Etrian Odyssey IV announced for 3DS

[Fadedsun]

Will be downloading the demo shortly. I've been anticipating this game for a while, and it looks to be the best entry in the series so far. It seems each entry improves on the last anyway. Can't wait to play it!

[Starmongoose]

From John's news story:

"And although it won't be in the demo, keep your eyes peeled to RPGFan if you snag the full version of the game - we'll have a little surprise for you."

Heh heh heh.

[Taelus]

Oh, it'll be a surprise all right.

Also I love this game. Love how it's more accessible in the first area for newcomers, but quickly ramps it up. Love the changes to gathering and equipment buying, love the overworlds. Great work, all around here.

The only thing I miss are the BIG RED LIGHTS for FOEs since it made them more mysterious and the FM synthesizer battle themes, because Yuzo Koshiro's bass makes me feel pretty.

[Fadedsun]

I love it already (not that I had any doubts). I don't hear anything wrong with the music in the demo, though.

Not sure if you can adjust the controls, but I'd much rather control movement with the circle pad, and the map with the d-pad. It feels more comfortable that way, because the map comes secondary to moving your character.

I'm not digging the characters portraits as much this time around; mostly the Fortress portraits.

I love that they finally included a real skill tree and more detailed descriptions of the skills. 

[Starmongoose]

It might just be me, but when you complete a quest the "Complete!!" music plays, but it cuts short before the animation is complete so I'm left looking at the "Complete!!" screen in silence for about a second. It just feels a bit clunky.

[Farron]

I gotta give it to Atlus this time I tried the demo today just for the sake of trying and I can't believe how surprised I was!
I did have some experience with EOIII and while I liked some of it, I did have my gripes with other things like the learning curve, difficulty, XP rate, etc.

This one, however, I'm liking way more than the other. There are some measures of the strengh of FOEs on the map, also the possibility to know which creature you'll face. The casual mode is also very welcome as I hated that the game was already super hard and a little too much meant complete waste.

Now the star of the show here, for me, is the soundtrack. I had no idea it was going to be this good. I did hear people on GameFaqs talk about, and when I entered the game, nothing special, until you go to the dungeon, I was just mesmerized. I literally went to get my high end headphones just to experience the music!

Soundtracks like this, Dragon Quest VIII, Ni no Kuni, are what can make me smile even when I have to grind for hours. What in most games would be a bore, in these, I can't get mad listening to these spectacular songs!

[Taelus]

I gotta give it to Atlus this time I tried the demo today just for the sake of trying and I can't believe how surprised I was!
I did have some experience with EOIII and while I liked some of it, I did have my gripes with other things like the learning curve, difficulty, XP rate, etc.

This one, however, I'm liking way more than the other. There are some measures of the strengh of FOEs on the map, also the possibility to know which creature you'll face. The casual mode is also very welcome as I hated that the game was already super hard and a little too much meant complete waste.

Now the star of the show here, for me, is the soundtrack. I had no idea it was going to be this good. I did hear people on GameFaqs talk about, and when I entered the game, nothing special, until you go to the dungeon, I was just mesmerized. I literally went to get my high end headphones just to experience the music!

Soundtracks like this, Dragon Quest VIII, Ni no Kuni, are what can make me smile even when I have to grind for hours. What in most games would be a bore, in these, I can't get mad listening to these spectacular songs!

We've also been saying how great it is, since we reviewed it last year, featured it in our Music of the Year writeup, and our Music of the Year podcast ^^ :) It is indeed fantastic music-- some of Koshiro's best work to date, which is a pretty bold claim, I think.

[Solstafir]

I bought a lovely purple 3DS today and just finished playing through the demo. Everyone was level 7 by the time I got to the stairs down. I definitely dig the improvements from Etrian Odyssey 2, which was the last one that I played. Otherwise, it's the same good stuff that I was expecting in all sectors. I'll very likely be purchasing this once it comes out. I really appreciate how demo progress will carry over, too. Very well done demo.

[Eusis]

I noticed I sunk 3 hours into the demo. And I really want more. Now whether to try taking on FOEs, booting back up EO2 or 3, or just wait until 4 hits...

[Starmongoose]

I noticed I sunk 3 hours into the demo. And I really want more. Now whether to try taking on FOEs, booting back up EO2 or 3, or just wait until 4 hits...

Same dilemma as me, Eusis. Though Fire Emblem is coming on Monday so in truth I shouldn't start anything.


The demo was so good though, I really need an EO fix.

[Fadedsun]

I also played the demo like I was playing the full game. When I got to the stairs on the 1st floor and they told me the demo had ended I was like, "Wait. What? But I want to keep playing." The wait for the full game is going to be rough. I had a blast. Best entry in the series yet.

[Solstafir]

I share you guys' pain :( I put a nice ~4 hours or so into it. Not exactly sure how much because of leaving it idle on and off for a bit. But yeah, really looking forward to the full game now. Few weeks away, bleh!

[Fadedsun]

Atlus has two more QR gifts on their Facebook page, as well as one on their Twitter page.

[John]

Hey, this is out today!  Also, you can get access to an RPGFan-exclusive quest in the game.

Deets here: http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2013/1130.html

[Starmongoose]

Hey, this is out today!  Also, you can get access to an RPGFan-exclusive quest in the game.

Deets here: http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2013/1130.html

I've been so excited about this! Glad we can reveal it now. :D