Ever Oasis: official website launched (Europe); details and screens

In less than a month, on June 23rd, Ever Oasis will be released in Europe and North America (Japanese players will have to wait until July 13th!). Not only is this the latest game from Grezzo (who developed the two Nintendo 3DS remakes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time / Majora’s Mask), but it’s also the first game directed by the one and only Koichi Ishii (of Secret of Mana fame).

Yesterday, Nintendo of Europe finally opened the official website: you can find it here. It doesn’t have anything new about the game, but still makes for a pretty interesting read (especially if you’re looking for a recap of all previously revealed details).

What can you expect in Ever Oasis? Real-time battles, environmental puzzles, dangerous puzzles, oasis management, and a lot more.

Everything began a long time ago, back when the world was ensnared in chaos (a dark force that threatened civilisations across the land). An oasis was built in order to shelter people, but it was destroyed by a powerful beast that suddenly appeared in the skies. Once it had rained down destruction, there was nothing but ruin left in its wake.

In Ever Oasis, you get to play as a Seedling, a descendant of the people that were nearly annihilated by Chaos in the past. Your mission as a chosen Seedling? Built a new oasis, and banish the Chaos once and for all, so that the people can finally live peacefully.

Seedlings use the tiny seeds buried deep within their heart to call upon the power of water and create verdant oases. This is pretty much the only known way to drive back the corrupting power of Chaos.

In the game, you need to manage your very own oasis, and make it grow. How do you that, you ask? By gathering resources and recruiting new villagers! If you turn your oasis into a place where people can live and work, it will go a long way towards accomplishing your mission. And that mission is driving back Chaos: the oasis is a barrier against that corrupting power, after all.

New travellers arrive at your oasis every morning, and if you help them with their requests, they may choose to move in as a resident. Seedlings, Serkha, Lagora, Noot (who love to spend money in shopping sprees)… you will get to meet many plenty of different people of various races. Your oasis is going to be one lively place!

The more people inside your oasis, the stronger you will be outside. It’s pretty important, because building that Oasis is only one part of the game: you also have to venture into the desert, where monsters and danger await you at every step. You also get to explore some puzzle-filled dungeons, that you will not be able to fully explore without the help of precious allies.

The desert world of Vistrahda is a harsh land, and there’s also the threat of Chaos to take into account.

About the dungeons, you first need to locate them. Once inside, you will need to switch between the three party members in order to solve the puzzles, and activate the various gimmicks. Speaking of allies, they come from various tribes that you encounter during your quest. If you help them (with their problems, or simply by donating gifts), they will join your party, or move into your oasis to live and work.

Here’s some of the tribes you will meet in the game:

• Drauk Tribe – a tall lizard-like species who excel at fighting with spears. They like to live closed off from other tribes, but have been known to travel beyond the safety of their homes.
• Serkah Tribe – these one-eyed ogres love to do physical work and can often be found mining. Powerful hammers are their weapon of choice.
• Lagora Tribe – immensely skilled in the use of dual blades, the usually peaceful Lagora worship nature and the spirits.

Naturally, you also get to fight enemies, in real-time battles. You get to control a party of 3 characters, that you can switch at any time in order to make use of their unique abilities.

In order to fight monsters, you can use various skills, that add an extra layer of depth and strategy. The best thing? Those skills also have uses outside battle. For example, you can use the Green Gale to swipe sand away, confuse enemies, harvest items, and activate devices. Therefore, picking up the right teammates is crucial not just for battles, but also for exploration!

Ever Oasis features a day / night cycle, and just like in many other games, the world becomes much more dangerous during the night. That being said, with the blistering heat when the sun is up, the desert is a dangerous place 24/7!

But don’t worry: even if you find yourself in a pinch during your explorations, you can always fast travel and return to the oasis immediately. If you’re looking to switch party members, it’s at Fountain Plaza that you need to go. It’s also there that you can stock up for your next expedition in the desert. And if you really don’t feel like exploring yourself, why not send a team of explorers instead?

Another important aspect of Ever Oasis: materials. You can gather them in the desert, and then use them to craft new weapons and clothing. Wearing various clothes allows you to not only boost your attributes, but also get protection from enemies and status changes. To exchange items for new gear, simply head to the Synthesis Tree in your home.

Exploring the desert is also pretty important in order to find wares to stock the Bloom Booths (shops). Those shops are great at encouraging explorers to frequent your oasis, which in turn helps it grow. Naturally, the more Bloom Booths you have, the more attractive your oasis will become!

Those Bloom Booths can sell lots of different things, including juice and pinwheels. But it doesn’t really matter what they’re selling: you’re the one tasked with managing materials and stocks levels. But of course, it’s definitely worth it: not only does it make your oasis more attractive to visitors, you can also earn Dewadems once you’ve leveled them up. This in turn allows you to build more stores.

Finally, here’s some screenshots for the game:

Ever Oasis (3DS) comes out on June 23rd, and July 13th in Japan.

Source: Nintendo