Alisia Dragoon

Alisia Dragoon is an action platformer from Game Arts, released for the Sega Mega Drive in 1992, and it remains a secret gem of the console's library to this day. The player takes control of the sorceress Alisia, who wields lightning bolts fired from her hand and recruits a quartet of animal companions to her side – a dragon, a phoenix, a chimera, and other creatures with specific abilities. The game combines run-and-gun action with platforming elements: the player advances through linear levels full of enemies and large bosses, with the main weapon being a chargeable electric beam that can be stretched through multiple targets at once. The animal companions have limited stamina and gradually weaken in combat, so the player must constantly weigh which helper to deploy at any given moment and when to rely on their own attack instead.

Technically, this is one of the most visually striking games of the Mega Drive's early era – large, finely drawn sprites, fluid animation, and atmospheric music create an impression closer to Japanese anime than typical Western action. The level design alternates more open passages with enclosed fights in confined spaces, setting the game apart from competing run-and-guns like Contra: Hard Corps. The difficulty is fairly high, mainly due to the limited number of lives and the need to precisely time both shooting and the movement of the animal helpers. The music is complemented by a set of atmospheric sound effects that, together with the striking visuals, reinforce the sense of battling supernatural forces.

At the time of release the game got lost in the shadow of more popular titles, but among collectors and Mega Drive fans it gradually built a reputation as a quality, overlooked gem. Today it is often cited as an example of how well the Sega Mega Drive could handle colorful, action-packed graphics with a strong Japanese style. Its short playtime and straightforward structure make it an ideal choice for players who want to sample an unconventional action platformer without unnecessary padding. Compared to Game Arts' later work, which became famous mainly for the Lunar series, Alisia Dragoon shows that the studio could handle a purely action-oriented genre with the same graphical flair.

Why play it: For fans of colorful, action-packed platformers with a strong Japanese style and a short playtime without unnecessary padding, this overlooked gem from the creators of the Lunar series is still worth trying today.