This is probably not a 10/10 game, but it was a 10/10 experience for me. It introduced me to Etrian Odyssey, a series I now love and own every game for. The music ABSOLUTELY blew me away, I was flabbergasted by how good it is, both in terms of creating a calming atmosphere as you walk around and very smoothly shifting that over to high-octane battle music. The art style is so, so nice too, both for characters and for backgrounds. The story mode was a brand new addition, but it really helped me ease into the genre, while also just keeping me engaged with loveable characters and a story that has a surprisingly effective hook, even if the story itself isn’t anything groundbreaking. Props to the voice actors too, they did a great job, and though there aren’t many of them, the anime cutscenes are just sublime.

Drawing your map, fighting monsters, selling their parts for better gear so you can explore further, constantly cutting it close with how you use your money on what equipment… it’s a constant balancing act. I even dropped the game twice because I couldn’t manage to beat a boss and didn’t feel like grinding, but I’m very glad I came back to it and managed to beat it after all. I didn’t do all the optional and post-game content, since I had my fill, but as the very first Etrian Odyssey game I ever played, this one has a special place in my heart.