Despite what it looks like, E3 is not the "Happiest Place on Earth"....or at least not the most energy-packed place. The first day is great, but by the second or third, it's not uncommon to see giant vats of coffee or cans of Red Bull scattered throughout every booth. It's a grind. This is why our appointment with XSEED was different.

In the midst of late-show, low-key, lower energy affairs, our handler for XSEED's series of Ys excitedly showed off what the series had to offer. It was easily the most enthusiastic presentation of the show for us, and it's great to see that enthusiasm carry over into Ys: The Oath in Felghana.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana's presentation is uniquely 16-bit. Though primarily done in 3D, texture work helps give the entire game a "retro-y" feel. Environmental details really stand out and every place you visit has its own distinct landmarks and other visual cues.

Music is fantastic and it's surprising how much voicework has been included in the game. Most of the game's story is left on the outer periphery, allowing gameplay to take center stage, though when you do talk to someone, there's a fair chance you'll get to hear them speak. Well, everyone except for Adol, who remains a silent protagonist throughout his entire adventure.

Like most games in the series, Ys: Oath in Felghana is a self-contained story. The only constant between releases is red-haired protagonist Adol finding ways to get sucked into adventures. This time, Adol accompanies his friend Dogi to his hometown for the first time in years. Dogi's return drops him into the middle of a series of mysterious disappearances and increased monster attacks on the village. Dogi decides to act as a hero, leaving Adol as the village's lone defender, spurring him into his own adventure.

At its core, Ys: Oath in Felghana is a hack-n-slash dungeon crawler. The experience is as straightforward as an RPG of this sort can get; there's one shop and not much in the way to inventory to get in the way. Instead, the focus is on blazing a trail through various dungeons while building up attack combos and collecting the occasional experience or stat boosts. Though these elements make Ys: Oath in Felghana a more accessible experience, they also come back to bite it on the other end - at least depending on your point of view.

For an RPG, Ys: Oath in Felghana is short (10 - 12 hours) and offers little in the way of customization. This will, in all likelihood, rile up hardcore RPG players who consider anything less than 50+ hours of gameplay heresy. On the other hand, RPG players without much time to invest will like the option for a shorter experience.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a hard game, so be prepared to die often, especially when facing off against the game's bigger bosses. Every boss fight offers a new challenge. They're tough, but every boss can be defeated with the right strategy. Figuring out how to topple bosses are easily some of the game's best moments.

Health potions are a random drop and you can't hold on to a ready supply. In all likelihood, when you do get a chance to heal, it'll be because you found a save point. These are just as rare a find as health potions.

After repeated deaths, the game offers to lower the difficulty. I both like and dislike the option. It's a great way to stem frustration and allow for progress. At the same time, having to admit you can't hack the difficulty is a knock to pride - or at least it was for me. I'm the sort who would rather put my head down and figure out a way around a particular challenge. However, I also recognize some people will just want to keep moving forward. Either way, it's a cool option.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana offers a different experience than other games in the series. The party system is gone and replaced with a solo-style adventure. This leads to a more action-oriented RPG based primarily around fast-paced, combo-focused attacks. In a crude sense, it's a bit like Diablo, though without the focus on switching out new types of equipment.

The only pieces of equipment you need to worry about are Adol's three magic bracelets, which allow Adol to perform a variety of attacks, as well as access new locations in each levels. Though the experience is incredibly linear, unlocking new paths in older areas adds a fun, Metroidvania approach. Exploration is one of my favorite aspects in games, and though I wasn't wide open, its still a better experience than the "straight line" approach used in other RPGs.

The one mechanic that is sure to give players fits is jumping. This is something that made more sense in the original version rather than the upgraded, isometric one. Really, it's a matter of judging where you'll actually land. It's not enough to K.O. the game entirely, though some later levels rely on accurate jumps, adding additional frustration to an already difficult game.

Ys: The Oath in Felghana is by no means a perfect game, but it's nothing RPG fans should ignore either. I loved the shorter, action-focused feel (even with the jumping) and anyone looking for the same will like what Ys: The Oath in Felghana has to offer.