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Metareview: Etrian Odyssey
Here's the thing: the games Atlus USA sees fit to bring over tend to be love-it or hate-it propositions. Don't expect anything different with Etrian Odyssey. The RPG has collected the usual run of mixed reviews so far, but if you were looking forward to it, take heart and remember that the same lead dev behind Trauma Center headed up the Etrian Odyssey team, and if we learned anything from that title, it's that the best of all possible games tend to be brutally punishing. 1UP: 80% -- "Etrian Odyssey is old-school tough, but it's new-school fair. The maps are easy to make thanks to the simple, grid-based layout, and warp items and spells are easily accessible; their use is actively encouraged. The labyrinth is divided into several "strata," and each one has its own teleportation point. So, while it may be easy to get lost in the dungeon, it's almost impossible to get trapped ... Etrian Odyssey will definitely appeal more to the OCD'd than the ADD'd, and its punishing difficulty and very deliberate pacing may turn off younger gamers who grew up on flashier roleplayers. But it offers a real sense of wonder and a sense of accomplishment -- feelings missing from far too many modern games."GamePro: 60% -- "The first-person gameplay is effective when combined with the shiny new 3D graphics engine that renders the Labyrinth in rich detail, day or night. As you work your way downwards through the twists and turns of the Labyrinth, it really feels like you're lost in a maze. The novelty wears off, though, as you'll find your eyes glued to the 2D map rather than taking in the 3D world to plan your route and avoid roving enemies that pop up. Despite the detailed setting graphics, the character models are anime-styled 2D cutouts and enemies have no attack animations and only one wobble animation and a flash of light indicating that your attack hit them."Since we only have two reviews for you so far, we thought a bonus gameplay video might help you decide. Check it out after the jump!
Etrian Odyssey Age
Developer Atlus admits that it will have a tough time selling Etrian Odyssey to anyone who isn't already a fan of dungeon crawls or other niche genres. As great as a turn-based, first-person RPG might sound to some of you, it's rare for that kind of game to register even a blip on the radar of most gamers or gaming media.Atlus has been updating Etrian Odyssey's official site with promotional webcomics, the first of which proposes how the title can attach itself to current trends and elbow its way to the front of the crowd. Likening the game's dungeon crawl experience to Brain Age is a huge stretch, but we have to applaud the creative approach. See what we mean after the post break!
Yggdrasil Labyrinth gets new name, US release
Looks like the U.S. is about to see yet another RPG for the DS -- Yggdrasil Labyrinth, in development by Atlus, will hit the U.S. as Etrian Odyssey. Maybe they decided labyrinthine games weren't such a good idea after all.Etrian Odyssey is a first person RPG that puts you in the role of an explorer searching for riches and glory in the just-discovered labyrinth of -- you guessed it -- Etria. The touch screen features a customizable map, allowing you to track your own progress and mark spots that you find useful in your exploration. We half-wish they'd keep the original name. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is the tree that connects the nine worlds, including Midgard, the world of man. The name Midgard gets so much game love in various forms that it's about time Yggdrasil had a moment in the sun. Oh well. Etrian Odyssey is scheduled for release early next year in the U.S.More screens after the jump.
