Beyond Oasis

The Good
This game is a bit of a hidden gem. It was released late in the Megadrive's lifecycle and so was overlooked by many people, however it deserved much more attention!

The game is played from a top-down perspective and features great anime-esque cartoony graphics. The graphics are really the best of the genre I think for this console, and surpass the Shining Force series with ease.

The gameplay consists of a basic hack and slash adventure through the land, while discovering your use of elemental skills. There are a lot of key-finding and platform jumping puzzles. It's a really odd blend of genres - puzzle, platform, rpg and action hack-and-slash. It works surprising well though and it a very easy game to get into.

The Bad
The sound springs to mind in this game as being a little weak. The music is pretty good but the sound effects are forgettable.

The only other gripe is that it can often be difficult to know what to do next. The game is quite linear and missing a vital key or something (which could be dropped somewhere or hidden in a chest you didn't find), can leave you wondering where you were meant to go next.

The Bottom Line
A great looking, fun action/rpg which really shows what Sega's 16-bitter can do!

The Good
Oh my, where to start?! Graphically, the game is a work of art. Nice textures, well drawn sprites, and smooth gameplay are the first things to catch your attention. The game is enjoyable to look at, bring one of the best looking games for Genesis.

The highlight of the game for me was the combat. Picture different attack possibilities for certain enemies or situations, that could save you a little health depending on your approach. Utilize different weapons to stay out of harm's way or wreak some havoc, choosing from: swords, bombs, bows, and magic(through a summoned spirit of course). You'll have moments of intense fighting for your dear life while being surrounded by a gangs of soldiers, bats, piranha, gargoyles, etc.

The summons are what your mana will be spent on. They are spirits that will follow you as long as you have them activated. Their powers are available for fighting or solving puzzles for the most part. I'll let you see how they work and how useful they are on your own.

You'll be dungeon crawling, solving puzzles, collecting keys, and fighting bosses for hours on your first playthrough.

The Bad
The soundtrack suffers, it isn't that great or memorable. Neither are the sound effects. The game is a little on the short side, while sporting a somewhat generic plot.

The Bottom Line
Beyond Oasis is a Zelda clone for the Genesis done right, and is the best of its kind. It has enough of its own elements to give it a different feel. It is fun playing through this hidden gem. The game was released really late in Genesis life cycle, so it did go unnoticed. I can only imagine what this could have been with more development time, story depth, better soundtrack, and extended gameplay. Probably, a masterpiece.

The Good
An amazing story with plenty of fun. Acquiring and using the 3 spirits add so much to the game. I have played it through several times in my life and will continue to do so.

The Bad
Some elements to the game can be too challenging.

The Bottom Line
Highly recommended game to experience at least once.