Ys: The Oath in Felghana

Tough, but Worth It (finished in 17h hours in normal mode)

For 12€, Felghana delivers solid value — especially if you’re into action RPGs with tight combat and a great soundtrack.

That said, it’s not an easy ride:
🪦 Save points are spaced too far apart
💢 Bosses on normal can feel unfair until you learn their patterns
🎮 Platforming segments can be rage-inducing

Still, the combat is excellent — fast, responsive, and satisfying once you get the rhythm down. The difficulty is old-school, but fair in its own way. Every win feels earned.

It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you’re up for a challenge and don’t mind retrying a few times, Felghana is a solid pick — especially at this price.

Thumbs up, with caution.

It's a Ys game. It's cheap, has good combat, always has great music, has a serviceable story, and it's length doesn't ovestay it's welcome.

This is the type of game that you play to relax, and not think about stuff too hard.

Would recommend!

This will forever be the greatest Ys. I love every game in the series, but Oath is just something special. The music is peak, the world is gorgeous. The game play is fast and fluid as usual for a Ys game. There's nothing here not to love.

Ys: The oath in Felghana is a sprite based RPG, with hack-and-slash combat. You wade through mostly trash mobs, which is punctuated by hard boss fights, as usual for the series. Unfortunately, eventually it will also have increasingly difficult jumping sections, the very reason why I consider this game only suitable to skilled hardcore players (which I am not).

The naming of the game difficulties is misleading. Very easy is story mode, easy is normal mode and normal is hard mode. I found this out the hard way, starting in normal mode and failing to make it past the second boss. Just because it is named easy mode, boss fights will be still quite challenging. In part because by merely killing all the enemies on the levels to reach the bosses won’t level you up enough. Most of the times even reading the guides about the boss fights didn’t help, I just kept dying. Grinding out one more level made a huge difference in the damage taken. Before the dragon fight I just leveled up a bit, and in that fight all the attacks barely tickled me, making that boss surprisingly easy. If you receive lot of damage in easy mode in a boss fights, just grind a level or two.

The game starts with an external application. I would recommend using it till the second boss fight, as the controls can be remapped only from there, and you probably want to change that. If you switched it off, you can still start it by opening the local files directory from the right click menu in Steam, as I did it later. The game can be played with keyboard and mouse, or with a controller. I played with the controller. But there were a few inconveniences with it. The default button setup isn’t good – the attack was on B, and the jump was on X. For some attacks you have to use them together/in short interval, and that was very cumbersome. I just remapped jump to A, and magic attack to X. For some boss fights you must hold magic attack pressed to release at the right moment a big attack, and you have to jump around in the meantime. A trigger button would be better suited for this, but I couldn’t map magic to that. In the end I had to use X for magic, and that meant B remained the sword attack – the default way of combat. The biggest problem with this is that accept is tied to weapon attack, while cancel to jump. Even 10+ hours into the game I messed up the buttons in menus.

Fall mode is an interesting option. It isn’t sticky, after used up it resets off. You won’t actually take damage from falls, in fact falling down sometimes is the only way to proceed. I wandered a lot in a level before I found out on a Youtube walktrough that I had to fall down at a specific, not particularly highlighted point to start the path for an item which was required to continue. Ironically, I could jump through the lava parts, but without this item during the boss fight in the lava the damage from the floor just killed me. On most jumping sections, if you fall down, you will have to retrace the same route from the bottom to the top again and again, just to attempt the jump once more (since there is no quicksave). In the castle map sometimes you will have to retrace ridiculously long sections, and there are a lot of jumps, each one a chance for mistake. If you switch on fall mode, it won’t prevent the falls. However, it will put you back at the entrance of the room, saving tons of walking. I also had the always run mode switched on early in the game - a bad idea for exact jumps. Eventually I figured out it is better to disable it altogether.

The game has a monster manual, with a short description of enemies encountered, sometimes detailing their weak points (like weak against attack from above) and strong points (like immunity from sword attacks), along with some trivia about them. While not necessary, it helps to read those. As for bosses, there are no in game description for those. You will have to read online FAQs, and probably should too, even for easy mode. I guess you can brute force yourself through the bosses in very easy, as long as you figure out when / how can you damage them.

The graphics of the game are reasonably good for a sprite based game. The scrolling will be smooth, and wading through thrash mobs is fun. Some sections has to be revisited later with unlocked skills, to gather items requiring those skills to reach.

The game has only English voice acting – for the important characters, and even for them not at all times. While there was Japanese voice acting in the original game, due to licensing it won’t be available in the Steam version. Perhaps it can be modded in, but I didn’t bother with that. The English voice acting is heavily stylized, similar to Japanese voice acting in most animes. Once you are accustomed to that, most of the voice actors are quite good, only Elena seemed a bit off. She sounded more like a 14 years old girl and not like a 17 years one as stated in the game.

The soundtrack is good, but that is expected in an Ys game. There are actually 3 different orchestration of the sound tracks, the default being the orchestral one. But you can freely switch to two other versions too, in a more synthesizer style as used in older game platforms.

The game has only fixed savepoints. They are quite far away, and you can save your progress only at those. Around the third of the game you will receive a teleport item to travel to any unlocked savepoint, so at least you can save your accumulated XP if you want to quit before unlocking the next savepoint. Or you can just travel back to spend the resources for upgrades, then promptly return to the entrance of the boss fight.

You might wonder, why I gave this game a thumbs down. Generally, if a game isn’t my thing, I just don’t write a review for it. However, I already played through 2 Ys games, and enjoyed them. I couldn’t play through this one though, no matter how hard I tried. The timed jumping puzzle in the clock tower proved too much of an annoyance in the end. Most of the times the price of failure was that I was sent back to the bottom of the section, and even no fall mode didn’t solve that, as the bottom of the section was the entry point to the level anyway. Had the game included a quicksave, I could have saved before the hard part, and finish it eventually. Without that, I had to do a very tedious section to even just get to the point where I could try the final sequence. Also, if I were able to download an easy mode save file, that would have been an acceptable solution too. I couldn’t track down such a savefile. I found an inferno one, tried it at the point after the clock tower, where the first trash mob one hit killed me. Not a problem, I was just curious of the difficulty. I even unlocked the Wanderer from Ys achievement, which only 12% of the players did (as most people manage to finish the whole game faster). Comparatively, 20% of the players managed to complete the game at least on easy, and more on very easy. I also unlocked a pain in my left hand, similar to repetitive strain injury, for the first time in my life. That was the point that I stopped playing this game, and in no small part the reason for my thumb down review.

I enjoyed Ys Origins, and even Ys The ark of Napisthim. I will buy later releases from the Ys series too, but for fellow casual players I just cannot recommend this game. The clock tower jumping puzzle was the final straw, but even before that there were a few sadistic jump puzzles, like the one where random floor pieces collapsed when you landed on them. In that section I had to tediously commit to memory through trial and error which pieces collapsed. It wasn’t even a short section. Fail anytime, and you have to retrace your steps back to the beginning from the bottom – or turn on no fall mode, which will reset on the first fall, so don’t forget to turn it on again and again at the beginning.

The game was stable, it didn’t crash for me.

Great.

The YS series is legendary and this is one of the amazing parts.

Love this game and the battle system is a big improvemnt to the bump system in Ys I and II.
And also the story is great too and has a lot of action JRPG elements to it too.

generic and tedious

YES! YES! YES! YES!

play!

Yes

Ys Dark Souls

I beat the game and have not consulted an FAQ despite the game achievement telling me to do so!

Pretty good game. Just wish dash'ing was unlocked from the get-go.
Would rate ys 6 higher than this tho.

One of my favorite games of all time and definitely the best Ys game (sorry Ark of Napishtim).

The story is completely uninteresting, yet you’re forced to sit through it. You can speed through dialogue, but even then, you’re stuck holding a button while characters ramble on endlessly, often chaining multiple scenes together. The PC controls are bizarre—left click to move, right click to jump, and Z to attack—making for an unintuitive setup that takes time to adjust to.

The game seems dedicated to wasting the player’s time. Every time you pick up an item, a jingle plays, the game pauses, and you have to manually accept it. Why? To add "weight" to obtaining an item? It’s an unnecessary interruption. Then there are the constant redundant prompts: “Want to use key?” on a locked door—of course I do. “Want to engage with the game and actually do the quest?” Why is this even a question? These small annoyances add up fast.

If you can endure the cutscenes, eventually, you get to play the game. Unfortunately, the gameplay is just as uninspired. Combat is repetitive—enemies get stunlocked when hit, so encounters boil down to starting a combo and mowing through hordes with little resistance. The only real variation comes from flying enemies, which require a jump attack before getting locked into the same routine.

Bosses, on the other hand, feel like they belong in a different game. Instead of the usual nonstop attacking, they force you to wait, learn simple attack patterns, and strike when they’re vulnerable. While this at least adds some variety, the process feels more like a chore than a challenge.

Overall, Ys: The Oath in Felghana feels like a game that constantly gets in its own way, whether through excessive dialogue, clunky controls, or tedious gameplay loops. If you value smooth pacing and engaging combat, this one is hard to recommend.

Probably the hardest YS game but it does feel good. Expect a challenge but get ready to enjoy the adrenaline after beating a boss! Plus the music is fantastic!

The storyline follows a classic and familiar arc—from meeting the princess to embarking on a daring rescue mission—staying true to the charm of the Ys series. Fans of titles like Ys Origin, Ys I & II, and Ys Memories of Celceta will feel right at home with the controls, which remain comfortably consistent. What truly elevates the experience, however, is the phenomenal soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, drawing you even deeper into its world. To top it off, the game is impressively stable, with no bugs to detract from the adventure. I wholeheartedly recommend this game—it’s a journey worth taking!

Loved the game. The combat was fun, the level and enemy design was great, some of the bosses where extremely creative and fun, with some stuff you definetely dont see in newer games, and the music was fantastic as in the previous 2 games. The game was also really hard! Even towards the end, when you think the bosses are getting easy, the last boss bumps the difficulty back up again.
The bad stuff I found was just some jankiness that is the norm with pc ports of old jrpgs, weird controls, mouse not mapping correctly to full screen in game.
I dont know if I can't say this is a good thing, but compared to the previous 2 games, you don't need a guide for this game,

What a gameee... pure fun!
Amazing OST!
What a rush of action, apart from the first 2 bosses, the rest are amazing

Really don't like how they made the 2nd boss in the game so boring to fight, unless find this really important item before the fight.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana - 2024 Review - Just what exactly is so great about the world of Ys?

For a long time now I've heard about Adol and his journey around "The World of Ys" (Don't let auto correct say "Y's", seriously the fanbase hates it and will quickly butcher you for it). Not sure why but I always labeled them as not deep stories since I heard each entry starts fresh. I played Ys I & II and enjoyed them but felt like maybe these games weren't my cup of tea. Until one weekend when I needed a shorter JRPG to play....was feeling a bit burnt out on turn based rpgs, and I saw Mr Adol Christin staring back at me on my steam deck. Apparently I had purchased The Oath to Felghana a while back and forgot all about it. So I said what the heck lets give it a shot.....and this is what I discovered.

Art Style:
This game offers a beautiful and colorful art style that brings the world to life. The character designs are crisp and detailed that show a lot of personality. The environments are beautifully drawn, blending classic RPG aesthetics with a modern feel. While there really is only one basic town, it feels alive along with each area fully rich in detail. The game has anime like visuals that may not be earth-shattering, but it does them well and effectively to bring out the fantasy setting.

Characters:
In the few Ys games that I have played so far, Adol is the only controllable character, BUT that does not mean the game doesn't deliver on creating memorable characters. While Adol is a silent protagonist, he has a stoic nature and still feels like he interacts well with the other characters and deepening the relationships. The next "largest" character of the game is Adol's companion Dogi. What he brings to this story is humor, drama, and camaraderie to make the story feel grounded alongside Adol. While other characters in this story may feel a bit one dimensional, the interactions still remain compelling and support the story to keep you emotionally invested.

Gameplay:
This is where this game truly shines. I am normally a story driven gamer, never really thought that combat could become one of the main reasons I was enjoying a game.....until I played this. The combat combines a fast-paced, hack and slash style that involves skill (debatable term when it comes to describing my abilities) and strategy. The combat is smooth, responsive and extremely rewarding, offering players with a blend of quick attacks, dodging, and special abilities. The leveling system is quite basic, but its what fits the game style well. The bosses in this game are not your general just hack and slash style, strategy is needed or else you WILL die. While the difficulty spikes can be intense at times, they don't ever feel unfair. The game does a great job at balancing exploring and combat to give a fantastic experience.

Soundtrack:
The soundtrack for this game was rearranged from the original Ys III by Yukihiro Jindo. There was a beautiful balance of action heavy tracks while also providing emotional depth during slower moments. It has a memorable blend of rock and orchestral elements. Some of my favorites were "The Oath" as well as "Palace of the Dead". Another fantastic thing about the soundtrack is it matches the wild and fast paced battle system at times. Chaos ensues as the music picks up and you are trying to dodge massive fire balls and spikes. This soundtrack truly elevates the experience of the game.

Story:
While I would say the story wasn't the deepest, it was still one that had redemption, friendship, and discovering hidden truths about Felghana. As Adol explores more, you start to see the lore of Felghana open up and a darker plot unveil. Even with being a "standard" RPG story, it still has the ability to present compelling mystery, along with strong character moments and keeps it very engaging. It is a well crafted story that gives enough room for character growth while never overshadowing the game's intense combat focus.

In conclusion, Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a standout action RPG that shines through its amazing gameplay mechanics, beautiful soundtrack, and engaging characters. While the story is not the deepest, its told in an engaging way to never have you feeling bored. After playing this game I can honestly say I am very excited to continue my journey with Adol and crew!

If you like this review, feel free to check out my others at: https://www.backloggd.com/u/InVincible_Time/

If you enjoy the Ys series of games, or enjoy the SNES era Zelda games but wish Link could jump, this game is for you. A fun action-adventure RPG game with a fun story and engaging gameplay and multiple difficulties. Great game and I've had a lot of fun playing it along with others in the series.

Debating whether I have this or Origins as my fave but this game is fantastic. Hard but great bosses too. Story is simple but compelling enough. The english voice acting is a mixed bag. Wished they had JP voice acting but oh well

I thought the opening areas were a little meh, but then the game truly kicked off and rightfully earned all the praise it gets. As expected of a Ys game, the combat is fast-paced, the dungeons are fantastic, and the bosses are memorable. Most of the side quests are forgettable, and the story is just ok, but it's enough to explain what you are doing. One of the best aspects of this game was its difficulty. It's the most challenging Ys game I have played so far, but it never felt cheap or unfair. This game is great for both Ys fans and newcomers who are just looking for a great action game.

holy moly is this a good game or what

The best game in YS series.

It's a game you can watch Dogi do things on occasion in

The Ys series is pure-strain gaming with killer soundtracks.

I'm leaving a positive review specifically because they've come back to this game years later to add voice acting that wasn't originally in it, and soundtracks from the older versions of Ys III. Extremely good series, extremely good game, and publishers putting in work when they don't have to.

Easily the best Ys game in the Napishtim engine, if not the best Ys game full stop

Banger Action RPG, banger soundtrack, difficulty modes for every skill level, doesn't overstay its welcome, what more can you ask for?

In a shocking turn of events, instead of being washed ashore or falling from the sky and finding himself being nursed back to health by some strangers before he ends up saving the region from some evil force/misunderstood ancient power, this time Adol and Dogi make their way with no incident to Dogi's homeland of Felghana, since Dogi's been away for eight years and they heard things were not going well back home.

Since I'm playing it in the suggested order so that gameplay and graphics don't jump back and forth too much from modern to outdated, this one is my fourth Ys game after Chronicles (I & II) and Ark of the Napishtim, and I'm enjoying the progression a lot.

The game resembles Ys VI: AotN quite a bit, except pretty much everything is improved upon. The graphics are better, the story is more detailed and the cutscenes have actual voice acting, the combat is more fluid, spells similar to those in Ys II are back except by using bracelets instead of rods, and though mystic metal Emelas weapons are not a thing here, Adol's usual variety of gear (swords, armors and shields) is back and can be upgraded at the smith.

I'm digging the change of pace of having a more traditional Western European fantasy setting instead of an exotic island with a mysterious past (nothing wrong with those, I'm just saying I enjoy variety), especially since instead of being a fish out of water like in the three previous games I've played, this time around everybody knows Dogi since childhood and the whole town quickly adopts Adol because he's Dogi's BFF.

Another great game in the a series that, much like its sister franchise Trails, seems to not have an actual bad game in the bunch. You gotta hand it to Falcom, they may not do a lot of different types of games, but what they do they do extremely well.

A fun, compact action-RPG with a lot of charm, a great soundtrack, and plenty of challenge for those who want it. In other words, the classic Ys formula. Oath in Felghana is a great starting point for new players, offering a tightly designed "classic" experience.

Ys is a great franchise. Maybe skip this one

Bullshit bosses. Banger ost

Nell?!?! WHY?????
Chester!!!! NO——!!!!!
Such a captivating tragic story with twists and turns, and the perfect execution of an epilogue (unlike a certain memory title)

banger ost

This game is unrelentingly hard and, due to its dated nature, it took me a long time to figure out things that would have been a huge help earlier. Some bosses are downright bullshit and cheat. Overall this is a game where either you keep pushing against it and win, or you give up.

I'm gonna be honest, if I'd been playing this game on my own time, I would have given up. But, you know, contracts and that sort of thing...

I ended up really enjoying the gameplay and view this experience as a net positive. And I am honestly proud of myself for overcoming my babyish nature and beating this game...

... on Very Easy.

Great game overall. Gameplay and story is very good.
Hardest game I have ever beaten I think (Boss Rush on Nightmare). Damn.
It was my first attempt on that difficulty and I died so much... What an achievement after over 10 hours and putting my PC on sleep mode during the night.
You can't leave or you have to beat all 16 bosses again. God, I will never do this again...

required playing imo

Loads of fun. Can be very challenging but that will push you to practice & improve. Taking down tough bosses is really satisfying. There's new remaster out now (Jan 2025) for Switch & PS but there's basically no difference & I prefer the UI in this one.

Not my favorite Ys game, but nonetheless a good game that’s worth playing.

Like most of the early Ys games, it’s relatively short so look for it on sale. I was able to beat it in about 11 hours on Nightmare difficulty.

This game made me a masochist.

Ys good

aged like fine wine

Good Ys game. Good combat, expect a challenge.

Best YS game ever made even modern YS games dont compare that opening that ending the characters everything is just amazing.
I would love to play a remake of this game hopefully one that lets me see chesters side of the ordeals as well but man as a fan of this YS series i cant believe i put this game in the backlog for so long.

Fun combat, great boss battles, and a pretty good story make for a great little action jrpg. It's a pretty short game but it's very replayable and doesn't have the pacing issues that many jrpgs do on account of their bloated length.

I recommend playing on normal difficulty the first time you beat the game, as I found it to be balanced just right to have a decent but fair amount of challenge. Since the game is short like I mentioned you can always play through again on Hard/Nightmare later while already having some practice vs the bosses.

Another series I've been playing for a long time. When I first started this, I thought it was a completely new installment in the series, you might say I was none the Ys'er, but after awhile it started looking really familiar. If I am not mistaken this is a remake of Ys: 3 Wanderers from Ys's.

I had just recently went back and played through it on the SNES awhile back, and aside from the graphics, actual voice acting etc. The story was completely identical, heh but any rate. If your new to the series, or haven't played this particular one yet. So long as you don't mind fast paced platforming action, you will enjoy it, so Ys's not, eh?

I don't remember playing this game for 105 hours but I was still drinking in 2012 so it's hard to say.

I am going to start this game again now.