Etrian Mystery Dungeon Reviews
It won't convert many new fans to either series but this is a successful mix of the best of both (minus the map-making) and whose new ideas deserve a future of their own.
While not as strong as a core Odyssey title, this blending of games succeeds in being challenging, lighthearted, and entertaining.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a punishing RPG that's difficult to put down thanks to a rich supply of loot and deep dungeons.
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.
If you're the type that wants to find and fight everything, Etrian Mystery Dungeon will keep you occupied for days and days. If you just need a quick fix here and there, it's a great five-minute excursion (or a few hours of digging down per trip). And if you like on-your-toes strategy, this will do you good. Really, if you like a deep experience with plenty of replay value in portable dungeon-crawling, this is about as good as it gets.
The more I played Etrian Mystery Dungeon the more I fell in love with it. While the learning curve is pretty steep and the rewards are fairly low-end early on, you really do get as much as you put in. It gives existing Mystery fans a lot to stick around for, and serves as a nice entry point for newcomers, so long as you are willing to learn.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is an enjoyable and fully featured dungeon crawler, with some great touches to keep you coming back time and time again. Though there are a few occasional niggles it combines the two franchises very successfully and that should see it find fans in both camps.
A beautiful marriage of the Mystery Dungeon and Etrian Odyssey franchises resulting in a brilliant and fun game.
Make no mistake: Etrian Mystery Dungeon is hardcore game. With every floor the difficulty and pressure increases, leading to a point to where only those with nerves of steel and the patience of a saint will do well. But as the difficulty scales, so does the enjoyment. Successfully crawling out of a dungeon is supremely rewarding.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a fun little strategy RPG that will surely satisfy gamers who enjoy mental taxation and heavy frustration on the go. The complicated gameplay harks back to the simple roots of the Mystery Dungeon series. The basic presentation may not interest gamers looking for a more flashy, visually stimulating experience such as "Xenoblade Chronicles," but it does offer a unique RPG experience that, once learned, can be just as engaging and stimulating as any of the top budget games on the 3DS. I recommend this game to anyone who can appreciate playing a long and thought provoking game of chess, even if it ends with you losing to your opponent.
There's a lot in this little 3DS game that can keep you busy for tons of hours. Just keep in mind, it is a difficult game and it doesn't apologize for it, but if you can get past the learning curve, it becomes a very rewarding experience that dungeon crawling fans will really enjoy – even if the AI can be dumb as bricks at times.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon continues the streak of great Etrian titles. The shake-up in gameplay doesn't rattle the game too much for die-hard fans and will give them exactly what they want, while giving people unfamiliar with the franchise, a good entry level introduction.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a tough as nails RPG which demands a good level of strategic thinking when tackling the adversities ahead. Featuring lush and beautiful environments and a majestic soundtrack, it's a fun and compelling experience for RPG fans who like going deep into their endeavours. Those who prefer a light-hearted approach should be careful though, as this game will not show any mercy.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you haven't played a dungeon-crawler title yet, start with this one. It never abates on the difficulty but simultaneously introduces mechanics and items that still make the title — and genre — accessible to first-time players. Plenty of love and care between the two development teams has been put into this title and, despite the smaller setbacks, it truly shines in the end product.
Wrapping Mystery Dungeon' time-tested gameplay in an evergreen Etrian aesthetic, Etrian Mystery Dungeon is another excellent RPG in the 3DS' already impressive lineup. It's not always a perfect mashup - the randomly generated Mystery dungeons aren't a patch on Etrian Odyssey's memorable mazes, and the elaborate skillsets feel better suited to menus than button mappings - but the masterful mix of addictive exploration, strategic combat, extensive customization, and a real sense of adventure remains engrossing throughout. Fans of either series - or anyone up for a challenging dungeon-crawl in a idyllic setting - will have a great time combing through these charming catacombs.
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 is almost confusing in its complexity beyond the first few dungeons, though seasoned RPG-ers will relish in this aspect. It's a game with few real faults, and well worth every penny.
Mix two servings of Chunsoft's Mystery Dungeon series with a heaping helping of Atlus' Etrian Odyssey series and you get Etrian Mystery Dungeon, a dungeon crawler offering deep dungeons and shallow gameplay.
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.