I know nothing about Etrian Odyssey other than I know it'll be something I'll enjoy since it's an RPG made by ATLUS, I just haven't found the time yet to play them, I'm thinking start with Untold 1 -> 4 -> Untold 2, then maybe Etrain Mystery Dungeon if I'm feeling like another Chunsoft mystery dungeon game. (http://i1030.photobucket.com/albums/y362/tophatant123/81bWiwdaH1L._SL1000__zpsg3uizlz2.jpg)
Extended Trailer
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: Evan_B on March 03, 2016, 09:17:15 PM
Do yourself a favor and play Etrian Odyssey IV first, it's more in the spirit of the series than Untold (unless you plan on playing classic ode for Untold), and the gameplay mechanics are arguably better. From what I've been told, there are two Etrian Odyssey teams, the mainline team (which also handled development of Persona Q), and the spinoff team which did Untold 1 and 2.
Etrian Odyssey IV is very accessible but has plenty of content and doesn't force story down your throat too much, which is really what made me fall in love with the franchise. The cyclic nature of the game, especially its resource management and mapping, doesn't need all this excess fluff. That's not to say EOIV doesn't have a story, though- what is there is pretty good, but not as intrusive. The Untold games add an excess layer that is deeper if only because it revolves around characters instead of the mission of exploring Yggdrasil. EOIV's classes are also more expanse (featuring multiple different roles instead of a linear skill progression), and it has overworld exploration, which is an additional and totally awesome wrinkle that is absent in the Untold entries.
I recommend EOIV first just to give you the groundwork for being excited or interested in EOV, which will likely take cues from that installment more than the Untold series. However, if you play EOIV and you want more in terms of character, you can move to Untold. That's the path I took. I can see wanting to start with Untold first, though, as you can ease yourself into the style of gameplay and then be blown away by EOIV, but I worry that you might end up disliking Untold and skipping the greatness that is EOIV.
I dunno, maybe I'm over-analyzing it, because I wasn't fond of Untold all that much after playing IV. Still, I think IV is a high point and deserves to be looked at when you find time.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: TOPHATANT123 on May 09, 2016, 05:15:42 AM
Promotional Video 2
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: Evan_B on May 09, 2016, 10:59:15 AM
It doesn't seem like they're bringing back any sort of overworld traversal system like in III or IV, which really is too bad.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: TOPHATANT123 on May 26, 2016, 10:45:43 AM
As soon as the eshop updated today I grabbed Etrian Odyssey Untold ... completely ignoring your advise Evan :rolleyes:. My justification being that 1 and 4 are for the foreseeable future permanently cheap and if I don't like Untold (which I probably will like) the barrier for entry for 4 is low. By playing the "worst" game first I feel that I won't have to feel disappointed with a regression of mechanics going from 4 -> 1.
I went for story mode as it sounds like Classic will make a great New Game + sort of mode. Set auto mapping to off as the mapping seems like the main differentiating factor that separates Etrian Odyssey from other RPGs, set L to act as A then chose the Standard difficulty (so that when I'm doing a second play through on classic I can bump it up to expert) and now I'm ready to begin.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: ejamer on May 26, 2016, 12:01:47 PM
I doubt you'll be disappointed. Despite Evan's reservations, Etrian Odyssesy Untold is a pretty great game. (And so is IV, and Persona Q.)
I'm still eager to get Untold 2, but hoping for a price drop to bring it under $50+tax before doing so. With a bunch of RPGs on my plate, there really isn't any rush... but I don't want to miss out on the retail version if it suddenly disappears.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: Mop it up on May 26, 2016, 03:36:46 PM
Well, at least you're getting started, as the Etrian series is great.
The main thing I don't like about Untold is the separation of story and custom characters; why can't I have both in one? I know it would take more effort to do that, but not impossible.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: TOPHATANT123 on May 26, 2016, 05:11:47 PM
Let's see, so I've played up to completing the tutorial, the first dungeon and returned to the tutorial area for that first dungeon proper.
I quickly realised L=A wasn't going to work since you need to side step and move in menus, especially because of the cartography, this isn't the kind of RPG you can play one handed.
The mapping its self feels very satisfying and gives you some freedom in how you make your maps. It doesn't hand hold you and tell you where you should use what, it's up to you to make your own key and leave notes for yourself for return visits.
One of the things I like is that I have started to encounter fun little events at dead ends in the labyrinth. They help flesh out the world and give you reasons to visit every little tile in the dungeon.
The setting of the game is less fantasy than I anticipated with it's hint of sci-fi. Also one of the characters talks about how they come from Canada! Very mysterious.
The skill trees take 240 points but you only get 1 point every time you level up, so I suppose I'd better choose wisely what to upgrade.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: Evan_B on May 26, 2016, 06:56:50 PM
You've made a grave mistake. Enjoy the mediocrity of a story-based Etrian Odyssey.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: Mop it up on May 27, 2016, 03:56:06 PM
The skill trees take 240 points but you only get 1 point every time you level up, so I suppose I'd better choose wisely what to upgrade.
Yeah, it's best to plan from the start how you want to build your characters. There is a way to reset skill points, however it comes at the cost of a few levels so it's best to avoid it if possible and use it only if you really messed things up. With the way skills are set up, I don't know how useful it would be if you could learn everything anyway, so it isn't a big deal. Generally speaking, it is best to focus on a few skills and sink points into those rather than to place just one or two points into every skill.
If this game has the same vague skill explanations that the original does, you may also want to consider looking up a skill FAQ to figure out what everything is and how much effect it really has.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: Evan_B on May 29, 2016, 03:46:10 AM
In all honesty, the best Guild leader is one that creates multiple different characters to fulfill specific roles for the game's many systems- but of course, that option isn't available in Untold unless you're playing Classic mode.
Title: Re: Etrian Odyssey V
Post by: TOPHATANT123 on June 30, 2016, 09:33:44 AM
I've reached the 3rd strata and have been really enjoying it so far. Every floor seems to introduce a new element and looking upon a completed map of your own creation is very satisfying.
The news that Dragon's Crown has been delisted from the PlayStation Store has me worried, it was also a European NISA X Atlus joint and the price drops on these games after 3 years of nothing clearly points towards these games eventually having the same fate.
