is an action role-playing game

Action role-playing game

Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...

 developed by Nihon Falcom Corporation. It is the third game in the Ys series.

Ys III was initially released for the NEC PC-8801

NEC PC-8801

The NEC PC-8801 was an early Zilog Z80-based computer exclusively released in Japan, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88"....

 and NEC PC-9801 in 1989, and versions for the MSX 2 and Sharp X68000

Sharp X68000

The Sharp X68000, often referred to as the X68k, is a home computer released only in Japan by the Sharp Corporation. The first model was released in 1987, with a 10 MHz Motorola 68000 CPU, 1 MB of RAM and no hard drive; the last model was released in 1993 with a 25 MHz Motorola 68030...

 soon followed. In 1991, a number of console ports were produced: versions for the TurboGrafx-CD, Famicom

Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...

, Super NES

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...

, and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis

Sega Mega Drive

The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...

. A port for the PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

 was released by Taito Corporation

Taito Corporation

The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....

 in 2005.

The TurboGrafx-CD, Super NES, and Genesis versions, as well as the PSP version of the remake, Ys: The Oath in Felghana

Ys: The Oath in Felghana

is a Japanese Action RPG released in 2005 for Microsoft Windows by Nihon Falcom. It is a remake of the third game in the Ys series, Ys III: Wanderers from Ys. A PSP version was released on April 22, 2010 in Japan...

, have received official English-translated releases. In addition, the NES and MSX 2 versions have been fan-translated.

Plot

The opening scene informs the player that it has been three years since the events of Ys I

Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished

is the first installment of Ys, an action role-playing video game series developed by Falcom in 1987...

and Ys II. Adol Christin and his friend Dogi are on a journey to Dogi's hometown of Redmont. Upon arriving, they learn that the townspeople are being threatened by men from nearby Valestein Castle. Always ready for adventure, Adol decides to assume the task of helping them out.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Ys III is a sharp departure from the previous two games. Instead of the previously used top-down camera view, Ys III has become a side-scrolling platform-action styled game. The combat has also changed: the player must push a button to make Adol swing his sword and attack enemies.

The RPG-style statistics and experience system still exists in Ys III, however. A new addition to this area is the "ring" system: Adol can acquire and equip rings that provide special effects while equipped. A new attribute, "Ring Power", is consumed while rings are active.

Music

The soundtrack to the original version of Ys III was entirely composed by Mieko Ishikawa. The Sharp X68000 version of the game introduced a number of additional compositions, which were composed by Masaaki Kawai.

Falcom has released a number of music CDs dedicated to the music of Ys III. They include:

• Music from Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (1989): Soundtrack to the original NEC PC-8801 edition of Ys III, along with three tracks from the X68000 edition.
• Wanderers from Ys Super Arrange Version (1989): A collection of arranged tracks from Ys III by Hiroyuki Nanba and Atsushi Yokozeki.
• Ys III J.D.K. Special (1990): The complete soundtrack to the X68000 version of Ys III, along with four rock music
  Rock music
  Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
  
   arrangements from Falcom's J.D.K. Band.
• Perfect Collection Ys III (1990): A two-CD set entirely dedicated to Ys III. The first disc is a complete arrangement of the Ys III soundtrack, including the X68000-introduced tracks, by Ryo Yonemitsu (who was also responsible for arranging the TurboGrafx-CD version's Redbook audio tracks) and two others. The second disc contains additional Ys III arrangements in various musical styles.

To commemorate the release of the Ys III remake The Oath in Felghana in 2005 (see below), Falcom released Ys Premium Music CD Box in Felghana, a boxed set of all Ys III music CDs produced.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana

In 2005, Falcom released Ys: The Oath in Felghana for Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

, a heavily re-imagined remake of Ys III. The Oath in Felghana slightly modifies and greatly expands on the story of the original Ys III, and expands the dungeons to extend the gameplay time. The original side-scroller was also replaced with a 3D game engine, based on that used in Ys: The Ark of Napishtim

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim

is a Japanese Action RPG developed and published by the Nihon Falcom Corporation and the sixth installment in the Ys video game series. It was first released in 2003 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers...

.

In 2010, Falcom released a version of Ys: The Oath in Felghana for the PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Portable

The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...

, which Xseed Games

XSEED Games

XSEED redirects here. For the proposed supertall structure see X-Seed 4000.Xseed Games is a video game publisher and distributor founded by former members of Square Enix USA. Their goal is to bring high-quality interactive entertainment to the North American market...

officially released in English later the same year.