Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island

About

Shiren the Wanderer and Koppa arrive at Serpentcoil Island, drawn by a vision of a girl in distress and tales of lost pirate gold. As they explore the island's ever-changing Mystery Dungeons, they uncover secrets and treasures, with a powerful monster and its exquisite treasure waiting at the highest peak. Shiren must navigate the constantly shifting layouts, enemy encounters, and scant but crucial resources of the dungeons to save the girl and uncover the truth.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island screenshot

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 122 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

A premium roguelike that offers a satisfying challenge, encouraging strategic thinking and careful item management.
Rich in content with a variety of dungeons and unique enemy mechanics, making each run feel fresh and engaging.
Charming graphics and a delightful soundtrack enhance the immersive experience, appealing to both newcomers and veterans of the genre.

Significant downgrades from previous entries, particularly Shiren 5, with missing features that can frustrate dedicated fans.
The game can feel punishingly difficult, with bad luck leading to frustrating losses that reset progress, which may deter some players.
Limited inventory space and scarce in-game currency can make resource management cumbersome, especially for newcomers.

gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The gameplay in Shiren 6 is characterized by its deep, strategic mechanics and a charming narrative that unfolds through a main story campaign, which serves as a tutorial for the extensive post-game content. Players face unique enemies and must utilize items wisely in a permadeath dungeon-crawling experience that is both accessible and addictive. With quality-of-life improvements and a return to the series' roots, the game offers a rich roguelike experience filled with secrets, challenges, and engaging visuals.
- “Every enemy has some unique mechanic that makes it dangerous in its own way.”
- “Every step, every turn can be a life-or-death situation; you will need to be smart with your items and exploit their effects and the game mechanics to your advantage.”
- “The gameplay, though it may seem simplistic at first glance, is deep, strategic, and very addicting.”
- “The overall gameplay loop is easy to grasp, but it takes time and patience to master.”
- “And although the gameplay can feel unfair, every attempt to beat it is a joyful run.”
- “Completing the main story dungeon is almost literally the tutorial for the game, and many hundreds of hours of gameplay await you after doing so.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
14%
9%
The graphics of the game are described as charming and reminiscent of the Nintendo GameCube era, featuring a blend of modern 3D visuals and old-school aesthetics. While some players prefer the pixel art style of previous titles, the new graphics are generally well-received for their accessibility and smooth performance across platforms. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's engaging gameplay and nostalgic feel.
- “The game runs like a dream on Steam Deck and PC alike and still looks just as beautiful as the Switch version with its stunning art style.”
- “Charming graphics and story, really loving this roguelike, it's hard but doesn't seem unfair.”
- “This is a modern, yet genuinely old-school roguelike, with pretty graphics and accessible controls (designed for controller).”
- “[high difficulty, lots of content to master, charming new art style]”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The story in this roguelike series is described as charming and engaging, with a main campaign that unfolds progressively through challenging dungeons. Players find the narrative satisfying, filled with enjoyable characters and side stories, while also serving as a tutorial for the extensive content that becomes available after completing the main quest. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay experience, encouraging players to invest time and effort into exploring the game's rich world.
- “I want to clarify one very important thing to know about this series off the bat - each of these games has a charming and enjoyable 'main story campaign' that unfolds as you make progress through the story dungeon over repeated attempts (you will very likely not one-shot it unless you're a Shiren pro), and after you have completed the main story, the rest of the 99% of the game's content opens up to you and blossoms into a full-blown archive of amazing and unique dungeons with special rules and mechanics.”
- “That said, the main story quest is still very satisfying and fun and has enjoyable characters and set pieces, side stories, etc. It's enjoyable on its own and will leave you hungry to tackle more once it all begins to open up.”
- “I was not impressed by the story or the simple dungeons, but I am new to the series.”
- “Completing the main story dungeon is almost literally the tutorial for the game, and many hundreds of hours of gameplay await you after doing so.”
- “A small amount of metaprogression and a main story that progresses through different helps you along, but it's a hardcore dungeon crawler otherwise.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
9%
18%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality, with many reviewers highlighting its nostalgic and heroic qualities that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack features beautiful traditional Japanese music and energetic compositions that complement the charming visuals and gameplay, making it a standout aspect of the game. Overall, the music is described as phenomenal, adding depth and emotional resonance to the player's journey.
- “The music is phenomenal and the presentation is perfect.”
- “The music is seriously top notch and makes me nostalgic for a better time (check out the soundtrack on Spotify!).”
- “It is well made, brings a lot of quality of life changes that make the inventory management much easier and the gameplay much smoother, has a world filled with charming characters and beautiful traditional Japanese music.”
- “It's like Dark Souls met a hiking trip gone horribly wrong—but with charming NPCs and a soundtrack that makes your failures feel oddly heroic.”
- “Cute simple design, easy to play, an absolutely killer soundtrack.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users note that while the game's price may seem high, the extensive content and high replay value make it worthwhile. Additionally, those who complete the game quickly find it offers significant replayability.
- “The price tag may feel steep, but the amount of content and the replay value is insane.”
- “If you beat it quickly, it has great replay value because of that.”
- “The game offers a wealth of content that makes it worth revisiting multiple times.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Shiren is deeply rooted in Japanese mythology and culture, providing a unique and culturally rich comedic experience that resonates with players.
- “Shiren takes place in a world heavily inspired by Japanese mythology, culture, and humor.”