You can now play the PS2 remake of Ys 3 in English

Fan translator Kaisaan released version 1.0 of an English patch for the 2005 PlayStation 2 remake of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys on August 8. The update translates all in-game text and menus into English using a new variable-width font.

I had Ys 3 for the TurboGrafx-CD. It wasn't reviewed well, but I loved it. The voice acting was incredibly cheesy, and the CD audio soundtrack was fantastic. I never played the PS2 port because I don't speak Japanese. Now that this patch is out, that excuse is gone.

The patch files are available to download for free. The team also translated the relevant in-game graphics, meaning you will not be staring at Japanese menus while trying to figure out your inventory. To get it running, players need to use DeltaPatcher to apply an .xdelta file to a legally dumped .bin file of the original Japanese game. The developer notes that the original disc image is roughly 557 MiB, and you might need to rename your .cue file to match the newly patched .bin file.

Side-scrolling like it is 1989

Nihon Falcom originally released Ys III: Wanderers from Ys in 1989 for Japanese computers like the PC-8801. It was a massive departure from the first two games. Instead of a top-down perspective and the series' famous bump combat, the third game switched to a 2D side-scrolling action platformer format. It felt closer to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link than a traditional Ys title.

The game eventually made its way to Western audiences in the early 1990s through ports on the Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and the TurboGrafx-CD. Those 16-bit versions are how most English-speaking players experienced the adventure.

In March 2005, publisher Taito released a dedicated PlayStation 2 remake in Japan. Taito handled several Falcom console ports during the PlayStation 2 era, including versions of Ys IV and Ys V. This version of Ys III kept the 2D side-scrolling gameplay but updated the presentation with pre-rendered 3D backgrounds, redrawn character art, and new musical arrangements.

Overshadowed by Felghana

Taito's remake never left Japan. The timing was incredibly unlucky. Later in 2005, Nihon Falcom released its own complete reimagining of the game called Ys: The Oath in Felghana for Windows. Falcom's version abandoned the side-scrolling entirely, moving the game into a fast-paced 3D isometric engine.

Because Oath in Felghana became the definitive modern version of the story, Taito's PS2 project was largely forgotten by international publishers. It sat untranslated for over two decades.

Kaisaan and a small team, including translator Josep and graphics editor Etokapa, finally closed that gap. This is the same group that previously built the English patch for the PS2 version of Ys V: Lost Kefin, Kingdom of Sand. With this release, another piece of Falcom's console history is fully playable in English.