Etrian Odyssey IV (3DS)

[Lady Jaye]

I'm surprised that there isn't any thread on this yet. I'm a huge fan of the EO series and I already preordered the game. The first print includes a soundtrack CD and a mini-artbook. I'll probably download the demo when it's out Thursday (apparently, your gameplay results in the demo can be transferred to the full game when it comes out on Feb. 26).

So, who's picking up a copy? I just love making those maps... :)

[IHatedSega]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfSTvsWVn38

Id love to delve into them, they look great for handheld games, really like the pastel colors.

[The Adventurer]

I'm trying to get into more RPGs with the 3DS, is it important to have played previous installments of this series to 'get' it?

I suppose I could just check out the demo when it comes out regardless...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfSTvsWVn38

Id love to delve into them, they look great for handheld games, really like the pastel colors.

Huh. Gameplay of III looks similar to Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (which I'm currently playing). Looks like Atlus is really into the first person dungeon crawl.

[IHatedSega]

Yeha, and those are the only fpdc games Id play really, because of the aesthetic and visuals. Too many D&D wannabes just look stupid unlike Atlus games.

3DS is probably going to be the better library for RPG's than the Wii U since Nintendo will let it take some "risks" with them being on there.

[Lady Jaye]

No, no need to have played previous titles in the series. In fact, for newcomers to EO, EOIV is the right game to start with, since it does include an "easy" mode (not that the game is any easier; it's just that instead of having to restart any unsaved part upon dying, you get to go back to the inn and save). Despite its prettiness, it's in its core an old-school dungeon crawler and the map-making feature on the touch screen is what makes it fun. Whenever you start a new floor in the game, no map is pre-drawn. You must create it as you explore.

To give an idea, I'm currently playing through EOIII on the DS, and my characters are level 43. I'm on the 12th floor, just beat a tough boss (which I couldn't kill when my characters were at level 40-41), and according to Gamefaqs, I'm only halfway through it. You do get your money's worth in terms of sheer number of gameplay hours.

[Lady Jaye]

And the demo is now available on the Nintendo eShop. :)

It lets you play up to level 10 and as stated previously, once the full game comes out, you can transfer your game data to continue playing.

I like the graphical changes -- they're subtle but nice. The only thing for which I have some minor qualms is the shop menu for weapons and armors; while in EOIII, all weapons and all armor items were regrouped into two long lists, now they're each separated into subcategories. That's not bad per se, but I wish there was an option to show only the items that a given character can equip, instead of scrolling endlessly throughout items that it can't.

[LordsOfSkulls]

I have 1-3.

They all stand alone, but Etrian Odyssey and Fire Emblem are two games i am looking forward to picking up.

Next month cant wait for Monster Hunter =)

[The Adventurer]

I've been playing the Etrian Odyssey IV demo, and I just want say the battle music is some of the catchiest I've ever heard.

Is the retail version going to come with a sound track?

[Lady Jaye]

Yes, the first print run will include a CD of rough drafts and outtakes instead of the in-game music, and a mini-artbook.