My Played Video Games Review: E.V.O.: Search for Eden for the Super Nintendo

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E.V.O.: Search for Eden is an action-adventure RPG game developed by Almanic Corporation and published by Enix for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom in 1992.

Now, this is a refreshing RPGs. It doesn't have to rely on just the usual tropes of swords, spells, dragons, and airships to be exciting. Instead, all it takes is one small fish with a pair of jaws and the ambition to "evolve" to the top of the food chain.

Japan only box cover art (Image source)

The Story

In the dawn of time, you are among the first creatures to appear on Earth! There are no peace agreements here, just you in a jaw-clamping, teeth-flying struggle for survival. With the new Multi-change option and "Book of Life" feature, you can create and save up to 50 of the fiercest creatures you can imagine! The only thing standing between you and the legendary land of Eden are 4.6 billion years of Mother Nature's toughest creations!

Box, manual and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

It's no Super Mario, but it is decent. The body and face parts are very easy to see, unlike many games with small characters. Being able to see what's missing is important and makes the game easier. The different body parts fit together nicely, with no seams or gaps like some other build-a-character games. The environments, enemies, and world map all look quite nice.

The music in this game is fantastic. If there was a soundtrack, I would try to add it to my games music list. The music sets the mood perfectly, whether it's dramatic, cheerful, depressing, or serious. The sound effects are great too!

Gameplay video sample of E.V.O.: Search for Eden on the SNES. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

What can you criticize about an innovative Enix game? This game is highly original and very engaging. Your goal is to survive evolution and become the top of the food chain in your quest for Gaia. You eat other creatures to gain the ability to evolve your body. Special crystals hidden throughout the game let you temporarily transform into a previous form or an advanced creature. The RPG elements are hidden beneath a side-scrolling action format. While the game focuses mainly on gathering points to evolve, the story progresses quickly and keeps you involved, despite some corny dialogue due to poor translation.

With numerous possible evolutions, some of which depend on others, the replay value is huge, assuming you have the mature patience to collect all the evolution points. The save feature lets you permanently save your favorite creatures and use them in later games. Additionally, there are plenty of secret locations to discover, encouraging you to play through the game multiple times.

My Verdict

It's a damn one-of-a-kind game. How often do you get to evolve from a fish to a caveman? E.V.O.: Search for Eden is enjoyable despite a few minor flaws. The main message is straightforward: don't mess with nature, and it's delivered well. I highly recommend this game.

Play it on the very likable Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a useful emulator.

Let's keep on gaming in the free world!