Dungeon Encounters was an interesting reveal during the Square Enix presentation from Tokyo Game Show; it's a dungeon exploration RPG that's opted for a minimalist aesthetic. It's out today (14th October) on the Switch eShop with a 20% discount until 21st October.
The launch trailer above is rather fun for the shredding guitar solo, though as it's not an overview of the game (something Square Enix hasn't really produced beyond the previous 'announce trailer') some are still a bit baffled as to what it is.
Below is part of the official description, which may help a little - conceptually it's pretty simple once you're used to the grid-based approach.
■Events
By uncovering and visiting spaces with white numbers, you may obtain items, unlock and change abilities, restore your party to health, find hidden merchants, and much more.
Battle encounters, marked with black numbers, are hidden throughout the map. However, they can be revealed with a special ability, allowing you to choose when and where to engage your enemies.
Previously discovered events will be recorded in the Event Log, a valuable resource that allows you to reference past experiences to tackle future challenges.
■Battles
Test your strategies in thrilling battles, featuring the Active Time Battle (ATB) system made famous by the FINAL FANTASY series.
Under the direction of Ito Hiroyuki, creator of the ATB system, battles play out in real-time, utilizing a polished and refined iteration of this classic design, which promises exciting, challenging combat.
■Map
The blank map awaits you, and by exploring and investigating every tile on each level, you will be awarded ability points. Navigate obstacles, including secret passages and hidden traps, and conquer the dungeon!
As a reminder, some of Square Enix's most accomplished developers and creators have been involved in the project:
Producer: Hiroaki Kato
Director: Hiroyuki Ito
Character Design: Ryoma Ito
Music: Nobuo Uematsu
Let us know what you think, are you tempted to try this out on Switch?
Comments 14
the music is just awful ...I mean when I image myself playing this game and listening to such one-instrument tracks filled with neverending shredding notes for hours, I can see killing myself...
The music alone is enough to completely put me off this but also the price point isn't particularly tempting.
Previously I said, "It looks like fantasy RPG characters exploring a crossword puzzle... pass."
I'm reconsidering it now. If Square is putting it out there, they must be confident that its a solid title. Maybe there's some substance to it, maybe it can be a chill experience.
I do wish they put some effort into the look of the map. I think they should have at least tried to emulate the maps DM's use for table top games. It wouldnt have taken much to do so. It just looks so sterile.
Interested in this game, but waiting on reviews... of which there are very few so far. Will NLife be doing one?
I've already got a good 5 to 7 hours on it, great game so far, but it's a really weird one. I really dunno how one would market it, I would describe is as a mix of a dungeon crawler, strategy game and a puzzle game. I can understand how the evidently shoe-string budget can be a turn off for some (but I can also understand why they went with it, it's incredibly niche).
Hiroyki Ito's name and just sheer bizarre nature of it were enough to draw me in and while I wouldn't say it was quite like the classic dungeon crawler I was expecting it to be I've still greatly enjoyed it nonetheless so far.
I would be really curious to know how this game came to be.
Instant buy for me. Absolutely love dungeon crawlers and anything made by Hiroyuki Ito immediately grabs my attention. The character designs look great, the music is awesome, and the tile graphics are very interesting. Reminds me of ASCII roguelikes in a way. Hoping its good!
I'll give Square-Enix this: I've never been so curious to try a game without having the foggiest what it's supposed to be like, save for a really dull looking grid of paths. And there's a 20% launch discount! Will Voice of Cards get that? If so, I wanna wait for Voice of Cards. The demo was surprisingly good.
I bought it because I'm stupid. Hopefully it's good.
That was some impressive hammer-on and picking technique. I've always loved sweep picking.
@PoliticallyIncorrect Ah fellow guitar-solo practicer! 😄
@StefanN Been playing pro since I was 17. I'm going on 52 now. Bass is my passion, I prefer 6-string bass, but I can shred and hold my own on a guitar. I do a lot of writing on guitar. I use Spector and Warwick basses and ESP guitars.
This game is good, but it's unfair in how punishing it gets if your party dies
Only on floor 2. So far so good. Pretty fun and chill
@PoliticallyIncorrect Dude niiiiice!
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