If I would have to sum up my current feelings with one gif, it would be this one:
So yes, I have completed
Ys Seven.
I'm not quite sure yet where I would place it in my personal Ys rankings, but probably not above Origins and Felghana.
There are a few things I didn't quite like all that much, but it's a very good game regardless.
I actually enjoyed the story a lot. It's no ground-breaking epic, but it does it's job, is very well executed with some very high highs (no doubt in part because it is supported by the stellar soundtrack) and has a cast of likeable characters.
Gameplay is very different from the previous 3D Ys. You now have a party of 3 and more expanded RPG systems. There is equipment and item crafting as well as skill learning and leveling. Very cool at first but it got a bit tiring at the end, especially since there are soo many skills, they are tied to weapons (use the skill to master it and then you can use it without the weapon, like in Xanadu Next) and money is tight.
Felt a bit like padding, I would have preferred less but more meaningful skills like in previous games.
The addition of Flash Guarding and dodge rolls makes combat faster and also more mashy. It's a ton of fun still, especially against bosses, which are again the highlight of the game. And the final boss delivered.
I wasn't a big fan of the increase in NPCs and NPC dialog. Made me dread reaching a new town after the halfway point. Yeah, you can just ignore them but Trails games have me conditioned to talk to every NPC twice after a story step. Dammit Falcom.
Also the soundtrack is amazing
Example.