The do-over has long been a fixture in video
games. Extra lives, check points, and the ability to save at will give us many
opportunities to get things right. Mystery Dungeon: Shiren The Wanderer takes a fairly stingy
approach to second chances. Death in this role-playing game means starting back
at square one—pockets empty, gear lost, and experience erased. Shiren is
a ronin
living in a monster-fraught feudal Japan. His goal is to scale a towering
mountain and confront the legendary golden condor that lurks atop the deadly
vertical dungeon. Such tasks shouldn't be a piece of cake.
The consequences of failure aren't entirely dire.
Weapons, spells, and other goodies can be stashed in warehouses for future use.
Continued questing changes the game world, making once-harrowing areas easier
to overcome. Assist stranded travelers, and they may open a shop in town, or
even tag along with Shiren as he methodically slashes a path across the
countryside. Even the most careful runs can end in tears, especially if Shiren
bites the dust with a particularly sweet katana in hand. A nifty online feature
offers the potential to take the sting out of even these moments. 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. But the gods of Shiren The Wanderer are only so lenient.
After three of these interventions, the piper must be paid.