Nihon Falcom’s popular action role-playing game Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, will be releasing in the West sometime in 2021. It will be debuting for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with a PlayStation 5 release also theorized but not yet confirmed. The Western version of the title will support both English and Japanese audio tracks.
Ys is a popular series of Japan-created RPGs chronicling the adventures of Adol Christin, a young man who travels the world and has a knack for stumbling across (and into the middle of) exciting events and epic battles. Recently, the series has gained an enthusiastic, dedicated Western fanbase, which has both produced fan translations of earlier titles and led to official English-language releases of later installments.
An English release of Monstrum Nox is a highly requested but surprising decision, especially as the translation of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana received criticism and was generally considered to be subpar, requiring patches to fix several significant issues.
In Monstrum Nox, Adol and his companion Dogi make their way to the city of Balduq, only for Adol to be immediately arrested. While in prison, Adol is transformed into a Monstrum, an individual with supernatural powers and the ability to exorcise monsters. He is tasked to locate and team up with other individuals with Monstrum powers to learn the secrets of the city and fight threats emerging from the shadow dimension, Grimwald Nox.
Although no official release date has been announced, pre-orders are currently available for a limited edition of the game. This costs $99.99 and includes the following goodies:
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- “Monstrum Memoirs” mini-art booklet
- “Nails in the Coffin” hardcover art book
- “The Monstrums of Balduq” art card collection
- “The Lost Sword” prequel novel
- “Melodies of the Macabre” soundtrack sampler
- “Chains and Chansons” one-disc official soundtrack
- “Balduq’s Most Wanted” keychain set
- “Crimson King” chibi figurine
- Monstrum-themed game box
This limited edition can be obtained from the NIS America online store. Grab your copy while supplies last!
