AboveAvgMario

I played the demo and was a little underwhelmed, but interested. I read some reviews online, and decided to get the game due to high reviews of the multiplayer experience. I started playing at 7pm and it was 1030pm before I knew it. If you enjoy action games that reward you for your attention to detail, I would recommend this game. If you expect to master a game's controls in 2 minutes, avoid this game.

I would recommend this game to anyone who wants a customizable, immersing experience, but first I would recommend playing the demo (free on eShop). All of your progress from the demo will transfer easily into the full retail version of the game. The uniqueness of this series is from the map drawing, which admittedly I was very wary of in my first Etrian experience (3). I got over it fast. There is a great sense of accomplishment that comes with the map drawing, and it's surprisingly enjoyable and easy to get the hang of. The combat is challenging and evolves throughout the entire game, forcing you to pay attention to your party and skill choices. The game is truly hard, but balances out if you play it skilfully. The music is stunningly composed, and the cutesy-ness of the characters is juxtaposed by the brutality of the game and fate of many soldiers and other adventurer NPCs. The sense of exploration and discovery is palpable. They place enemies that will decimate your party on the map in the first zone and all others, and when one gets sight of your party and chases after you, the tension is thrilling. This ranks in my top three 3DS games. For the time it will keep you hooked, which is at least 60-80 hours, it is a great value.