'Etrian Odyssey 5: Beyond the Myth' Reviews Roundup: Kid-Friendly Design Hides an Advanced Game for RPG Veterans
"Etrian Odyssey 5: Beyond the Myth" has just come out for the Nintendo 3DS, and it already looks to be one of the games that will define the handheld console as it approaches its decline. The new "Etrian Odyssey" has been out since Tuesday, Oct. 17.
It's this unexpected combination of touching stories and adorable art married to one of the most difficult "Etrian Odyssey" titles to date that keeps players of all ages coming back to the series. It's the kind of games that best typifies the Nintendo 3DS after all, as Polygon notes.
Like all the rest of the series titles, "Etrian Odyssey 5: Beyond the Myth" stays close to the role-playing game conventions, including the slow progression and the closely tuned battles that punish the unprepared. The dual-screen design helps a lot here, supplying players all the information they need to come out of a fight alive.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The lower touch screen also has another crucial function as your map, since "Etrian Odyssey 5: Beyond the Myth" tasks players with mapping out the maze-like dungeons themselves.
It's a game that leaves players to their own devices, and as such, it could lack the broad appeal of "Pokemon" or any of the more casual games. The polish of this late title from Atlus, niche as it is, earns it an 82 on Metacritic.
Players agree with most reviews in giving it a user score that averages out to 8.5, indicating "Generally favorable reviews." Reviewers laud the game for the challenge it provides while polishing the features that players can use to navigate the deadly world of "Etrian Oddysey 5: Beyond the Myth."
The game is out now, from the official Atlus website or from retailers including GameStop, Best Buy, EB Games, Newegg, Target and VGP. More reviews are expected to come up as outlets form their own impressions of this challenging RPG for the Nintendo 3DS.
