Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana review

With video game series spanning multiple decades, we can’t always jump into a series at the first entry. I’d struggle to believe that many modern gamers began their time with Final Fantasy by playing the first game back on the NES, and even with more modern series I often jump into sequels first to keep up with the game of the moment. I’d always prefer to play every game in a series in order (as I’m sure most would) but without the ability to stop time it’s just not realistic. The Ys series is the perfect example of this, where I gladly offered to review the ninth mainline game and loved what I played despite no history with the beloved RPG. Ys has much more to offer though than just the more modern releases, as I have now discovered with Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana begins just how you’d expect, with everyone’s favourite red haired hero Adol adventuring with his long time buddy Dogi. Their journey takes them to Dogi’s homeland, which has changed a lot since the last time he was there. Monsters trouble the citizens every day, a nearby Count is trying to seize an ancient power, and Dogi’s best friend has been missing for months. Not one to shy away from local problems, Adol jumps into the issues troubling the people of Redmont Town headfirst and is ready to save the day. The story of The Oath in Felghana isn’t going to win any awards, but it’s compelling enough to propel you onwards into the action.

The Ys games I’ve played have never shied away from fast paced combat, and The Oath in Felghana is no exception. In fact this particular entry if anything feels like the least RPG-leaning of the bunch, playing more like a hack and slash game with ridiculously fast paced sword attacks. At the start of the game you’ll just be hammering the attack button to cut through wolves and demons blocking your path, with a jump slash or downward stab alongside this basic combo to use when the situation arises. Just because it’s simple though don’t expect combat to be a doddle, because enemies hit hard and fast. The only way to avoid damage is by running and jumping out of the way, so fast reactions and learning bosses’ attack patterns is key to keeping Adol breathing.

It doesn’t take long for Adol to gain access to magic that helps in combat too, in the form of bracelets. There are three of these to gather on your adventure, ranging from a one that allows you to launch fireballs to another that allows you to do a big wind based spinning attack through the sky. These can all be powered up by charging them up before unleashing them, and using the right one for the job will make your life much easier.

As well as being useful in combat, your bracelet magic will help you explore new areas. Often Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana feels as much like a platformer as it does an RPG, with different areas to explore full of hard to reach platforms and traps and hazards to dodge. Spinning through the sky to reach chests becomes second nature once you grab that ability, and with only a handful of different areas to scout out in the game you’ll be going back to familiar locations to find new paths pretty regularly. Alongside everything else The Oath in Felghana is part Metroidvania, and this means backtracking is so much more rewarding.

If you don’t put the time into finding new loot with your new abilities you’ll regret it, because this game is tough. Obtaining new gear and upgrading it is a must if you want to beat the ridiculously tough bosses that stand in your way, but even with the best weapons and armour you’ll likely need to fight most bosses more than a few times before you finally beat them. There are different difficulty options if this doesn’t sound like something you’ll appreciate, but I found the challenge of Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana spot on and felt amazing every time I finally toppled one of the dozens of big baddies that killed me multiple times.

In terms of what Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana brings as a remaster, the answer is not a whole lot. It’s a bit shinier and crisper, and the soundtrack has been modernised somewhat. There’s also new voice acting for former silent protagonist Adol, which is understated and appreciated. For the most part though this is a way to play (or replay) an old game, and not a new or massively improved experience by any stretch

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a wonderful entry in this beloved series, but it does have a couple of issues that most modern titles don’t. The most egregious of these is the lack of direction, with no objective markers or quest log to guide you to your destination. Sometimes the game is really obtuse too. I was stumped by one late game area in particular because I didn’t have a key item I needed, and it turned out if I’d spoken to a seemingly unimportant character twice she would’ve given me what I required to proceed. Spending an hour trying to figure out what I’d done wrong was painful, and simply wouldn’t happen in the vast majority of 2025 games. The difficulty spikes the boss fights present won’t be to everyone’s taste either, but the option to lower difficulty when you lose a few times is at least there.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a great way to experience an outstanding action RPG, and I’m so glad this was a game that wasn’t forgotten. The fast-paced combat, epic boss fights and rewarding exploration make it a joy from start to finish, and even with a lack of direction I struggled to put this adventure down once I started it. This is an all time classic that shows why the Ys series is beloved by fans, so don’t miss out on it like I almost did.