Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl
The Japanese RPG was once a feature of well-rounded gaming collections through the likes of Chrono Trigger and the Shining Force series. Lately though it has found itself more of a niche concern as Western gaming tastes have adapted to more home-grown, high-spectacle fare. Yet niche doesn’t mean insignificant, thus this long awaited European release of Etrian Odyssey Untold, a series which has gained the genre much acclaim.
Subtitled The Millennium Girl, this fifth entry stands as a remake of the 2007 DS original, adding a heralded ‘story mode’ to a strand of games known for anything but. In this, Etrian Odyssey works surprisingly well. The plot may be rote and the characters broad, but there’s never any doubt as to what you’re tasked to do and who you are doing it with. Whilst the written dialogue, particularly the description of emotions, is fairly florid and verbose (ahem), it does a good job of investing you in the game’s fantasy world overall.
It’s also presents a nice learning curve for anyone tentatively trying out the genre, whilst ‘classic mode’ is intact for veterans who enjoy more challenge and customisation. The former is certainly a cake walk in comparison and does take some time before the difficulty ramps up, but with plenty of abilities and skills to master, it’s a sensible trade off. Purists however would be wise to avoid and go hardcore classic.
As an RPG, The Millennium Girl is a genre piece through and through with little to distinguish its mechanics from other similar games you may have played in the past. However, developers Atlus have honed things to a tee, making everything relatively simple yet still deep and robust enough to endure its lengthy playtime. The map-drawing requirements are perhaps the main stand-out difference, operating as both a good fit for the DS touch screen and for your character’s appointed status as a legendary explorer.
Yet all this may be superfluous. If you are aware of the Etrian series then it’s probably because you’re already a fan. In that case, this is a lushly-presented reimaging of the original with an optional, well-executed plot. If you’re new to these particular games, or even to JRPGs in general, then Etrian Odyssey Untold is certainly a sensible starting point that will teach you everything you need to know about the genre. [Darren Carle]