Ys VIII screenshots introduce Hummel and Ricotta
Falcom has announced that Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana will release on PlayStation Vita on July 21 in Japan, while the PlayStation 4 version has been pushed to 2017. In addition, Falcom has detailed two more party characters for the game, Hummel and Ricotta.
Hummel is a mysterious 24-year old voyager who also seems to have washed up on Seiren Isle. He's dedicated to completing various contracts for his employers, but he refuses to divulge the details of his current job. He wields a bayonet.
Ricotta is a 12-year old native of the island familiar with the landscape and the history of the 'Ancients'. She is seemingly looking for her father and wields a mace.
Falcom also recently detailed some of the unique character abilities with new images, such as Adol's wide range abilities or Laxia's targeted tornado strikes. In addition, Flash Guard and Dodging return from Memories of Celceta, where well-timed dodges and guards can lead to critically hitting counter-strikes. All the screenshots and artwork are in the gallery here.
Update (March 17): Falcom has provided more screenshots for these characters, featuring their combat abilities. Hummel's attacks are of the piercing variety (like Laxia's) and his skills allow him to target enemies from afar. Ricotta's attacks are heavy (like Sahad's) and she can lay traps.
A handful of screens also showcase some of the traversal elements of the game. By finding Adventure tools as the player progresses through the game, the party will be able to explore more of the Seiren Isles. The grip gloves allow you to climb ivy, while the luminous stone lights up dark caves, and the gale feather increases dash speed.
