These were never the best received games and were highly divisive because while they are deep games with much to do, there is also a surprising difficulty curve that throws off many. This fact caused many to sour on the series, but was that the right thing to do? Will these new remasters shine brighter on modern systems now that they have received some new polish? Well, it is a bit of a mixed bag.
If you are going into these expecting Etrian Odyssey, then you are in for a disappointment. These are for hardcore Dungeon Crawler fans, who want that old school experience. Definitely not the games you go to for an introduction to the genre, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
These are games for those who want the old-school experience, with minimal story and maximum gameplay. The first Class of Heroes has around 75 randomly-generated dungeons for its loop and the second over 100, but lack many of the refinements the genre has made in recent years. But that is also a selling point for many who want that classic feeling, of just creating a party and setting out in the dungeon.
The grind is real and across the first game, you will spend around 60 hours to complete the main game, and around the same for Class of Heroes 2. The games have been prettied up nicely for the Switch, with some facelifts and improvements here and there, but much of the core experience is maintained. This worked out well for me, because I love this style of Dungeon RPG, especially the classic Wizardry games, and I love how old-school everything is, from enemy encounter rates, to the in-game economy. It all felt like a game I could just pick up and enjoy.
But that is the thing. It is a game I could enjoy, and that is because I am a hardcore fan of this genre. For those who want to try a Dungeon RPG, these games will overwhelm you and frustrate you to no end. There is a certain skill required that comes from playing more games in the genre, and if you have the experience, you will appreciate Class of Heroes a lot more.
You will not get a major plot here, the story basically amounts to a group of students in a hero academy going into a dungeon and nothing more, but nothing more is needed. For those who want the gameplay first experience, you are in for a treat as there are over 500 possible combinations of characters, which will enable you to try different combinations and test yourself with different builds. You can find the build that works best for you, and how you approach the dungeons and enemies. After all, you need a party properly balanced to your play style if you are going to make it through to the end, and there are so many options to choose from.
Class of Heroes 1 & 2: Complete Edition may lack the many visual refinements of the later games in the Dungeon RPG genre, and may not have detailed animation, but there is still a lot to enjoy here with some visual touch ups that make the art stand out. The audio also works great for the games and gives the right feeling you need to get into a good mindset. Class of Heroes manages to capture that atmosphere of the classics in the right way that is hard to appreciate for some, but for others is extremely welcome.
Overall, Class of Heroes 1 & 2: Complete Edition is hard to pin down. It is not for fans of games with modern touches, but fans of the classic style of dungeon crawlers will love it. As someone who falls into the latter category, I have had a good time with the games, and so I can recommend Class of Heroes 1 & 2: Complete Edition. Just be aware of what you are getting into, so you will not be in for a nasty shock and frustration when you finally get to play the games.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
