Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox locks Adol Christin right at the start into the prison city of Balduq, from which there is seemingly no escape - a single attempt to cross the walls costs him a hit from a mysterious projectile that knocks him to the ground before he even manages to get his bearings in the new surroundings. He soon discovers that the power of that blow cursed him and turns him into a so-called Monstrum - a being with superhuman abilities that races across the rooftops of Balduq at night and fights supernatural threats that emerge after dark in the streets and cellars of a city with a grim history as a prison for the empire's inconvenient inhabitants.

The ninth installment brought the series a more open, interconnected city instead of a chain of islands or separate towers, and a new emphasis on vertical movement - wall-running, short-range teleportation, and a double jump, all used for exploring Balduq as well as for combat and puzzles in the streets. The game was first released in September 2019 for PlayStation 4 in Japan, internationally a year later along with a PC version, making it one of the series' entries that debuted in the West relatively soon after its home platform. Xbox One and Switch versions arrived only in 2021, gradually expanding Ys IX to practically all relevant platforms of that generation and making it one of the most accessible and widely available entries in the entire series for new players. The story draws on an extensive cast of side characters called Monstrum, each with their own mini-story, motivation, and distinct set of movement abilities, with which the player gradually expands the accessible parts of the city and unlocks previously inaccessible rooftops, courtyards, and alleys of Balduq.

Why play it: Ys IX is one of the most accessible entry points into the series thanks to its compact yet richly detailed city and its fast, fluid combat system. It will be appreciated by players who enjoy exploring vertical environments and gradually unlocking new movement abilities.