There was plenty of great news out of the New Game Plus presentation earlier this week, but perhaps the most exciting announcement of all—at least for me—was that Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is finally on the cards for a Western release. It’s coming to PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2021.
Originally released in Japan for PlayStation 4 last September, Monstrum Nox is the latest in Nihon Falcom’s long-running action RPG series Ys. Almost every other game in the series has had a global release, so it was only a matter of time before Ys IX‘s turn, but it’s still nice to have it actually confirmed and a release window to look forward to.
NIS America is once again handling the localisation, following Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III. Though the English script in the initial release of Ys VIII was… troubled, to say the least, the revamped localisation that followed and NISA’s more recent effort with Trails of Cold Steel III give me hope that Ys IX is in decent hands.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox sees long-time Ys hero Adol Christin falsely accused of a crime and sent to the “prison city” Balduq. In his efforts to escape, he winds up entangled in a strange incident involving supernatural beings called “Monstrum”—some of whom use their powers to help those in need, and others who use them to create trouble.
A large, sprawling city like Balduq is a somewhat unusual setting for Ys, which tends more towards natural environments and ancient ruins. It looks like Monstrum Nox takes the series in some new directions, particularly in terms of traversal—even just in the announcement trailer, you can see Adol and some of the other playable characters running up walls and across rooftops in an almost Assassin’s Creed-like fashion.
Alongside the announcement, NIS America unveiled (and opened pre-orders for) a Limited Edition for Ys IX: Monstrum Nox. It’s available for both PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, and comes with:
- Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Pact Edition
- Monstrum Memoirs (Mini Art Booklet)
- Melodies of the Macabre (Digital Soundtrack Sampler Download)
- Reverse Coversheet
- Chains and Chansons 1-Disc Official Soundtrack
- Nails in the Coffin Hardcover Art Book
- Ys IX Prequel: The Lost Sword Short Novel
- The Crimson King Chibi Figure
- The Monstrums of Balduq Art Card Collection
- Balduq’s Most Wanted Keychain Set
- Monstrum Box
After how good Ys VIII ended up being, I was always going to be be on board with Ys IX. The curious premise and lure of exploring Balduq make me that much more excited about it, though. Bring on 2021.