Etrian Odyssey

"Etrian Odyssey will definitely appeal more to the OCD'd than the ADD'd, and its punishing difficulty and very deliberate pacing may turn off younger gamers who grew up on flashier roleplayers. But it offers a real sense of wonder and a sense of accomplishment -- feelings missing from far too many modern games."

"Etrian Odyssey is not for everyone but it's perfect for who loves a challenging hardcore dungeon crawler where most of the time you'll be drawing maps and... die. The atmosphere and charm are present, the interface is very well-done and also the gameplay never bores. A topgame in its little accessible genre."

"Etrian Odyssey is a turn-based role-playing game like any other, but it sports one heck of a mean streak to elevate it above the crowd."

"Make no mistake, this game is a grind. Old school dungeon crawler fans will appreciate the difficulty and the sense of progress as you inch farther and farther into the Labyrinth, but it's not for the casual."

"We're definitely having fun with it, but we can assure players out there that this one isn't for everyone. The game is extremely traditional, works with some very particular gameplay elements (dead characters aren't revived from inn visits… rather they need to be resurrected at a more expensive price one-by-one), and simply won't be a hit for everyone who plays it. The mapmaking alone is enough to make Etrian Odyssey either a cult classic or a total failure, but we've got to give the creators props for the concept, as it's a game that simply can't be made on any other system without significant setbacks."