80
Etrian Odyssey I and II HD are best enjoyed as a visually and aurally improved recreation of the DS originals, mechanical warts and all. It’s nice to see the originals preserved for a modern audience despite their flaws. However, the decision not to include the additions from the Untold remakes, even as an option, is disappointing and prevents this release from being truly definitive. While I prefer the music and aesthetics of these HD versions, for new players, there is ultimately less on offer here unless you really want to experience the series’ humble beginnings. Otherwise, the rigidity of the systems and the hamstrung cartography mechanics make these remasters hard to recommend over the 3DS remakes.
80
You can tell Etrian Odyssey isn’t a game that is particularly optimised for the Switch but, despite its age, it is still a lot of fun, with a unique cartography feature that makes it stand out from other dungeon-crawlers and well worth preserving.
75
With the focus on game preservation that we’ve seen in recent years, I never imagined that the Etrian Odyssey series would be preserved anywhere close to its original form. The fact that they thought it worth bringing to Switch is amazing, and though it didn’t come over entirely clean, it’s still worth bringing back Fight, Heal, and the rest of the crew for one more dungeon dive.
8
Etrian Odyssey HD isn't the first first-person dungeon crawler I've played, but it's certainly the first one I've beaten and truly enjoyed.Story: While I understand that in most games of this genre, the plot often serves just to support the gameplay, the story in EO is actually very enjoyable. It reminded me a lot of the Made in Abyss concept, which happens to be one of my favorite anime of all time. Since EO predates MiA, I find the concept to be original and intriguing for its time.Graphics and Art Style: While I don't think anyone expects much in terms of graphics when playing a first-person dungeon crawler, the game runs smoothly. However, the art style is amazing to me. The portrait designs are great, and the enemy designs are both beautiful and imaginative.Music: Yuzo Koshiro has done an amazing job with this OST. Many of the tracks are so memorable that I'd probably recognize them instantly in the future. However, the music does get repetitive fairly quickly, to the point where I had to turn the volume off and listen to something else while playing. I understand that this is likely a distinctive characteristic of the genre, but I would have enjoyed it more if there were additional exploration tracks, for instance.Gameplay: The gameplay is fun and quite unique. I really loved having to draw my own map, and in this version, I appreciated the option to enable some quality-of-life features that made map drawing easier and faster. While the exploration aspect is the game's strongest point, it's also reminiscent of older RPGs that require a lot of grinding. I can see how this might turn some people away, but I personally enjoy grinding, especially while watching a YouTube video, so it wasn’t an issue for me.Battle System: EO HD offers a fairly standard dungeon crawler experience but with quality-of-life features that make it much smoother. Random encounters can be completed quickly using the auto-combat feature, while FOE and boss fights require strategic thinking and planning. This depth comes from a detailed and enjoyable skill tree that allows for plenty of customization.Overall, the game was an amazing experience for me, though not as much in the post-game. I enjoyed the main game so much that I completed every single side quest and even tackled some of the super-bosses. I was having so much fun that I aimed to 100% the game and fully planned to see it through.Sigh... the post-game is the worst I've ever encountered in a video game. The level designs become convoluted, outright annoying, and mind-numbing. I honestly believe the post-game is literally unplayable without a guide, and barely playable even with ****'s not the combat that's frustrating, but the mapping and level designs. I tried tackling B26F and B27F with a guide, and the experience was abysmal. I honestly had a terrible time with it, and it felt more like I was doing a chore or a second job than enjoying the game.I was so disappointed because I really wanted this experience to last longer. However, the fact that I still wanted more from a game that took me 50 hours to complete says something positive in itself.
Etrian Odyssey HD
Released On:
Jun 1, 2023
Metascore
Available after 4 critic reviews
tbd
User score
Universal Acclaim
9.0
My Score
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All Platforms
Sep 12, 2023
80
Etrian Odyssey I and II HD are best enjoyed as a visually and aurally improved recreation of the DS originals, mechanical warts and all. It’s nice to see the originals preserved for a modern audience despite their flaws. However, the decision not to include the additions from the Untold remakes, even as an option, is disappointing and prevents this release from being truly definitive. While I prefer the music and aesthetics of these HD versions, for new players, there is ultimately less on offer here unless you really want to experience the series’ humble beginnings. Otherwise, the rigidity of the systems and the hamstrung cartography mechanics make these remasters hard to recommend over the 3DS remakes.
Jun 15, 2023
80
You can tell Etrian Odyssey isn’t a game that is particularly optimised for the Switch but, despite its age, it is still a lot of fun, with a unique cartography feature that makes it stand out from other dungeon-crawlers and well worth preserving.
Jun 1, 2023
75
With the focus on game preservation that we’ve seen in recent years, I never imagined that the Etrian Odyssey series would be preserved anywhere close to its original form. The fact that they thought it worth bringing to Switch is amazing, and though it didn’t come over entirely clean, it’s still worth bringing back Fight, Heal, and the rest of the crew for one more dungeon dive.
User score
Universal Acclaim
80% Positive
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
20% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Oct 15, 2024
8
Etrian Odyssey HD isn't the first first-person dungeon crawler I've played, but it's certainly the first one I've beaten and truly enjoyed.Story: While I understand that in most games of this genre, the plot often serves just to support the gameplay, the story in EO is actually very enjoyable. It reminded me a lot of the Made in Abyss concept, which happens to be one of my favorite anime of all time. Since EO predates MiA, I find the concept to be original and intriguing for its time.Graphics and Art Style: While I don't think anyone expects much in terms of graphics when playing a first-person dungeon crawler, the game runs smoothly. However, the art style is amazing to me. The portrait designs are great, and the enemy designs are both beautiful and imaginative.Music: Yuzo Koshiro has done an amazing job with this OST. Many of the tracks are so memorable that I'd probably recognize them instantly in the future. However, the music does get repetitive fairly quickly, to the point where I had to turn the volume off and listen to something else while playing. I understand that this is likely a distinctive characteristic of the genre, but I would have enjoyed it more if there were additional exploration tracks, for instance.Gameplay: The gameplay is fun and quite unique. I really loved having to draw my own map, and in this version, I appreciated the option to enable some quality-of-life features that made map drawing easier and faster. While the exploration aspect is the game's strongest point, it's also reminiscent of older RPGs that require a lot of grinding. I can see how this might turn some people away, but I personally enjoy grinding, especially while watching a YouTube video, so it wasn’t an issue for me.Battle System: EO HD offers a fairly standard dungeon crawler experience but with quality-of-life features that make it much smoother. Random encounters can be completed quickly using the auto-combat feature, while FOE and boss fights require strategic thinking and planning. This depth comes from a detailed and enjoyable skill tree that allows for plenty of customization.Overall, the game was an amazing experience for me, though not as much in the post-game. I enjoyed the main game so much that I completed every single side quest and even tackled some of the super-bosses. I was having so much fun that I aimed to 100% the game and fully planned to see it through.Sigh... the post-game is the worst I've ever encountered in a video game. The level designs become convoluted, outright annoying, and mind-numbing. I honestly believe the post-game is literally unplayable without a guide, and barely playable even with ****'s not the combat that's frustrating, but the mapping and level designs. I tried tackling B26F and B27F with a guide, and the experience was abysmal. I honestly had a terrible time with it, and it felt more like I was doing a chore or a second job than enjoying the game.I was so disappointed because I really wanted this experience to last longer. However, the fact that I still wanted more from a game that took me 50 hours to complete says something positive in itself.
SummaryCreate Endless Adventure - Etrian Odyssey HD remasters the timeless adventure of the labyrinth that swallows all. In a vast and fertile land lies a small town known as Etria, a peaceful village that became famous for a startling discovery. A crack in the the vast forest opened at Etria's edge, leading downward like a gaping maw. It al... Read More
Rated Tfor Teen
