After playing "Ys: The Vanished Omens" for about six hours, a PC Gamer author concluded that while the game isn't a masterpiece, its dungeon exploration is engaging and its atmosphere is comforting. He purchased the 2016 English re-release during the Steam Autumn Sale.
"Ys: The Vanished Omens" (also known as "Xanadu Next") is an action RPG developed by Nihon Falcom, originally designed for the Nokia N-Gage. It is related to "Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu," released in 1985. This title launched in 2005, with both the N-Gage version and the subsequent PC release available only in Japan.
The village serves as a hub for resting, upgrading, and trading. As players venture outward, they encounter light puzzles and combat, and must use keys purchased in town to unlock doors. The author felt that the combat and progression were somewhat repetitive, but the gradual discovery of how different areas connect kept him motivated to continue playing; he was also impressed by the contrast between the village's cheerful atmosphere and the game's underlying melancholy.
The author purchased the game during the Steam Autumn Sale, which offered a 70% discount. Although the Steam Deck store page listed the game as unsupported, he managed to play it by first running the standalone configuration tool and then applying a community controller layout. Due to incomplete controller support, some actions like equipping items still required the mouse.