Etrian Odyssey Crosses into the Nexus

Atlus USA confirmed that Etrian Odyssey X, the newest game in the series, will be coming to western territories under the name Etrian Odyssey Nexus. For a time, whether it would receive a localization was anyone’s guess, despite how they’ve done the same for all the previous mainline games.

There was a good chance that Atlus hesitated about localizing previous game Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth, given how long it took them to announce and release it. The game released in Japan in August of 2016, but it took them until E3 2017 in June to announce it, and it released in October. But at least that game came over in the end. The same can’t be said for Etrian Mystery Dungeon 2, which released just under a year ago in Japan, and this latest localization announcement heavily implies we can kiss that game goodbye. At least Atlus USA hasn’t completely given up on the franchise, so we should celebrate what we receive.

The immediately noticeable aspect of Etrian Odyssey Nexus’ localization is the name change. The “X,” which stands for “cross,” doesn’t work as well in English-speaking territories. The fact that I’ve often had to explain what it means in this post and many others whose Japanese versions have used the name (like Monster Hunter X) and games that kept it for the western versions (like Street Fighter x Tekken — yes, both are Capcom games) should tell you why. Too many people will pronounce it as either “x (ecks)” or “ten” when they see it, and may not understand how the naming scheme works.

But “X” and “Nexus” have similar meanings. This game is the final Etrian Odyssey game being made for 3DS, and the last one coming to a system with a dual-screened setup. It’s since been confirmed that this won’t be the last EO title overall, nor will it be the last game that uses some of its mechanics, but it still marks the end of an era. So, this installment is the ultimate crossover title and inherits several elements from all the previous games, hence the “X,” and it’s the “Nexus” of the franchise in its current state. Give the localization team a pat on the back.

They aren’t kidding about this game inheriting most of the fan-favorite features from previous installments. Nexus has the highest number of classes in the series for a total of 19, though the only new one is the unique “Hero” class for the main character. The subclass feature from Etrian Odyssey III and IV has also returned, a good thing considering it would have been difficult to switch between so many different classes to use all their techniques. It also includes elements from several dungeons in previous games, and has a modified version of the overworld from EOIV.

That’s “most” of the features because this game notably doesn’t include the option for an FM-synthesized soundtrack, something that’s been a staple for the series since its introduction, thanks to being a throwback to classic dungeon crawlers. Composer Yuzo Koshiro recently provided FM renditions of several battle theme tracks on his YouTube channel, which you’ll either consider a nice gesture or a source of outrage thanks to them not being present in the game itself. Maybe it can come as DLC down the line.

The game also inherits the series’ penchant for being challenging, with labyrinthine dungeons full of traps and difficult enemies and bosses. But like recent installments, the difficulty curve isn’t as intimidating as older titles, and multiple difficulty levels are available. The default difficulty could still be challenging for veterans, but there are other choices if it isn’t. The game also inherits some auto-mapping features from recent games, though aspects of it still have to be drawn and noted.

Several previous EO games contained redrawn portraits for the same classes, and those alternate portrait options were released as temporarily-free DLC with the Japanese release two weeks ago. It will cost 100 yen after September 2nd. The same should happen here, though I wouldn’t mind it if it was entirely free. There are also bonus portraits from special contributing artists, including Shirow Miwa (of the futuristic 7th Dragon games and artwork for some RWBY novels) and Atlus own Shigenori Soejima, in a special collaboration for the still-shrouded-in-mystery Project Re Fantasy.

Similar to Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux, Nexus will only have a Japanese voice option when it releases. This is apparently being done to cut costs, since they won’t be expecting many sales for a 3DS game in 2019. It’s a disappointment for anyone who enjoys the dubs they’ve provided, but it’s understandable given the potential costs involved.

Etrian Odyssey Nexus will release in western territories on February 5th. This news means Atlus USA is indeed continuing support for 3DS into 2019 alongside Nintendo, which means the recently-revealed Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth will follow shortly afterward. The Persona series is far more popular than EO, after all. It’s likely also popular enough that it will receive a dub, but we’ll know for sure soon.