Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City

Game Details:

"Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City" is the third main installment in the Etrian Odyssey series, developed by ATLUS and released on the Nintendo DS platform in 2010. This title continues the series' classic first-person perspective dungeon exploration gameplay while introducing a brand new sea exploration system and a complete overhaul of the classes, providing players with greater strategic freedom.

The game is set in the harbor city of Armoroad, where legend says a prosperous civilization sank into the sea. The protagonist's adventurer guild is tasked with exploring the deep sea and labyrinths to uncover the lost truth. Players need to use the stylus to hand-draw maps on the lower screen, recording terrain, traps, resource points, etc., which increases the sense of participation and accomplishment during exploration.

In terms of the class system, this game removes the previous work's classes and introduces 12 brand new classes, such as "Gladiator", "Pirate", "Ninja", "Princess", etc. Each class has two different skill development paths that can be freely combined to build diverse combat combinations. It also adds a sub-class system, which further enhances the tactical depth of the characters.

The battle system remains classic turn-based, with enemies having a high-threat FOE system (strong enemies that can be seen moving on the map), requiring players to reasonably plan routes and strategies to avoid or challenge them. Boss battles test team coordination and skill cooperation, with extremely high challenges.

In addition, the game adds a "Sailing Mode" where players can explore the sea on the world map, unlock new islands, complete sea missions, expand the main story and resource acquisition methods, making the gameplay richer.

Editor's Recommendation:

"Etrian Odyssey III" is not only an excellent sequel to the series but also a representative work that fully embodies the depth of RPG and the charm of exploration on the DS platform. Its unique "drawing your own map" gameplay turns every step of exploration into a process full of participation, while the new class system and sub-class mechanism make team building full of infinite possibilities. The game's difficulty is moderate to high, but because of this, every victory in battle and the completion of each map is extremely rewarding. Especially the addition of the FOE system and sea adventure not only increases the tension but also broadens the gameplay level. Whether you are a veteran of strategy games, a dungeon RPG enthusiast, or a player who likes immersive challenges, this game will make you want to stop.

Game Guide:

This game has a high degree of freedom, but it also means that improper choices in the early stages will lead to resource waste and getting stuck. The following are practical suggestions for beginners:

I. Recommended Team Combination (Balanced)

• Front Row: Gladiator + Pirate/Samurai
• The Gladiator has tanking and all-around support abilities, while the Pirate excels at multi-stage attacks and status abnormalities, and the Samurai has high burst damage.
• Back Row: Princess + Necromancer + Ninja
• The Princess excels at group healing and buffs, the Necromancer provides elemental attacks and debuffs, and the Ninja is highly flexible and can create clones to lure enemies.

Sub-class suggestions:

• Princess + Gladiator, dual support enhances the team's overall survival.
• Ninja + Pirate, stealth + status abnormalities is a perfect combination.
• Samurai + Necromancer, providing elemental damage with output stability.

II. Map Drawing Skills

• Draw maps at any time: Use the stylus to record every fork in the road, door, resource point, etc., to avoid getting lost.
• Mark FOE routes: FOEs have fixed or semi-fixed movement paths, using the map to mark their paths can help avoid or ambush them.
• Use custom icons: Especially hidden walls and switch mechanism mazes, you need to repeatedly mark and test to solve the puzzle.

III. Exploration and Development Suggestions

• Do more guild quests: The main source of early experience and money accumulation, and can also unlock practical items.
• Gathering professions are essential: Mining, logging, and medicinal herb gathering points are set on the map. Assigning characters with corresponding skills can obtain rare materials.
• Pay attention to sailing missions: The higher the map completion rate, the easier it is to obtain new weapon/equipment blueprints and hidden dungeons.

Finally, when facing high-difficulty enemies, it is better to prepare more before challenging. Once defeated by FOEs or Bosses, the loss will be very heavy. It is recommended to save frequently, return to town often to prepare for battle, and arrange the battle rhythm reasonably to move forward steadily on the path of the Star Sea Visitors.