"Far off in the mountains, the small village Aslarga becomes a hub for adventurers looking for fame and fortune from the Mystery Dungeons. But dire challenges await even the most stalwart adventurers in Etrian Mystery Dungeon, a turn-based action RPG roguelike developed by ATLUS and Spike Chunsoft. The Nintendo 3DS exclusive mixes Etrian Odyssey’s vast RPG party and skill customization aspects, and Mystery Dungeon’s infinitely random dungeon adventures. The action/turn based combat means that battling monsters is not just about using the right skills, but becomes an elegant Pas de Quatre of strategic positioning. Players form their parties with familiar Etrian Odyssey classes, customize individuals using Etrian-style skill trees, and then take up to four members into the dungeons. Always randomized with various levels and paths, the dungeons require plenty of exploration, not to mention the incredible loot rewards -- just be wary of what waits among the deepest depths."
Reviews View More
Then, a good ways into one of the game's dungeons, my party died. I did the only natural thing to do and restarted the game to load my previous save. I then learned how cruel/punishing the game is with its autosaves. Upon loading my game, I found that the game had removed all my items, money, and equipment that I had worked so hard to obtain. It was at this point that I realized the game's chill was a mere facade.
This was actually a terrifyingly, threateningly cruel game that I should be afraid of playing. The difficulty crept as optimized movement and party awareness became a requirement. Previous dungeons were farmed and re-farmed to replenish my supply of consumables that can only be obtained in dungeons which I desperately needed to survive wave upon wave of monster houses, large explosion traps, teleport traps, cursed items, and ailment after ailment.
...Then I learned how to break the game and it became chill again.