Etrian Odyssey II HD (NSP, XCI) ROM + v1.0.2a Update + DLC

Etrian Odyssey II HD is a 2008 dungeon crawler role-playing video game by Atlus for the Nintendo DS. A remastered version of the original was released for Nintendo Switch and Windows in June 2023 under the title Etrian Odyssey II HD.

Brings forth the timeless adventure of the enigmatic floating castle. As civilization submerged beneath the depths of the seven seas, vast forests sprawled across the remaining five islands.

Only a select few were chosen to escape the engulfing waters, finding refuge within the stronghold of their castle. Yet, in the relentless march of time, even the last five islands succumbed to the relentless waves, leaving only the castle behind.

After ages have passed, the denizens of the floating castle have decided to descend upon their ancestral soil. Construct your party from a diverse array of twelve heroic classes, ascending the mighty Yggdrasil tree to reach the heavens and unravel the mysteries of the High Lagaard.

GAMEPLAY

Etrian Odyssey II requires players to slowly make their way up the trunk of a massive magical tree to reach a floating castle at the top while completing smaller quests along the way. The tree is represented by a series of vertically stacked levels which are explored one at a time with frequent return trips to town to rest and resupply. Classically, players navigate through the forest locales a single “step” at a time, moving and turning in fixed increments.

Time passes only when an action is taken, causing movement, encounters, and combat to all be entirely turn-based. While randomly generated enemies cannot be spotted in advance, certain more powerful “FOEs” usually can be seen on the map and avoided if necessary, although “FOEs” still respawn every three game days. The game uses a first-person view to present the labyrinth using a combination of relatively simple 3D computer graphics for environments and single-frame 2D sprites for enemies.

Similar to early role-playing video games that did not support automatic mapping, players of Etrian Odyssey II must maintain their maps. This is done by using the stylus to manually fashion maps on the DS touchscreen, with whatever level of detail is desired. Periodic warp points allow players to escape the labyrinth to save the game, so being able to successfully return to these (with the assistance of an accurate map) can be quite important. When compared to the mapping system in the original Etrian Odyssey, there are now additional symbols that can be used.

Featuring no pre-made characters, the title instead requires players to create their own from twelve different character types, each with at least one special skill or aptitude. While only five characters can be in the party at once, up to thirty can be created and kept in waiting back at the “guild hall”. Characters can be switched in and out when in town, so if a given specialty is needed for a specific obstacle, the party can be tailored appropriately. The player further customizes characters by allocating skill points to specific skills during level advancement.

STORY

Within the Grand Duchy of High Lagaard, a crisis has suddenly caused renewed interest in a floating castle that resides high in the clouds overhead. According to the available research, it can be reached by traversing a forested maze, the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, composed of many levels. To obtain the mythical “Grail of Kings” said to be kept in the floating palace, the Duke of High Lagaard is now recruiting adventurers to explore the labyrinth and discover exactly how to reach the castle. The player takes the role of the leader of one such guild of adventurers.

FEATURES

• Utilize touch screen mapping functionality on the Nintendo Switch™ to chart your progress through the labyrinth. Draw walls and place icons to mark special events and resources.
• Immerse yourself in newly remastered graphics, an enhanced soundtrack, and quality-of-life improvements, including difficulty selection and save slots.
• Easily access the Monstrous Codex, quest log, and skill tree.
• Optimize your adventuring endeavors by selecting character classes that align with your playstyle.