Polygon spent the week reminding everyone that Ys Origin is the cult JRPG holdover that should have been on more lists by now. Square Enix’s Adventures of Elliot is the Zelda-like everyone’s actually waiting for, and the wait is months long. Until then, Origin is the obvious entry point into Falcom’s catalogue. If you’ve finished it, these are the seven Ys Origin alternatives on Steam we’d play next.
The picks lean toward action JRPGs with the same loop Origin nails: tight combat, lean storytelling, generous music, and a runtime that respects a working person’s schedule.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Price (approx.) | Ys Origin similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA | Best modern entry in the series | ~$60 | Very high |
| Ys: The Oath in Felghana | Sister-game pacing and combat | ~$15 | Very high |
| Astlibra Revision | Solo-dev action JRPG, surprise hit | ~$25 | High |
| Trails in the Sky | Falcom’s slower, story-first sibling | ~$20 | Medium |
| Bastion | Top-down action with narration | ~$15 | Medium |
| Hades | Roguelike action with JRPG writing | ~$25 | Medium |
| Nayuta: Boundless Trails | Underplayed Falcom action JRPG | ~$40 | High |
Why Ys Origin runs out
Origin is a 15-hour action JRPG with three playable characters and three angles on the same Devil’s Tower. Reasons players move on:
- The runtime is short. Three characters times five hours is a clean weekend.
- The story is contained. Origin is a prequel; the broader Ys arc plays out in different games.
- The translation is dated. XSEED’s port shows its age in places.
- The art is intentionally retro. Players who came in for modern JRPG visuals look elsewhere quickly.
The list below assumes you finished at least one of the three character routes and want the next thing.
The 7 best Ys Origin alternatives on PC
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA — best modern entry
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is the consensus best entry point to modern Ys, and the closest Falcom has come to a 50-hour JRPG with action combat as snappy as Origin’s. The Seiren island setup gives the game permission to be open-world without sprawling, and the dual protagonists keep the story moving on two fronts.
Where it falls short: The PC port had a difficult launch and was repatched; the engine quirks linger. Long mid-game stretch around the village-building beats can lag.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase, deep sale discounts
- vs Ys Origin: Bigger party, more content, costlier
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The right next stop after Origin.
Ys: The Oath in Felghana — best sister-game
Ys: The Oath in Felghana is the closest mechanical sibling to Origin in the catalogue. Same engine pedigree, similar tower-climb structure, leaner runtime. Adol Christin is the focus character; expect the same skill-and-jump pattern recognition.
Where it falls short: Older even than Origin in places. No co-op or modern conveniences.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase, often discounted
- vs Ys Origin: Shorter still, sharper boss fights
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The first game to buy if you only liked one Origin character’s combat.
Astlibra Revision — best solo-dev action JRPG
Astlibra Revision is the multi-year solo project that broke containment on Steam in 2022 and still has one of the strongest word-of-mouth pipelines in the indie JRPG bracket. Side-scrolling action combat, a familiar XP-and-equipment loop, and a story that earns its emotional beats.
Where it falls short: UI shows the seams of a long development cycle. The English translation occasionally needs a second read.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase, very generous price for length
- vs Ys Origin: Longer (around 40 hours), side-scrolling instead of top-down
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The hidden gem most Origin players haven’t tried yet.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky — best Falcom story
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is the Falcom catalogue’s story-first sibling. Turn-based rather than action, but the worldbuilding density is unmatched in the catalogue and the Trails saga that follows runs hundreds of hours if you choose to commit.
Where it falls short: Slow opening hours that ask patience. Turn-based combat is the genre swap away from Origin’s reflex play.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase
- vs Ys Origin: Different combat genre, much longer
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The right pick for Origin players who came for the world more than the action.
Bastion — best narrator-driven top-down action
Bastion is Supergiant’s first game and the closest Western analogue to Origin’s loop: a single hero, top-down combat, sharp art direction, and Darren Korb’s music. The narrator gimmick still works.
Where it falls short: Short by Origin standards (around 6 hours). No depth of build customization.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase
- vs Ys Origin: Faster pace, much shorter
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The cleanest pickup-and-finish session on the list.
Hades — best roguelike substitute
Hades turns Supergiant’s action chops into a roguelike, and the JRPG writing the studio brought to Bastion got even better with Greek myth as the canvas. Each run is short, each death advances the story, and the boons system gives action JRPG fans the build variety Origin’s straight runs don’t.
Where it falls short: Different genre — runs end. Long-term progression is less satisfying for players who want Origin’s clean curve.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase, on sale frequently
- vs Ys Origin: Roguelike loop, modern art
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The friendliest entry on the list for players who don’t usually finish JRPGs.
Nayuta: Boundless Trails — best underplayed Falcom
Nayuta: Boundless Trails is the Falcom action JRPG most Western players never bought, and the PC release finally gave it a wider audience. The structure is closer to Origin than the Trails games — stage-based action with a town hub and growing skill list.
Where it falls short: Smaller scale than Ys VIII. Late content is unlocked through new-game-plus, which not everyone wants to commit to.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: One-time purchase
- vs Ys Origin: Same studio, slightly different structure, similar length
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Required reading for completionist Falcom fans.
How to choose
- Pick Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA if you want the obvious next step
- Pick Ys: The Oath in Felghana if you want the same combat in a smaller package
- Pick Astlibra Revision if you want a 40-hour hidden gem
- Pick Trails in the Sky if Falcom worldbuilding matters more than combat
- Pick Bastion if you want a finished story by the end of the weekend
- Pick Hades if you want a roguelike with JRPG writing
- Pick Nayuta: Boundless Trails if you want the deepest Falcom cut
- Wait for Adventures of Elliot if you only want Zelda-style and have months to spare
FAQ
What is the closest game to Ys Origin? Ys: The Oath in Felghana is the closest sister-game in mechanics; Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA is the closest modern entry in the series.
Should newcomers play Ys Origin or Ys VIII first? Origin is the cheaper, shorter starting point that respects newcomers. Ys VIII is the better modern showcase if you have time.
Are there free Ys-like games on PC? Astlibra Revision is closest in spirit, though it’s paid. Free options in this niche tend to be solo projects on itch.io.
Is Ys Origin worth playing in 2026? Yes. It runs cleanly on modern hardware, the combat still holds up, and the three-character structure makes for one of the best repeat-play loops in the catalogue.
What’s a good Ys Origin alternative for Steam Deck? Astlibra Revision and Hades both play perfectly on Steam Deck. Ys VIII works with controller tweaks; Origin itself is Steam Deck Verified.
