I've not really played much niche games in my past. I guess you could say I was always a bit of a mainstream gamer, always playing what everyone else was playing, reading up reviews on some of the most awesome games that everyone would hear of. But I would always see little reviews for certain games. Games that I felt I wouldn't like. Game magazines poking fun at 'useless features' and difficulty. It would be the moment I joined the Atlus forums that I soon heard of a name besides Shin Megami Tensei and Growlanser: Etrian Odyssey.

What's that? I soon remembered seeing advertisements for the DS dungeon crawler in Nintendo Power and various magazines. I remember seeing it got so-so reviews, but was told from many of the users at the Atlus forums it is a must have title.
So, come Christmas 2007, my younger brother decided to purchase a game for me as a present. Lo and behold, gandering through the shelves at my local Gamestop, my eyes dropped to find a copy of Etrian Odyssey staring at me. Looking at it for a good five minutes, the front cover gave me a sort of charm. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something besides the game description and screen shots sold me to the game. I told my brother, "I'll get this."

Popping the game into my DS, I was greeted by the intro. Reading the words, "The labyrinth swallowed all..." was something, I feel, was symbolic. This would not only serve as plot, but testament to how enraptured I felt by the game. Creating my party of a Landsknecht, Protector, Dark Hunter, Alchemist, and a Medic, I found the characters I created reflected bits in pieces of what I saw in a good and balanced party. Even though the game offers a few character portraits to portray each character, I felt each individual adventurer leaked with personality. My Protector had that warm and charismatic appearance to her, her blue eyes affirming she could protect my party with her defensive skills. My Landsknecht, with his cocky smile, I knew I could rely on him for his awesome power. And, my favorite, my alchemist with his cold gaze, ready for anything and not fearing death. In my journey into the Labyrinth, I became attached to my party and also found it great to see them level up and be able to customize their skills. So far, this party has not let me down at all.

My first step into the labyrinth was a bit scary, I will admit that. Meeting up with my first enemy, the mole, I had no idea what to expect. I was new to the first person dungeon crawling genre, so I was a bit scared. By the time I reached to to basement floor 4, I suddenly felt this feeling. I was in control now. I had wiped out basement floor 2's FOEs and complete a maority of the maps. It was a strange feeling, I felt I was in control of the game and that nothing could stop me. It was so satisfying, a game that posed so daunting and at first seemed very hard. I was finally in control of it, I stood a match for the surprises that lurked in this giant maze. This was something I hadn't felt in a game in a long time: Self satisfaction. And I was hooked all the way through, always interested to see the new monsters, the new FOEs, and the beautiful new environments of the individual stratums (The Azure Rain Forest is my favorite part).

As a whole, the game itself is spectacular. There is not just one thing I loved about the game. In a world where games seem to just be difficult and take themselves with so much pride, Etrain Odyssey does something entirely different. It satisfies its players with rewards for their patience and the long journey. Every time I came into a new Stratum, felled a strong FOE, or I completed a hand full of side quests I felt so complete, at one with myself and the game. That even if the obstacles seem impossible, there's always a way around it. EO has also taught me the value of niche gaming. I think now I'll be my own judge instead of listening to gaming magazines that only seem to be targeted at the mainstream audience. Everything about Etrian Odyssey was fantastic. It's an experience I don't think I'll ever have the privilege to experience again (with the exception of its upcoming sequel). But that doesn't stop me from looking through the racks at my local Gamestop. I guess that's the explorer inside me coming out.