Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer DS
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 4, 2008
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer Image
See the trailer
Metascore
69 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 17 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: On a quest to the mystical Lair of the Golden Condor, Shiren the Wanderer and his weasel ally, Koppa, venture through treacherous lands in an attempt to solve the mystery surrounding this legendary realm. Many other warriors have set out on this quest but none have survived the long, perilous journey through deep caverns, vast forests, and dangerous mountain passes. Filled with ferocious monsters, hidden traps, and thieves, the road to the Lair of the Golden Condor is not for the faint of heart. Shiren is determined to succeed and claim the riches that await the first hero to reach the mythic land. In this classic RPG, you'll move in a turn-based manner through randomly generated dungeons that provide a great challenge and lasting replay value. Outwit your enemies using advanced tactics and clever puzzle solving skills while finding mysterious items, numerous spells and other equipment to help you on your journey. If you can survive to solve the mystery, you'll find the fortune that you seek. [Sega]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. The A.V. Club
    91
    By hooking up to the Internet or a nearby friend, a fallen Shiren can call for help. If another player hears his plea and pulls off the rescue mission, Shiren is revived, goodies intact.
  2. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    86
    Success is 30 percent planning, 30 percent persistance, and about 80 percent luck--making for a challenging, infuriating, but deeply rewarding experience. [May 2008, p.89]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. GameSpy
    70
    Shiren is absolutely and utterly a game for the hardcore. Being flung back to level one for dumb luck or a simple error is infuriating, and Shiren lacks the storytelling polish that many gamers expect from their titles regardless of genre, but the core game is very well done.
  4. Pocket Gamer UK
    70
    It certainly won't be to everyone's tastes but deep within the dusty catacombs of Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer resides a unique and impressively addictive game.

See all 27 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. DJT
    10
    Don't let the reviews fool you. This is an awesome adventure game for casual and hardcore gamers alike.
    For those of you unfamiliar with     the 1983 game Rogue, here is the link on some information about the original: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_%28computer_game%29

    Anyway, as a young nerd, I found this game ridiculously addictive (although primitive) because of it's random item/monster/dungeon mechanics. It was a different adventure EVERYTIME! It was perfect for the A.D.D gamer in me! Although there was an actual goal to the adventure, I found myself playing just to try and accumulate as much gold as I could for a high score!

    Mystery Dungeon offers the same classic mechanics in a wonderfully dressed up adventure game. It's hard, it's addictive, but most of all, it's FUN! Lots of replay so you don't have to trade it in to gamestop in a week. I've played izuna and although that is fun, Mystery Dungeon is the closest to the classic Rogue experience from the 80's. Hardcore RPG fans are going to need to adjust to the type of game Mystery Dungeon is, and while there isn't a huge final fantasy 5000 dramatic story, there's a lot of hacking and leveling up to do!

    PICK THIS UP.    … Expand
  2. Brandis17
    10
    A wonderful roguelike! This masterpiece is filled with various enemies with intriguing and sometimes hilarious (turned into a riceball!) abilities. An old-fashioned roguelike, yet with good and pleasant graphics!
    I have beaten the game, finished the kitchen god's shrine and the scroll cave (two bonus dungeons)
    and I am still trying to win fay's final puzzle (a 99 floor dungeon of awful difficulty), and so far so good!!!!
    My favorite game. If you hate difficult games and permanent death though, then stay away!    … Expand
  3. IshmoksA.
    10
    This game is the most satisfying game I have ever played. This game is all about tactics and strategy will snappy game play. Its like diablo but deeper and not about whacking creatures. this game is where the real life XP counts and not just in game XP. I've been playing Nethack for about 9 years, Shiren is the only game that is at par with it. No wonder the japanese have a fascination for roguelike games on consoles....its all because of Shiren. If I could get all the versions of this game, (Wii, N64, DS, SNES, etc.) This is the game that you will play over and over, and will definitely come back to after getting sick of the latest game in the market. Game play rules them all!!!… Expand
  4. Luigibarqs
    8
    Mystery Dungeon: Shiren The Wanderer is a DS game that is a remake and translation to a japan exclusive Super Famicom version of the game. The game is a retro Roguelike Strategy RPG, and an extremely difficult and unforgiving one at that. Its a genre that is not for everyone. Trust me, you will die FREQUENTLY! The point of the game is to learn from your mistakes, replan accordingly and try again to get a little bit farther the next time, it feels extremely rewarding to finally pass an area you where struggling with earlier. For the people who are into these kind of games will find a fun, difficult and replayable Strategy RPG experience. The music and graphics are absolutely beautiful and fit the atmosphere of the game perfectly. and a large variety of different items and enemies for you to learn about and find a way to get as far as possible with the knowledge you gain. I'm not sure if this is a problem with my specific copy of the game, or all of them, but it appears the online server for doing Wifi rescues seems to no longer exist or function which is somewhat of a disappointment. Overall, its a fun yet difficult experience. If you have ever played a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game and want to play a much harder variation of the game, try taking a chance with this game. It seems to be fairly cheap as I had bought it in used condition for 5 dollars in Canada.… Expand

See all 9 User Reviews

Trailers

Current DS Games

Full List »
  1. Spirit Hunters Inc: Shadow
    Metascore: 43
  2. Spirit Hunters Inc: Light
    Metascore: 43
All Current Games »