Developer: Chunsoft
Publisher: Sega
Release: March 4
If you're going to check out a roguelike, you might as well try the best dungeon crawl Japan has to offer -- Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer. Unfortunately, most will find themselves turned off by its intense difficulty, SNES-level graphics, and turn-based battles/movement. It's a game with a very special appeal -- you won't survive Shiren the Wanderer's monsters and hazards by grinding or mashing an attack button; you'll have to rely on your wits and use your limited equipment to their best advantage. It's a rewarding experience, to say the least.
Oh, and did we mention that the game is insanely hard? What's worse, unless you've got an online buddy to revive you, every time you die (and you'll die very often), you lose all of your items and equipment, starting over at the beginning town at Level 1. Beginners usually die dozens of times before picking up the rudimentary skills needed to survive the dungeons. To help you in your journey, we've cleared up four mysteries for you, so you won't have to sacrifice a playthrough to figure them out yourself!
Mystery #1: How do I approach arrow-shooting enemies without having my face rocked off?
Mystery #2: What the hell is this dancing polygon monster?
Mystery #3: Why are sleep scrolls so dangerous?
Mystery #4: Why should I let a monster puke on me?
Really, one of the greatest features of Shiren the Wanderer is its unique monsters! Far from generic characters, every one of them seems to have an interesting special ability or idiosyncrasy. Like puking on you.
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| Jake Hunter | Back | You spoony bard! |
_thumbnail.jpg "Prince of Persia: The Fallen King")
_thumbnail.jpg "Mega Man Star Force 2")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-04-2008 @ 3:32PM
Dayv said...
Just so you know, you guys have totally sold me, and I've just preordered this game.
I have some experience with roguelikes (and have beaten both nethack and rogue before), so this is right up my alley.
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2-21-2008 @ 12:55PM
LordGek said...
How the heck did I miss this initially? Good fun BUT, I do have a hint in dealing with most ranged baddies...let them chase you down a dark hallway. Once they start coming at you from across the room duck back in a hallway and they, no longer having LOS on you will stop firing at you and come running after you! Once they step into the darkened corridor you pounce out and smack them down (I've found this a key tactic with the baby tanks as they are often too wiley to pin down to a straight melee fight in a room).
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2-22-2008 @ 3:37AM
crow said...
Yeah, somehow I missed this article, too.
The monsters' special abilities provide for incredible depth in this game. I just learned a new trick a couple of weeks ago. Eating a certain monster's meat, then intentionally dying at the hands of a powerful monster in order to come back as a ghost and possess the very monster that killed you. Then you lay waste to the rest of the floor.
Great fun!
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