Etrian Mystery Dungeon Reviews
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.
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.
If it does click for you, then you'll be playing Etrian Mystery Dungeon for a very long time to come.
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.
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.
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a punishing RPG that's difficult to put down thanks to a rich supply of loot and deep dungeons.
While mechanically sound, too many conveniences make Etrian Mystery Dungeon more mundane than it needs to be
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.
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.
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.
Neither a very good Etrian game nor a very good Mystery Dungeon game.
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.