Etrian Odyssey

It's very well designed and the execution is highly polished; indeed, this is one of the best games I have played all year and it has been the default game in my DS since May when it was shipped - whenever I don't have another game that I need to play, Etrian Odyssey goes back in for more fun.

Whatever the sentiment, it is clear that Etrian Odyssey is a niche game that is sure to find the hearts of some and draw the ire of others.

Etrian Odyssey definitely isn't for everyone, but that's due to its genre rather than lack of quality. If you have a taste for brutal difficulty and don't mind a touch of level grinding now and then, you'll want to savor this game like a fine wine.

Those who can look beyond the basic presentation and steep difficulty curve will find Etrian Odyssey to be one of the lengthiest and most immersive role playing experiences on the DS to date.

This is not an action packed role playing game, with limit breaks, kamehamehas, and sixteen button combos during combat. This is a game of exploring a Labrynth and learning to survive it by strength and wit. Calling it well written is hard to do, as it has only the basic framework of a story, letting the player make it up on their own. But I do find it fun to play, completing quests, earning experience, and delving the depths of the Labrynth with my Landsknecht and team.

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.

All in all, it's hardly the perfect role-playing game, but wow is it fun while it lasts.

Makes you feel like a daring aventurer making progress, but at the expense of in-your-face thrills. [Aug 2007, p.63]

Be forewarned. Etrian Odyssey is tough.

The truth of the matter is that Etrian Odyssey’s punishing difficulty is actually the key to its addictive allure. [Aug 2007, p.118]

Get past the user unfriendly beginnings and you'll be chums for ages. [Aug 2008, p.81]

Etrian Odyssey is very much a love or hate affair. If you enjoyed the classic role-playing games of yore you'll probably going to love EO and its simple-yet-addictive battle system, extensive character customisation, and charming map-making features.

If you are looking for a game with a challenge then look no further. Etrian Odyssey will kill you and keep you coming back for more.

Etrian Odyssey is a turn-based role-playing game like any other, but it sports one heck of a mean streak to elevate it above the crowd.