Etrian Odyssey

No game can kill a weekend like an RPG. The never-ending battles, epic storylines and award-winning soundtracks make it one of the hardest games to put down – once you’re hooked.

For its first two years on Earth, Nintendo DS was not the best place to look for new RPGs. That’s changing now that the system has taken a huge lead in Japan, AKA the Land of the Rising Role-Playing Game. Many will cite Zelda, Pokemon and Dragon Quest IX as the most prominent titles either in development or on store shelves, but sequels aren’t all gamers have to anticipate. There is also a small mix of original properties headed to the DS, including the newly released Etrian Odyssey. A pseudo RPG / first-person explorer, Etrian Odyssey dares to compete with the trademark style of Nintendo DS’s fastest-selling game. Can you guess what it is?

Etrian Odyssey’s concept is split in two, half of which comes from other games and is very well executed. Up to five party members may be in your control at one time for a journey that looks like a first-person shooter (minus the gun) meets the world of Pokemon. Monsters are the bulk of your enemies, ranging from bug to beast. They come at random and, with the exception of boss battles and discovery zones, cannot be avoided. There are no visual cues hinting at the next attack – every engagement is purely random.

In dungeons the camera is a first-person three-dimensional take on grimy (but visually appealing) environments. In town and in battle the game is strictly old-school, menu-based clicking with minimal effects to entertain wandering eyes. On the up side, it’s unlikely that your eyes will have a chance to wander – or even want to, despite not having their attention held by bursts of color or polygons. Etrian Odyssey is like any relationship, personal or professional: if you don’t give it attention, it will die. At the start of the game you will learn about the hiring of party members and their different types, the way new quests are acquired, and the process for which progress must be tabulated (see “A Map Quest” later in this review for more) and delivered.

Landsknecht, one of the seven initial types of warriors you can command, is great for sword, axe, knife, dagger and other close weapon assaults. Survivalists are the opposite, opting for the long-ranged bow as their weapon of choice. Dark Hunters use whips, Medics can heal, Troubadours dance, Alchemists cast magic, and Protectors are another type that uses swords. Each warrior will be assigned to either the front or back of the battle formation. The strongest allies should go up front, regardless of the game’s recommendation to throw those that are presumably weaker (like Alchemists) in back. Characters are only as weak as the player, who will learn to heal and level up often. Fallen comrades can’t level up, so as your characters’ lives fluctuate in battle, you’re likely to end up with a party whose levels are not an exact match. In time, your Alchemist may be the most powerful ally you have.

Each type of warrior offers four different aesthetics for appearance customization. But it doesn’t really matter – Etrian Odyssey’s focus is on the enemies. The character selection screen is one of the few times when party members are actually visible.

The battle screen layout is the easiest part of the game, so enjoy this moment while it lasts. The average array of attack, defend, skill and item options available are similar (though not exact) to Pokemon. After attacking, the battles play out with a very primitive presentation. Most moves barely consist of more than a couple frames of animation. Some are essentially still images that are tossed around the screen to create the appearance of animation. Given the 3D capabilities of the DS, as well as the 3D exploration portions of the game, the developers must have intentionally chosen to keep the battles in line with Pokemon – that is, to make them as low-end as possible.

In a strange way that could only be felt by a Pokemon fan, the no-frills experience is appealing. I have a love-hate relationship with big-budget, polygon-packed RPGs. The spells look fantastic but usually take too long to cast. If there’s a skip function the game winds up feeling like a lousy point-and-click adventure (since that’s what you end up doing – point and click through every skirmish, taking no time to watch what’s going on). Etrian Odyssey’s graphics don’t run into either distraction. Certainly they could’ve added some polygonal bliss without going overboard. But I suppose that’s where the 3D dungeons came from.

A Map Quest

The other half of Etrian Odyssey is an original and interesting idea that requires a moment of thought: map building. As you move throughout each stage, the player is expected (and at times fully required) to draw lines, add stair icons, and paint walkways that outline every area that has been visited. The map is similar to what you get in the Castlevania games but must be created and perfected by the player. One space of movement counts as one square.

To note this on the map, you do not simply draw four adjoining lines – that would be confusing. You’d have squares everywhere without any direction. Instead, you need to scour the area and look for any corners or dead ends and draw lines that match those paths. If the map is not drawn properly, one of two consequences may occur, the first being that you cannot move forward in the game. That’s okay – just go back, reexamine the area, and get it right. Players who need to be forced to level up, regardless of how many times death knocks at their doors, will not be backtracking in vain. Leveling may be painful and undesirable in this game (and for some, in any RPG), but it will also mean that your party members will be stronger the next time a boss drops in for a game of player annihilation.

The second consequence is a bit more consequential. Etrian Odyssey’s frequent and extravagant monster encounters will force you to exit the dungeon more times than could ever be counted. I have never played an RPG where, only minutes after re-entering a dungeon that has already been visited multiple times, there was the need to leave quickly and buy additional health items or revive a fallen party member. It’s inescapable. Death is around every corner, and that’s why a flawed map will crush your spirits. Screwing up is one thing – a small flaw should be fixable.

But if you’re lazy and say, “I’ll map this later,” you will hate the day later comes. When your party is low on health and your inventory is running short on supplies, the only thing to do is run back to town. The monsters won’t suddenly back off because your team is weak. That’ll only make them attack more efficiently. Seriously – Pokemon is a great game, but most of its AI trainers are dummies, attacking at random, not with guidance. Etrian Odyssey’s monsters almost always attack your weakest party member to ensure that he or she is taken out. It’s infuriating! And refreshing. An RPG that actually makes the player fight? That’s practically unheard of.

Since all you can do is run, an exit strategy is a must. If your map is perfected, that won’t be a problem. But if it’s anything less, you may not make it out of the dungeon before your party is wiped out, at which point all achievements that have not been saved will be lost. (Map progress is the exception. You can save that post-death if you wish.) Truthfully you may not make it out anyway. There is a limit to how many health items can be held at one time and not enough dollars to ensure your inventory is always well stocked. You don’t gain money for winning battles – you gain monster carcasses. The bodies may be exchanged for loot, but it’s never enough. That, and the constant surprise of new and unforgiving enemies, will cause the “Game Over” screen to appear at an extremely high rate.

Whether this sounds enticing or tenacious, one question remains: is it fun to map your progress? The unfortunate answer is no. It’s more of a chore than anything else. If it weren’t necessary, I’d just stick to the battles. Besides, the Castlevania games (and several other titles) have been giving us free, pre-made maps for well over a decade. I’m never turned off by developers who attempt to do something different with the Nintendo DS’s touch screen. But there are some things that are better off left alone.

Etrian Odyssey is a good game that’s hard to recommend. The average RPG player will be turned off the difficulty, while hardcore gamers who welcome the challenge may be turned off by the repetitive map-making options. Everything you see here can be found in another game – except for the challenge, which is where this game draws its strength. For those in search of rough battles that could leave you in tears (and give you a reason to scratch the DS’s bottom screen that has nothing to do with gameplay), and for those who are willing to ignore the map-making monotony, Etrian Odyssey could be your favorite handheld game since Pokemon.

Gameplay: 7.2
Half turn-based RPG, half map-your-progress, Etrian Odyssey is a solid RPG with a few loose screws. The relentless, Pokemon-style battles are easier to learn than any RPG in recent memory but are more difficult to win than most games combined. Players will be amused by the 3D exploration style and feel satisfied whenever a tough enemy is defeated. On the down side, Etrian Odyssey is a highly repetitive game that forces you to map your progress with simple touch screen commands. Be sure to note that “simple” is not a synonym for fun.

Graphics: 6.0
The 3D first-person view is pretty attractive, more so than any stagnant screenshot can reveal. But the rest of the game comes straight from the land of Pokemon, a place where animations are brief and special effects are nonexistent.

Sound: 7.3
Etrian Odyssey has a good soundtrack, but there isn’t much to say about the sound effects (other than pointing out that a few of them sound exactly like Pokemon).

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
If the hardcore battles are any indication, Etrian Odyssey’s marketing plan must contain a demographic that states, “For the most ridiculously dedicated gamers on the planet.” Casual Pokemon players will die out in the first thirty minutes. Final Fantasy enthusiasts will cry, “It’s too difficult!” Dragon Quest fans – don’t even bother. Etrian Odyssey is tough. Very tough.

Concept: 7.0
While interesting as a DS game, Etrian Odyssey doesn’t provide any Earth-shattering gameplay elements that make it stand out as a DS exclusive. It’s a new kind of experience for the DS, but it is not a new experience for RPGs.

Overall: 7.1
Whether you’re newer to RPGs and the experience feels fresh or a veteran who just can’t get enough of the genre, Etrian Odyssey is best suited for gamers seeking an abundance of ultra-challenging Pokemon-style battles without a single Pocket Monster to speak of. Great for lengthy trips and humid summer days, Etrian Odyssey is a game that will win you over during this imbalanced season – but doesn’t necessarily have the staying power to guarantee further amusement when the crowded months of September, October, and November arrive.