The first three games in the dungeon-crawling RPG series, Etrian Odyssey, are being remastered for the Nintendo Switch and PC. Sega made the announcement during the Nintendo Direct on February 8th, followed soon after by a livestream showcasing gameplay. Originally, Etrian Odyssey released for the Nintendo DS, with later sequels on the 3DS. This collection will feature Etrian Odyssey I, II and III, available both separately and as a bundle. They’ll retail for $79.99 USD, or $39.99 USD individually when they launch on June 1st.
This release follows years of silence from the series, with the last instalment – Etrian Odyssey Nexus – releasing for the 3DS back in 2018. The games were designed with the DS architecture in mind, using the bottom screen as a way for players to draw out a map as they explore the dungeons. While this idea proved difficult to bring over to conventional home consoles, the developers at Atlus have found a workaround. You can now bring up the map while continuing to explore on the same screen. Just as with the DS originals, you’ll be able to draw the map using the Switch touchscreen, or a mouse on PC. If mapping isn’t your fancy, a new automap feature will simplify the experience greatly.
Notably, the original two Etrian Odyssey games have received extensive remakes on the 3DS. These added 3D models for enemies, as well as new story content and other such additions. However, these new HD remasters are purely based off of the original DS releases, meaning that enemies will be represented through static illustrations. Additional story content from the remakes have also been removed. This is likely to keep them consistent with Etrian Odyssey III, which never received a remake. As an aside, it’s worth considering that said remakes, along with the rest of the series, will soon be unavailable to purchase digitally following the closure of the 3DS eShop next month.
A look at the guest stars from other Atlus properties you can play as for pre-ordering.
Pre-ordering any Etrian Odyssey remaster will also give you free cosmetic DLC (which will be available for purchase post-release). These include Joker from Persona 5, Ringo from Soul Hackers 2, and many more. The Persona characters are a perfect fit, given that the Persona Q series adopts the mechanics from Etrian Odyssey. Get ready to put your mapping skills to the test when Etrian Odyssey Origins launches on June 1st, 2023.
SOURCE: Official Atlus YouTube channel, Nintendo
