Personally, I wish more game serieses wouldn't try to change things so quickly. Or at least the good ones. Too many great games get sequals that have nothing to do with the original. At least Japan got the real SMB2(so did my hometown, but thats another story ). I'm still waiting for a faithful sequal to Phantasy Star and an Ys style Ys III.
Ys 3 in Ys style? Look no further the Oath in Felghana, released in the summer of 06. Beautiful game, beautiful music, & there's an english patch coming soon! I can't praise the game enough, as it rules! Though, I think now, Ys Origins is my favorite Ys. Yeah, the 3 latest Ys aren't bump n' grind like 1, 2, & 4. But, they're as close as you'll get to the original gameplay, while being being made in this day & age. I HIGHLY recomend them!
I mean a real Ys style Ys III. Like 1, 2 & 4 PCE, not that 3D garbage.
I just got the PS2 Ys III last night, I'm hoping its as faithful as its been made out to be.
3D? Ark of Napishtim, Oath in Felghana, & Origin may use polygons, but, the games aren't 3D. It's still a 2D series, just with updated graphics, & even the characters are 2D sprites, atleast, in the PC versions that is. It's not like comparing the old Zelda's to Ocarina of Time, when it went 3D, cuz THAT's 3D. I used to think the same thing, when Ark of Napishtim originally came out for PC years ago, so I wasn't interested in it. But, when I heard it was announced for PS2, I started doing more research, & played a demo, & was very happy! It feels like Ys on steroids, it's classic gameplay, minus the bump n' grind. It's all old school, hence, one of the reasons they just don't do well in this world that's obsessed with 3D games. People these days, atleast in the States, want games that are overly complicated, & 3D, & whatever. Don't get me wrong, there are 2D games, that do well in the US, but, they're few & far between. You should try out Oath in Felghana sometime, it's truly a thing of beauty, it rights, everything that was wrong with Ys 3(& I personally like Ys 3, but, Oath just plain rules!).