About this game
Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys is the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² exclusive entry in Falcom's celebrated action RPG series — a title distinct from the Super Famicom 'Ys IV: Mask of the Sun' released the same year, with a different story, different areas, and different content. Developed by Hudson Soft under license from Nihon Falcom, The Dawn of Ys takes full advantage of the CD-ROM² format: full-screen portrait art with lip-synched voice acting, a fully orchestrated arrangement of Falcom Sound Team JDK's compositions, and storytelling depth beyond what cartridge-based Ys releases offered. Red-haired adventurer Adol Christin investigates the continent of Celceta, a location that would later become the setting for Ys: Memories of Celceta.
Key Features
The Dawn of Ys uses the bumping combat system from earlier Ys entries — Adol attacks by running into enemies — combined with the visual and audio capabilities of the PC Engine CD-ROM². Full voice acting brings NPC characters to life across the adventure. The Super CD-ROM² format provides extended storage for the orchestrated soundtrack and cutscene art. The game explores Celceta, a region mentioned but unexplored in previous Ys titles, in a story that diverges substantially from the Super Famicom version released the same year.
The Story Behind
In 1993, Falcom licensed Ys IV to two different developers simultaneously — Hudson Soft for the PC Engine version and Tonkin House for the Super Famicom — resulting in two distinct games with the same overarching premise but different executions. The PC Engine version's use of the Super CD-ROM² format for voice acting and orchestration made it the more technically ambitious release; the format allowed a richness of presentation unavailable on cartridge. This situation — two officially licensed but divergent Ys IV experiences — remained unusual in the franchise until the 2012 Vita release Memories of Celceta revisited the same setting.
Tricks & Tales
Two entirely different games were released as Ys IV in 1993 — the PC Engine 'Dawn of Ys' by Hudson and the Super Famicom 'Mask of the Sun' by Tonkin House — representing an unusual situation where Falcom licensed the same IP to competing developers simultaneously. Neither version is considered 'canon' by Falcom; the events of Celceta were eventually retold from scratch in Ys: Memories of Celceta (2012). The PC Engine version's full voice acting was an exceptional feature for a 1993 action RPG, afforded by the Super CD-ROM² format.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Japan-exclusive PC Engine Super CD-ROM² release. No official Western release. Requires the Super CD-ROM² expansion to play. The game represents one of two simultaneously developed and released 'Ys IV' titles in 1993, the other being the Super Famicom version.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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