Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts
Action RPG with wireless multiplayer and dungeon-crawling gameplay.
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts (released in Europe as simply *Dungeon Explorer*) is an action role-playing game from Hudson Soft for the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS. It is connected to the earlier TurboGrafx-16 title *Dungeon Explorer*. The game supports wireless multiplayer connections, and the DS version also allows online play through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
The story mostly takes place in dungeons, which are unlocked by completing quests and obtaining plates. Players can level up these plates by inserting jewels, making each subsequent dungeon more difficult. Dungeon progression pauses until a reusable item called a Sirius Jewel is found, which allows further empowerment. Some levels have special conditions—for example, Level 6 of a dungeon is blind, meaning the mini-map is hidden except for character icons unless a specific item is used.
Players start by choosing from three races and six classes. Later, characters can change classes outside dungeons, with each class keeping its own rank (from E to S). Six advanced classes are available, requiring one basic class at rank B and another at rank A; these combine the skills of both base classes and add new abilities and unique weapons. Skills are gained as characters level up their weapon and work ranges, and two skills can be equipped and swapped at any time.
Jewels serve multiple purposes: they power up dungeons, can be combined, used in alchemy, or installed on weapons and armor. They are elemental and correspond to dungeon themes based on planets (Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, etc.), with each element tied to a specific status ailment.
The game begins with the player creating an unnamed, customizable character who tries to become an adventurer by saving a town from disaster. The hero learns of a great evil trying to escape from a large structure in the town center, and that someone or something is weakening the barrier holding it back.
According to Metacritic, the game received mixed reviews on both platforms. In Japan, *Famitsu* scored the PSP version 27 out of 40 and the DS version 26 out of 40. *GamePro* criticized the PSP version’s graphics as decent but the sound as obnoxious, noting repetitive enemy screeches and a lack of voice acting, and concluded that despite co-op play, the game failed to excite.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Dungeon Explorer: / Warriors of Ancient Arts
- Developer
- Amble
- Publisher
- JP/NA · Hudson Soft · PAL · Rising Star Games
- Released
- JP · 15 November 2007 · NA · 12 February 2008 · EU · 28 March 2008 (PSP) · PAL · 4 April 2008 (DS)
- Genre
- Action role-playing
- Modes
- Single player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The bulk of the storyline takes place in various dungeons, each unlocked after quests are completed by acquiring plates. Dungeons can be leveled up by inserting jewels, and progression is halted until a Sirius Jewel is acquired. Specific levels have unique challenges, such as Level 6 being blind without a specific item that blanks the mini-map. The game features 3 races and 6 starting classes, with the option to change classes outside dungeons while keeping individual ranks from E to S. Six advanced classes require combining two basic classes at rank B and A, incorporating their skills plus new abilities and unique weapons. Skills are acquired as characters level up their weapon and work ranges, and two can be equipped and changed on the fly. Jewels serve multiple purposes: powering up dungeons, consolidation, alchemy, or installation onto weapons and armor. They are elemental and match each dungeon's planetary theme (Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, etc.), with each element having an associated status ailment.
Reader's Guide
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts represents a cross-platform entry in the Dungeon Explorer series, offering both single-player and cooperative experiences through wireless and online connectivity. Its class system, with basic and advanced classes that retain individual ranks, provides depth for character customization. The jewel-based dungeon progression and elemental mechanics add strategic layers. Reception was mixed, with critics noting decent graphics but obnoxious sound, repetitive missions, and lack of voice acting. The game's significance lies in its attempt to bring classic dungeon-crawling to handhelds with modern multiplayer features, though it failed to excite reviewers. For historians, it illustrates the transitional period of handheld gaming where local wireless and online play were emerging, and the challenges of adapting a franchise to new platforms.
Did You Know?
- The game was released simply as Dungeon Explorer in Europe.
- It features wireless connectivity for multiple players and online play via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection on the DS.
- There are 6 advanced classes that require combining two basic classes at rank B and A.
- Level 6 of a dungeon is considered blind, blanking the mini-map without a specific item.
More in Dungeon crawler video games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced