Ever delved into a Mystery Dungeon adventure, perhaps like Pokémon Rescue, or the whimsical Chocobo tale from Final Fantasy? They offer compelling gameplay, right? Now, imagine there’s a precursor, a title that laid the groundwork for these excellent games and arguably surpasses them in quality. Furthermore, this series remains active, delivering engaging experiences without relying on popular franchises for recognition.
I’m referring to Shiren the Wanderer, a roguelike by Spike Chunsoft blending feudal Japan with fantasy elements. While some players are familiar with Shiren, the series’ overall popularity doesn’t match its quality. Licensed Mystery Dungeon games enjoy impressive sales figures, often reaching millions, while the newest Shiren installment, released in 2024, achieved less than half a million. Interestingly, this recent title outsold all prior Shiren games combined. To put it simply, if you appreciate Shiren the Wanderer, you possess exceptional taste in gaming.
For those unfamiliar, consider this: Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island has become my most played game on the Switch 2. Admittedly, the Switch 2’s game library is still growing. However, even with noteworthy titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza available, Shiren the Wanderer has consistently captivated my attention.
In the game, you embody a wandering ronin embarking on various quests alongside a talking ferret. You are dropped into procedurally generated dungeons where the world remains static until you take action. Each step you take triggers actions from the monsters inhabiting the dungeon. This core mechanic demands a strategic re-evaluation: gameplay is turn-based yet possesses a unique dynamic. Sometimes, remaining stationary and allowing enemies to approach proves more beneficial than initiating an attack.
A cautious and deliberate approach is essential in Shiren games. Each playthrough begins with Shiren at level one, devoid of any equipment. Items must be scavenged, and their availability is entirely random. You might navigate multiple areas armed only with a basic wooden sword, or stumble upon exceptional equipment like weapons capable of attacking around corners or granting multiple actions per turn. Regardless of your equipment quality, perilous situations can arise even against weaker foes. Shiren’s heightened difficulty compared to typical Mystery Dungeon games might contribute to its relatively niche popularity.
Despite its difficulty, Shiren the Wanderer stands out as an incredibly flexible and permissive game. Items offer diverse and unexpected uses, limited only by the player’s ingenuity. Surrounded by enemies? You could consume an item that teleports you to a random location within the dungeon. Alternatively, use a wand to swap places with a distant enemy. Or deploy an item to demolish walls, forging new pathways. Perhaps you can trick the monsters into mistaking each other for you. My personal favorite? Consuming food that makes Shiren’s flatulence so potent that all nearby creatures flee in terror.
Initially, the functionality of Shiren’s items remains unknown. Even seemingly straightforward items can lead to unexpected consequences. Consumables inflicting status effects might unintentionally affect Shiren instead of the intended target; the solution being to hurl the item at the enemy. Similarly, a scroll that restricts monster movement within its boundaries will be wasted if read rather than placed on the ground. While such nuances might seem easy to remember after initial encounters, mistakes inevitably occur. In one instance, I cruised through early dungeons only to lose everything in seconds. I accidentally converted my powerful weapon into a useless onigiri with a scroll, leaving me defenseless. Another time, I entered a dungeon where all items remained unidentified until used or identified. My strategy of using everything worked until I mistakenly inflicted an enemy with invincibility using a consumable. My fate was sealed.
Expect frequent deaths in Shiren. Enemies possess varied abilities, such as causing item drops or transforming you into an immobile object for several turns. Special, dangerous “monster rooms” abruptly spawn numerous enemies in a confined space filled with traps. However, these treacherous areas often contain valuable items.
Like many roguelikes, knowledge is your greatest asset. The game offers mechanics to aid your progress. Weapons and shields can be fused to create a single item inheriting the powers of its components. Successfully completing a run allows you to store items outside dungeons for later use. While this enables item stockpiling, losing a painstakingly crafted item is equally possible, and often occurs in absurd ways.
The rescue mechanic is a standout feature. Upon death, you can post an SOS online for other players to answer. Alternatively, you can attempt a rescue yourself in a new playthrough. Reaching the depth of your previous run and defeating the monsters there allows you to resume from that point. Assisting other players earns points that can be spent on your own rescue attempts, improving Shiren’s capabilities. Even a successful run can be salvaged. I’m grateful to the Japanese player who repeatedly saved my Shiren from comical predicaments. I’d go to sleep frustrated only to awaken to news of this anonymous hero’s intervention.
With over a hundred hours invested in the 2024 entry, Shiren continues to surprise. It never becomes stale; instead, it constantly introduces fresh dungeon types and mechanics. Some dungeons allow you to retain equipped items, while others force you to start anew. You might engage in a boss rush mode or a dungeon with shops on almost every floor. Enlist the help of AI companions or brave the dungeons solo. The game frequently introduces temporary conditions to keep you alert, such as requiring the use of specific items a set number of times per floor or spawning a large sum of money that vanishes after a timer. Crucially, participating in these challenges always yields rewards.
I implore you to play Shiren the Wanderer. Not only could I use more players to rescue my hapless Shiren, but the series deserves wider recognition. The previous Shiren game was released almost 15 years ago in Japan, and I hope to play a new one before reaching middle age. It costs $39.99 on Switch, making it ideal for portable gaming. It’s also available on PC for the same price and tends to be discounted more frequently on Steam, which is welcome news for Steam Deck owners. If you enjoy other Mystery Dungeon games, you owe it to yourself to try Shiren.