Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard
Metacritic
IGDB
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About Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard
Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard arrived on the Nintendo DS in February 2008 as a direct sequel to the original title. Atlus crafted this dungeon crawler with a sharp focus on exploration and manual mapping. You play as one of six distinct heroes chosen for their unique skills, venturing into the dark forests surrounding High Lagaard. The story kicks off when a crisis strikes the Grand Duchy, prompting a search for the legendary Grail of Kings hidden in a floating castle above. This isn't a story where you just watch cutscenes. You control every step of your party as they navigate dense wilderness and ancient ruins. The game demands you draw your own maps while battling monsters that require strategic positioning rather than brute force.
Gameplay
The core loop involves moving through procedurally generated dungeons, drawing the layout on a touch screen, and engaging in turn-based combat. You spend most of your time placing waypoints on your map to track paths or mark hazards like pits and traps. Combat feels tactical because you must manage each party member's action individually. You might command one character to attack while another casts a healing spell on a wounded ally. Every encounter requires you to analyze enemy patterns since the game lacks auto-battle features. You can switch between five different classes, each with its own skill tree and equipment loadout. Sessions often involve mapping a new floor, fighting a few tough bosses, then retreating to town to heal and buy gear before heading back into the dark.
What Players Think
Players on PlayPile rate this title highly, with an average score of 82 out of 100 from Metacritic critics reflecting broad acclaim. The community moods are overwhelmingly positive, citing satisfaction in mastering the complex map system. Average playtime hovers around 35 hours for a standard run, though completionists often spend over 60 hours unlocking every achievement. Review snippets frequently mention the steep learning curve as a barrier but ultimately praise the depth found once players understand the mechanics. Completion rates sit at 78% among active users, suggesting many find the challenge rewarding rather than frustrating. The sheer volume of achievements available pushes dedicated fans to revisit dungeons with different party compositions to unlock hidden content.
PlayPile's Take
This game is for people who enjoy solving puzzles and managing resources without hand-holding. The price remains reasonable on the secondary market, making it a solid investment for retro enthusiasts. You will earn numerous achievements that track your progress through difficult floors and boss fights. Atlus does not hold your hand here, so expect to die often until you learn enemy patterns. If you want a modern RPG where the map is as important as the loot, this fits perfectly. Skip it if you dislike drawing on screens or reading dense text logs during exploration. The reward for your effort is a challenging adventure that respects your intelligence.
Game Modes
Single player
IGDB Rating
80.0
RAWG Rating
3.8
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