Niche Gamer: 9.5/10
Gaming Union: 9/10
Tiny Cartridge: Part 1, Part 2
Gamers Temple: 94%
Nintendo World Report: 9/10
Nintendo Life: 9/10
Digital Chumps: 9/10
ZTGD: 9/10
God is a Geek: 9/10
HardcoreGamer: 4.5/5
Cheat Code Central: 4.5/5
Game Revolution: 4.5/5
Hey Poor Player: 4.5/5
Nintendo Everything: (no score)
Nintendojo: B
Game Informer: 8/10
RPG Site: 8/10
Gaming Nexus: 8/10
GameSpot: 7/10
The most important (and lauded) feature of an Etrian Odyssey title is its hardcore, dungeon-crawling gameplay. Thankfully, Untold 2 is no slouch in this regard, bringing forth another solid title to stand alongside Persona Q and Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl on the 3DS’ roster. Combat is difficult and requires the player to think before acting. Bosses and FOEs are as tough as ever, and the map system makes a triumphant comeback, rewarding diligent players while also adding some nice tools to utilize. Fans of the series will enjoy the improved formula, while newcomers will have an easy time accessing this title as well, due to the optional Picnic Mode and auto-map features.
A competent story, engrossing and deep gameplay, lovely artwork/graphics, and a divine soundtrack are a few things to look forward to when purchasing this game.
Gaming Union: 9/10
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold takes the criticisms of the original game to heart and delivers a game that does a much better job of catering to both the new and old wings of the series. It keeps the things newcomers liked like the instant floor jumping after successfully marking the map and adds new features like cooking, but makes the player works in unlocking them instead of handing them out. For veterans, maligned mechanics such as the Grimoire system are reworked and the new features that make things easier can be completely ignored if one wishes.
Tiny Cartridge: Part 1, Part 2
The most refined thing about the Etrian games is without a doubt the way you customize the characters. Character classes are not only interesting to play as and different from what you could find in any other RPG, but also designed to be mixed and matched. Basically, if you think things carefully, you can discover a lot of combos that your party can perform to make your life easier.
After spending over 80 hours beating every boss, exploring every corner the dungeon floors and finding every secret, I can say without a doubt that it’s my favorite entry in the Etrian series. In fact, it’s not only my favorite one, but also what I believe to be THE BEST one.
Gamers Temple: 94%
I mentioned before that this game unseated Etrian Odyssey IV as my favorite in the series. Why? I only mention this to drive the point home, but it was the story. Etrian Odyssey IV was the first EO game I'd played where the narrative actually mattered, so seeing the change elevated the whole game. But here, with Etrian Odyssey Untold 2, we see the series take the next real step, into telling a story that not just holds the gameplay together, but inspires it to be something better than a dungeon crawler with some actual named characters.
Nintendo World Report: 9/10
Etrian Odyssey Untold 2, the latest in the dungeon-crawling series from Atlus, sank its hooks into me deep and quickly climbed to the top tier of my 3DS Activity Log. I beat the game, beat a bunch of post-game content, completed almost all of the quests, prepared all of the recipes, drew all of the maps, and eventually ran around killing low-tier mini-boss characters just for chuckles. Etrian Odyssey Untold 2 might be my favorite game on the system.
Nintendo Life: 9/10
Both a wonderful upgrade to the original Etrian Odyssey 2 and an impressive improvement on Etrian Odyssey Untold, Untold 2: The Fafnir Knight is a dungeon-crawling delight. With satisfying combat, endless customization, and beautiful labyrinths that are as fun to map out as they are to explore, this is a joyously engrossing adventure - and a truly accessible difficulty setting and user-friendly interface make it the easiest Etrian to dive into yet. If you've played other Etrian Odysseys and are looking for more, you'll have a blast here, and if this is your first time journeying into Yggdrasil, prepare to be hooked - just make sure to leave some breadcrumbs to find your way back.
Digital Chumps: 9/10
It’s a very addictive formula (one whose core concepts have been popularized by smash hits such as Monster Hunter), but it also lends itself well to moderate-length play sessions on a nightly basis. It’s tempting just before bedtime to venture out into the Labyrinth, take care of a few missions, map out some more areas, and then hit the sack. In fact, that’s what I did every single night for nearly two months during this review period. And wouldn’t you know it, the very atmosphere and wonderment surrounding the game’s environments was more than enough to keep me enthusiastically progressing the entire way.
ZTGD: 9/10
While this is certainly a familiar experience to anyone who has ever played an Etrian game, that’s not to say there’s nothing new on offer.
There’s the restaurant mini-game where the player can unlock recipes to new items on the menu which offer passive benefits that they can carry to the dungeons.
They can invest money in the various areas of the city to expand the population and draw in new customers to the restaurant by advertising desirable items on the menu to the populous which can generate a significant amount of income.
Grimoire stones, slot-able gems which expand a character’s arsenal of skills also makes a return in a big way as there’s a greater variety on offer and now they can even be traded/recycled for other gems.
Lastly, there’s the “Force” system in combat which can be used enhance and add various effects to skills. The player is also given an option to “Break” the force gauge by unleashing an incredibly powerful move which leads to a lot of epic moments during the tougher boss encounters.
God is a Geek: 9/10
I will go so far as to say that the Fafnir Knight is one of the most accessible first person dungeon crawlers, and does a great job of teaching you things. The new Picnic difficulty setting doesn’t hand things to you on a platter, but rather makes the game less daunting for newcomers. You get to restart a battle if you die as many times as you want but still need to solve FOE puzzles and figure out how to progress into the higher stratums. You also take less damage from hazards and some FOEs in later stratums. Normal difficulty offers a good enough challenge and Expert will make you cry. I tried Expert mode for a full stratum and do not wish to speak of it ever again.
HardcoreGamer: 4.5/5
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight continues the trend of quality dungeon-crawling conventions. The Story Mode is a cut above Millennium Girl‘s, with characters and a story that are far more developed, the combat and customization remains engrossing and deep, and the production values are impressive. This is a DRPG that can be played and enjoyed by veterans, thanks to Classic Mode, or complete genre newcomers thanks to the more narrative-heavy Story Mode where the level of challenge is far more accessible. Those looking for a new 3DS game to sink at least 100 hours into should buy The Fafnir Knight; it’s the definitive Etrian Odyssey game.
Cheat Code Central: 4.5/5
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight is a huge game. It's the game to point to when asked what a remake should be. The amount of improved and original content added to the title is extraordinary. It not only enhances the experience for everyone who's coming back to it, but opens it up to people who may have been afraid to play it until now.
Game Revolution: 4.5/5
The whole experience feels tough, but it never feels unfair. The balance of available attacks and general mannerisms of each baddie, no matter its strength or level, is usually enough to out-think the fight, which might lead to a few being predictable, but generally left me feeling like I’ve actually accomplished something.
If you can balance your adequate but not overwhelming amount of TP to take down the super-tough foes, while still having something left over as you stagger back to the stairway to get back to town, you’ll be just fine.
Hey Poor Player: 4.5/5
Offering an entirely new story mode to drive the dungeon-delving action forward, along with fresh animated cutscenes and a sweeping orchestral soundtrack, this overhauled expedition into the depths of the labyrinth feels like an entirely new game, giving seasoned adventurers another reason to explore the haunting Ginnungagap Ruins and the monster-infested forests of High Lagaard all over again.
Nintendo Everything: (no score)
When it comes down to it, Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold is an artistically beautiful adventure that will keep JRPG fans busy for quite a while. However, this does not mean it is recommended for all JRPG enthusiasts. The game is designed for passionate fans who enjoy a challenge and enjoy quest heavy adventures.
Nintendojo: B
Ultimately, Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight is another satisfying dungeon crawler from Atlus, though whether it is worth exploring depends on your standing with the series. Fans who’d like to experience a traditional Etrian Odyssey game would be better served starting with Etrian Odyssey IV, as it offers the most compelling adventure of any main installment. However, if you’ve been put off by the series’ lack of narrative, the Story mode in Fafnir Knight does a nice job of pushing the adventure forward without diluting the experience. It’s true the Etrian Odyssey series may still be an acquired taste for most gamers, but thanks to Fafnir Knight’s stronger tale and adjustable difficulty, Atlus has done an admirable job of making it more palatable to a wider audience.
Game Informer: 8/10
The Etrian Odyssey franchise just keeps getting better in terms of its game systems and accessibility. The series is still the punishing, map-drawing dungeon crawler that the hardcore RPG audience loves, but a lot of frustrating and archaic elements have faded, such as endless backtracking between floors and unreasonable difficulty levels.
I don't have much to knock about The Fafnir Knight beyond some tedious points and the uninspiried story and characters. In fact, as soon as I opened up cooking and town development, I found myself in an engaging, hard-to-put-down gameplay loop.
RPG Site: 8/10
The Fafnir Knight is another solid Etrian Odyssey title, with plenty of new content and enhancements to delight those that played the original Etrian Odyssey II. Whether players want to experience a more fleshed out story, or delve right into Classic mode on the hardest difficulty, there’s plenty here to keep dungeon crawler fans busy until the next Etrian Odyssey title.
Gaming Nexus: 8/10
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight isn’t doing anything to reinvent the series, but it continues to build upon a strong foundation and make marked improvements where necessary and changes the formula in ways that are just new and interesting enough to keep players interested. It’s not going to win any awards for originality, but it delivers exactly what fans of the series are going to expect and it is going to welcome newcomers to the series.
GameSpot: 7/10
Etrian Odyssey Untold 2 has some flaws, certainly--the additions to the formula make it more accessible but don't ultimately enhance the game. On the other hand, it looks great, it retains the traditional Etrian Odyssey experience in Classic mode, and you still feel empowered after defeating a challenging FOE with only a sliver of health to your name. It's great to have a modern, reimagined version of the original Etrian Odyssey 2, but don't expect Etrian Odyssey Untold 2 to deliver a revolutionary experience if you've crawled through this dungeon before.
