone is worried about you.
Marcane: I am going to stay here and fix up the village. Since no one likes the Demon blob he cannot live in peace. So he will try to attack another world. This is not good, but I understand his feelings.
Doctor: Adol, thanks for your help, I will stay with Medu (The boy turned to stone) until he is older.
Medu: Big brother! Will you come back and play with me sometime? You don't feel like playing now? You are not an adventurer! Just kidding!!
Mother: Do you remember me? I met you at Wearis village. Look at this child. The symbol on it's forhead is gone. My baby looks normal now and we can live in peace.
Carna: I don't know how to thank you for all you've done! Thanks for your help! I will avenge the people who died here for our cause!
Leisa: Please come back and visit Salusatar some day! Next time I think I will meet you smiling!!! Please take care of yourself.
Dogi on the ship with Adol: Well Adol, we should see land soon. The land of my hometown, Cani (Dogi's hometown in YS III).
Storyteller: This is a good place for the story to end.
Child 1: Please, I want to here more.
Child 2: What is the next story?
Storyteller: I will read it some other time, I have many many stories.
Child 3: Please read them now, just a little more.
Storyteller: Sorry, I must make dinner, time to go home.
Children in unison: I Don't want to go, Bye! Bye! Thanks for the story!
This basically ends the game with a really cool picture of the first town in the series (Minea). In the distance you can see Darm tower. During this scene the credits are rolled, as it snows on the town. If you watch closely you can see the lights in the houses go out one by one. When the credits are over a picture of the Roda Tree is shown covered with sparkling snow. The perfect ending to a very excellent game!
OVERALL
My overall ratings of this game are put in one phrase (It's the Best!) This is the greatest RPG ever made. It is one of the best sequals to any game that I have ever played. You get to visit old towns, old friends, and old places. You even get to fight old enemies! If you didn't already know you get to fight the Demon Fact (Book I) and you get to clash with Darm (Book II) again! This game also has really great graphics and sound. The songs were so addicting that I made my own soundtrack of them. All of the superbosses in this game are very well done and very challenging. If anyone is an YS fan you must get this game. If the Japanese barrier stops you don't let it. This game is very playable in Japanese and the only trouble spots aren't too hard to figure out. The animation is superb and the characters very familiar. If you get a copy hold onto it! Because there is no chance to get it ever again. Those of you who have the game, you've got a real winner there! Those who don't -(BORROW IT FROM SOMEONE WHO DOES)!!!
A little extra information:
here is a little added tip: In the fire level there is a spot that lava is pouring up and you can't cross the gap. When you get the magic of ice go back to this spot and freeze the lava. This allows you to cross and get a treasure box on the other side. The box contains the shoes, which make Adol walk really slow. The purpose of the shoes is to get experience points and gain levels. If your wearing them all enemies will die with one hit when touched. Doesn't work on superbosses, sorry. The shoes are not needed to complete the game but are helpful to gaining experience points much faster and more safely.
And finally for those of you who have seen the introduction to YS Book IV. You know that Darm says something to Adol in Japanese. Here is what Darm says to Adol in the Introduction. "You have been brave up to now hero! Your magic is worthless against my powers! Now let me show you REAL FEAR!"
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note-
This review is done by Randy McCoy. All html'ing and layout done by Bo
