Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth Critic Reviews

Etrian Odyssey V might not have changed much over previous installments, but it has refined the already sophisticated cartography to a T with its clever environmental puzzles and great user interface.

Immersive, challenging, and personable, Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth on Nintendo 3DS is an excellent RPG that balances both difficulty and customisation with a considerable amount of care.

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth continues the proud tradition of the franchise with its stellar character customization and level designs as it poses a daunting challenge, well worth conquering- one tile at a time.

Perhaps Etrian Odyssey V is the swansong of a franchise that has been one of the few to make meaningful use of an approach to technology and gameplay that has now been obsoleted as Nintendo has retired the dual screen idea. If that’s the case, I’m not going to lie; I’m sad for the end of the end of the franchise, but at least in Etrian Odyssey V it went out on a real high note.

Whether it’s your first foray into Yggdrasil or your fifth, playing Etrian Odyssey V is a true pleasure. Its addictive central gameplay loop combines engaging exploration, strategic combat and DIY cartography, all wrapped up in a charming presentation and a lush, organic aesthetic. It’s gorgeous to look at it, beautifully balanced, and polished to a sheen, but perhaps best of all Etrian Odyssey V feels like the culmination of a concept that’s uniquely tied to the 3DS. With its touchscreen mapping and masterful use of stereoscopic 3D, it feels utterly at home here, and while the little handheld may have plenty of life in it yet, we still can’t imagine a more fitting swan song for this extraordinary era of dual-screened RPG wonder. A must for any aspiring adventurer.

Quotation forthcoming.

A challenging yet accessible dungeon crawler that rewards thoughtful party construction and thorough exploration.

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth is an excellent addition to the dungeon crawler RPG series from Atlus: players will find a lot of exploration, a huge variety of classes and races, and an intriguing - yet quite challenging - gameplay.

Etrian Odyssey V is a true successor to the original two Nintendo DS Etrian Odyssey games but one that has modern improvements to gameplay and a best in class customization system.

While Etrian Odyssey 5 may not be well-suited for genre novices or people who shy away from the combat side of RPGs, you'd be hard-pressed to find a stronger example of this particular slice of the genre. It offers enormous customization; fresh challenges both inside and out of combat; a setting rich with things to do besides simply fight; and best of all, that addictive mapping feature. Here's a game destined to appeal to the lizard brain of Type-A personalities, to people who love to line up details and see everything slowly take shape. With each line you draw on the in-game map, you bring a tiny bit more order to chaos and transform the unknown into the familiar. Etrian Odyssey 5 isn't simply the best game in its own franchise, it's easily the richest and most satisfying dungeon crawler to appear in the past decade.

Etrian Odyssey V is a digital adventure that leans analogue, with pen-and-paper sensibilities that delight far more than they frustrate.

Etrian Odyssey V is a fun and interesting game for anyone who likes a bit of challenge and isn’t put off by having to create your own maps. There’s a good balance between explaining enough to get the player started in figuring things out and leaving a lot to be discovered. The combat system is also deep and allows for a lot of customization and strategic choices.

This is an intense and satisfying adventure, full of challenges to guide us through its dungeons. It isn't revolutionary, but if you like the series, give it a try.

When it comes to rewarding dungeon exploration, you can't do much better than Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth. Even with its frustrating aspects, what's here is a treat for gamers who love old-school dungeon-crawling adventures.

Etrian Odyssey V is very much what I expected it would be. That means it won't appeal to anyone who has never been interested in this series, but it continues to showcase impressive dungeons and a rewarding sense of exploration. The series hasn't lost its spark of well-realized inspiration, and that's all many need to hear. It certainly managed to ensnare me for the entirety of the experience.

Thanks to chapters as memorable as Beyond the Myth, the Etrian Odyssey franchise has become in one of the best dungeon crawler JRPGs out there.

Etrian Odyssey V is almost identical to its predecessors, it's completely lacking of a narrative and it's not that pretty to look at. Still, what we have here is a rock solid RPG akin to the ones back in the Dungeons&Dragons days, that will keep you busy for at least fifty to sixty hours.

Despite a weak story, a boring beginning and well known mechanics, the complex character generation, the flexible management and the challenging turn based tactics make this a dungeon crawler worth getting.

The combination of careful, quiet exploration punctuated by fierce combat is what makes Beyond the Myth so much fun.

The Etrian Odyssey series has the first-person dungeon crawler genre down to a simple art. Players looking for a challenging title that will keep them coming back with every tiny improvement need look no further than Etrian Odyssey V.