Beyond Oasis

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.