DaRmaZat The legendary Ys franchise has been a pillar of the Japanese action RPG scene since its debut in 1987. Developed by Nihon Falcom, the series follows the eternal wanderer Adol Christin as he explores a fantasy world inspired by ancient history and folklore. Chronologically set between the events of Ys II and Memories of Celceta, Ys X: Nordics originally launched in 2023 as the tenth mainline entry, marking a significant departure from the party-based systems of the past decade. Now, the experience returns in its most polished form with Ys X: Proud Nordics.
Released worldwide on February 20 for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and PC, this definitive edition enhances the nautical odyssey with improved graphical performance and essential quality-of-life updates. More than just a port, it seamlessly integrates a brand-new adventure on Öland Island featuring the ‘Shield Siblings’ Canute and Astrid, alongside fresh mechanics like the Mana Hold ability and the diabolical Muspelheim challenge dungeon.
Shackled By The Obelia Gulf
Adol Christin, alongside his loyal companion Dogi and Dr. Flair, travels by boat through the vibrant Obelia Gulf. Under the leadership of Captain Lasalle aboard the Adamas, the journey seems peaceful until pirates from the feared Balta Seaforce descend upon the vessel. Led by Karja, the so-called Raid Captainess, these pirates have a bone to pick with the captain for navigating illegal waters. After some back and forth, the trio eventually arrives in the cozy harbor town of Carnac, remaining absolutely determined not to let their dreams of adventure sail away just yet. Following a temporary split of paths, the quest log begins with the humble task of seeking work.
The story quickly takes a mystical turn as a faint female voice begins calling out “Seek Me” through the air, seemingly whispering directly to Adol. Investigating this leads to the discovery of a shell that grants wondrous magical skills. These powers arrive just in time, as a magical Griegr-wolf attacks, proving impervious to standard sword strikes. Effectively serving as a tutorial, this encounter explains how to assign Mana-skills to specific button combinations and manage the regenerating skill points. Consequently, Adol learns through the shell that his benefactor is a girl named Lila, who is trapped on a distant island. Motivated to save her, the group decides to earn enough money to purchase a ship. Before that plan can unfold, a magical curse shackles Adol to Karja. Bound together by these chains of Mana, they must find a way to break the spell while protecting Carnac, which is suddenly raided by the undying Griegr horde.
Actually, Ys X: Proud Nordics‘ story kept me quite intrigued, as the bond between these two clashing protagonists grew stronger, forcing them to learn about themselves and their heritage. A great deal of the characters are brought to life with genuine charm and personality as well. Even so, certain presentation quirks occasionally broke my immersion. For instance, it is quite jarring to watch characters talk with their eyes closed for ages, just as hearing a dialogue trigger while the speaking NPC is nowhere to be seen feels like a strange oversight. While I found Karja’s voice acting to be genuinely good, it unfortunately highlights how mediocre some of the other performances really are. Furthermore, the dialogue often presents you with two choices, but don’t expect them to carry any weight; the storyline remains stubbornly linear regardless of your input.
The Friction and Benefits of Duo Combat
Deeply rooted in its identity as an action RPG pur sang, Ys X: Proud Nordics requires collecting a vast array of weapons, gear, and accessories to craft the perfect build. Naturally, acquiring these items necessitates gold, earned through typical quests. The default control bindings feel strangely configured, requiring some remapping to meet modern standards. Surprisingly, the game provides very little explanation for the basics at first; while it covers attacking and locking on early, mechanics like dodging and guarding aren’t explained until much later.
While combat itself feels somewhat static and old-fashioned, lacking noticeable hit impact or smooth feedback, the Duo Mode is strategically interesting, though. This mode allows Adol and Karja to attack together using unique skills, and it is essential for guarding the “red attacks” from enemies. Timing isn’t strictly enforced for basic survival, but a Perfect Guard provides significant benefits by filling the Revenge Gauge, which acts as a multiplier for subsequent Duo attacks. Crucial, as certain enemies have a durability meter that must be broken down first. Although attacks are clearly telegraphed, some encounters remain challenging due to the clunky controls. Boss battles often descend into chaos, frequently requiring one character to revive the other. If both perish, the game offers a retry while giving you the option to weaken your enemies as well. While this level of accessibility is certainly welcome, I’d still have preferred a more modern combat flow.
Navigating The Sandras
Beyond its frantic swordplay, Ys X: Proud Nordics adds variety through separate escape sequences as well as naval exploration aboard the Sandras. While this upgradeable vessel introduces ship-to-ship combat to the Obelia Gulf, I found the experience remained fairly rudimentary. Most encounters boiled down to sailing back and forth within confined waters, alternating between long-range shots and close-range broadsides—actions that are frequently interrupted by cinematic intermezzos.
On top of that, other mechanics feel equally dated. Even though the Mana String adds some much-needed verticality by functioning as a grappling hook, the environment remains traditionally linear, riddled with hidden walls and mandatory paths that aren’t always clearly marked. Physics also show their age, as NPCs occasionally get stuck in their scripted routes. Nevertheless, the technical state of this PC port is excellent, delivering the buttery-smooth experience expected of a definitive edition.
Final Thoughts
Ys X: Proud Nordics delivers an entertaining real-time action adventure, even if its story and character progression are locked behind a largely linear structure. Freedom within the environments feels fairly restricted, and certain gameplay segments come across as a bit aged and rather repetitive over time. Nevertheless, the evolving tension between Adol and Karja remains exciting, particularly the mystery of how they will eventually sever their magical bond.
Admittedly, the absence of a co-op option is a missed opportunity given the dual-character focus, and for those who already own the original release, the price of this edition might feel steep relative to the new additions. Still, Ys X: Proud Nordics‘ journey through the Obelia Gulf is one filled with enough drama and mystery to satisfy those looking for a solid action adventure.
Additional Information
Release Date: Feb 20, 2026
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Nihon Falcom, PH3 GmbH
Publisher: NIS America
Relevant links: Available on STEAM
