When Nintendo retired the 3DS shortly after the release of the Nintendo Switch, one of the first questions fans asked was whether this meant the end for Etrian Odyssey. A popular dungeon crawling series that originally made its debut on the Nintendo DS, Etrian Odyssey was built around the dual touchscreen design that defined that platform. Technically, it could be replicated on the Switch, but it was apt to be far more unwieldy.
In February, Atlus put some of those fears to rest with the Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection, a remastered collection that will bring the first three games to PC and Switch. In an exclusive new interview with IGN, Etrian Odyssey HD’s devs – who preferred to be identified as a team rather than individually – expanded on the challenge of bringing the franchise’s unique touchscreen controls to new platforms. They also talked about how it will be tackling difficulty, why they chose the games they did, and its somewhat controversial $80 price point.
You can read the full interview below. Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection launches on Nintendo Switch and PC on June 1.
IGN: What was the process of figuring out how to adapt Etrian Odyssey's touchscreen mapping to the Nintendo Switch? Was there a lot of trial and error?
Etrian Odyssey Development Team: Yes, figuring out the mapping controls was certainly the most challenging part of the project, involving a lot of trial and error. Map drawing has always been a core component of the Etrian Odyssey [EO] experience, but it was also a system that was originally optimized and specialized for the Nintendo DS. And yet, thinking about the future development of the series, transitioning to modern platforms is something we also can’t avoid. So the question of how much we can recreate that mapping experience was definitely the biggest head scratcher during development.
Of course, the Switch, which includes touchscreen features, is the most compatible hardware in that regard, but as many are aware, the mechanics do differ between the DS and the Switch. So we knew we had to figure out ways to get it right on Switch, and that the experience still had to be fun. We developed a prototype version early on to check the touchscreen functionality, but after initial review, realized that the mechanics need work and further rounds of adjustments.
Figuring out the mapping controls was certainly the most challenging part of the project, involving a lot of trial and error
In particular, we had to figure out ways to address issues like how sensitive to make the touch detection, what the layout and spacing of the map tools should be, even how to account for the fact that a player’s hand blocks more of the screen than a stylus would. We even extended development a few times to reach a final quality that we would be happy with. But as a result, we do think we were able to polish the game to the point where you can enjoy an experience very close to the original games by utilizing a stylus.
Of course, we’ve made it so you can still manually build out a map by tapping the screen with your finger through the optional settings (such as the option to adjust the cursor position, which we added for finger taps). However, for anyone who simply wants to focus on exploring the dungeons, or those who prefer to play with a controller or with their finger, you can also set the auto-mapping setting to FULL (which automatically maps the floor and walls), so you can always choose whichever options best suits your personal play style.
IGN: Why did Atlus specifically choose to focus on the first three games? Was there any consideration of including the Untold games, or elements from those games?
EO Team: For EO’s first foray onto modern platforms, we wanted to start at the true beginning of the series. Fans have been asking for ports of these classic games, and we also wanted to be able to introduce the series to new players who may never have had a chance to play the originals before. We wanted to focus on the core EO gameplay that the original three games provide. But we also know that modern gamers have certain expectations when it comes to the gameplay experience, so we updated a lot of the systems to be more in line with the series’ most recent releases like Etrian Odyssey Nexus. We think modern gamers will find the experience very user-friendly.
IGN: Talk about the process of remastering the graphics and the soundtrack. What were some of Atlus' most important goals? What subtle elements will fans find interesting?
EO Team: We know that for fans, the art by Yuji Himukai and music by Yuzo Koshiro are some of the most beloved elements of this series. We wanted to retain their original character while also presenting them in the most beautiful way that modern consoles can provide. We think fans will love seeing the original art with sharper clarity and eye-popping color and hearing the original soundtrack as if it came right out of the composer’s studio.
These remastered titles also include an all-new character portrait for each class, making it possible for players to choose from a total selection of five portraits per class. EO3 also includes an exciting new battle track, which we hope fans can enjoy.
In addition, with these remasters, players can now choose any portrait that they like for their characters. In previous games, you were limited by your character class, but now you can select any image from any class within each game! Though, to set proper expectations, you cannot cross-select portraits from a job class in another game, nor apply portraits from other classes to the “Beast” (called “Pet” in the Japanese version) class.
IGN: The original Etrian Odyssey games are notoriously difficult. Will the difficulty be rebalanced?
EO Team: In these remasters, players will be able to choose from three different difficulty levels (Picnic, Basic, Expert) to find the gameplay experience that works best for them, and you can adjust the difficulty at any time you like by returning to the main town area. The difficulty of the original games can still be experienced by selecting the Expert mode. This adjustment is shared across all 3 titles, as we wanted to preserve the difficulty level that our planning team carefully crafted in the original games to ensure a thrilling battle experience. We recommend Expert mode for players who want to immerse themselves in more sophisticated battles, while Basic and Picnic are perfect for players who want to enjoy a more casual dungeon-crawling experience. We’ve also adjusted certain skills that weren’t functioning properly, but left certain specs that could be utilized strategically towards the player’s advantage untouched.
IGN: Etrian Odyssey is 16 years old now. Did you ever think the series would have this kind of long-lasting appeal in view of its niche genre?
EO Team: We definitely appreciate the fan support the series has gotten. Looking back at how we conceptualized the series, we wanted to take that classic adventure RPG foundation and build something new on top of it. Even since before video games, people have been playing tabletop adventure games with graph paper in front of them. There’s just something about the experience of building out your own unique party of adventurers and exploring a mysterious locale that has a timeless appeal. The EO series is in that long running tradition that scratches that itch for people who love that kind of gameplay.
IGN: Is the PC version being developed with Steam Deck in mind?
EO Team: We’ve created the game to provide an enjoyable experience on PC using the mouse and keyboard. In regards to Steam Deck, because the project has been in the works long before we had a test kit in-hand, we have not made specific adjustments for it.
IGN: Does this open the door for a new Etrian Odyssey on Nintendo Switch or another platform? What about a new Persona Q game?
EO Team: We can’t make any promises right now, but we’re definitely eager to see how fans receive these HD remasters!
Sega of America: Yes, the collection is available for purchase at $80. With this purchase, players will get 30+ hours of gameplay for Etrian Odyssey HD and 50+ hours for Etrian Odyssey II and III, plus free DLC portrait sets of popular characters from other ATLUS IP when they pre-order. That is a lot of content and gameplay that we think players will be very excited for in the first three games of the remastered series for Nintendo Switch and Steam.
Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
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