This was another late Megadrive/Genesis release but thankfully it avoided the fate of games like Comix Zone and sold pretty well at the time. It's easy to see why - graphically it's one of the best looking games on Sega's 16-bit console. It looks even better in motion, with some superb animation and effects. Sonically, things are great too - Yuzo Koshiro, the talented chap behind the music on Revenge of Shinobi and Streets of Rage created the epic soundtrack, and as you might expect it's well up to the standards set by his previous games.

Story of Thor plays very much like games such as Zelda and Landstalker, but the focus is on action as opposed to item collection or exploration. The player isn't given much scope for wandering around the lavish game world (as you can in the previously mentioned titles) but the combat system is way beyond anything else seen in this type of game. Your character is capable of some seriously impressive combos and attacks, and at times it feels like you're playing a 2D scrolling fighter! As well as several attack options, including swords and projectile weaponry, our plucky hero also has access to a rather neat magical armlet that allows him to summon helpful spirits and perform spectacular spells.
If you're an RPG fan you might find this a little lightweight, but for those of you that turn pale at the thought of indulging in a role playing adventure, this should serve as a gentle introduction to the genre. Regardless of your stance you'd have to be pretty sad and shambling not to enjoy this game. It represents one of the finest VC games yet seen and deserves to downloaded.
On a side note, a sequel was released for the Sega Saturn a few years later and although it improves on the original in terms of graphics and sound, it didn't really take the already excellent concept any further. It's still worth looking out for if you're after a decent 32-bit adventure, though.
1. RetroGuy
25 Feb 2007, 18:11 GMT
This is really quite excellent and the music is astounding - if you never played this the first time around, you should defo spend 800 points on it this time.
2. Manaman
03 Mar 2007, 15:30 GMT
This will probably be my next Megadrive VC download. The only other RPG offering 'Sword of Vermillion' proved to be quite disappointing on the Sega Mega Drive Collection, and this is one of the very few games that's not already in a compilation.
3. dualj
04 Mar 2007, 04:19 GMT
You know, this was a good game. I had a lot of fun playing this one back then. I personally cant wait.
4. Levi
04 Mar 2007, 22:03 GMT
Even though this game does look a bit interesting and i might look into d/ling, no one can deny that the third pic on the right looks like Axel from Streets of Rage sooooooooooo much XD!
5. Warsong
06 Mar 2007, 09:47 GMT
Bright and loaded with personality, this is not only attractive but a gem of an RPG. Where the "adventuring" part of Sword of Vermillion is weak, here it is the heart of the game--and done superbly. It is easy to enjoy by a wide range of gamers, a classic that was overlooked by many.
6. Wolf
06 Mar 2007, 16:15 GMT
OMG! I first game across this game on the PC but I couldn't believe how much fun this was and the amazing art style was so great. 5/5 definitely!
7. zeeroid
19 Mar 2007, 16:36 GMT
This is what I love about VC! Every single time I see a game I'd never heard of before get a 5 star review like this one I just jump with glee in anticipation to download it and play it for myself
Nintendo was a little short-sighted putting in such a small 512 MB flash drive into the Wii, since mine is nearly full, as I'm sure is the case with many other people as well
8. MrP
19 Mar 2007, 20:42 GMT
I might get it once it's out in Europe. IF Sega starts doing the right freakin' thing and letting me play it fullscreen at the correct speed.
9. Masuyo
19 Mar 2007, 20:44 GMT
dreams do come true XD
10. Blottie
20 Mar 2007, 11:00 GMT
Downloaded the game on a whim and on the recommendations of this site. So far, it's a pretty good little action-RPG. It's not going to break any ground with it's storytelling, so if you're looking for a solid story, this probably isn't where you want to go. However, the action itself is quite good. Not "Zelda" good, but more "Crystalis" good.
If you're on the fence with this one, definitely pick it up; it's a nice little surprise. Just don't expect Link to the Past-level quality here.
11. The Hero
20 Mar 2007, 20:53 GMT
I was wondering if this game would be worth it and now it seems like it is. Once I get some money, I will deff. get this game.
12. lavkian
21 Mar 2007, 04:43 GMT
While I wasn't as world-aware during the 16-bit era as I have been in recent generations, it really saddens me that Nintendo dominated as much as it did when it was just Nintendo vs Sega, because each of their systems has had such fantastic games such as this, which could have easily been hyped up as a "Zelda killer," had such terms existed back then (or did they?).
Here's to more under-the-radar games coming out. Where's the NTSC MSX support, Nintendo? Where's Metal Gear 2?
13. Cam
26 Mar 2007, 11:13 GMT
Come on Sega - Put the Shining Force games up on the VC!!
14. Jazzem
05 Apr 2007, 22:44 GMT
I do quite like this, but the sound isn't very good at all... The music is really blotchy and forgettable, quite annoying too
And the SEGA yell! It's all scrumpled up!
It's a nice game though, very playable
15. Jadelouise
10 Apr 2007, 19:06 GMT
Why oh Why is American artwork on games rubbish. Marvel and DC among others prove that American artwork is some of the best in the world. Yet despite this American videogame art nearly always stinks. Beyond Oasis is also a rubbish name, I m glad I have found out about the name change as when I finally get a USA Wii I want to download this as I loved it on the Megadrive. If I remember rightly is Sonic in this?
16. Bazoon
17 Apr 2007, 00:14 GMT
"It's still worth looking out for if you're after a decent 32-bit adventure, though."
Its a 32 bit game? I thought Genesis/Mega Drive was only 16 bit, or it was a game that played on the X32 addon?
17. Damo
17 Apr 2007, 11:53 GMT
Bazoon - I was talking about the Saturn sequel.
18. Ratso
17 Apr 2007, 12:49 GMT
Sonic appears in Soleil, another MD RPG that appeared around the same time as Story of Thor.
19. PresidentLeever
22 Apr 2007, 00:01 GMT
I personally can't make myself like the soundtrack. It's probably Koshiro's worst MD OST after Streets of Rage 3, with bad sound quality and poor (maybe just unfitting) melodies.
Also, the level design lacks the polish of the Zelda series but the fighting is a bit more fun imo.
20. Mendez
22 Apr 2007, 00:57 GMT
I'm strongly considering the download now. I have 6000 Wii points at the moment, which I want to last about 4 months. I also want a game that's a lot of fun to play but not TOO in depth.
I have GCSEs coming up so I want something I can play in short bursts too, and not think about too much.
Should I get it?
21. PresidentLeever
22 Apr 2007, 22:00 GMT
Well, it sounds like Kid Chameleon or some other long platformer like Kirby's Adventure would be the best choice for you, as this one does require some brain work later on. There's lots of exploring to do and different abilities to use at the right spots.
22. stephan beal
03 May 2007, 20:55 GMT
Careful: i just downloaded this game and the download SAYS it works with the Wii remote controller... but that's only partially true. After getting to the end of the first quest, i couldn't figure out how to continue... 15 minutes of trying and googling before i finally tried with my gamecube controller and what do you know... one of the buttons on that controller activates an ability (using the spirit powers) which the Wiimote does not account for.
23. chriss
16 May 2007, 17:46 GMT
Omg
This game is so frustrating
When you die on a Dungeons Boss, you have to START THE WHOLE DUNGEON OVER AGAIN!!!
I got very pissed a few times.
Now to some kind of review:
Graphics are nice, and its fun to kick the hell out of enemies , the spirits you can summon are also nice. Graphics are okay. There are just a few things that i didn't like:
You can't enter many buildings, and talking to people is pretty much useless. It really is no RPG , dont expect one and you won't be disappointed.
One cool thing is the rewards you get if you explore a bit more: You can upgrade your Summons, and its very motivating to find secret entrances. (there are many !!!)
24. comefrutas
04 Jun 2007, 19:46 GMT
is the botton "A" in the wii remote stephan beal
25. http://MrDexterm.bebo.com
05 Jun 2007, 19:58 GMT
hm.... well I downloaded this cause' you said it was gurrd, well at first I thought it was a breathe of fresh air and was pretty good but I don't know, the player just moves really slow and it I found that really annoying, haha don't even know why and I got stuck on it and I wasn't very interested in the game so i guess that's why I haven't played it since. Sorry Sega but Story of Thor just wasn't my cup of tea
26. Drake
24 Jun 2007, 18:15 GMT
Good game, but it's hampered a bit by controls and the (Pretty terrible, if you ask me) music.
27. GS
15 Jul 2007, 00:07 GMT
I didn't really like it.... I think the sound effects, Music, story, fighting, design, bosses and everything else are not even in the same league as Zelda ALTTP. Zelda is just to damn good, it doesn't even seem like it is over 10 years old, let alone 15!!! Does sega have a crappy sound card or something why do the sounds always sound so muffled... never quite understood that- Except in sonic, the sounds were great quality.
28. PresidentLeever
13 Aug 2007, 22:24 GMT
^Yuzo Koshiro tried to do something orchestral and ambient sounding, which was obviously very hard to accomplish on the genesis. I like the ost, but it doesn't really fit the pace of the game.
I thought the graphics were way ahead of LoZ:ALTTP technically, but the art direction isn't as interesting.
29. Jonno
14 Aug 2007, 01:37 GMT
This game is even better than A Link to the Past! ^.^
30. Mendez
14 Aug 2007, 22:56 GMT
Wow, I downloaded this a couple of months ago and never really got into it, but I've been investing more time into it recently and I love it!
Easily one of the best games available for VC!
31. Denivire
12 Nov 2007, 06:24 GMT
This was the game I played the most as a kid. I remember coming home from school, starting a new game, and beating it just before or just after supper because I played it so much. Wonder if anyone found the infinite Omega Sword, that thing rapes!
32. hfhfgh
06 Dec 2007, 23:19 GMT
Same sound effects as streets of rage 2
33. TwinCross
22 Dec 2007, 17:59 GMT
Enjoyable and colourful, but the contols feel a little sluggish, the music is forgettable, and having to restart an entire dungeon if you die is just frustating.
34. The shoemaker
21 Jan 2008, 00:06 GMT
It's been a while since I've played this game, I don't know why, Maybe It's because light crusader Is a way better game (no clue why I compared it to that)
35. Mad Bomber
22 Jan 2008, 16:29 GMT
Just about as awesome as I remembered it.
Beyond Oasis was pretty slick for its time and gave us Genesis owners a game that was at least somewhat comparable to SNES' Zelda.
This game is nowhere near as deep but it’s still very fun and well worth 800 points.
36. The shoemaker
25 Jan 2008, 02:53 GMT
I just started playing it again. Simply great fun. The music is just like I remember, ok but not too great. But the game is really fun, and challenging. I'm in some Big cave like temple thing after I stowed away on that guys ship. I just gotta get a key.......
37. JJ
26 Jan 2008, 05:10 GMT
Never played this back in the day. just discovered it on the VC. My favorite game on the VC so far.
38. The shoemaker
28 Jan 2008, 02:06 GMT
Compared to Breath of Fire ll, this game is nothing
39. President_Leever
30 Jan 2008, 14:20 GMT
^They're not even comparable, BoF2 is a turn based RPG game with a lot more focus on characters and storytelling..
40. The shoemaker
01 Feb 2008, 07:28 GMT
Yeah I was just comparing in my mind of how much better BOFll is compared to beyond oasis because Before I got BOF I was playing beyond oasis like there was no tomorrow
41. President_Leever
03 Feb 2008, 01:28 GMT
Well, opinions are like a*ses and all that, but still there is no comparison as they focus on different things.
42. Nigel
09 Feb 2008, 03:08 GMT
This is fun. I got it a few months ago and played through a few levels/areas and moved on to other games. I'd like to come back and finish this in a weekend or something, I enjoyed what I did play.
43. The shoemaker
30 Mar 2008, 18:59 GMT
I'm stuck in some temple thing. I always die when trying to get to a certain part, or when I get there, I forgot the key. I haven't played it for two monhs though
44. The shoemaker
30 Mar 2008, 18:59 GMT
I'm stuck in some temple thing. I always die when trying to get to a certain part, or when I get there, I forgot the key. I haven't played it for two monhs though
45. Atlantis1982
07 Apr 2008, 04:33 GMT
I have to agree with the majority; there should be a music off option since it grates inside my ears painfully.
46. The shoemaker
26 Apr 2008, 00:54 GMT
@Atlantis
You could just turn the volume down
But honestly I don't mind the music.
47. Maxime St. Rasse
10 Jun 2008, 17:27 GMT
some parts in this game are pretty frustrating.. especially if you save when you dont have much meat and fruit... i suggest downloading this game if you have already played through zelda 3 a bunch of times and are lookin for a similar but totally new experience.. i remember this game being one of my favorites when i was a kid and its just as much fun now
48. Mr. Cheez
02 Jul 2008, 04:21 GMT
The music and sound kinda remind me of a midway arcade game from the '80s, or a first-gen genesis game XD. The Visuals aren't bad, but I think I might get landstalker instead if I want a Zelda-style genesis RPG game.
49. Mickeymac
17 Jul 2008, 04:19 GMT
G-D, this sounds like the best thing I've ever seen, RPG-wise. Heck, its battle system sounds like what they're putting in that new Fable game, talk about being ahead of it's time.
But darn it, I'm broke, so I can't get it yet. Soon, soon...
50. Virus
22 Jul 2008, 01:38 GMT
This is a pretty good game for people looking for a Zelda-like adventure. I would argue that the fighting and graphics are even better in this one than in a Link to the Past. The soul system is awesome too. However, crouch attacks suck, platforming sections stink badly, and the sound and music are sadly terrible. A Link to the Past is a better game but Beyond Oasis is worth getting. I have to say, although my first playthrough was only five hours long, this game has a lot more to do in it as far as side quests and such. Replayability is pretty darn good.
If I could give it a score, I'd give it a 22 out of 27 1/2. Yeah, that's a good rating.
51. Mickeymac
24 Jul 2008, 05:53 GMT
@Virus
Nice review there, sport!
In any case, while I haven't played much of it, the music I've heard from the video was pretty good, and as a previous owner of a Sega Genesis, I have a bit of a fondness for the Genesis' sound chip.
Plus, I don't think it's a good idea to compare anything to A Link to the Past, simply because it's too perfect of a game, I'd never purchase any game again if I held everything to that high of a standard. I didn't even like Ocarina of Time as much as A Link to the Past.
That is, however, just my opinion.
52. Virus
27 Jul 2008, 06:05 GMT
@Mickeymac
Why thank you, I hope it mildly helps someone (probably won't, oh well). You're right though about how I shouldn't compare games to A Link to the Past since we can't expect all games to be that stellar (well, we wish we could). Still, I guess my point in mentioning it was this game is not A Link to the Past. People may buy it thinking it's similar to that game, but it ain't. I would rather people buy it for what it is instead of it being a Zelda-like adventure (although I strangely put that in my comment, huh...
). We have Neotopia for people who want Zelda rip-offs anyway. Thanks for catching my mistake though!
53. Mr. Cheez
31 Jul 2008, 03:40 GMT
I have a bit of a Genesis adventure game-related dilemma myself. Though I made fun of this game earlier for it's lackluster audio, and said that I'd rather get Landstalker instead, I'm actually sorta torn between the two games. Niether of them are "Must-haves" to me, but if I werr to choose between them, which one would be the better choice?
@Mickeymac. I'm with ya, buddy! A Link to the Past is simply the best Zelda evah!
54. Mickeymac
06 Aug 2008, 09:04 GMT
That's why I'm getting both of them. Once I've played them I'll give you an answer. Though, at face value, I'd go with Beyond oasis, since the lack of an Isometric view makes jumps easier, and the fighting system is deeper too.
55. Mr. Cheez
06 Aug 2008, 18:16 GMT
Thanks for the response. I could get both of them, but I'm fairly stingy with my Wii points, so I have to make a lot of decisions. That's why I post a lot of questions on this site. lol.
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