Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
Explore an isolated island as Adol, rescue shipwreck survivors and build their village, while switching a three-character party's attack types and following the mystery of Dana in his dreams.
- AI score · out of 10
- 8.2 / 10
About this game
Shipwrecked Adol joins other survivors in establishing a village on an isolated island. Explore beyond the settlement, rescue fellow castaways and undertake requests from the village noticeboard. Depending on the quest, completing a request can provide rewards, alter village facilities or strengthen its interception battles. Adol's dreams introduce Dana, whose own playable sequences form another strand of the story. Combat uses a party of three, with character switching to match slash, strike or shooting attacks to enemies. Timed defence also changes your opportunities: Flash Guard nullifies an attack and temporarily grants critical hits, while Flash Move slows other movement after a successful evasion. Landing attacks replenishes the points used for skills.
Collected in series
Ys is Falcom’s action RPG series of unfamiliar lands, ancient mysteries and fast-moving battles. Most adventures follow the red-haired Adol as he meets new companions and uncovers the history beneath a place’s troubles. Combat changes between entries, but exploring a new region and moving confidently through danger remain central pleasures.
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AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
An island adventure for players who want action combat tied to a growing survivor settlement.
Matching attack types and timing defensive moves can keep combat focused on both party selection and execution. Village requests give exploration a communal purpose, while Dana's playable strand can add curiosity beyond immediate survival.
Strengths
- Attack-type switching and timed defence create distinct decisions within action combat.
- Quest-dependent village changes can make helping survivors feel connected to the wider adventure.
Weaknesses
- Players who prefer staying with one fighter may find enemy-dependent character switching less appealing.
Who it is for: Action-RPG players interested in reactive defence, party switching and a settlement woven into exploration.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Village requests provide a reason to connect excursions with settlement needs, especially when a quest changes facilities or defensive strength. | Reviewed | 8.3 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Matching a party member to an enemy and then timing a guard or evasion can reward attention to both preparation and immediate action. | Reviewed | 8.7 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Dana's appearances in Adol's dreams and her playable sequences can give the island-survival premise a parallel personal mystery. | Reviewed | 8.1 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension TV, tabletop and handheld support lets players choose between a shared display and portable setups according to where they play. | Reviewed | 7.0 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Nihon Falcom
- Publisher
- Nippon Ichi SoftwareFalcom
- Release date
- 2018
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Role-Playing · Primary genre
- Tags
- Level ProgressionLong-term ProgressionExplorationFantasyTurn-based CombatMain Story 20–50 Hours3D GraphicsThird PersonSolo-friendlyStory-driven
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- MultiplayerSingle playerCo-op
- Perspectives
- Third person
Release editions
- PlayStation 5WorldwideNov 15, 2022
- Nintendo SwitchWorldwide2018
Game gallery
Sources
- www.nintendo.comSource revision: 1
- www.nintendo.com