So I just realized why I care about Ys' story

[ghalion]

I made a post in the welcome thing awhile back here:
seldane.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=village&action=display&thread=6499&page=1

I think I discovered the answer to my own first question (which I cared about most). In summary, I asked if I was alone in thinking that Ys' storyline was more enjoyable than its objective depth...Something like that.

Ys is just an action adventure game with rpg elements pretty much, doesn't have rpg-tier dialogue or length or content. And the complexity of the story is really nothing unusual for such a game, but despite this, I really really enjoyed Ys origin, and Ys1 and 2 when I played them (which I'm currently re-playing now to refamiliarize myself with it).

Thing is I couldn't really figure out why other than that I really liked the goddesses for some reason. Sure they're pretty but no prettier than many pretty girl rpg characters, that's not it. Nor do they have an extensive amount of dialogue. BUT I just had a lightbulb moment about WHY I care about them so much, and what makes Ys0-2 so touching to me.

Countless games feature characters, gods, goddesses, heroes, etc talk about love, friendship, the power of them, teamwork. All that corny jazz. But now that I think of it, the two Ys Goddesses are quite probably the most BELIEVABLY non-corny deeply loving fictional characters I've ever had the joy of reading about. They don't waste time talking about the power of love or any of that nonsense, they just DO heart-touching loving things over and over again. Every major scene with them is rather emotional.

For this reason, Ys, despite having a standard-tier story for a game, has a story so important and moving to me. I like the games after Ys2 for their great gameplay (played oath of felghanna and ark of napishtim so far), but their stories just didn't move me the same as Ys0,1, and 2. It's kinda a downer for me that the series doesn't eventually lead back to the goddesses somehow, and Adol isn't really that fascinating a character to me either.

I know 100% that this is absolutely true for me, but I'm curious, how does everyone else feel about what I feel regarding the Ys goddesses, and how touching they are. (they better be touching to you or else! *shakes fist*).

[Ascended Mermaid]

Feena and that other one (I know her name, I'm just being nice) are kinda like the Aeris of Ys, minus the dying. With that said though, I would definitely recommend Ys Seven; it has a story with a little more depth from past titles, and I think it's pretty touching and amazing on its own. I agree that Yunica's story is definitely sweet because of her involvement with the goddesses. Granted, for some unknown reason I can't play with the new Steam translation, so I'm stuck with Doppi's patch (his patch of awesome +1!) until I figure out what's wrong with my Steam version. >.>

[cercia]

I completely agree about the 2 goddesses and the mysterious legacy of books I-II that I just can't explain. My enduring image is the Master System intro screen of Feena inside the winged golden emblem. I sort of understand the goddesses' background a little, but they set me wondering from the beginning, I had images of them living in a big Grecian temple surrounded by Arcadian fields.

Rhea Silvia, also known as Ilia, was the mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus who founded Rome. Rhea Silvia was always attended by Vestal Virgins. Feena might have been inspired by the rustic goddess Fauna who always had a male counterpart with her. Faveo, favere, "to favor, nurture," "because she nurtures all that is useful to living creatures."

The only reference to priests I could find was that they ruled the mythical island of Hy Brasil, and one of their books is on display at the Royal Irish Academy Library in Dublin.