The Titan of Repetition

Alright, I feel I've remained silent on this blog for far too long. When did I decide I could only write entries after completing a video game? I think I might have originally had the idea when I stopped updating on a daily basis and thought that I might switch to long-form reviews every few weeks. Well, that didn't pan out. I wrote about two of them and was appalled at the amount of research and preparation they required to write! I did enjoy writing them, but it made actually playing the games more of a chore than I'd really prefer. Of course, the game on which I'm currently spending most of my time is becoming a chore all on its own.

I have mixed feelings about the Etrian Odyssey series. Obviously there is something engaging and addictive about these games because I've plowed my way through three of them already--and I'm well on my way to conquering a fourth. They are also a great source of irritation and frustration, however, mostly due, I think, to the games' emphasis on repetition. Exploring these games' labyrinths is an exercise in trial and error. Venture as far as you dare--until you feel you've reached the limits of your endurance or skill--and then return to town. Heal up, resupply your characters, and venture out once again, only to retrace your steps. Shortcuts will frequently get you to your destination a little faster than the last time, but you'll still find yourself spending a great deal of time retreading your steps.

One could make the argument that Etrian Odyssey IV has come a long way in advancing the series' overall format. The game's main mazes are generally shorter and more focused than the sprawling labyrinths of games past. Each of these dungeons only have three floors after all, even if these floors are generally quite large and convoluted. To flesh out the game's content, there are several one-floor caves scattered throughout the game's world. In many cases, these caves are entirely optional.

Still, I can't help but feel frustrated at the amount of times I've had to traverse the second and third floors of the game's fourth main labyrinth--the Echoing Library. It is an exercise in soul-crushing repetition that has somewhat soured my appreciation for an otherwise excellent game. I'm happy with the classes and diversity in builds available to me--even if I don't think they're quite up to par with those of Etrian Odyssey III--but I'm not as pleased with dungeon design in many cases. At least I'm never in a situation where I'm forced to walk over literally 20 damage tiles to access an essential part of the labyrinth, ala the original Etrian Odyssey. It's easy to forget the root of this series, even if I did play it for the first time earlier this year.