Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millenium Girl Nintendo 3DS

Rediscover a vintage RPG in Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl, as the series goes back to its roots on Nintendo 3DS family systems. Step back into the Yggdrasil Labyrinth in an enhanced rebuild of Etrian Odyssey’s centrepiece dungeon, or explore a new story and unravel the mystery of a thousand-year-old maiden – just how is she linked to the town of Etria?

Whether you’re an experienced dungeon crawler or gearing up for your first odyssey, there are two ways to approach adventure in this epic, first-person RPG. Classic Mode is an upgraded version of the original game, enriched with 3D graphics, new gameplay elements and a sweeping orchestral score – or, if you prefer, the original synth soundtrack. Of course, in true Etrian Odyssey style, you have total freedom to customise your party, too.

Story Mode is something fresh for the series: a narrative starring five preset characters. When strange sounds and earthquakes begin to occur in Etria, a Highlander joins forces with a team from the Midgard Library, and a young girl with amnesia, Frederica, to investigate. Story Mode also includes a brand new, exclusive area called Gladsheim to explore, while beautifully animated cut scenes and voiced dialogue add to the tale.

At the heart of both modes is the Yggdrasil Labyrinth: a series of forests, jungles and ruins cradled deep within a gigantic fissure that’s appeared outside Etria. With rumours of unimaginable riches, you set off to explore the dungeon. But be wary – it’s a vast construct separated into many floors, and the only way to ensure you don’t get lost is to make a map. Fortunately, you can do just that by drawing out paths on the Touch Screen. There are all manner of tools for the budding cartographer, including pencils and erasers; markers for treasure, monsters and items; plus a neat little memo tool for taking notes. You can even zoom in on areas and jot down important events.

Before you set off in Classic Mode, though, you’ll need to choose classes for your party members, which determine their skillsets. For instance, a Medic has healing spells but low defence, while a Hexer sports formidable magic attacks but negligible defences. Skill Trees allow you to upgrade your characters’ attributes, and during certain battles, you’ll get the chance to win a Grimoire Stone. Equip one of these stones and you’ll be able to access attributes beyond your characters’ classes.

As you delve deeper into the dungeon, you’ll learn it’s a dangerous place. Combat is turn-based, allowing you breathing space to consider your strategy, plus adjust your items, weapons and spells. There are over a hundred varieties of enemy to hunt down – and some are fiercer than others, such as the so-called Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens (FOEs), which will crush you flat on first encounter. Though you’ll be forced to avoid them at first, as you level up you’ll eventually be strong enough for a face-off – and nothing is as satisfying as defeating an enemy you’ve repeatedly fallen to!

If this all sounds a tad dicey, fear not: there are three difficulty settings, including ‘Picnic’ for newcomers and ‘Expert’ for those that want to feel the rush of danger. Other comforts include your Guild House, which serves as a central hub and a rest stop to prepare your party between missions, where you can undertake special quests or receive gifts. Here you can manage your Grimoire Stones, and even use StreetPass to share and receive characters with other players.

Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl takes everything grand about the original dungeon crawler and enhances it with a new story, 3D graphics and gameplay expansions – will you survive the Yggdrasil Labyrinth?