The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

By finally being freed from the tiny screen to which it was confined for more than two decades, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening reveals to the world that it has always been a far bigger game than its appearance let on. In a way, some may rightfully claim they were already aware of that fact. After all, back on the days of the Game Boy, it was clear that this was a title that broke the pattern exhibited by franchises that were transported to a handheld setting: where most of them visibly shrunk to unsatisfying sizes, this was an adventure that felt almost as big as its already ambitious console sibling. Yet, on the Switch, that reality becomes more blatant than ever, and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening uses an exquisitely colorful visual, a basic – to modern standards – but engaging approach to dungeon design, and a whimsical tropical world with a simple touching story embedded in mystery to prove its worth as a major quest of both the past and the present.

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Ever Oasis

The conclusion is that a lot could have been done to make Ever Oasis a more solid experience. The two gameplay elements that make it up could have been integrated more firmly by more thoughtful design; and, individually, those parts could have turned out far more engaging if simple steps had been taken to avoid minor and recurring annoyances. Still, through stumbles and falls, it is a good game: taking care of the oasis is fun, and watching it grow is a joy; furthermore, going out into the world is motivating not only because there are nice puzzles and locations to be found, but also because the development and upkeep of the oasis depends on it. Therefore, the experience, which holds a twenty-hour adventure that can be greatly extended by those who want to take their oases to their full possible glory, will be able to please – to different and somehow uncertain degrees – anyone who wants a heavy dose of role-playing thrown into their Animal Crossing, or vice-versa.

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