Do you want to play Ys IX: Monstrum Nox with a friend? If so, your prayer has been answered! That is because Patch 1.1.2 has introduced local co-op mode to the game. It also features support for the 16:10 aspect ratio.
Battle Together
Developer PH3 GmbH has introduced the co-op mode feature to allow you and another person to play together in this epic action-adventure RPG. Before anything else, you have to enable the new feature in the settings menu. After that, the other person can join in by pressing the “Start” button.
Unlike Ys VIII where the co-op mode is only limited to combat, the second player in Ys IX is almost the same as the primary player in terms of capabilities. That player you’re playing with can also trigger certain events, pick up items, use Monstrum Gifts, open chests, and initiate dialogue. The only things that they cannot do are control the map and interact with menus.
Also, in Ys VIII, the switching of that character in the said mode is not only limited to you. If there are any unused characters in the party, you and your buddy can switch to them at any time without affecting each other.
While the ability to play with your friend is good and all, this is still an experimental feature, so expect some limitations. Here are the things that you need to bear in mind:
- You need two controllers to play in co-op (or one controller each for Steam remote play together), and it is not possible to rebind the controls for the second player.
- There is shared camera control, and while the co-op camera code does its best to keep both players on screen, this takes some getting used to and requires a different approach to camera control than in the single-player mode.
- The co-op mode is experimental, and in select situations, sequences of specific actions could lead to a softlock (e.g. triggering some device that closes doors with the character controlled by player 2, and then logging that player out).
According to Peter “Durante” Thoman, lead developer and co-founder of PH3 GmbH, he and his team have completed the game in co-op mode at Nightmare difficulty. Being a fan of local co-op in games himself, he believes that this feature is a great and enjoyable way to experience Ys IX: Monstrum Nox.
16:10 Aspect Ratio Support
Ys IX now fully supports the 16:10 aspect ratio. This is huge considering that Valve’s Steam Deck comes with a 16:10 screen.
So, what has changed? Previous versions of the game utilize letterboxing if you use aspect ratios narrower than 16:9. Now, all 3D scenes render at full resolution whether you use the 16:10 or 4:3 aspect ratio. You will no longer see those annoying black lines at the top and bottom portions of the screen.
Aside from the things mentioned above, this update implements bug fixes and other improvements as well. You can read everything about Patch 1.1.2 on the game’s official Steam page.
