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Ys IX: Monstrum Nox

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kaworu83 Jun 24, 2020 @ 1:24am
Sick of Adol
I usually like JRPG I tried to like the Ys franchise but I really can't stand Adol, I could if he only was the main character of one game but since he is in all of them I really can't wrap my head around him.

I mean how many times could you be involved in this kind of adventures? Once in a lifetime right? Apparently not for Adol, for him these are just like summer vacations are for normal people.
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Originally posted by Tiger the Great:
Your opinion has no validity not because as others try to suggest you're a troll. I don't think you are a troll but fact of the matter is that you should honestly get several of your facts straight.

One, outside the context of the game's universe, is that Adol is supposed to be the player. Not the player character, the avatar of the player him/herself. That's why he's (mostly) silent and any time he opens his mouth (with the exception of voiced quips in the games Seven-onward) what he says is being described rather than shown. You as a player are to imagine yourself saying the things that push the narrative forward. If Adol agrees upon a quest, you're supposed to, in your head, imagine yourself saying this with your own attitude... be it snarky, polite, witty, or outright rude. Therefore, if Adol sounds like he has no character to you... well, that speaks volumes on how YOU are. Adol has only as much character as your headcanon allows.

Two, within the context of the games, despite the narrative approach to the character, we can have a pretty good grasp of how people see him. Geis (Ys 6, 7) sees him as an annoying do-gooder meddling in his affairs at first, but comes over to entrust him with a very important and personal family matter. In Ys 7 he still sees him as an annoying do-gooder somewhat, but you can see there's chemistry in this rivalry. Up to the point that one girl in the party is outright annoyed that they decide to have a bout right then and there.

Several characters in the areas visited show nothing but distrust towards the redhead at first. But, throughout the relevant games, he manages to not only do away with their skepticism but work his butt off to get in their good graces. Guess nowadays being someone hardworking who doesn't moan about the initial attitude received but does his best to earn the trust and kindness of others is "not having a character".

Next, Adol's love life, or rather lack thereof. Sure, throughout the series, he rescues several women serving only as damsels in distress and they all swoon all over him in response but I never saw him reciprocating their affections. The one time I THINK an actual kiss happened was at the end of Ys 2, with Feena. It's of course open to interpretation but her sprite, facing the player, in my opinion clearly indicates she is in fact accepting a kiss. No other girl ever gets that treatment throughout the series. Sure, throughout Ys 2 you can pretty much spam giving flowers to everyone and girls will mostly swoon over Adol in response but one sees right through him and very clearly notices someone else is on his mind. That's another part of his character - loyalty to a single partner. Even though she just had no choice but to leave him behind.

As for him travelling all over the world getting into all these adventures, I remember from Ys 1 that he took after his father. A normal thing for a growing up boy to look up to the nearest male role model and follow in his footsteps.

As antagonists see him, I think that varies even within a single game. One character may be annoyed for whatever reason (such as Adol ignoring the bad guy's declaration of superiority and passing right next to him as if the bad guy didn't even stand there, leading to a funny rooification episode), others express regret post factum, others grateful, others deranged. However, it is all in response to his actions and the intent behind them. That speaks something of his character.

So, for Adol's character, we have: - idealistic approach to things, readiness to do hard work on all fronts, loyalty in terms of romantic life... and this neverending, unquenchable thirst for adventure that drives him constantly to new places.

That is quite a lot of character for a silent-protagonist-blank-slate.

Just because the character doesn't speak as much as Commander Shepard in a game doesn't mean he or she lacks personality. You can deduce it by what you see on-screen.

However, I don't blame you for not knowing all this. What you did wrong was express an opinion PRIOR to knowing all the facts. However, that's exactly what happens when you get into a series of games right in the middle and expect to make heads and tails of everything. Adol's adventures may be largely standalone (sometimes connections pop up way later), but still, there are benefits in experiencing them in a proper sequence.

I would honestly encourage you to get started in the beginning. If you want to play in storyline-chronological order, then I suggest replaying Origin after VI instead of prior to I, since there's a certain feeling of mystery in I and II that will be gone if you're fresh out of Origin first.

So, the order for you would be 1-2-4(Celceta)-3(Felghana)-5-8-6-Origin-7-9.

Admittedly, I haven't played through Lacrimosa much (I know, I should catch up, don't pick on me), so I don't know how it ties to the Black-Pearl-Black-Ark arc spanning 1-6-Origin, but getting to play through this main arc properly will give you a good idea of how Adol is by observing how the world around him reacts to him.

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Showing 1-15 of 139 comments
Ikagura Jun 24, 2020 @ 2:55am 
You're sick of the main character that appeared in like 9 games out of 10?

The entire series is about Adol's adventure (if you don't count Origin).

Also what's the problem with Adol, he doesn't talk that's a thing but people never had problems with Link or many silent protags.
#1
kaworu83 Jun 24, 2020 @ 3:30am 
Originally posted by Ikagura:
Also what's the problem with Adol, he doesn't talk that's a thing but people never had problems with Link or many silent protags.
That is the problem: he has zero charm for a main character in a game. He's not only silent he's more like a ghost, in my eyes even NPC from other games have more charisma than him, he is simply the most forgettable main character.
#2
Ikagura Jun 24, 2020 @ 3:56am 
Originally posted by kaworu83:
Originally posted by Ikagura:
Also what's the problem with Adol, he doesn't talk that's a thing but people never had problems with Link or many silent protags.
That is the problem: he has zero charm for a main character in a game. He's not only silent he's more like a ghost, in my eyes even NPC from other games have more charisma than him, he is simply the most forgettable main character.
He was made to be the player avatar I think.

Anyway I would rather have a silent one than a badly written one.
#3
Aletheia Jun 24, 2020 @ 8:38am 
Originally posted by kaworu83:
I usually like JRPG I tried to like the Ys franchise but I really can't stand Adol, I could if he only was the main character of one game but since he is in all of them I really can't wrap my head around him.

I mean how many times could you be involved in this kind of adventures? Once in a lifetime right? Apparently not for Adol, for him these are just like summer vacations are for normal people.
Adol is life.

Also, don't you know that Ys is about telling Adol's adventures by a scholar reading his diary right ? (Well, except for Ys Origin of course)
#4
essen Jun 25, 2020 @ 12:03am 
The series regularly points out that Adol is a "problem magnet" and doomed to be the "chosen one" from various prophecies wherever he goes. So I'm afraid you're going to see him for as long as the Ys series exists.

He's slowly started being more expressive though. More alive.
#5
Aura Enterpr//se Jun 25, 2020 @ 3:00am 
Originally posted by essen:
He's slowly started being more expressive though. More alive.
What do you mean? He has always been expressive... in measuring things... :mustafaisee:
#6
Ikagura Jun 25, 2020 @ 4:12am 
Originally posted by essen:
He's slowly started being more expressive though. More alive.
Yeah, I've noticed how in Seven, Celceta and Lacrimosa he began expressing more emotions, especially in Lacrimosa where Adol made a speech before the final boss
#7
Minneyar Jun 25, 2020 @ 5:58pm 
Adol is silent, but he hasn't been unexpressive for a long time. Aside from the love of adventure, he's also got a fascination with ancient ruins and cultures and a slightly mischievous personality. If you really want a dose of Adol, watch the Falcom Gakuen animated shorts -- while his personality is pretty exaggerated there for the sake of comedy, they definitely provide some insight into what Falcom is thinking when writing his character.
#8
Ikagura Jun 25, 2020 @ 6:04pm 
Originally posted by Minneyar:
Adol is silent, but he hasn't been unexpressive for a long time.
And it should honestly stay that way. If he begins to fluently talk it would feel weird...
#9
DJMatus Jul 8, 2020 @ 12:50am 
ADOL THE RED IS SICK OF YOUR Complaint! You cannot challenge the high priest when you have not been initiated, Adol has over 100 adventure journals , this is just the beginning for Adol.

Honestly Im getting sick of all these other characters,, they should just solo Adol again.
#10
MangorushZ Jul 14, 2020 @ 1:07am 
And I'm sick of whiners like you complaining, go find another game and move on if you're sick of same main character appearing in the majority of Ys games when the adventure is about him.
#11
kaworu83 Jul 14, 2020 @ 3:42am 
Originally posted by MangorushZ:
And I'm sick of whiners like you complaining, go find another game and move on if you're sick of same main character appearing in the majority of Ys games when the adventure is about him.
You don't have any rights telling me what to do. You could make a suggestion instead.
Why are all steam lvl 0 users inflaming trolls who don't even know how to be civil?
#12
Ikagura Jul 15, 2020 @ 4:31am 
Well the thing is that Falcom won't listen to one guy...
#13
kaworu83 Jul 15, 2020 @ 5:58am 
Originally posted by Ikagura:
Well the thing is that Falcom won't listen to one guy...
Well I don't care if they'll listen or not, just sharing my opinion.
It's like eating the same dish you neither like nor dislike at lunch and dinner for years. Won't you get sick of it? I think everyone will at some point.
#14
Ikagura Jul 15, 2020 @ 6:35am 
Originally posted by kaworu83:
Originally posted by Ikagura:
Well the thing is that Falcom won't listen to one guy...
Well I don't care if they'll listen or not, just sharing my opinion.
It's like eating the same dish you neither like nor dislike at lunch and dinner for years. Won't you get sick of it? I think everyone will at some point.
Opinions are useless most of the time.

I like Geis to the point where I want to see a spin-off centered on his adventure before or after Napishtim but I know that Falcom won't do this.
#15
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Date Posted: Jun 24, 2020 @ 1:24am
Posts: 139

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