Once you have equipped your group, you must undergo a trial dungeon to get a feeling for how Etrian Odyssey plays out. Now, let me just say right here and now that if you are an impatient gamer you will throw this title down in less than an hour. As the tagline alluded to, the majority of Etrian Odyssey's experience is mapping out dungeons, which is absolutely essential to progress and not get lost during exploration. Even at the outset you will find enemies are difficult to dispatch and if you configure and equip your explorers poorly, you can expect to die... a lot. What does mapping dungeons mean? For simplicity's sake, think of each step you take as a square on a grid. As you move through each square you will use the DS stylus to draw lines indicating where walls or dead ends halt your progress.

Along with the ability to draw lines outlining your path, you're also given icons to indicate where stairs are located, as well as events, treasures and doorways. If you think of it in terms of outlining paths on a grid, your early play sessions will be much less frustrating. Along with mapping, you will have to become a master tactician when encountering enemies.

These creatures are as tough as anything you have ever encountered and in the early going, you will have to fight to gain experience and then retreat to safety to save your progress and purchase more potions and equipment. Unless you're a freak of nature, you're going to learn some lessons the hard way. Just as I did, you will try to fight that one last group of enemies before retreating to save and end up losing your whole party.

As steep as the learning curve may seem to be, those who stick with it will soon experience that magical feeling of old, as you traverse through complex areas, collecting items, leveling up your party and just watching the hoheaurs melt away because the experience is so engrossing. Graphically, Etrian Odyssey won't wow you, but the game runs smoothly from the first person perspective and the areas are sufficient for keeping the player engaged. In another nod to its predecessors, combat unfolds in turn-based fashion, showing each blow you make and receive.

The sound effects hearken back to the Genesis and SNES era and I was suddenly flooded with memories of Phantasy Star and other classic games from days past. Going back to the text displayed during the game, I really appreciated the "Dungeon Master" approach where you constantly receive explanations and descriptions of what is occurring. For example: "You have found______and have the option of doing_____." Decisions you make have a positive or negative impact on your party, so choose carefully.

But in the end really, that is what makes Etrian Odyssey such a time stealing, yet enjoyable experience. Actions and consequences are at the root of this game and although there will be frustrating moments, you'll find plenty of moments to make you smile. This is not for everyone, but those select few who have the skills should definitely invest in Etrian Odyssey.