Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore

Before starting the review of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore We need a little history lesson to better understand what this game is. In the early 1990s, Nintendo broke a deal with Phillips to develop an accessory that would allow the SNES console to play games on CD. As part of this negotiation, The Big N was forced to allow the other company to produce titles featuring some of its characters for its new Phillips CD-i console. This is how the games were born Hotel Mario, Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon y Zelda’s Adventure.

Two of those games —Link: The Faces of Evil y Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon— They are not only considered the worst games in the series The Legend of Zeldabut one of the worst games of all time. They would have been forgotten if it weren’t for the poor quality and bizarre style of their animated sequences, which turned them into memes when the Internet became popular. If you have seen how absurd they can be here you can find all the videos of the game starring Link y here are the ones from the Zelda game.

Now that you have this context, check out the trailer for the game I’m going to talk about.

When I first saw a trailer for Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore, I thought it was going to be nothing more than a “meme game”. The games of Zelda the CD-i are infamous for their low quality and I found it hard to believe that there were people who felt any kind of nostalgia for them. Who would want to relive that? Turns out I was asking the wrong question. The correct question was: What if Zelda

of CD-i were good games?

Arzette It is a very good game, but it has some problems that come from its source of inspiration.

A story as classic as those of Link and Zelda

A group of heroes formed by King Rahkin, his daughter Princess Arzette and a bard named Dail faced the Demon King Gano… Daimur to save the Kingdom of Faramor. The villain was locked in a magical book and sealed with a jewel that was then divided into five pieces. Ten years later, a traitor found them and freed Daimur. Arzette is the only one who can go in search of the pieces of the jewel to face the Demon King again.

As you can see, it’s a pretty traditional plot. I didn’t expect surprises from her, but I still found them. It’s nothing spectacular or a subversion of fantasy story tropes, but the princess’s relationship with her father and the decisions she makes in the final part of the game gave it special interest. They are not big revelations or plot twists either, just very simple narrative elements that I did not expect to find here. That helped me fall in love with this title.

Another positive element of the narrative of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore It’s his sense of humor. Maintains the characters, conversations and absurd situations of the games Zelda CD-i, but completely aware of how ridiculous they are. The protagonist reacts appropriately to the exaggerated personalities of her interlocutors. Her voices are appropriately cartoonish and fit well with the distinctive visual style of the cutscenes, which retain the resolution and color palettes of the original console.

In summary, the history of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore It’s nothing special, but it has a couple of interesting elements, characters and fun dialogue.

An adventure in Hyru… Faramore

The strange video sequences were what made Link: The Faces of Evil already Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, but it was their horrendous gameplay that made them two of the “worst games of all time.” Because of how similar it looked Arzette in the trailers, I feared that it had remained just as bad for the sake of “loyalty to nostalgia” or simply “following the meme.” Fortunately it was not like that.

The gameplay of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore It is accurate, simple and very fun. It is a classic platform game in which we run, jump and hit with the sword using quite precise controls. Later we find extra tools such as a shield, a gun and the inevitable double jump, which make repeating the short levels in search of new paths and hidden objects always pleasant. We clarify, however, that this is not a ‘metroidvania’.

The game humorously uses its narrative to justify some of the more ridiculous elements of the Link and Zelda games on Phillips’ console. For example, we can talk to other characters by hitting them because “Arzette’s sword is smart” and differentiates friends from enemies. As nice as it is, There are gameplay problems that are inherited from the CD-i games to which it serves as a spiritual sequel.. There are other elements that remain without any more context than “that’s how it was in the original titles” and that could have been improved without losing their spirit.

To start, there may be some confusion regarding which platforms we can stand on and which we can’t due to the “hand-painted” nature of the backgrounds with only the characters and collectibles remaining in the foreground. The system of consumable items—bombs, ropes, oil, bullets—is broken and loses any importance quickly. As if that were not enough, the bosses are too easy and some of them can be defeated without even moving.

There are also missions or objectives that are not clear and have us jumping from one level to another without knowing exactly what we are looking for. Fortunately, not much happens and it’s not particularly annoying due to the game’s short length. It can be finished in just 4 hours.

Arzette will return

At the end of the credits I saw that message and I was happy. Despite how short it is, despite its small problems, and despite the fact that I have no nostalgia or affection for CD-i games, I really enjoyed playing it. Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore

to do this review. After finishing the game you have the option to search for all the hidden collectibles, complete the optional missions to get 100%, play a ‘Boss Rush’ mode or the entire game at a higher difficulty. But still I was left wanting more. It may be a simple game, but it is very fun and cozy. The perfect way to “cleanse your palate” between big games.

But I have a doubt that assails me when recommending this title. Your developer, which in the past had already recreated the CD-i games, I clearly felt there was potential in those titles, but I don’t know if the general public feels the same way. Maybe he doesn’t even understand what he wanted to achieve. Those of us who know those terrible games Zelda We are, despite everything, a very small minority compared to the audience it can reach. Although the gameplay of Arzette It’s good, its aesthetic inspired by those old titles is what gives it “the joke.”

Can it please an audience who doesn’t understand why the video sequences look so strange?

I have my doubts.

Review made with a digital copy of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore for PC (Steam) provided by Limited Run Games. The game is also available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X|S and Nintendo Switch.