Ys IX: Monstrum Nox arrives on Nintendo Switch and PC

It already released for PlayStation 4 this February, but ports take time.

Starting today, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is available to enjoy on Nintendo Switch and PC, courtesy of publisher NIS America. You'll find it on both the Steam and GOG stores, should you care to look, plus it is available for Stadia.

Developed as usual by Nihon Falcom, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is the ninth proper installment in a series we last enjoyed in the form of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA. The franchise itself dates back to 1987, when Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished arrived on a whole host of platforms and established the series as one of the industry's favorite alternatives to The Legend of Zelda.

As Ys IX: Monstrum Nox opens, Adol and his traveling companion Dogi arrive at the annexed city of Balduq, where Adol is greeted with abrupt imprisonment. Behind bars, he meets a mysterious woman named Aprilis who imbues him with supernatural Gifts and the power to exorcise monsters.

As a freshly minted Monstrum, Adol and others of his kind must deal with monsters arriving from the shadowy dimension of Grimwald Nox. There's also the matter of an associated curse, plus Adol would kind of like to figure out what has caused the unrest within Balduq and maybe even leave a free man.

Key game features include:

• Feared Protectors — Play as any of the six notorious Monstrums, each with their own unique Gifts that grant abilities such as scaling sheer walls or detecting hidden objects to protect the city from shadowy creatures.


• The World Within the Walls — Explore the massive city, accept quests to aid the townsfolk, and enter the Grimwald Nox to vanquish the threats to Balduq.


• Strength of the Night — Familiar mechanics such as Flash Dodge and Flash Guard allow you to outmaneuver your foes, while new additions such as Gifts and Boost Mode further augment your ability to fight.

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Staff article by Jason Venter (July 06, 2021) Jason Venter has been playing games for 30 years, since discovering the Apple IIe version of Mario Bros. in his elementary school days. Now he writes about them, here at HonestGamers and also at other sites that agree to pay him for his words.