This week’s issue of Famitsu revealed several huge changes that are planned for the new 3DS title, brought about by the director of the Etrian Odyssey series, Shigeo Komori. The biggest would be the inclusion of an actual story. In previous titles, the player assumed the role of a dungeon conqueror who enlists the help of random warriors, but that’s about it.

The new game, now titled New Etrian Odyssey: Millennium Girl, appears to be a remake of the first game in the series. We take on the role of a mysterious spear-wielder who is contracted to explore a set of ruins. Not much different here. However, the hero will encounter party members throughout his journey with set names, default classes (which can be changed), and personalities. These characters include an amnesiac female gunner named Frederica Irving, a medic named Simon York, his alchemist partner Arthur Charles, and more. This means that the ability to recruit your own characters is gone, which takes away from the build your own army appeal that the original games had.

Personally, I’m greatly in favor for these changes, and I’m pretty interested in getting this game now. While the original concept of “faceless” heroes going into dungeons was fun and a nod to old-school roguelikes, the addition of story will add a sense of purpose to the game outside of just exploration for exploration’s sake.

New Etrian Odyssey: Millennium Girl  will be released in Japan on June 27th.