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[dark steve]

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SHIREN THE WANDERER THREAD OF THIS IS THE BEST FUCKING RPG ON THE DS

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pics shamelessly stolen from ChunSoft and Sega sites

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Free of killing God bullshit or amnesiac girls in tubes, Shiren is a charming RPG that starts as a pleasnt journey and ends as an epic struggle

INTERESTED NOW? GOTO: THIS THREAD

LINKS OF AMAZEMENT:
This game has the sp0rsk Seal of Approval
A run through of the SFC version of the game (note that the DS version is considerably enhanced beyond what you read here)
DSFanboy's excellent and extensive coverage of Shiren DS



a brief questions and answer sessions follows.

What the fuck?

Hold on! Hear me out! I am not shitting you, this is totally the best RPG on the DS.

But what about-

That was really great, but Shiren is fucking awesome.

You're forgetti-

That's also an excellent one, but it doesn't change the fact that Shiren is the best RPG on the DS.

You haven't even consid-

Oh, don't get me wrong, that one was.....wait a second, you liked that? What the fuck, man?

Isn't this just some some stupid time waster like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon?

FUCK.

NO.

Do you want to understand the relationship between Shiren the Wanderer and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon?

Shiren the Wanderer is to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon what Final Fantasy IV is to Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.

Do you hear me? Mystic Quest has more vibrant colors, is a gentler game, and allows you to do relatively pointless shit like jump around and chop down trees. But Final Fantasy IV is the hands-down classic. The same goes for Shiren and Pokemon. Shiren is a fucking gaming classic.

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As with nearly any other RPG, combat is the bread and butter of Shiren, but it's executed so elegantly and thoughtfully that it rarely, if ever, becomes a chore


INTERESTED NOW? GOTO: THIS THREAD

But I don't like roguelikes/dungeon crawlers.

That doesn't matter. Shiren is a game at the absolute top of it's form - a perfect, predatory creature of an RPG, devoid of fat and flab. It's the console roguelikes by which all others could be justified. It is the essence of dungeon-crawling boiled down to a pure, arcade-like experience.

In other RPGs, other games, your characters are the one who gain "experience" and grow more powerful.

In Shiren the Wander, you are the one who gains experience, becoming more cunning and clever with each new attempt to conquer it. This game does not lay down and let you have your way with it. It will fight you and it will teach you with each new situation, and this game does not fuck around.

Shiren the Wanderer is the absolute perfection of it's genre. It wasn't just dumb luck that turned the Mysterious Dungeon series into a franchise. The first game (which was a Dragon Quest-spinoff that starred Torneko) gave ChunSoft (previously known for working on DQ and sound novels) the perfect chance to refine what was essentially a new genre: the console roguelike. This is the game that put them and kept them on the map back in the 90s.

And now it is available in an enhanced and remastered form on the Nintendo DS, turning one of the most addictive and intelligent RPG experiences ever into a conveniently portable adventure.

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Your loyal companions: Pekeji, Oryu and Kechi. Unlike the clumsy party members in Pokemon, these three are simple and elegant, acting much in the same manner as the Options from Gradius, while still providing helpful bonuses

As far as purchasing games goes, this is pretty much as close as you can get to a solid gold fucking win.

But don't just trust me. Trust the Japanese gamers who loved the series enough to see it through six different incarnations, culminating in the upcoming and brilliant-looking Shiren 3 for Wii (whose localization chances rest on your purchasing this game). Trust the people who (mostly illegally) played the original version via emulation when it was translated and raved about it for days afterwards. Trust the people who have imported this game and told us quite freely that this is in no way a downport, but a new and excellent revision of the game.

INTERESTED NOW? GOTO: THIS THREAD

Buy this game. Don't just rent it, or pirate it, buy it.

It comes out the week of March 3rd - THIS WEEK. And it will be worth whatever you have to pay for it. This game will not let you down. This is a personal promise from a man who normally needs to be under the influence of drugs to express enthusiasm.

For reading through this, a bonus: two absolutely beautiful wallpapers . Forget the game's cover art and put these on your desktop

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT - ONCE MORE, THE LINKS OF AMAZEMENT:
This game has the sp0rsk Seal of Approval
A run through of the SFC version of the game (note that the DS version is considerably enhanced beyond what you read here)
DSFanboy's excellent and extensive coverage of Shiren DS






THE REVIEWS ARE ROLLING IN! SOME OF THEM SHOULD PROBABLY ROLL BACK OUT:

1up's Jeremy Parish understands that this game is tough love:

Shiren isn't a game for everyone. It's far more demanding than its fellow DS-based roguelikes, lacking, say, the cuddly mascots of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon or the cumulative experience-building of Izuna. But it's remarkably well crafted, with streamlined gameplay that belies its impressive substance. It's not a game that can be completed in just a few hours. Keep plugging away and learning from your mistakes, though, and eventually you'll get there...

...at which point a series of even harder postgame challenges will be waiting. If that prospect sounds appealing rather than terrifying, congratulations: This game is for you.

His verdict? B+

Jack DeVries of IGN wrote this review for the necrophobes and kakorrhaphiophobes among us:

It's a bit odd that the very things that make the Mystery Dungeon series unique are the same things that make it less enjoyable to play than it ought to be. The random dungeons are oftentimes poorly laid out, and the turn based gameplay can lead to a slow, jerky experience. Still, Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer is a game that will certainly give players a run for their money, if only due to the fact that it takes forever to beat. The difficulty level is enough to fend off potential newcomers that are looking for an RPG to play in small spurts. It seems Shiren has two potential audiences: the nostalgic Mystery Dungeon fans, and the people that played Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, but want something a little more hardcore. And a message to the former of these two groups: Can somebody please come rescue us?

His verdict? 6.5


PERMAHOSTED MEDIA TO FEAST YOUR EYES ON

IGN's large gallery of screenshots
Three direct-feed videos, courtesy IGN
Game Trailers has a video of, predictably, the tutorial dungeon and two of Fay's puzzles (only one of which they do the wrong way!)

 

[Aeana]

I do like this first post better than the other one, but we don't need two threads.

 

[NolbertoS]

Seems OK, but until Etrian Odyssey 2, comes out, than this RPG will be relegated to top 10 DS RPG.

 

[Gekkonidae]

what the fuck?

 

[dark steve]

I do like this first post better than the other one, but we don't need two threads.

Think of me as the guy standing on the street corner and waving a sign for a nearby business.

Also I'm thinking of updating this topic with the very real, very true stories of my epic adventures in this game.

 

[Kintaro]

...

God dammit. Just reading the first post has me interested in a game I have no time for this week. WTF. THIS BETTER BE GOOD. >=(

 

[WickedLaharl]

you put a lot of effort into a thread that has a high probability of being locked

looks like you've won this battle of the threads. congrats!

 

[tokkun]

The point of this thread is to advertise another thread about the same thing....?

 

[Jamesfrom818]

SHIREN THE WANDERER THREAD OF THIS IS THE BEST FUCKING RPG ON THE DS

It's a hentai game? I'm sold.

 

[lyre]

Needs some official links:

Chunsoft - JPN site

SEGA and their shitty US site

PS: Buy this game so we can get Shiren iii for Wiii.

 

[Aeana]

PS: Buy this game so we can get Shiren iii for Wiii.

This.

 

[ShinNL]

Wow... nice post!

Interest increases!

*YouTubes*

...

Interest decreases to -10000.

 

[ghibli99]

OMG, that US boxart is... like... the Guardian Heroes box on the US Sega Saturn. My god, Sega, you suck.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Not enough cash, not enough time to play what I already own.

 

[lyre]

Wow... nice post!

Interest increases!

*YouTubes*

...

Interest decreases to -10000.

You, your avatar and all of your kind, are the plague to good gaming and are the not only part of the problem but the source of it.


ghibli: It's SEGA. Are you really surprised?

 

[Link Man]

You spelled Etrian Odyssey wrong, OP.

 

[webrunner]

Looks like we have a winner.. the other thread just got locked

 

[Rummy Bunnz]

What does this have over the other thread? A whole lot more hyperbole and cursing? Official threads blow.

Also it ships tomorrow. The earliest anyone will be able to buy it is Wednesday. So you may want to change that.

 

[Spruchy]

Pass.

 

[GreenNight]

Pass.

Die.

 

[ShinNL]

You, your avatar and all of your kind, are the plague to good gaming and are the not only part of the problem but the source of it.


ghibli: It's SEGA. Are you really surprised?

My games are Trauma Center, Phoenix Wright, Fire Emblem and Monster Hunter. I'm the definition of good gaming.

But that doesn't matter... insulting my avatar is crossing the line and unforgivable!

 

[ghibli99]

ghibli: It's SEGA. Are you really surprised?

No, but after looking at the J-version up above, and then clicking on the US Sega site, I think the effect was exacerbated a hundredfold. Pure garbage.

Getting back to the actual game, this looks like something I could get into. I was saving my gaming funds for SSBB next week, but I might give this a try.

 

[Fireblend]

This thread is awesome. Excellent first post.

 

[bigmit3737]

Add some screenshots to this thread please.

 

[dark steve]

Looks like we have a winner.. the other thread just got locked

wha....shit! Is that really how things have to work around here? I meant the competition thing as a joke...I'd rather the threads coexist peacefully. The dude(tte?) has no mercy!

I guess it's time to put actual information in the op...

 

[dude]

Sounds interesting and the main character look cool, I like characters with straw hats. I look into it. I hope I won't end up disappointed.

 

[Prime crotch]

hey we should be glad we're getting the game, you can't expect Sega to launch the game into the US market with the original cover. Specially when dealing with Roguelikes.

 

[LordGek]

I just want to know where I'm supposed to post my Shiren hype/love?

Here is the latest relevant tidbit, an interview with the American Localization Producer of this game:

http://www.dsfanboy.com/2008/03/03/ds-fanboy-interview-shiren-the-wanderer/

What does "We currently have no plans to port Shiren Wii"? It ain't gonna happen OR we can't officially comment on this ULTRA COOL PORT WE HAVE ALREADY SECRETLY STARTED?

 

[Aeana]

I just want to know where I'm supposed to post my Shiren hype/love?

Here is the latest relevant tidbit, an interview with the American Localization Producer of this game:

http://www.dsfanboy.com/2008/03/03/ds-fanboy-interview-shiren-the-wanderer/

What does "We currently have no plans to port Shiren Wii"? It ain't gonna happen OR we can't officially comment on this ULTRA COOL PORT WE HAVE ALREADY SECRETLY STARTED?

Eh? Didn't they outright say that the possibilities for Shiren 3's North American release depend on Shiren DS's sales, before?

Bleh. Well, I hope that Freeloader thing works; then I won't even have to worry about it.

 

[TheExodu5]

I have absolutely no clue what this game is about, or what it looks like, and I can't check YouTube videos from my current location either...BUT I WANT IT! :lol

Greatest OP ever. If it's at my local EB today on the way home from work, I will buy it :lol.

 

[Anasui Kishibe]

to the OP

this effing better be good because thanks to your highly convincing op I'm going to get it tomorrow. MARK MY WORDS, BETTER BE GOOD ARRHHN

 

[TheExodu5]

to the OP

this effing better be good because thanks to your highly convincing op I'm going to get it tomorrow. MARK MY WORDS, BETTER BE GOOD ARRHHN

Let's hope we're not getting duped . Man we are so influenciable!! Ahahaha I'm friggin anticipating getting a game I have no knowledge about. To make it worse, I won't look at any screenshots or previews before I buy this! Blind purchase FTW! :lol

 

[lastendconductor]

Why are the characters in walking animation even when they're not moving? this is not the nes era anymore, and it's fucking annoying :/

 

[Tiktaalik]

You don't really explain very well how this is different from Pokemon Dungeon.

 

[Blackhead]

So will this really make US-gafers buy it?

Ad in US magazine

 

[LordGek]

Eh? Didn't they outright say that the possibilities for Shiren 3's North American release depend on Shiren DS's sales, before?

Bleh. Well, I hope that Freeloader thing works; then I won't even have to worry about it.

At this time, there are no plans to bring Shiren Wii over to North America.

Doesn't that "At this time" act as a major qualifier? It may mean NO WAY IN HELL but we won't officially dash all of the fanboys' hopes or it really is that UNTIL IT IS ANNOUNCED they can't legally admit to shit.

 

[TheExodu5]

dark steve
GAF Salesman of the Year
(Today, 08:18 PM)
Reply | Quote

 

[Man God]

It still loses to Izuna when it comes to fanservice promotional art.

 

[LordGek]

You don't really explain very well how this is different from Pokemon Dungeon.

No pokemon in this one!

Its a much more streamlined/quicker playing game. PMD is a hybrid of the Mystery Dungeon games with the Pokemon world. Shiren is all Mystery Dungeon without having to incorporate a lot of the Pokemon aspects that don't really work that well in these types of games anyways. In Shiren you have items you have to identify, weapons and armor to build up, monsters you can turn into to gain their powers, etc.

 

[sk3tch]

Con sarnit!

When will I ever finish Etrian Odyssey with great stuff like this coming out on a consistent basis??

P.S. Love you long time OP...awesome, awesome post. I was just on the can today looking at the U.S. ad and thinking WTF? Now I know.

 

[Haunted]

Great thread.


Although the US cover is one of the worst I've ever seen, especially considering the original.

 

[lastendconductor]

Stop posting that abomination! ughhh...

 

[dark steve]

Why are the characters in walking animation even when they're not moving? this is not the nes era anymore, and it's fucking annoying :/

Man, it's like Shining Force. You know how in Shining Force, nobody is standing still? That's because there's fucking wars to be fought! You don't just stand around like a dope when you need to go defeat the forces of the DARK DRAGON. And if you're an NPC, are you just going to sit there and think "man, I hope these guys defeat the dark dragon"? No way! You're fucking dancing in the spot, jazzed because you want the SHINING FORCE to defeat the DARK DRAGON.

The same goes for the Mysterious Dungeon games. There's no time to stand still, there's a god damn MYSTERIOUS DUNGEON to be explored.

 

[TheExodu5]

Great thread.


Although the US cover is one of the worst I've ever seen, especially considering the original.

OMG. That's almost as bad as the Ico cover >_<.

Wow...I just asked 2 co-workers beside me...and they both prefer the North American Ico and Shiren covers! What the hell!

 

[Nocebo]

I will buy shiren ds!

Spoiler

maybe

 

[Davidion]

Great thread.


Although the US cover is one of the worst I've ever seen, especially considering the original.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/610jTpo6PwL._SS500_.jpg

I came in here looking for this. Really, the US cover is such an artistic nosedive from the Japanese version it's almost scary.

 

[LordGek]

I came in here looking for this. Really, the US cover is such an artistic nosedive from the Japanese version it's almost scary.

Maybe this is the REAL reason the fate of Shiren Wii is up in the air...Sega of America can't think of an even EDGIER cover for this upcoming game and therefore why bother porting it?

 

[lastendconductor]

Man, it's like Shining Force. You know how in Shining Force, nobody is standing still? That's because there's fucking wars to be fought! You don't just stand around like a dope when you need to go defeat the forces of the DARK DRAGON. And if you're an NPC, are you just going to sit there and think "man, I hope these guys defeat the dark dragon"? No way! You're fucking dancing in the spot, jazzed because you want the SHINING FORCE to defeat the DARK DRAGON.

The same goes for the Mysterious Dungeon games. There's no time to stand still, there's a god damn MYSTERIOUS DUNGEON to be explored.

Okay, that works for me :lol :lol

 

[otake]

no I won't.

 

[Davidion]

Maybe this is the REAL reason the fate of Shiren Wii is up in the air...Sega of America can't think of an even EDGIER cover for this upcoming game and therefore why bother porting it?

They're having trouble coming up with a cover that more closely imitates the artistic styling of Saturday morning cartoons. FROWNS! ANGRY FACES! INTIMIDATING FERRET! *facepalm*

Sorry for the minor derail. I might even check out the game thanks to this thread. It's just that the cover thing is so very, horribly bad.

Carry on.