As most people have already suspected, I am a hardcore gamer. I grew up in the time when video games were hard — like the Mega Man series. It’s only been in the past six to 10 years that the market known as “casual gaming” started gaining momentum. Previously, a medium that was too difficult for the average person — or mom — to get into was now as easily accessible as the local Olive Garden. No more “mysterious rites of passage” were necessary to be called a “gamer.” And then the Nintendo DS arrived on the scene, which provided gamers with a fair amount of games that relied heavily on the stylus thanks to Brain Age and many others like it. Add to the mix some more modern convinces, such as multiple save slots and much more forgiving gameplay. It’s no wonder that many of us have become “soft.” More than six months ago (back in 2008), Atlus decided to “punish” DS owners with Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard. Welcome to some peoples’ nightmares, folks.
Etrian Odyssey II follows a guild full of adventurers of your choosing. While they do not interact with each other, they share the same goal: to ascend the Labyrinth of Yggdrasil’s insides and find the castle in the clouds — and along the way help out the townsfolk with their various requests (along with the Duke). And sometimes you’ll run into different guilds, which helps fill in the story a bit. But really, that is all there is to the plot.
Thus, this means that Etrian II is a traditional first-person role-playing game, sort of like Eye of the Beholder or the Might and Magic series. There are long hallways that may or not lead to no-where, treasure chests that desire to be found, and certain spots that you can collect for plant items and minerals. There are a few things that separate this game from others like it. First of all, as each character gains experience in his/her class, they gain a skill point. These points are used to enhance the character’s stats and learn (plus power-up) skills. This leads us to what made Diablo II so difficult (and fun): Where do I put my skill points? Do I focus on increasing stats or a skill, or do I go for harvesting skills so I can gain some capital to purchase more equipment? And I love the fact that certain classes play off of other classes. For example, the Hexer is your basic debuffer, but he also can inflict status effects. So take your War Magus, and she’ll be able to use that inflicted status effect to induce ANOTHER status effect on the monster.
However, the best part is the map system. YOU create the map. Yep, it is your responsibility to use the touchscreen to map everything. It’s wonderfully intuitive and oddly fun because it’s the main lure of the game. Record those walls, drag a door symbol onto the map to remind you that it is there, place star symbols to record places of interest (such as where you can cull items). Arrows can be placed to symbolize if you are forced to move a certain way or a hidden passage. There’s no way to become lost unless you do not fill in the map. Of course, for what reason would you not want to?
Be warned, though, as each floor is a home for various FOEs (I have no clue what it stands for. My best guess is “First Order Enemy”). This is not a good thing as they are more potent than your average opponent and can destroy inexperienced adventurers in seconds. Heck, even experienced adventurers will have some trouble taking those bad boys down. Plus, they can and will join you in battle as they wander around the map. Some will hunt you down, while others follow a specific pattern. This leads us right into the proverbial noose, which tightens as your characters level; resurrections at the local hospital and recovering at the inn increase in cost as levels rise. Each step you take leads you to your characters’ salvation — and to their deaths. Having the proper party for each situation can give you some breathing room. However, not much breathing room is given at any given time.
Graphically, the game is rather nice to look at. It has the feel of a high-end SNES game. Things are bright and colorful. Scrolling (movement) is rather smooth, though you might not see the wall in the distance. Then BAM! You see it two squares ahead of it. It’s not a bad system, just a little unrefined — sort of like those old-school dungeon crawlers previously mentioned. In combat, you’ll never see a character actually hit an enemy. Nope, the game is far too “old school” for that. Instead, you’ll watch some nice special effects for the different spells and the monster’s portrait flash to indicate an attack. It’s basic, and it works. Yet, if this game was on a stronger system, more graphics would be required, such as sword swings and casting motions and shields.
Audio wise, everything is basic: The class of swords, the burns of fire, electricity of thunder, gunshots, arrows and the shattering of ice. The music, on the other hand, is much more mood-based — the upbeat synth music of the town with its light marching beat. There is the mysterious exploration music that begins with a harpsichord. And how can I forget the dizzying battle music when confronting an FOE? You may not be humming it well after you are done playing, but it feels odd when you do not hear it. It perfectly complements whatever you are currently doing.
Overall, Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard is not a game for everyone. This is a hardcore RPG. I have been playing this game off and on for the past two weeks. And I barely have a foot in the third floor. It drives me nuts whenever a character dies because I hate spending the extra 50-odd en (world’s currency) or so to bring him back; that’s money that I could have spent on stronger equipment or something else completely. There are a bunch of little things that I can think of to help make things a bit easier (such as creating my own group “types” in the Explorer’s Guild).
If the ideas presented in this article interest you, be certain to read Soapy’s review on the original game. Also, be certain to rent it. And if you do go out to find a copy, I wish you good luck. I’ve searched all three GameStop’s in my town, and I found it in different town an hour and 20 minutes away. Remember, folks, it is a fun game. But it is also exceedingly tough. Only the most patient and brave need apply.
