Variant & Criterion Dungeons

[Avoidy]

I did the variant one several times, and then gave the criterion one a shot. The former was some lighthearted low-stakes fun that I could do after work without any issues. The latter was absolutely brutal; I genuinely thought it was the savage version until someone told me it was the "extreme" tier, lmao. I'll have to try it again over the weekend when I'm not so tired.
I had fun with it. I also feel like I might have completed it already, since I've been through the whole map and seen a ton of different endings. I'm not super stoked to go back in for the rewards, since their price is rapidly deteriorating and none of it appeals to me personally. We'll see, I guess.

[Naoki34]

Erk !
The rewards really sucks and I'm not dreaming cross-dress/cosplay my Aura in a mafia.

[Reinha]

Only tried one run of variant and didn't kill the first boss of criterion but so far I've enjoyed both dungeons a lot. Can't wait to finish all 12 routes! Figuring out mechanics with strangers whom I will never meet again is not my cup of tea so I'm looking forward to the guides coming out. I really enjoy having a difficult dungeon at last.

I would love it if we got a criterion dungeon every patch and got more tomes from it. Two 40 minute runs of this every week would be preferrable to 4 expert roulettes.

[CidHeiral]

Variant dungeon was neat but blind progging the Criterion dungeon was the most fun I've had in the game in a long time. Looking forward to trying the Savage mode and future dungeons like this.

[CKNovel]

The first two bosses of variant are a delight.
Fast paced mechanics, interesting mechanics and thematic.
But the last boss is pain. It might not be later on with the strategies.

Clearing the trash isn't interesting at all. As Yoshida said, multi pull is too dangerous.

The rewards are really disappointing, the extreme feels a bit... Not extreme but far closer to savage, it's harder than P5S, P6S and P7S combined.

[LianaThorne]

The first two bosses of variant are a delight.
Fast paced mechanics, interesting mechanics and thematic.
But the last boss is pain. It might not be later on with the strategies.

Clearing the trash isn't interesting at all. As Yoshida said, multi pull is too dangerous.

The rewards are really disappointing, the extreme feels a bit... Not extreme but far closer to savage, it's harder than P5S, P6S and P7S combined.

Difficulty is subjective imo. Personally I found what I've seen so far in Criterion to be really deadbrain though I know for people just dipping their toe into harder content it probably is a bit jarring. Was really cute watching new people on fresh progs be like o.o this is way harder than I expected.

Variant was something I could just autopilot because most of the mechanics are things seen before in other trials/dungeons. Already have all 12 notes and the mount, will say the secret boss was the biggest pain of them all.

[hydralus]

Do the criterion dungeons drop potsherds as well?

[Iscah]

Third run, took the left path. Very ICO/Shadow of the Colossus vibes from the later area. I may need to get my Wander cosplay glamour out again.

[SillyCrow]

Getting hit by a penalty for leaving variant dungeons is weird when they can be completed with any number of players and compositions.

[Payadopa]

I absolutely love it. Can't wait for it to be a fixed part in every expac.