Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is a tough game, but sometimes it gives you an out. It has a rescue function that allows people to call upon the kindness of both friends and strangers. Yet, it handles it in a way that still encourages people to stand on their own two feet and do their best. It’s a tactful approach to occasionally extending a helping hand to someone in need.
You can’t just ask for rescues all the time in Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate. You’re limited to three rescues per adventure, to make them something of a premium commodity. While this does make things more difficult, it also preserves the roguelike spirit. You don’t always get the luxury of an easy out. By imposing that limitation, it’s making them something special. You only use it when you absolutely need it.
Making it a post-game reward reinforces that. You can’t start playing Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate and asking for help. You can only ask for password and online rescues after reaching the post-game. That is, after the Tower of Miracles. Again, you’re forced to experience some heartache and learn from your mistakes before having the luxury of relying on others. I felt like it made me appreciate these opportunities more, because I knew what it was like to lose it all. I would know if I could deal with it again. I’ve only asked for one rescue so far, because not being able to immediately ask for help made me value and appreciate it more.
Coming across people to be rescued in Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate feels like a reward in and of itself. There’s a trophy tied to it, as well as Rescue Points to earn for such efforts. However, since people have to be in the post-game, it’s difficult to earn both. I’ve only found two people to help so far and both were on my friend list. Hopefully, other people who are playing, perhaps even reading this, could share passwords to help congregate and get people out of dungeons.
Even though I wasn’t able to really find people to rescue via the in-game search methods, I do appreciate the options Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate affords those who are feeling altruistic. You can rescue a friend, the option that’s worked best for me, or use various search perimeters. You can rescue someone based on registered order, the number of people mobilized, or rescue number.
Perhaps the best thing about the rescue function are the supplemental activities people can enjoy when they’re a wanderer awaiting aid. Even though your game enters a point where you can’t suspend your game or send a rescue request, you can enjoy more puzzling dungeons. The Statue Cave, for example, requires you to move statues to specific points, with a reward given for success. Explosion Rocks is a Minesweeper sort of game, where you try to dig through the walls and avoid bombs based on numbers that appear on the ground. Again, success gives you a reward. There’s even a 99 floor Underground Manor. I’ve only been able to try this while waiting for an ad-hoc rescue, when a friend nearby passed me an Undo Grass.
The rescues in Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate can be quite the pick-me-up. They give you a chance to start fresh and not lose everything, because of one bad break. They’re an opportunity, and almost always a rewarding one. Most important, they’re doled out and handled in such a way that people can’t exploit or constantly rely on them. You have to be prudent and ask for help online only when you really need it, after you’ve proven yourself by completing the main campaign.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is immediately available for the PlayStation Vita.
