'Etrian Mystery Dungeon' Review Roundup: Familiar Fun in New Package

Following its release last April 7, "Etrian Mystery Dungeon" for the Nintendo 3DS has been drawing rave reviews which describe it as a heavenly cross between "Etrian Odyssey" and "Mystery Dungeon."

The combination of the best features of the two games was highlighted by Gaming Age in its review. It said "Etrian Mystery Dungeon" is a "perfect blend of two different types of dungeon crawling games" in terms of design. In the new game, the ability to create maps and customize along with team members is meshed well with doing combat in turns, finding loot, encountering bosses and exploring the dungeons, the review noted.

However, it said "Etrian Mystery Dungeon" can be slow-paced in sections and frustrate players but it also manages to create "remarkably satisfying moments" which keep the gamers' interest alive.

ModVive described the game as an "RPG sent from above to save gamers from RPG despair." It credited Atlus for creating a game designed for those who are looking for an extra edge to their RPG experience.

The game has more difficult levels with chances of earning bigger rewards. It also has longer gameplay.

However, players are compelled to make big risks. If they fail during the rescue and fetch quests that litter the game, their inventory, half their money and even some of their equipment will be forfeited. The gamers will then find themselves back in the town where they started.

GameInformer dubbed the game as "randomized familiar fun," saying it keeps the "pure dungeon crawl alive and well on the 3DS."

It described "Etrian Mystery Dungeon" as a brand-new tactical version on Etrian Odyssey, with a number of rogue-like elements and unpredictability to boot. The review pointed out that the biggest difference in the gameplay stems from the "turn-based tactical combat" where players are only able to perform moves depending on the character they select.