Etrian Odyssey Review (Nintendo DS)

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
  • It's time to descend into the world tree labyrinth. The first of many, many games on the Nintendo DS where you explore a dungeon on screen and fill out a map on the other published by Atlus. So let's take our first hope-filled step towards an Etrian Odyssey review.
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ความคิดเห็น • 358

  • @soda3185
    @soda3185 3 ปีที่แล้ว +320

    Everyone gangsta until an androgynous tanned elf appears with his dragons.

    • @HSnake5
      @HSnake5 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      or the rabbits start breakdancing

    • @Door_Into_Summer
      @Door_Into_Summer 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      The 3ds games are on sale right now for 9.99$ on 3ds.

    • @JuanAMatos-zx4ub
      @JuanAMatos-zx4ub 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@Door_Into_Summer wow, that's extremely cheap. How do I know when a sale like that happens again?

    • @Door_Into_Summer
      @Door_Into_Summer 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@JuanAMatos-zx4ub I found out about that one from Wario64 on Twitter. He always links to great deals.

    • @meekaboo_
      @meekaboo_ ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes, I love dungeon meshi!

  • @colinswinbourn117
    @colinswinbourn117 3 ปีที่แล้ว +217

    All I can say is the dungeon crawler as a genre was born almost perfect. Because you look at the first dungeon crawlers from almost 40 years ago to modern crawlers and not much has changed

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +57

      It's honestly a very underrated genre. Like you play early FPS like Doom, and you can tell the level design language carried over to it. Which makes sense considering Carmack and Romero were into DND and made a bunch of RPGs independently before forming a studio.

    • @colinswinbourn117
      @colinswinbourn117 3 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      But this franchise is the best to get people into crawlers in general, as the map making gimmick gets you already thinking about your space and front line back line team. The only thing it won’t teach you is that age mechanic in Wizardry

    • @DonnyKirkMusic
      @DonnyKirkMusic 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@colinswinbourn117 and permadeath!

    • @colinswinbourn117
      @colinswinbourn117 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@DonnyKirkMusic I think most people now understand perma-death as a mechanic but you’re not wrong

    • @Desocupad0
      @Desocupad0 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      As a theme. Well more modern approach are roguelites like Hades. Or even action rpg like Diablo 3+.

  • @lukesyvanen8773
    @lukesyvanen8773 3 ปีที่แล้ว +209

    >Etrian Odyssey Review
    Ah, that's a breath of fresh air, how many years ago was this posted
    >2 days ago
    Guess I gotta subscribe now for quality content.

  • @Zombielokii
    @Zombielokii 3 ปีที่แล้ว +105

    I knew the Dungeon Meshi and EO audiences HAD to have a big overlap.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      I was just thinking of something last moment for my party, but it does add up, doesn't it?

    • @KDBA
      @KDBA 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@Aboveup Another intersection with those two is Made in Abyss, if you've not read/watched it yet. It was sold to me as "EO but anime" and it really kinda is.

    • @ArkRiley
      @ArkRiley 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Dungeon Meshi itself is definitely inspired by Wizardry-like dungeon crawlers! Good stuff, good stuff

    • @ferofax
      @ferofax 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Dungeon Meshi is Etrian Odyssey but you don't get to go back to town so you go full Cooking Mama on the monsters

    • @bengi8907
      @bengi8907 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      This review of the game is how I initial learned of Dungeon Meshi. When the anime was announced, I immediately thought back to this video.

  • @TheBatrahian
    @TheBatrahian 3 ปีที่แล้ว +106

    One of the best dungeon crawlers on the ds.

    • @Senordisastermaster
      @Senordisastermaster 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      The only better dungeon crawlers are its sequels.

    • @EnzoZambrotti
      @EnzoZambrotti 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Strange Journey is great too. I wanna try Etrian Odyssey out on an original DS Cartridge someday.

    • @Door_Into_Summer
      @Door_Into_Summer 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      All of the 3ds etrian and smt games are in sale right now. They're 9.99$ to 19.99$ on the eshop right now!

  • @viewtifuljoe99
    @viewtifuljoe99 3 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    The DS was the system with Etrian Odyssey, Shiren, Dark Spire, and Strange Journey that taught me about how challenging and addictive dungeon crawlers can be. It was a great gateway to then go back and try out some of the more obtuse games on pc that were before my time. Very cool to see some Etrian Odyssey love online.

    • @fdevlin5932
      @fdevlin5932 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Shiren 🤘

    • @amimm7776
      @amimm7776 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Three of them were made by atlus in the same engine which is funny

  • @NixterThePhoenix
    @NixterThePhoenix ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Who else is here after the latest Nintendo Direct?

    • @Ar0474
      @Ar0474 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ✋ definitely, I'm pretty excited for it!

  • @ZedarShadow
    @ZedarShadow 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    Legit have been looking for new retrospectives/reviews of EO all last week. Aren't enough

  • @SuperConroy99
    @SuperConroy99 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    The whole thing of "naming your party members after your friends" is exactly what I did with Etrian Odyssey 5, and I honestly had a lot more fun with it than I thought I would!

  • @forbiddenwood
    @forbiddenwood 3 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Watching a great EO review? F.O.E.!
    FOE joke aside, this is a wonderfully written review!

  • @edboy5418
    @edboy5418 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Everybody gangsta until the FOE joins during the boss fight.

  • @Gothaman1
    @Gothaman1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    The 5th stratum twist has gotta be one of the best

  • @QueenViolet8
    @QueenViolet8 3 ปีที่แล้ว +46

    I would love to see a re release on the Switch to see this on the big screen would be awesome 😎

    • @fuumaxkamui
      @fuumaxkamui 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I keep seeing people say this but how?? The stylus seems critical and without it how would you do the map making

    • @QueenViolet8
      @QueenViolet8 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      They might do what they did with The World Ends With you🤔 it’s better played in Handheld mode😊

    • @fuumaxkamui
      @fuumaxkamui 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@QueenViolet8 I agree definitely should stay handheld. I love this series I hope they find a way to make it work on switch

    • @NixterThePhoenix
      @NixterThePhoenix ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@fuumaxkamuiWell, I guess we’re about to find out. HD remasters of EO 1-3 for Switch were just announced today

    • @Vexdon
      @Vexdon 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Did you get the EO Origins Collection?

  • @R3GARnator
    @R3GARnator 3 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    The way the remake messes with the original too much reminds me of The Journeyman Project adventure game and its remake. In the first game, it had a chilling, horror-esque atmosphere, being alone in fantastical mazes while on a timer counting down to your death. While the remake, Pegasus Project, gives you a companion A.I. character and other things to change the atmosphere completely.

    • @Senordisastermaster
      @Senordisastermaster 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I agree Untold changed the atmosphere, but it wasn’t a negative change. You could even play Classic to maintain the same sort of feel of the original, but Story mode had to be changed to actually start explaining what was being shown.

    • @honeybutter8257
      @honeybutter8257 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      You can literally play classic mode for the original game, the story mode is not something that is forced into you, and i believe it is an amazing plus that adds tons of lore to a fantastic game

    • @PancakemonsterFO4
      @PancakemonsterFO4 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Don't forget Events that can send you to the starting screen pretty fast if you choose wrong

    • @lucasvallet4487
      @lucasvallet4487 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@honeybutter8257 it changes the cool mysterious and minimalistic intro for a mediocre anime cutscene that spoil almost everything

  • @caveirainvocada9438
    @caveirainvocada9438 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Holy shit, OG EO1 content in 2021

  • @wolffster25
    @wolffster25 3 ปีที่แล้ว +33

    Hmm might be a good series to port to steam. Anyway my first title was Etrian Odyssey 3 I fell in love with the deep and intricate combat system and it was cool to make maps. I especially loved the grueling boss fights heck in three the first boss runs away half way through the fight that was cool. My favorite track has to go to the legendary The End of Raging Waves it’s one of the best tracks you will ever hear from the speakers of a DS. Looking forward to seeing you tackle the rest of the series.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      EO3 soundtrack in general is one of the best things to have come out of the DS speakers. The End of Raging Waves is fantastic.

    • @Vexdon
      @Vexdon 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      And EO Origins Collection was released on Steam and Switch last year.

  • @増井-b8l
    @増井-b8l 3 ปีที่แล้ว +127

    I'm a Japanese high school student.
    I'm a one of fans of this game.
    I feel so delightful 'cause a lot of abroad people play it and it's still being played today.
    I desire that ATLAS releases new version(remaked 『Ⅲ』and others)!
    I really LOVE systems (『skills tree』,『difficulty of battles』),designs of characters,graphics of maizes and great music .(Mr kosiro!!)
    My English skills and vocabulary are so poor,
    So,there may be any mistakes...
    Please tell it .
    I LOVE Ⅳ The Best!!
    I Love『疾風』too!!

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      ka sa 2さんの英語はわかりやうくって、たぶん私の日本語以上レベルと思います。
      世界樹の迷宮について日本人からなにもきいたことがないのでこのコメントが本当に感謝委します。

    • @shadyfsmusics
      @shadyfsmusics ปีที่แล้ว

      The first 3 games got released on the nintendo switch, and on steam for computer release!

  • @ohamatchhams
    @ohamatchhams 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    After around a month subscribing to your channel, I found your channel and videos for JRPG archiving and retrospectives are criminally underrated

  • @vittorioviegas
    @vittorioviegas 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Fantastic review! I followed the link in the EtrianOdyssey subreddit and when I saw it I was already subscribed to your channel!
    Keep it up with these reviews, they are a please to watch, especially in the weekends!

  • @pintadezombie9126
    @pintadezombie9126 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Tips for all new player. You HAVE to take elemental protection spells on your guard to level 5 at least, if you want to complette this absurdly hard post game senario. You'll save a lots of hour if you take care of that ._.

  • @Zanji1234
    @Zanji1234 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    this was one of my first games on the DS :-) i played some RPG Dungeon Crawlers before but BOY was this game addicting

  • @FinalDragoon
    @FinalDragoon 3 ปีที่แล้ว +45

    I got into Etrian Odyssey with the release of Untold 1 and, over the following years, went on to buy and play through every 3DS entry. It has become one of my favorite game franchises and I patiently wait to see where the series goes next. It's been a while since Atlus dropped that teaser for the next game, so I hope we don't have to wait too much longer.

    • @allmightygir4865
      @allmightygir4865 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      If you played Nexus may i ask how it was? I always debate on splurging on it.

    • @FinalDragoon
      @FinalDragoon 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@allmightygir4865 It's a lot of game for your money, but I would not recommend it as someone's first Etrian experience. It's clearly a "Greatest Hits" game and a sendoff to the 3DS as a whole.

    • @ellolired3994
      @ellolired3994 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Teaser??? When? Where???

    • @gabrielsanabriaalcazar7164
      @gabrielsanabriaalcazar7164 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Why is not there the EO3 in 3ds? ToT

    • @ellolired3994
      @ellolired3994 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@gabrielsanabriaalcazar7164 I think they didn't have enough time, since the 3ds was pretty far on its life cycle when EO2U came out, and they wanted to finish with Nexus

  • @UmatsuObossa
    @UmatsuObossa 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I actually DON'T like the newer take on FOE where you get to see what they are. Not knowing what was in the fuzzy ball until you touched it was a great part of the tense atmosphere, since if you just walk into a room and see an FOE you already know you can handle fine, it's not tense...walk in and just see "mystery enemy" and it's always tense. And NOR feeling safe in the dungeon, to me, was always a big part of the game's atmosphere.

  • @tazamane9705
    @tazamane9705 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This game is pure nostalgia for me. layed it as a child but never remembered the name. Looked it up today to bathe in nostalgia, mainly the Emerald Grove theme which stuck with me. I will so play this again! I also remember crushing on Shilleka lol. Damn Japanese artstyle.

  • @cantrip7
    @cantrip7 3 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    While Untold's story isn't great, you can always play the game with create-a-characters and without the extra story elements, and it's great.
    Etrian Odyssey V is the most recently released RPG I've played that feels like it has actual level design. The series' maps are fascinating with puzzles, shortcuts, sly patterns, and multiple "best" routes for resource gathering, shortest distance, sustain... navigation feels like a puzzle, even when revisiting a floor. Modern games are just like... everything is a big circle, a bunch of small circles, or a dungeon full of dead ends with treasure. It's made me appreciate pre-rendered RPG environments, actually, because they're often dense with navigation gimmicks. I feel like Japanese devs really struggle with rendered, fully 3D environments, even now...
    Anyway! Etrian Odyssey is a series that reminds me of what RPGs could be, and that robust mechanics and design are INHERENTLY narrative in how they alter your perception of data and overall mood. We still have a lot to learn from pen-and-paper...

    • @srboromir452
      @srboromir452 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Did you not play Etrian Odyssey Nexus? A sendoff for the series, best dungeons from the series and all the classes to pick from

    • @cantrip7
      @cantrip7 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@srboromir452 Ooh, I haven't! I've been planning on... improving... a 3DS at some point, and I'll definitely give that a go sometime. (right now I'm in a Final Fantasy-hole)

    • @srboromir452
      @srboromir452 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@cantrip7 Bought into that Secret of Mana collection a few months ago. Final Fantasy Adventure scratched an itch I forgot I had

    • @srboromir452
      @srboromir452 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      And just a comment on the EO series, I really appreciate how much thought has to go into every battle, elemental and physical weaknesses, if you're not paying attention a group of "weak" monsters can take down your party

    • @cantrip7
      @cantrip7 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@srboromir452 Oh, for sure! That's partly why I still appreciate random battles and save points in games when well executed. While encounters in Etrian Odyssey always have the threat of being lethal, they're much more manageable once you go hog-wild expending resources on offensive abilities & buffs & binds, even against rats. And that means every single battle is unique, because your remaining items and SP are slightly different from the last time you fought 3 rats, and that weighs on you psychologically... Most games that have battle design like this are very modern JRPGs without the resource management, and combining both creates this wonderful intensity!

  • @riverm5889
    @riverm5889 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I am so glad to see content for this game! I love the etrian odyseey series. I have been trying to look for other games to satisfy my etrian odyssey craving, but no other games come close to it.

  • @heartisblazing3698
    @heartisblazing3698 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I want to enjoy dungeon RPGs. I've played a decent bit of EOIV, Untold 1, and some other DRPGs on Vita, and somehow or another I always kinda wind up being put off. Maybe my whole approach to the dungeon deep diving idea has been wrong though, since I usually hate running back to town time and time again. I'm gonna have to give EOIV or another DRPG a fair shake again after watching this.

    • @heartisblazing3698
      @heartisblazing3698 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I'm back with an update:
      I started with Demon Gaze on the Vita, since I heard it was a good beginner's DRPG. I wound up loving every minute of it. It wasn't TOO difficult and it still let me create my own party that I was able to do quite well with. Thanks to the gear drop system, artifacts, and demon keys, I found it keeping me consistently engaged. I beat the main story and even cleared the post-game boss; it was an absolute blast. So now I've gotten my hands on quite a few DRPGs to play, and right now I'm actually playing EOU1. I did opt for the Story mode though since my party setup in Classic would've been exactly the same. Also, with no Gladsheim in the Classic mode, I felt like I'd be missing out on some content.

    • @DonnyKirkMusic
      @DonnyKirkMusic 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'm mostly put off by generic Japanese ones by their lack of ambiance and sometimes crazy mixture of artstyles, reminiscent of doujin games where it feels like every artstyle was put in a blender, from hard-fantasy to gaudy anime art, with no real coherence.
      basically, wizardry 1-3 on snes, wizardry v on ps1, tale of the forsaken land on ps2, undernauts, shin megami tensei series: those are games that have that intense feeling of being in a maze with monsters and treasure and shit, which makes playing them more engaging. etrian odyssey does good too, for what it is; it definitely is comfy more than tense, though, but it does have an ambiance to it that spurs your imagination on.
      but the majority of recent japanese ones? they really make me think of mobile games and grinding and uhhh...that generic feeling of playing a grindfest? its that half-comfy feeling you get from mmo games. its saccharine.

  • @GreyCartridge
    @GreyCartridge 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    The OST isn’t made with just any FM synth either. Allegedly, Koshiro sampled his own PC-9801’s and PC-8801’s sound cards and used those samples to compose tracks on the DS.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      That sounds like Koshiro, yeah. When he made that Actraiser inspired BGM for Korone, he sampled a SNES soundchip to get the sound just right too. He really is dedicated to getting his sound profiles just right. And I'm sure that in this case, he wanted to have the sound fit the era of the games EO is inspired by. So PC-98 is the right call with his own history on it with stuff like Ys and Sorcerian.

  • @MrRaui
    @MrRaui 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    The way I mapped damage tiles in the first Etrian Odyssey was to leave them unfilled entirely. I turned off automap too.

  • @Randomness-hz7kj
    @Randomness-hz7kj 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Always a treat to find people talking about EO! This series is definitely one of my favorites, the ost especially so. Say what you will about Untold 1 (and I agree with a lot of the issues with it), but it gave us the Roadside Trees Outside the Window and Sandy Barrens remixes, so I can’t be too mad at it.

  • @notcreativename2238
    @notcreativename2238 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    A video talking about EO in 2021!?
    Bless your soul, you get my sub

  • @fallenmorningstar9224
    @fallenmorningstar9224 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Good to see others still playing this awesome game series these days. Recently been collecting the entire series,so I can play them all and I'm currently playing 1 atm. My entry into the series was 3 and i got hooked ever since.
    Love to ya and love to all the other Dungeon crawler brothers out there who love this game series.

  • @ellolired3994
    @ellolired3994 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    A review of the original Etrian Odyssey on 2021? I love it. EO deserves more attention
    I totally agree with most of the points you make. The way the game leaves most of the story to your imagination is what got me in the series. I personally enjoyed the Untold remakes tho; I think is cool to see the lore of the series being expanded, and I consider it more as a bonus since I played the originals first.
    I'm kind of concerned about the future of the series since I'm not sure if the same formula would translate well to modern consoles. Not having the DS/3DS touch screen could really hurt the series, so I hope Atlus is able to find a way to translate the game formula faithfully.
    On a side note, I just started a few weeks ago a playthrough of the original Etrian Odyssey with a full medic party... Maybe Etrian Odyssey is indeed for masochists lol

    • @prof.penspinner9038
      @prof.penspinner9038 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      The only other console I could see working with EO is the Wii U, but we know how that panned out commercially...
      Shame too, because it was content starved. And yeah, the prospect of EO on modern consoles is pretty grim. I guess they'd either have to awkwardly split the screen or rely on players having a pen and paper to hand, which would come across as archaic to any modern player.

    • @snowmanleblanc6053
      @snowmanleblanc6053 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I think one button toggle map function is really fine in my opinion. For example, we press ZR on switch to quickly open map screen and ZR again to switch back.
      Switch touch screen, while not really accurate is fine too. I personally play EO not for just cartography, but also for it's extensive freedom in party building mechanic. The game is for me, a perfect marriage between the freedom of western rpg and the intimacy of eastern rpg.

    • @Machzy
      @Machzy 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I just bought the originals and the Untold remakes. Do you think it makes sense to play both? Or can I just play the Untold remakes and be set?

    • @ellolired3994
      @ellolired3994 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@Machzy If you play Untold's story mode, its a completely different experience from the original, but a much more newcomer friendly one. Play the original just if you want to experience the original masochistic version, and then you can play Untold since its different

  • @hemangchauhan2864
    @hemangchauhan2864 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Playing games in unconventional ways (through emulation) will never not be fun.
    I played Sin and Punishment 2 (Wii) with KB/M controls and it was a RIDE.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I still need to replay Timesplitters 2 and 3 with the mouse injection mods on Dolphin one of these days. Same with Metroid Prime.
      It just weirdly makes sense with EO considering it's pulling so much from the PC scene already as is, so to bring it back to PC is just a natural fit.

  • @thean1men1ac92
    @thean1men1ac92 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    This is my favourite series, and i’m glad i found this in my recommended page. I’ve never seen anyone else talk about it, so i’m excited to hear what someone else thinks about it

  • @mii9010
    @mii9010 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Glad to see you making videos again!
    Though I knew Yuzo Koshiro made the music for Etrian Odyessy, I didn't know much about them since I wasn't the biggest dungeon crawler fan aside for SMT, but I'm glad I got to know more about them, so I'll make sure to play them one day.
    Also, I find it incredibly ironic that Atlus somehow almost always manage to botch remakes of their games. Let's hope that this trend stops one day.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yeah, Untold isn't great. Because of it, I never played Untold 2, which from everything I heard of it, is actually a lot better at being a remake than the first one was.
      Atlus's 3DS remakes just feel so pointless as remakes for games that can be played on the same platform in the same cartridge slot. A reprint would have been more than enough for a lot of their games. And looking at sales, nothing sold anywhere near as well as their original releases either. So it's odd that they kept making more remakes instead of just doing that.

  • @fdevlin5932
    @fdevlin5932 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This is by far the most accurate and informative review of Etrian 1 available. Nice work.

  • @internisus
    @internisus ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Fantastic review. I love that you state the lack of plot as a positive for the imagination, the context you provide with other dungeon crawlers, the way you make explicit the little visual touches that help the player judge distance in the 3D space, your description of FOE behavior and how they can join a fight in progress or stand as a kind of movement puzzle on the map, how you paint a picture of the emotional effect of game systems by talking about wondering whether you're up to an FOE challenge or whether you've prepared well enough for an excursion. I think you've captured what makes EO special better than any other review I've seen.
    The only thing that occurred to me that you didn't mention is the memo feature in the mapping functions. You can drag a memo over any other icon you've dropped onto the map to add a note. I like to log story events, label bosses, and keep a record of what I find in chests. But you can use it to solve a lot of issues; for example, you said that you can't tell what type of item gather point something is from mapping, but if you just drop a label on it then you can verify it later with a tap of the stylus.
    Also, it might be worth noting that the original EO is unfortunately a bit buggy--not in the sense that you'll see obvious glitches but more in the way some items and abilities are balanced. Immunize especially is famously broken because, rather than just protecting against elemental damage, it provides a very powerful shield against all damage. It basically feels like cheating to use it. Other abilities aren't nearly as useful as you'd expect. So as much as I adore this first EO for many reasons (including the twists to the story that you touched upon) it all-but requires reading guides or forum threads to learn what does and doesn't work among each class's skills.

  • @ethanself2405
    @ethanself2405 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Not sure if you read comments on old videos like these but this video is the only reason I ever read dungeon meshi so thanks for that

  • @ghazezali742
    @ghazezali742 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Can't wait to see your review on the other series of EO

  • @chrishunter9185
    @chrishunter9185 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Hell yeah. EO getting some love

  • @haruharudude
    @haruharudude 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Totally recommend Untold 2 on classic mode. The bonus dungeon is actually added as side-quests and the game is a lot more balanced than the absolutely busted original 2 and the grimoire system is actually fun. Dark Hunter, Troubadour, Hexer, and Beast are also the best classes in that game which story mode doesn't have on the team

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Yeah, I do want to dive into Untold 2. It sounds very interesting.

    • @haruharudude
      @haruharudude 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Aboveup I still think that 5 is by far the best and most polished, but Untold 2 really shifted the series toward more clever puzzle designs and parties designed around ailments actually being incredibly good for the entire game

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      5 is the main reason I wanted to do these videos, actually. Haven't played it, but heard nothing but good things from fans.

  • @LutraLovegood
    @LutraLovegood 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I never made the connection between Etrian and Dungeon Meshi even though I like both and you can make dishes out of monsters in at least one game...

  • @Randomizer482
    @Randomizer482 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I hate that I never put too much time into 4 all those years ago. I got stuck at some point and never really played a dungeon crawler or RPG that punished you for statting incorrectly. Thanks for reminding me of these games, I'm gonna have to give them a run through now that I'm older and not dumb

  • @UmatsuObossa
    @UmatsuObossa 3 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    The original EO was the one that hot me into it. I'd just gotten my DS and needed games, and EO just came out. The cartography caught my interest so I bought it...that was it, I was hooked and it's been my favorite series ever since.

  • @grittynerd
    @grittynerd 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I like the idea that trying to complete the information in the bestiary for each area basically unlocks new gear that can make a difference in the next hard battles. I don't remember in the first one but you even deliver that information to the city leader and there's some rewards at certain ammounts of data.
    About Untold games i can understand the reason for disliking them (party lock, etc) but for me it was kinda fresh to see something like that after so much games in this style with "generic" characters. The first Untold is not much memorable but the party of second one kinda is, with various funny events in the town focusing on creating food and so on. I think that probably the most interesting one to have generic characters is 3.
    About FOEs another series kinda took a similar approach, 7th Dragon but with finite number of them around the world you need to destroy to have something (spoilers. that you need to dispose of them is clear by a counter on screen all the time). It's weird how they tried to mimic even elements of the interface of EO, art style and some classes and skills but i can say it has its unique ideas that i suggest to play it. Open world, moving around with 2D sprites in dungeons, some more involved story and world features, etc. Cannot say anything about its sequels because i still need to clean the world of those FOEs to be satisfied with the first ;)

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Funny you mention 7th Dragon, since that's another dungeon crawler series with music by Yuzo Koshiro. I do want to cover that sometime, if only to cover more of Rieko Kodama's work after Skies of Arcadia.

    • @KDBA
      @KDBA 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@Aboveup The first 7thD is literally designed by the designer of the first Etrian Odyssey. It's definitely worth a play (though I recommend enabling the cheat to remove flower damage).

  • @Nathan-rb3qp
    @Nathan-rb3qp 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I absolutely love Yuzo Koshiro's music.

  • @Silath01
    @Silath01 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This series needs more love

  • @LoofahLuffa
    @LoofahLuffa 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Etrian Odyssey is one of the best games ive ever played. It has also influenced my life in a way. Thank you for the review.

  • @AXMdoes
    @AXMdoes 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    As a newcomer, I got halfway through the second stratum in _Untold_ before finding out enemy stats were increased across the board. Needless to say, I got pretty discouraged as I wasn't having the easiest of times.
    I never realized it might have been in part because of the Story-exclusive dungeon until you said it. I thought it was mostly because they wanted to force you to engage with the Grimoire system and its very bad random nature.

  • @franks3876
    @franks3876 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    "I do intend to cover the whole series over time."
    Aight so I'm subscribing

  • @Trenell83
    @Trenell83 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Any chance I see someone take interest in doing a video of my favorite RPG series I'll take it. Can't wait to see you tackle the later.
    I will say for me mapping was a cathartic endeavor since I get a huge smile on my face whenever I fully mapped an area myself.

  • @CP-zu5pi
    @CP-zu5pi 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    There is a huge difference between the original trilogy and the 3DS remasters.
    Not only were the graphics updated, the music was changed from FM to full orchestral (FM music was paid DLC which is sad) and extra "quality of life" features were added with skill boosters and party buffs...but this makes the newer games vastly easier but also more accessible for players not used to old school rpgs. The extra "story mode" areas power level your party without needed to farm specific items in a regular stratum, with untold adding super powered story classes in Gunner to EO1 and the godlike killing machine Fafnir Knight to EO2.
    FOEs also don't give exp in the original EO2 lol masochists play OG EO2

  • @bradleycoates6297
    @bradleycoates6297 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Seeing modern reviews of old games, that I only began to play recently is always a pleasant surprise!
    I played the first entry last year, to 100% completion. It's still the only one I've played. I told myself I'd play an Entrian game once a year.
    I really enjoyed my time with it! I fully agree with keeping the party as simple sprites and allowing the player to use their own imagination. I still remember my party vividly. My self-insert Protector, my red-haired Medic and Landsknecht, who I imagined as siblings. Raven the black-haired Alchemist and Dia the Dancer.
    I would have liked if you had went into the post-game, cause I too had my gripes with it. This was my first dungeon crawler, and although I did it, the dragons and Primevil really felt like you were pressured into playing one certain way in order to beat them, which I had to look up because I'm no good with turn based combat. I tell myself that at least I beat them with the party I had from the start, and the skills that I had chose, conveniently were what I needed to beat them. Victory still felt lackluster, being forced to play a certain way, and a lot of trial and error, rather than using my own ability. It felt antithetical
    the rest of the game, where you could pretty much role with anything and still succeed, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
    Soundtrack is the G.O.A.T. and as someone who loves stories in video games, Etrian's twist was simple, but very effective imo, SPOILERS BELOW, DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVN'T PLAYED E1!
    Post modern day/futuristic, medieval fantasy has scarcely been done before, despite it being such a cool concept. The dungeon that's a bunch of skyscrapers, in what's supposed to be a medieval fantasy world, was such a great moment, it's a surprise that the game came out in 2007.
    I think it's about time I get onto Etrian II!

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks for your comment, enjoyed reading your perspective.
      If you're playing EO2 in the future, I'd like to give a quick word of advice. Go aggressive. Defender and Immunize weren't supposed to be as strong as they ended up being in EO1, so in EO2 they tried to balance more on the side of offense. They ended up taking it way too far. I think EO3 might be the first one where the balancing really landed where they intended. Doesn't make EO1 or 2 bad by any means, but it's interesting seeing the developers learn as they go.

    • @bradleycoates6297
      @bradleycoates6297 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Aboveup I've done some research. If it's more on the side of offensive, do you think not having a Defender at all is possible? and can War Magus replace Medic?

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@bradleycoates6297 Yeah, pretty much. The popular "typical" party people often go for is Ronin, War Magus, Dark Hunter, Gunner, and Hexer iirc.

  • @philiphunt-bull5817
    @philiphunt-bull5817 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I played persona q2, and now I want to play this series, because q2 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played.

    • @michaelolaf9968
      @michaelolaf9968 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I'm glad someone else feels as much. The game feels like three decks' worth of cards packed into the space of one, if that makes sense.

    • @prof.penspinner9038
      @prof.penspinner9038 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      If I'm to be honest I preferred PQ1, but maybe that's because I like P3/P4 cast more. Still good game tho!
      Just be warned, Etrian Odyssey is much more punishing than either PQ games. Have fun! EO really needs some recognition and it's nice to see interest :)

    • @ken-ch1rp
      @ken-ch1rp 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      (Funniest)Nexus>EO2U>EO3(NDS)>EO4>EO5>EOU>EO2(NDS)>(least funniest)EO1(NDS) for fun level
      EO1(NDS)>EO2(NDS)>EO5>EO3(NDS)>EO4>EOU>EO2U>Nexus for progressive new elements

  • @Inkfy
    @Inkfy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thank you for this review! I haven't seen an Etrian Odyssey review in so long. Especially for the first game. I've recently gotten into the series via five and now I'm playing for and got a physical copy of Untold 2, I really appreciate the time and effort that went into this video! You give insight into a lot of things I haven't seen from other video yet either. It's really neat!
    I hope you check out the next few games! These reviews are really nice!

  • @CrowScareify
    @CrowScareify 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Etrian Odyssey IV "Storm" is one of the best battle themes of all time. OF. ALL. TIME.

  • @TheEmperorGulcasa
    @TheEmperorGulcasa 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Etrian odyssey in 2021? Dunno how I ran into this but any more love for this underrated series is welcome.

  • @Ghalion666
    @Ghalion666 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Oh god I hate those survive for 3 days quests too. At least have an npc guard you can sell junk to. Its painful throwing away all the stuff you grinded for so long

  • @javongoshay
    @javongoshay 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It isn't often we see brand new Etrian Odyssey videos pop up. Thank you for your contribution!!!

  • @S43Z4R
    @S43Z4R 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    OF COURSE, Dungeon Meshi names!
    That woulda've been a great theme for me, damn, good pick!
    Also, as expected, you really went above and beyond with this one, the wait really paid off.

  • @obligatoryfate6849
    @obligatoryfate6849 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This game was ‘the one’ that got me into dungeon crawling, and I first played it a few months before the release of EOV. I love this game. Thanks for this video, I hope you make a video for each of these games and the spin-offs.

  • @lucassworldofletsplays9270
    @lucassworldofletsplays9270 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    That FOE part was hilarious

  • @antoniomohan4676
    @antoniomohan4676 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Me: A 26yr old seeing an F.O.E for the first time since high-school.
    My Anxiety: Cue Japanese F.O.E music video PTSD.

  • @snowmanleblanc6053
    @snowmanleblanc6053 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hands down my best jrpg ever. I never really able to enjoy big times jrpg like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc. But Etrian is the first one to hook me in.

  • @AnjuDieQualle
    @AnjuDieQualle ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Your pronunciation of Landsknecht sent shivers down my spine

  • @BloodEyePact
    @BloodEyePact 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    So happy to see this series getting more exposure. Would love to see you do the rest of them.
    Also, gura's better.

  • @realOmegasMovie
    @realOmegasMovie 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Interesting video👍 I played Etrian Odyssey IV on 3ds last year. And danm it was tough but in the end I beat the game and had a fun time. I really understand how you can enjoy these games 😄

  • @Darkkfated
    @Darkkfated 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great review, but you're pronouncing "Landshark" wrong. ;)
    (Also, huge props for playing a clip of IOSYS' FOE song. FOE! FOE! FOE! FOE!)
    Last second edit: Untold 2 fixes ALL the problems that Untold 1 had and is probably my favorite game in the entire series. Definitely worth your time! To wit: The optional Story-exclusive area is now explorable in Classic Mode; Multiple save files allow you to have Story and Classic games running at once; better New Game + options; no late-game spoilers in the opening cinematic; Story-mode characters are far more interesting this time around (and so is the overall plot involving the titular Fafnir Knight).

  • @dimensionalnemesis8636
    @dimensionalnemesis8636 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Old EO review in this day and age? Fuck yeah! Anyway personally i saw a video on TH-cam looking up something minor and just mimicked it by leaving all trap floors and quicksand stuff unpainted with just drawing the walls at said spots, works really well, i remember the dungeons well to not forget its gimmick after all, and pits as actual holes and shortcuts, although in post game dungeon i actually ran outta pit icons on holes... So i left the rest unpainted, there's no limit to paint after all, as im in the 3rd game now im still using the same unpainted method.
    Anyway many great thanks for the review EO needs as much spotlight as possible its amazing.
    (Edit: Oh and obviously for this to work always leave auto-painting off in options)

  • @wiiseeyou
    @wiiseeyou 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    A review of Infinite Space for the Ds would be interesting. It one of those "It's good?" kind of games.

  • @Liferake
    @Liferake 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Game's pretty fun. Very comfy. One of my favorite game series, for sure. I'm with you for the Untold shortcomings, I really liked revisiting the dungeons on the 3DS but how the games leaned so heavily on the story components, ehhhh they were only okay to me. I really want to play 5 and Nexus again after seeing this.

  • @Rael199327
    @Rael199327 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Etrian Odyssey and Dungeon Meshi in one video? Just perfection. Have you played EO: Untold 2? It has food mechanics and all i could think about while playing was in DM lol

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Haven't played any of the games past Untold 1, no. But I did hear Untold 2 had some more interesting twists added that I want to mess around with in the future.

  • @Stickmanlolz
    @Stickmanlolz 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I certainly didn't expect to see a review of the first EO that was so recent, good stuff.

  • @maximmillennia
    @maximmillennia 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    brutally hard xD EO1 on ds is one of the rings in hell

  • @Remixdj3
    @Remixdj3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I appreciate every single dungeon meshi reference. Made me crack a smile.

  • @tun1412
    @tun1412 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hell yeah, Etrian Odyssey! This game really got me hooked me up, I'm already playing Nexus!

  • @Galtrax9898
    @Galtrax9898 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I wasn't expecting to see an Etrian Odyssey review in my feed, yet alone one released this year! I've been a fan of the series for ages, and I still listen to the music a lot of the time whilst working. Makes me feel old lol.

  • @newtonmarques1271
    @newtonmarques1271 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Eyo first time I caught one of your vids at the first hour. Here to say you do a great job and helped me find many games i would not have given a chance otherwise, thanks for that :)

  • @BloomerTNC
    @BloomerTNC 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i like to call the FOE with a more acurate traslation: Fckin Overpowered Enemy

  • @Demi-Joker
    @Demi-Joker 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    In Etrian Odyssey Nexus, my guild members are named after characters in the SiIvaGunner universe. For example, my current party consists of Chad Warden the Hero, Felix the Harbinger, Grand Dad the Protector, Snoop Dogg the War Magus, and Sens the Arcanist.

  • @tun1412
    @tun1412 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Here 2 years after seeing this video, Etrian Odyssey unrelated, but thanks for indirectly introducing me to Dungeon Meshi

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Glad to have led someone to that manga. It's a real treasure.

  • @ligma2382
    @ligma2382 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    A channel that reviews old games? Subbed!

  • @TheNintendoWizrad
    @TheNintendoWizrad 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    TH-cam recommended this video. Saw that your reviewing older games. Instant sub

  • @Faceless_time_traveler
    @Faceless_time_traveler 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We need more people to talk about Etrian Odyssey

    • @skyeguy7914
      @skyeguy7914 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I’ve wanted to start doing TH-cam stuff, and one of the things I’ve been wanting to do especially is a King K inspired retrospective series on these games. I may do it some day, but not any time soon I don’t think.

  • @skyeguy7914
    @skyeguy7914 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    As far as the maps having intrinsic value, I absolutely agree. I genuinely enjoy leaving no stone unturned in these games. Even when it leads to certain disaster for my party. Sometimes a hard lesson in survival instinct is a reward in and of itself, funny enough.
    The biggest thing I enjoy about the maps in EO is specifically the sense of accomplishment. Knowing the map like the back of your hand. Looking over all the puzzles and traps you had to overcome to get to the end… it really does have a unique satisfaction to it.

  • @ipdfmd1632
    @ipdfmd1632 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    For the lack of map indicators for trap floors and the floor that moves you automatically , for the first one i used the brush since it changes colors of the tiles to know there was the dmg tiles and for the 2nd one i remember there was an arrow symbol so i used that to know you can only move certain way.

  • @Fomortiis100
    @Fomortiis100 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I've been waiting so long for somebody to make a more in-depth look at Etrian Odyssey which is my favorite RPG franchise, to the point where I was considering making the videos myself despite my lack of editing knowledge, and I might still do that someday! But I'm really glad to see somebody else tackle these games and shine a light on them that they deserve.

  • @elistiagel642
    @elistiagel642 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Yeah, we all remembered that we used to have a crush on female Hexer (the purple one)

  • @xXNamenslosXx
    @xXNamenslosXx 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Oh my gosh, this brings back memories. Thank you for covering this game!

  • @bladethewolfartist7095
    @bladethewolfartist7095 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    daaamn I loved the etrian odyssey games so I was pleasantly surprised when this turned up on my recommended. Thanks youtube you did a good one. Shame there is no newer games coming out (as far as I'm aware)

  • @Taro_SMT
    @Taro_SMT 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My favourite Saga for portable consoles!! Love your review, thanks! Evolution until EO Nexus is fantastic!

  • @DylanKaneda
    @DylanKaneda ปีที่แล้ว

    What an excellent review and retrospective of the first game of this amazing series! I really liked the structure and the presentation of the video.

  • @knucklewitch472
    @knucklewitch472 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Always happy to hear people talkin' bout EO, but man, REALLY happy to hear the qualms on Millennium Girl. Feel exactly the same, and even though I didn't need it much, the fact that Ameno-Habakiri was story mode exclusive got me really cranky. Felt like it took away a prize for conquering the absolute depths.
    The first I finished was IV, and I adore it, but I've been hankering to go back to try III, which I never finished. Thanks for the push to consider it harder!

  • @Toastkoro
    @Toastkoro ปีที่แล้ว

    For how little content EO gets, this video was very good.

  • @Andrew_Erickson
    @Andrew_Erickson 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    F-O-E!

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      F O E

  • @DrAraxxor
    @DrAraxxor 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    A pretty nice and well researched review of EO1. Not too many people realize how powerful oils (and the Troubadour song equivalents) were in 1. I will say I think the remake was a bit under talked about here. Namely that Gladsheim is actually pretty tacked on and there's not much boosting it would have done for a Classic Mode party. Story mode on the other hand, is way worse than what was outlined in this video, though that would have been getting into spoiler territory admittedly.
    My personal favorite of the series is 3, and it's my favorite soundtrack of the bunch as well, though 5 is a close second.
    Interestingly enough while a lot of people have the perception that the remake was designed around Story first, looking through the game data told me a different story. Seemed like they focused on making a 3DS remake of EO1 first and foremost before adding the story related content which looked like it was super tacked on. Because while everything regarding Classic mode is a neat and tidy package... Story mode's organization and such was a huge trashfire, to put it bluntly.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      "Story mode on the other hand, is way worse than what was outlined in this video, though that would have been getting into spoiler territory admittedly."
      Yeah, the video was already getting pretty long for a look at just the first game already and I was considering going deeper into Untold's story additions. But I think going over 30 minutes is definitely going to repel people not too familiar or sure about this series and my intent is trying to getting the appeal across to people who might want to play it for themselves later.
      Even just going to Gladsheim when the big twist about what the world really is when you get to Lost Shinjuku is all sorts of messed up. Doesn't make sense a "secret" like that needs to be protected anymore when you've already gone to similar areas before. I know there's more, like the forest people massacre not fitting, but that alone already really bugs me a lot and it happens very early on.

    • @DrAraxxor
      @DrAraxxor 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ​@@Aboveup Yeah that twist being spoiled was one of the biggest things that bugged me when I first played through EOU story considering it's cited within both the international and Japanese playerbases as one of the most memorable moments in the series. I kind of glossed over the rest of story mode on my first playthrough until I played through it again recently and uhhh, wow it's a mess. A ton of inconsistent and abandoned plot points brought up early on that never get followed up upon. An incredibly inconsistent central theme (I couldn't even tell you what it was but it sure felt like it wanted to have one.) And the writing from Stratum 4 onwards takes the game from "kind of droll and doesn't add anything to the experience" to "outright bad." It was like they couldn't decide what they wanted the game to be on that end and it shows. 2U story mode and that game as a whole is a lot more organized on that front.

    • @Aboveup
      @Aboveup  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's a shame. I kind of stopped playing EO after Untold. Partially because of how bad a taste it left for me, but also because I wasn't the biggest fan of the 3DS hardware to begin with and it started failing on my pretty early despite not treating it poorly. Part of why I want to cover the series is also the good things I heard about 5 and Untold 2, so going through the older entries helps serve as a nice refresher.

  • @nr2676
    @nr2676 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Strange Journey and Etrian Oyssey best dungeon crawlers on DS/3DS.

  • @jayce704
    @jayce704 ปีที่แล้ว

    That was the best EO expirience I ever had. It was the very first one!
    Great rewiev. Thank you :)

  • @Fomortiis100
    @Fomortiis100 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    "I did consider Marcille as a Medic originally, but I didn't want this playthrough to become too dark."
    *OOF*