Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island Image
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86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: Shiren the Wanderer and Koppa, his talking ferret partner, received a vision of a distant land and a girl in distress. It led them to the mysterious Serpentcoil Island.

    But they're not alone. Rumors speak of lost pirate gold hidden away within the depths of Serpentcoil Island, and a
    Shiren the Wanderer and Koppa, his talking ferret partner, received a vision of a distant land and a girl in distress. It led them to the mysterious Serpentcoil Island.

    But they're not alone. Rumors speak of lost pirate gold hidden away within the depths of Serpentcoil Island, and a powerful monster at its highest mountain peak, said to hold an exquisite treasure in its belly. Adventurers and warriors have flocked from all over the realm, eager for a chance at fortune.

    What is the connection between the mystery girl and the monster? What is the truth behind the secrets and treasures scattered throughout the island?

    A new adventure for Shiren and Koppa begins!
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Feb 13, 2025
    90
    Serpentcoil Island is easily, easily one of the best things I played 2024. In a just world, it would be on a lot of others’ lists as well.
  2. Feb 13, 2025
    90
    Overall, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is a worthy addition to the PC roguelike library. It offers a challenging and rewarding experience that will appeal to fans of the genre and, in all honestly, the biggest issue I have with this PC port is entirely down to the apparent lack of people playing it, which is hardly the fault of the game itself, which is excellent. Other than that, this PC port is well-executed, with slightly enhanced visuals over the Switch original and its bags of charm, depth, and replayability make it a must-try for any roguelike enthusiast. Whether you’re a seasoned Shiren veteran or a newcomer to the series, Serpentcoil Island is well, well worth a visit.
  3. Jan 7, 2025
    89
    Flexible, fun, and ferocious too, this roguelike has more than enough dungeon diving for everyone.
  4. Dec 11, 2024
    80
    Serpentcoil Island, for all its systems and quality-of-life features, can feel stale after a while. At the end of the day, this is a roguelike on the simpler side. If you’re like me and love meaty, dense, and complex systems in your roguelikes, this isn’t it. That said, it’s still fun and engaging when played in spurts. I praise the developers for making an accessible yet strategic roguelike because this subgenre often has a steep learning curve and barrier for entry. While I’ve beaten the game, I can tell that I’m going to do my routine 90% completion on this game, even after investing 20 hours. The post-game is the game.
  5. Dec 13, 2024
    80
    Instead of prodding the property along, The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island brings Shiren back to his roots, stripping away some of the intricacies of The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate. While this is a great place to start if you've somehow shunned the series, know that imprudently advancing through the game's dungeons provides a proper punishment.
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  1. More so than other games, my experience with Mystery Dungeon does feel like a case of the reviewer’s curse; the dreaded roguelike embargo. Played one run at a time as a cosy evening ritual, and the luster is going to stay on a lot longer. Still, that sense of fickleness - of having little agency how your runs turn out in the face of random drops - does feel like it’s baked in. Perhaps that’s the sticking point for me, having to deal with untameable chaos lurking underneath such inviting presentation. Perhaps I should let go and allow the winds of fate to carry me. It’s just not easy when they keep knocking me right back to the bottom of a mountain, and making me trust them again if I want to get back up.