While Sony were busy being all VR, VR, VR and Microsoft had their standard Halo/Forza/Gears of War trifecta, Nintendo's 'just Zelda' show at giant games fest E3 quickly morphed into several more, including a brand new role-playing game for the 3DS. From the folks who bought us the remastered The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D comes Ever Oasis, a cutesy little adventure that looks to be a blend of Animal Crossing and, well, Zelda, inspired by ancient Egyptian culture and mythology.
Building up your oasis from scant sandpit to bustling desert metropolis is a large part of the game.
Playing as a chosen 'Seedling' (which we're assuming is the name of the game's race/people), it falls to you to build up a prosperous oasis with the help of your partner in crime, the mermaid-like Isuna, whilst beating back the mysterious "Chaos" that's been threatening the peace in the desert in the process. As you explore the deadly deserts, creepy caves and dangerous dungeons, you'll meet with members of other tribes, forging partnerships that will help you build your dream oasis, while new tribesmen who pass through your oasis may be persuaded to move in if you'll help them with a mission or two. New villagers means new shops, weapons and abilities, and each new character can be brought along on your adventures to lend a helping hand with the monster whacking.
Battles are real-time, which means you and your party of desert misfits need to run around and beat up the monstrous wildlife, which has been possessed by the malevolent Chaos, ducking and dodging their attacks. You can strategically switch between your party members at any time, making use of different character's unique skills in the process - skills which will be instrumental in solving the many puzzles you'll encounter in the world's dungeons. Foraging for raw materials in the desert is also important, as without the ingredients, you won't be able to synthesise new items, weapons or equipment, nor make any items at your shops. Apparently, you'll earn the game's currency, dewadem, over time as the shops sell their wares - we assume as some kind of oasis overlord tax - which can then be exchanged to build new "Bloom Booths", whatever those are.
This 'Chaos' thing has apparently been making all the local wildlife turn violent.
Unfortunately, that's about all we know about Ever Oasis, save that it will be coming to 3DSes everywhere some time next year, in 2017. It certainly seems like it might have potential, blending the puzzle-solving, dungeon-crawling, world-exploring of the Zelda series with the town management of Animal Crossing (at least, that's what it looks like right now), but only time will tell. Why not check out the reveal trailer below:
