Title: Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
Maker: Chunsoft
Publisher: Sega
System: DS
Cost: $10
I wondered how long it would be before I used the term rogue-like in my review. The answer: 13 words. But it’s hard to describe the game without that adjective, and if you had a rogue type experience, you’ll probably (but maybe not) hate this. And that’s why Shiren is a really enjoyable game. Because at their heart any rogue-like experience is basically a puzzle. You can take as much or as little time as you want, it rewards patience and methodicalness. What Shiren does better, is it also gives the game life. You have characters, and even though you’re dying, this story continues to push develop. 2 parts rogue, 1 part ground-hog day.
Considering it’s strengths, I would even make the strange leap and say that people who like Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls would find enjoyment in Shiren. The gameplay is fundamentally different, but it has the same type of risk and reward, and both leave you with a sense of responsibility when you perish.
It also has a lot of content, and they’re not tacked on grind-fests. Even after the finish, entirely new branches of the story open up. They introduce new play mechanics, and keeping you playing as you continue to interact with the world and it’s characters. Not the highest budget game, but just a fun time.
Review: 4 Stars
Memory: Being accidentally punched and killed by your “brother” in the middle of a quest.
