Etrian Odyssey confirmed for June
via Eurogamer
Nintendo has confirmed that fantasy RPG Etrian Odyssey is coming to the DS this summer.
According to the press release it combines "classic dungeon exploring" with "old school 'pen and paper' style map drawing". The game is set in Etria, a small village at the edge of the fabled Yggdrasil Labyrinth. You start out by creating a guild up to 30 characters of your own creation can join. However, only five can enter the labyrinth at the same time.
The point, obviously, is you must pick characters with appropriate skills depending on what kind of monsters you're about to face. There are nine different classes and you can earn skill points to buy special abilities. Characters will include Landsknecht, a warrior, dark magician the Alchemist and the Survivalist, an archer.
The DS stylus is used for drawing maps, marking important places and adding notes. Fighting is turned-base and enemies appear in 2D. There are bosses known, brilliantly, as F.O.E.s, and beating them brings great rewards.
As you'd expect there's levelling up to be getting on with, new techniques to learn and equipment to buy and sell. The village of Etria will serve all your needs with its inn, apothecary, general store, pub, guildhall, town hall and Fitness First. Possibly not the last one.
Etrian Odyssey is out on June 6th.
