As Japanese RPGs have never been my specialist subject, Shiren the Wanderer’s latest outing is actually the first time I’ve sunk significant time into a Mystery Dungeon. In fact, the last one I tried might be the most recent Pokémon spin-off, and I didn’t stick with that one past the demo.
That being so, when it comes to the Shiren games, I knew there was a gap in my knowledge that needed filling. What I didn’t know until now is how much fun I had been missing out on.
Who is Shiren the Wanderer?
This is the sixth mainline game in the Shiren series, which itself sits within the Mystery Dungeon universe. These roguish adventures are more than just the turn-based tales of Shiren; they include games based on Pokémon, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy.
The Mystery Dungeon games have enjoyed plenty of success over the years, hence the wealth of big name crossovers. However, we’re here to focus on the original series by Spike Chunsoft, rather than any of the spin-offs that have been made to serve other franchises.
So who is Shiren the Wanderer?! Well, our eponymous hero is a ronin who treks across Feudal Japan in search of adventure, with his friend, a talking ferret called Koppa, always by his side. This simple setup sees Shiren exploring dungeons and fighting monsters, as is so often the way of the classic JRPG.
So why are we off on this particular adventure? In a nutshell: after having a strange vision, our man Shiren and his faithful ferret are on their way to save a woman who just happens to be trapped in the belly of a monster. Our motivation to help this strange woman is helped by the fact that the island is riddled with treasure, although the people already living there can be less helpful at times.
Mysterious dungeons on an island filled with loot
Shiren’s latest loot-filled adventure whisks him/us away to Serpentcoil Island, which upon reflection is a wicked-cool name for an island full of treasure. It’s appropriate, too, because there’s a giant serpentine mountain jutting out into the heart of the isle, next to a smouldering volcano no less. The stage is set…
Our adventure starts in media res, with Shiren battling the game’s big bad, seemingly at the end of an adventure. This boss battle doesn’t end well, and our hero is knocked out. Shiren then wakes up the next morning, in the village that will act as your base of operations for future attempts. We’re starting completely from scratch, however; not only does our wandering friend have none of his gear, but he also wakes up with none of his memories intact.
Temporary amnesia is a clumsy narrative device at the best of times, but it does just enough to carry the action forward here. As a result of your memory loss, the island is now shrouded in fog that must be peeled back as we explore deeper. It’s effective if nothing else.
To that end, Shiren walks up and down mountain paths, over precarious rope bridges, and through submerged tunnels as he and Koppa push on towards the serpent-shaped mountain. As per the genre, these dungeons are rearranged and thus every new adventure is fresh, although there are resting points throughout the campaign, such as villages where you can buy gear. It’s not all hack and slash.
Deeper than a well, as wide as an island
The thing that struck me most while playing was just how much depth there is woven into every aspect of the game. I feel like I’ve only been scratching the surface in every direction I’ve looked. Weapons can break, but they can also be enhanced with runes. You can pick up so many items, from rocks that you can throw at your enemies, to herbs and scrolls that have a multitude of possible effects.
Every movement represents a turn, so as you move, so do any enemies that are in the same dungeon. This means that you’ve got time to work things through, even if the impulse is sometimes to act first and then think later (a problem I have with Jupiter Hell, too). Your in-game movement feels wonderfully intuitive, and the control scheme has been thoughtfully implemented. On PC you can also switch the inputs around to make things more comfortable, because not everyone will be familiar with Nintendo’s control scheme.
Combat encounters come thick and fast, and you have a wealth of tactical options open to you. First, it’s important to make sure you’re facing the right direction; you have time to orientate yourself and make sure you’re positioned to land the first blow. Having a sword and a shield is a must, as they increase your efficacy in battle and reduce incoming damage considerably. Oftentimes you’ll find yourself outnumbered and low on health, but there are spell scrolls that will take out a whole room of enemies if read at the right moment.
I think the only thing that’s a little bit clunky is the inventory system, and there’s no escaping the fact that you’re going to be spending a fair amount of time hopping between menus. The complexity of the game insists that you pay close attention, not only to the world around you but also to the things that you’re carrying with you. However, diligence pays off whenever you’re rifling through your backpack and you find the perfect item to get you through a tricky encounter.
As one might expect, each level adds in a layer of challenge, with new enemies joining the fray to constantly keep things fresh and dangerous. The first bads you encounter simply bump into you and take a bit of health, but it’s not long before you’ll get ambushed by ninjas, shot at by bow-wielding critters, and stuck on traps that do damage or cast negative and unhelpful effects.
If a jobs worth doing, do it yourself
One of the more interesting mechanics is the rescue system. If you’re on a good run and you make a silly mistake, you can request a rescue. This sends up a metaphorical flare to would-be heroes who can head into the game, retreading your footsteps through your world. Doing so will see your rescuer rewarded, but be warned: you can only do this three times, and the further into your game, the harder the rescue.
You can also rescue yourself, which is a great option if you prefer not to wait for the public. I did this and was able to save a failed run, and after picking up my fallen self, the rescuer version of me left the game and my original character resumed. The advantage of doing it this way is that you know the levels from your first run, so it’s not quite as punishing the second/third/fourth/fifth time. You can attempt a self-rescue as many times as you like, but you can only have three successful rescues per run, regardless who saves your backside.
A good run can often be determined by the quality of loot you find in the early game, and sometimes it takes a while before you find anything of interest that will meaningfully aid your progress. The level generation was decent, I thought, but the procedural item placement could feel a bit too random at times. At least you can use the warehouse system to collect items for future runs, which can help mitigate this early game uncertainty.
There are a few additional things that are probably worth mentioning. For example, the developer decided to ditch the old day/night cycle, a system that divided players in the previous game (I’m told). There’s also a new Monster Dojo in the village, where you can practice in a more forgiving environment, should you wish. I should probably add that the new 3D graphics are quite charming, and I also enjoyed the soundtrack (but not so much the sound effects).
Overall, I think Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is a very good roguelike that’s filled to the absolute brim with excitement, adventure, and satisfying nuance. Returning players will appreciate the level of depth that has been worked into every facet of the game, but it’s also quite accessible to newcomers despite the overall complexity, which I think scales well as you play.
It’s a great fit on both PC and Nintendo Switch. Of course, Nintendo’s platform offers the hybrid functionality of portable gaming and the game was built with this in mind. As such, it’s no surprise that Shiren plays well on a Steam Deck, too. I would have liked ultra-widescreen support, which isn’t included, but otherwise it’s good to have it on PC – especially as now I don’t have to steal my son’s Switch to play it.
Spike Chunsoft may have taken its time to bring this long-awaited sixth mainline entry to fans, but I think the majority of roguelikers out there will think that it was more than worth the wait.
Shiren the Wanderer is out now on PC (Win) and Nintendo Switch. I played on both platforms via access provided by the devs and their PR friends!
