Story of Thor / Beyond Oasis

There are action games that simply look good, and then there is Story of Thor — known in the West as Beyond Oasis — which ranks among the most visually beautiful titles on the entire Mega Drive. A few minutes are enough to understand why old-timers speak of it with such respect.

In gameplay terms it is an action RPG with exceptionally fluid, richly animated combat. The hero's movement, his attacks and enemy reactions feel soft and natural, which was by no means a given on a 16-bit console. The combat is a joy to control, and thanks to it the game still plays wonderfully today.

A unique mechanic is the summonable elemental spirits — fire, water, shadow and plant. Each offers different abilities and combinations, so you approach combat and puzzles creatively and switch approaches according to the situation. This layer gives the otherwise straightforward action a pleasant depth.

Behind the game stands the studio Ancient, tied to the composer Yuzo Koshiro; his sister Ayano Koshiro contributed to the design. A feel for detail and style shows in the result at every turn — from the color palette through the animation to the atmosphere.

In the shadow of more famous action adventures, Story of Thor remains somewhat underappreciated, but for connoisseurs it is one of the most beautiful and most pleasantly controllable action games the Mega Drive offered.

Why play: A gorgeously animated action RPG with inventive elemental spirits — a visual and gameplay delight that ages with grace.