Ys IX: Monstrum Nox comes to PC next year

(Image credit: NIS)

The ninth Ys game comes to Steam next year in the form of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox. Like its predecessor Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, it has a rather obnoxious name, but the new instalment otherwise looks like a refreshing departure.

Adol is still the protagonist, but this time he's adventuring in the city of Balduq, which the Steam page describes as "massive." To cut a long story short: Adol and his sidekick Dogi arrive in the city, Adol gets imprisoned (which is bad), then gets turned into a 'Monstrum' (which is good) thus granting him the power to fight off some unspecified threat from the Grimwald Nox dimension.

It's definitely a JRPG. Lacrimosa of Dana was a serviceable and cheerful action RPG, and it looks like the combat in this follow-up is much improved, with a wealth of new movement options.

The game releases some time in 2021 - check out the trailer below:

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.