Ys 10: Nordics features an Affinity system just like Lacrimosa of Dana and Monstrum Nox. Nordics was published by Nippon Ichi Software America, which is headquartered in Santa Ana, California. Interacting with other key characters increases this Affinity, which also makes their support abilities stronger and more effective. This also unlocks additional scenes with the characters, known in Nordics as Interludes. But how do you increase a character’s Affinity?
Story Progression
Affinity is a signifier of how close Adol is to another character. As it increases, they’re able to be more helpful to Adol and Karja. The simplest way to increase a character’s Affinity is to progress through Nordics’ story. Some story events will increase characters’ Affinity just by reaching them. Other story events will also unlock Character Notes.
Side Quests
Like in both Lacrimosa of Dana and Monstrum Nox, completing side quests for key characters can also increase their Affinity. Some of these quests are available on the Sandras, while others can be found on the islands scattered around Obelia Gulf. Also like in Lacrimosa of Dana and Monstrum Nox, some quests are only available for a certain amount of time. Completing these quests also raises Adol and Karja’s Contribution Value, which seems to function much like the Reputation system in Lacrimosa of Dana. Side quests become available in Chapter 3.
Presents
Also like in Lacrimosa of Dana and Monstrum Nox, key characters in Nordics can be given presents. While sailing on the Sandras, presents can be given to the ship’s crew from the Action Menu. This will trigger a scene with that character. Presents can be found in chests or purchased from merchant ships. In another similarity to Lacrimosa of Dana and Monstrum Nox, the icons for these presents are color-coded. Presents for male characters have blue ribbons on their icons, while presents for female characters have pink ribbons on their icons. Like side quests, presents also become available in Chapter 3.
Final Thoughts
Ys 10: Nordics has a lot in common with Lacrimosa of Dana and Monstrum Nox, and this includes the Affinity system. It’s a handy way to tie the narrative and mechanics together – Adol’s kindness drives him to help and interact with everyone he meets, and the mechanical rewards can be the player’s incentive to do so. In Lacrimosa of Dana’s raids and Monstrum Nox’s Grimwald Noxes, this mechanical reward was very helpful in supporting the party to fend off the attacking monsters. Affinity in Nordics similarly increases characters’ ability to help Adol and Karja, as it makes their abilities on the Sandras stronger or more effective.
We’re really enjoying Nordics so far, between its energetic combat, its enjoyable music, and its engaging character writing. While the combat is markedly different from that of Lacrimosa of Dana or Monstrum Nox, it suits the story and makes for an interesting and unique challenge. Its soundtrack continues to show its influences from the previous two games, and the character writing has been strong so far. Stay tuned for the upcoming full review, as well as all ongoing coverage of the game.
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