Ever Oasis
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Ever Oasis
As a new game from the developers of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, Ever Oasis delivers an enjoyable, yet flawed, title for Nintendo 3DS players to get lost in.
It's no easy task, but Ever Oasis has managed to make me care as much about preserving my town as I do about saving the world. Despite the few odd design choices, there's a wonderful blend of adventure and town-building where every task you tackle finds multiple ways to reward you.
Ever Oasis is a unique pastiche of familiar ideas, but no single element rises above the rest. Even so, I was eager to keep upgrading my character and oasis throughout
Ever Oasis' tight blend of mechanics and activities are bound to keep you coming back for more well after completing it, if only to see what else you can do to develop your desert sanctuary. While the game's story isn't particularly moving, the consistent gratification of its incisive design makes it a satisfying adventure. Ever Oasis takes time to grow, but the return is well worth the wait.
Yet with little actual challenge to speak of, Ever Oasis doesn't have much going for it. There aren't any tricky enemies to ward off, and the town-building simulation is shallow. It's the combination of several other genres whose best games are far, far, far more worth playing than this one. In its attempt to crib from the best, Ever Oasis never establishes its own identity.
Ever Oasis isn't just a brilliant adventure, it's also one that's come at the right place and the right time. For 3DS RPG fans, who've had an unthinkably rich array of JRPG greats to choose from over the system's lifespan, Ever Oasis is a nice reminder that there's still plenty of room for innovation on the six-year-old handheld. Its addictive main gameplay loop, fun combat, amazing (and truly different) sense of style, and kindhearted nature make it feel like nothing else; though it reminds us of Rune Factory 4, Animal Crossing, Tri Force Heroes, and Final Fantasy Explorers in turn, this really is its own experience, and one we'd recommend to any action-RPG aficionado.
