I’m typically a big fan of role-playing games, particularly when they have interesting battle mechanics and engaging storylines. One subgenre of RPGs that I haven’t really been able to get into, though, is the dungeon crawler. I don’t know what it is about games that stick you in a winding, dangerous series of paths and tunnels with a first-person viewpoint, but they’ve never been my bread and butter. That said, I’ve made exceptions before, and I’m currently doing it again with Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City. Several hours into the game, which is due out in late September, I’ve wrangled with feelings of confusion and frustration, but now they’re turning into something else: addiction.

It should be said right away that I’ve never played a game in the Etrian Odyssey continuity, and I knew very little about it going into Etrian Odyssey III. That shouldn’t deter anyone from playing it, though; like Final Fantasy or Persona, each game has its own continuity, and no one will feel lost jumping into the third game in the RPG series. What was confusing, however, was the concept of map-making, a big part of Etrian Odyssey’s gameplay. After creating and assembling a party of different classes and skill sets, you’re tasked with mapping the first floor of the game’s massive dungeon, a multi-floored labyrinth. You can’t progress until this is done, which left me puzzled. I wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to do; did I have to step on every square, find every shortcut? Did I have to use the icons a certain way, or could I make my own system? The short explanation didn’t provide enough details for me, but I set out on my journey anyway.

As you explore, you can make notes on the map on the bottom screen of the DS using the stylus. It will automatically follow any square you move to, but it’s up to the player to draw walls and note shortcuts, treasure chests, and anything else worthy of noting. Perhaps the handiest tool is being able to leave specific notes on any square, which comes in handy when having to re-explore the same area; if I write that there’s a locked treasure chest or door with a moon crest, I can easily find them again when I figure out what to do with them.

Before long, I was mapping with meticulous detail, creating a system that I could easily understand. There were times when an overpowered monster would come along and wipe out my entire party, which was definitely a source of frustration early on. Thankfully, if you are killed in the labyrinth, the game will save all of the progress to your map. That means even if you lose all of the experience gained since the last save point, the fact that your map is more complete should make your next excursion into the dungeon more successful. I was killed several times before I completed my map of the first level and was able to move on, but by then I was completely immersed in the game.

There are plenty of areas in Etrian Odyssey left to explore, and it’s almost overwhelming how much there is to do. I created a five-member party that I felt was pretty balanced right away: some strong physical attackers, some defenders, a magic user, and a healer. It would probably be wise to explore the strengths and weaknesses of classes I haven’t yet used, and see if I could possibly make an even better party. I’ve also only started exploring the sea, which could lead to new territory—so far, it’s only led me to fish, which I’ve been catching in order to sell on dry land. I’ve got a while to go, but despite the rough start, I’m now digging Etrian Odyssey III. I just hope the rest of the game isn’t as punishing as the first few trips into the labyrinth.

Etrian Odyssey III will be out on September 21, 2010, for the Nintendo DS.