Etrian Mystery Dungeon Reviews
Combining the maddening and dedicated labyrinths of Etrian Odyssey with Mystery Dungeon's ode to indifferent but committed variability would seem to be the videogame equivalent of pushing an immovable object against an unstoppable force. It's an attractive paradox, and, rather than explode on contact, both series' unique strengths coalesce into a grueling exploration of applied skill and tough love.
If it does click for you, then you'll be playing Etrian Mystery Dungeon for a very long time to come.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a good dungeon crawler with a few small annoying elements to it. For some those might all add up and cause a great deal of frustration, but for people who are able to put up with it and dig deep into the dungeons, there's fun to be had.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon provides a refreshing change of pace for Etrian Odyssey fans by infusing the dungeon-crawler with challenging elements from Spike Chunsoft's venerable Mystery Dungeon franchise. Unfortunately, some clunky controls and curious design decisions prevent this roguelike from reaching the greatest heights of the genre.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon has a few good twists on the roguelike formula but could have strived for a little more diversity in the dungeon experience. There were a few kinks in gameplay, which are minor issues they will hopefully fix. The classes are fun and diverse, allowing for interesting combinations. This is not a revolutionary title, but it will be a great experience for people unfamiliar with rogue-type games or for those who want an easier time of it. Purists may not be as happy with its challenges.
'Etrian Mystery Dungeon' really isn't a title that seemed as though it would work out: 'Etrian Odyssey' and 'Mystery Dungeon' are both very different types of games and blending them together just seemed off. However, the end result is a surprisingly great and addictive title for fans of both series alike. It's hard to tell if gamers outside the fandom will want to dive into this 3DS title, but the barrier of entry difficulty wise is low enough that most any RPG fan can jump in and have an enjoyable time, regardless of their knowledge of the series at hand.
Again I want to emphasise; Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a terrible Etrian Odyssey game, missing the point entirely in what an Etrian Odyssey game is meant to offer. But as a roguelike, it is such a clean, traditional example of the genre that I found it very difficult to put down.
What happens when you combine the roguelike with a traditional JRPG? Nothing good
For those willing to invest the effort and time, Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a phenomenal game that will challenge and reward you in equal measure.
There is no shortage of appeal to this game for those who can appreciate a classic dungeon crawler. Unfortunately for non-fans, there isn't much else on the table.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a solid game that conveys the strengths of both franchises involved. It has the tactical and brutal combat and exploration of Shiren the Wanderer and the character-building and style of Etrian Odyssey. Only a few things, like awkward AI design, hold back the game. The problems are annoying but can be reasonably worked past, especially once you understand the game mechanics. If you're a fan of both franchises, you'll find a lot to like here, and it's a great starting point for fans of one to get into the other. It doesn't break new ground for either franchise, but it's a simple, fun and addictive synthesis of both.
The enjoyment of Etrian Mystery Dungeon will be very much dependant on how much a player enjoys the core experience of repeated dungeon excursions. While every other aspect added to the game is well thought out, nothing else is particularly substantial. The city management aspect is very lightweight, the story is fairly simple, and there are little other elements beyond item and weapon management. In essence, it's a very pure experience, which might be very appealing to some players, while being far too repetitive for others.
This game is enjoyable, with mechanics that are easy to get the hang of. Unfortunately, the difficulty curve from tutorial to first mission seems excessive and was almost enough to deter me from the game entirely. Thankfully, after this mission, the difficulty curve seems less steep, allowing for enjoyment, especially as you work through dungeons multiple times to accomplish multiple quests. If grinding is something you don't enjoy, this game is not for you, but if you don't mind some as you work through the, sometimes barely differing, quests, this game will provide hours of fun.
While it offers enough familiar touchstones to appeal to fans of both Etrian Odyssey and Mystery Dungeon, EMD manages to establish its own distinct style... enough so that it should appeal to players who couldn't quite get into either of those franchises on their own. With tons of content and a similarly expansive level of challenge, it quite impressively sidesteps the tendency of Mystery Dungeon spinoffs to feel slight and insubstantial. Admittedly, there's no shortage of either Etrian or Mystery Dungeon games these days, but this combination of the two deserves a look on its own merits.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is not a game that I would recommend to everyone due to its occasionally high difficulty and style of gameplay.