Shiren The Wanderer on Vita is an enhanced port of the Nintendo DS release Shiren The Wanderer 5, which was never localized for the West. So what's new here: there are new dungeons and the ability to look around with the analog stick. And the switch to HD makes this game really stand out.



The Story: You control Shiren, a wandering ronin, who is accompanied by a talking ferret named Koppa. Their journey leads them to the Tower of Fortune, in search of a way to change their fate.



Gameplay: Like most Mystery Dungeon games or similar roguelikes, moving around dungeons is turn-based, so for every move you make, it equals one turn. Your foes also move in random patterns and requires strategy and the right placement to make it through alive. There is treasure and equipment that can be found in the dungeons. Permadeath is part of the roguelike design, so if you die, you lose all your items and have to start at level 1. Enemy placement and dungeons are randomized as a result. When starting out in a new dungeon, you have to "map it out" by exploring every single are in the dungeon to reveal it completely. The game also does feature and day-and-night cycle; when it nighttime, your vision decreases and you'll be unable to see enemies from afar.



I would recommend this game to anyone who is wanting an RPG with challenge and those who are fans of the roguelike genre.



Similar games on Vita: there a few like this that I know of, one of them is Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God, the upcoming Mystery Chronicle: One Way Heroics from the same developer Spike Chunsoft and the upcoming Touhou Genso Wanderer