The Ancient Land of Ys review
By Michael Graf
Copyright (c) 1990 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
"The Ancient Land of Ys has desperate need of you. Malificus, the fiendish wizard, has seized the six Books of Ys and turned their powers against the people. Dread and terror grip the land. Only a wily warrior - one who can think and fight - will prevail against Malificus, his guardian monsters, and his evil reign."
A common theme? Been there, done that? Many adventure games rely on a basic premise of Good versus Evil, utilizing the player to lead a force of Good (which may be a band of adventurers or a single, brave soul) against the growing tide of Evil. Thus, many of you may not be enthralled by the story line of "Ancient Land of Ys", but take a closer look at this new adventurer, arcade game for the Apple //GS.
First Impressions:
On opening the "Ancient Land of Ys", a game from Kyodai, you might be disappointed by the lack of documentation or material in the packet. Relax - it ain't that difficult. Basically, the "Ancient Land of Ys" is an arcade-type adventure game, putting the player through a number of puzzles and situations, as he/she searches for and finds each volume of the six Books of Ys.
The player is represented on screen by a small, fighting figure, who starts in town, a new recruit to the adventuring game. The first thing you must do is walk around town, talk to people and set oneself up for the coming adventures. To talk to someone, just stand in front of them and when they bump into you, conversation (very one sided, that it is) begins. There are a number of random statements, so keeping "bumping" until you know it all. Then enter the few buildings that you can, and the first, simple, task will be readily apparent.
Outfitting oneself with armour, shield and weaponry is vital, as outside of town, all creatures are fair game and so are you. The combat is trivial, almost silly, as you simply move into the opponent (try it from behind) and that's a hit (or miss). After a while, your character will improve (automatically) and you'll simply walk through almost everything.
Saving and Loading Saved Games can be done anywhere, and this is a handy feature. Any number of games can be saved and recalled, so I recommend saving lots so that if you die, you will not lose all that you have worked for.
The Manual Way:
To me, a manual for a computer game must be of certain quality or at least be useful, otherwise why bother. Opening the short manual to the "Ancient Land of Ys", you wonder why they bothered at all. A few sections of how to boot the game (for many different computer types), how to use the interface (joystick or keyboard), a quick description of
what you see, and short summaries of the different opponents you may meet and what you may find and that's it. The latter two sections do have their merit during the game, but I suggest simply booting the game up and getting into it.
Note that the "Ancient Land of Ys" is copy protected, so hard disk installation and ease of mind are not allowable for the Apple //GS. You have to insert the Program Disk at a certain time of the load process (thankfully, only once) and from then on you can use the copies of the Game and Program Disk that you should make.
Six Books of Ys and other Artifacts:
The basic task is to retrieve the six Books, and each is guarded by a special guardian. Each guardian is described in the manual, and is much tougher that the remaining monsters and enemies you may meet. Care and some fancy footwork is mandatory to stay alive (and saving the game and restoring it is also vital).
During the quest, you will find many items; carrying them around may prompt some people to give you more information than before, so visit a few important people more than once. Also, write down the clues and names of people, so that you'll know who and what to do and when to do it. Overall, the game is NOT a difficult one, and simple perseverance will get you through almost all of the puzzles.
Sounds Good to Me
One of the best features of the game are its graphics and sound track, though the latter does get rather repetitive after a short while. The game is also fast paced (easily playable without a Transwarp GS) and utilizes many of the qualities of the Apple //GS. It requires at least 512K of memory and one 3.5" disk drive.
Hints
[Beware: the following statements contain specific hints to the "Ancient Land of Ys".]
- Ensure that you buy strong armour and a weapon when you begin; after only a short time, money will not be a problem, so plan your purchases carefully to get the best, as quickly as possible.
- search the lake, east of town for the Golden Pedestal.
- sell all items, except those you have a particular need for.
- do NOT enter the cavern in the northern part of the woods, east of town, until you are fairly tough (save the game first, in any case). Once you can go in there, be prepared for some strong opponents.
- search and open all chests; if you can't, then keep searching until you find the way to open it.
- leave the Quest for the Seed until later in the game.
- once you enter the Thieves' Hideout, to find the way to Daan Tower, there is no way out.
Overall Impression
The game is perhaps best described by Kyodai, who call "Ancient Land of Ys" a game 'where action and fantasy come together'. The game does have its merits, and is very playable, though I doubt that it has much replay value and could easily bore those who seek more challenge.
It is NOT a true arcade game, nor is it a true adventure game. However, it is fast and fun, and played in the right mood can lead to many hours of enjoyment.
"Ancient Land of Ys" -
Distributed by Br0derbund, produced by Kyodai
Apple //GS, 512K minimum, 3.5" disk drive required
Keyboard or Joystick
Copy protected

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