One of the things I’ve learned about myself over the years of doing this, and then periodically looking back on how I’ve scored certain games higher than others, is that among the traits it appears I value the most original experiences and ideas tend to be near the top of the list. Certainly there are those high-scoring titles that are simply among the best executed in their genres, and that’s a distinction deserving of respect (especially in ones that are crowded with terrific games), but the ones I tend to hold in the highest regard are typically outliers that defy being put into simple traditional boxes, doing things their own way and blowing away any expectations I had for them.

In the case of Beyond Galaxyland, what tends to make it feel unique (aside from its pretty oddball band of characters) is that it has managed to successfully blend together elements of multiple styles and games so successfully. While it obviously has JRPG beats as its backbone, complete with button-press-assisted turn-based combat, there are also clear inspirations from old-school adventure elements, a sprinkle of almost Zelda-style puzzles in spots, and even an enemy-capturing aspect that opens the door to a mix of Pokemon and classic Final Fantasy Materia strategy and party-building. 

Now, compared to some of its brethren out there, overall it isn’t as much of a looker as some, but that isn’t to say it can’t be quite beautiful at times. With so many varied environments your adventures will take you through there are better and worse ones, but you wouldn’t be able to accuse its look of being one-note by any means. With so many gaming styles colliding in one package, it was inevitable that some may not be quite as refined as others, so elements like occasional platforming being required don’t work quite as well as others, but thankfully more often than not the experience remains without glaring issues.

In the end, how much you’re able to get out of this game will likely depend on what you’re looking for. The more you’re hoping for a traditional paint-within-the-lines experience the less likely you are to be enthused with it. But if you’re simply looking for a good time, full of sci-fi tropes and oddities, throwing a little bit of everything at you, it’s more likely you’ll enjoy it. Above all I simply credit it with being distinctive and unafraid to take its own path, and while not everything it tries works out, it’s a small miracle when so many things do come together successfully and make for such a good time.