The embodiment of adventure and discovery in the purest sense, EOIII transports gamers to a sparkling oceanic paradise filled with atmospheric dungeons to chart and survey, vast watery expanses to sail across, and rumors of a sunken city to investigate. With an entirely new host of character classes to customize and train, the addition of naval travel and exploration, and the unprecedented introduction of cooperative local multiplayer content, EOIII isn’t content to simply continue the series; it seeks to redefine it.
Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City is a turn-based role-playing game (RPG) for DS and DSi that places the player in command of a band of adventurers on an ongoing quest to return their city to its once great status. The third release in the Etrian Odyssey franchise, the game features five character party combat, 5-player local wireless multiplayer support, a large number of character classes, the ability to explore and battle from sea vessels, customizable maps and three possible game endings.
Beneath Your Feet Lies a World Lost to the Seas…
The embodiment of adventure and discovery in the purest sense, Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City (EOIII) transports gamers to a sparkling oceanic paradise filled with atmospheric dungeons to chart and survey, vast watery expanses to sail across, and rumors of a sunken city to investigate. With an entirely new host of character classes to customize and train, the addition of naval travel and exploration, and the unprecedented introduction of cooperative local multiplayer content, EOIII isn’t content to simply continue the series; it seeks to redefine it.
Gameplay
As with earlier releases in the series, EOIII is an RPG designed primarily around dungeon crawling and turn-based party combat. In single player action the player acts as leader a new crew of up to five adventurers, which must be created. In the local multiplayer mode each player occupies one of these five spots. The game contains many character classes, including but not limited to Prince, Gladiator, Hoplite, Buccaneer, Ninja, Monk, Zodiac, Wildling, Arbalist and Farmer. Each of these have their own strengths and weaknesses, which should be taken into account when a team is assembled. Each member of a class can can also be identified as male or female. Once assembled this team can start exploration of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, where monsters dwell.
Within the Labyrinth players are guided by a map, which can be customized with points of interest, directions, etc. using the DS stylus. Once monsters are encountered, turn-based combat begins, with the five party members arrayed in a line of three in front and two in back, or vice versa, and with support/healing as well as ranged attacks possible from the rear. If a character in the vanguard falls, one from behind assumes that position on the line. Players dictate in advance how individual characters respond in combat, and with victory in combat can use the individual skill points characters earn to level up specific abilities and attributes. An additional new feature allows for players to take to the high seas. Here they can explore, fish and battle new monsters for as long as provisions are available for the crew.Key Game Features
- Create Your Unique Team – A system of 10 new classes and a wealth of proprietary skills make developing the optimal party absorbing, tactical, and rewarding. Will you invest in sword mastery or learn a new healing spell?
- Live and Die By Your Map(-making) – When danger lurks around every corner, it is imperative to keep track of where you have been and what you found there. The streamlined map maker lets you draw paths, paint in terrain, and drag and drop icons.
- Adventure in the High Seas – The ocean becomes a new stage for exploration. Sail your ship, chart the ocean map, sink enemy vessels, and take on seagoing foes.
- Replay Value – Play again and again as you pursue each of the game’s three possible endings.
- Wirelessly Share with Friends – Up to 5 friends can team up in special combat challenges over a local wireless connection to take down the toughest monsters living in the ocean. Additional options let you wirelessly trade items.
Additional Screenshots
5 player support.
View larger. |
A wealth of character classes.
View larger. |
Turn-based party combat.
View larger. |
New seagoing action.
View larger. |
- Up to 5 friends can team up in special combat challenges over a local wireless connection to take down the toughest monsters living in the ocean. Additional options let you wirelessly trade items
- A system of 10 new classes and a wealth of proprietary skills make developing the optimal party absorbing, tactical, and rewarding
- When danger lurks around every corner, it is imperative to keep track of where you have been and what you found there. The streamlined map maker lets you draw paths, paint in terrain, and drag and drop icons
- The ocean becomes a new stage for exploration. Sail your ship, chart the ocean map, sink enemy vessels, and take on seagoing foes
- Play again and again as you pursue each of the game’s three possible endings
List Price: $ 29.99
Price: $ 29.99
Great RPG for fans of the series and anyone who’s hardcore!,
If you’re already familiar with the Etrian Odyssey series and fan of the first two entries, stop reading now. This is the best entry in the series by far, and you should go out and buy this immediately.
For those who are new to this series or genre, it’ll take a little thought on your part to determine if this is a game you’ll enjoy. If you’re the right kind of gamer for this game, however, I can just about guarantee that you’ll absolutely LOVE this game.
Etrian Odyssey III is primarily a first person dungeon crawling RPG. It’s got a bare-bones story that pushes you to create your own plots and stories as you play. The story overall is pretty involved and you’ll meet a lot of interesting characters, but all the characters that you play are entirely of your own creation (from name to job to portait). To maximize the storytelling potential of this game, I highly recommend you take the time to create (and maybe even write down) stories for your guild and guild members.
Where EO3 really shines, however, is the gameplay. Character customization is the deepest in the series, and some of the best in the genre. You can create up to 30 different characters, and take a party of up to 5 with you into the dungeon. EO3 replaces the old classes from the first two entries in the series with 10 completely new classes. These classes are very unique and most are completely original (and not just a carbon copy of an old EO class). Within this class, you’ll be spending skill points (you earn one with each level-up) to obtain both passive skills and skills you use as commands in battle. You can choose your character’s name, gender, class, portrait (including 2 color schemes for each portrait), equipment, skills, and later in the game, a subclass. That’s right, for the first time in the series, you’ll be able to select a subclass and get most of the skills from class in combination with skills from your character’s primary class. It adds a whole new level to customization and experimentation.
Exploring the labyrinth is simple enough thanks to fantastic controls (including the ability to slide sideways without changing direction with the L or R shoulder buttons). As you explore, you’ll be drawing your own map on the touch screen. New to this entry is also the ability to draw a path of arrows on your map, which you can use for auto-walking. As you explore the labyrinth, you’ll encounter enemies. Although they’re technically random encounters, there is a gauge which changes color, so you’ll rarely be surprised by battle. Battles are standard turn-based affairs, but tend to be very challenging and require a lot of strategy to win. You’ll obtain items to sell and experience from battle, all of which are important to powering up your guild members as you progress through the Yggdrasil labyrinth. And of course FOEs (powerful boss-like monsters which roam the labyrinth) also return, and are back to giving out experience. Side quests are also available in the city of Armoroad, which are great for giving you something else to do besides exploring and mapping.
And if you need some fresh air, EO3 introduces sailing! Similar to exploring the labyrinth, you can now sail a ship on the open seas. You’ll still be mapping them, but you won’t be fighting any enemies while you sail. It’s still challenging and requires some strategy, and you’ll unlock quests which pit you against more challenging monsters (with valuable rewards, of course). Inver Port is also home to the another new element in the series–multiplayer elements. You can tackle tough battles with friends using local wireless, go into a “tag mode” where you can meet other guilds, or trade items with fellow explorers. The only issue here is that it’s a very minor component, and can only be used locally (and not online). If you’ve got friends with the game, however, it’s a great feature, if not a bit underwhelming.
EO3 continues tradition with presentation. Most of the game’s graphics consist of gorgeous 2D art (the maritime theme really leads to some stunningly beautiful areas) and very detailed character portraits. The labyrinth and seafaring feature 3D graphics, all of which are perfectly functional if not attractive. You’ll encounter some absolutely beautiful areas in the labyrinth, and I personally found them to be a bit more varied and interesting to look at in general. Battle animations are a bit more varied, and of course the monster designs are all fantastic and detailed. There’s no voice acting in the game, but the sound effects are sufficient. And of course, the music is absolutely fantastic. It’s got a retro sound to it, but the melodies are all excellent. If you enjoy the music in the game, I highly recommend listening to tracks from the Super Arrange soundtrack album, which feature these melodies played with actual instruments.
If all of this sounds…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|Part III, improved,
Etrian Odyssey III continues the dungeon crawl that began this series, and where the second game didn’t add much variation, this time they have added some features to change it up a bit. The graphics and sound remain on par with the first two games (if you haven’t played them, try to get your hands on them), and the game play remains the same (enter dungeon, slay monsters, draw map while exploring, take bounty from victories back to store to earn money and buy better weapons/armor), but they have added a second quest where you go asea to explore the area around the dungeon site city, and they have added a few new character types (add a princess to your party!) to bring some more variety into the game. If you like your game to go from A to B, this one isn’t for you, as you will be doing huge amounts of retreading through the dungeons to level up enough to survive the night. They have added “camping spots” this time, so you don’t have to continually head to the city, and there seem to be more secret paths so you can zoom between levels more directly.
I am really enjoying this, in a time-wasting way, and should get many, many hours of play out of the game.
Was this review helpful to you?
|