I will never understand how Nintendo saw their deal with Philips CD-I as feasible.
Sure, the ill-fated console never got, say, Super Mario World. But it did receive one of the worst Mario games in existence – Hotel Mario – along with two terrible Legend of Zelda games, with animated sequences that made us chuckle quite a bit.
Apparently, Seedy Eye Software (ohhhhh, that’s sneaky guys), working alongside Limited Run Games, actually likedthese games. As a result, it’s crafted a side-scrolling adventure that feels like a throwback to those innocent 90s days. That game is Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore.
Taken on its own merits, it’s a pretty good platformer, not really revolutionizing with its gameplay but staying somewhat fun throughout. But the real treat here are the animated cinematics, which, yep, are just as “high” in quality as those Zelda games.
It seems to lean on this gimmick a bit too much at times, but if it’s a retro platformer you’re in the mood for, Arzette certainly serves its purpose.
Time To Get the Shards
In the game, you portray the warrior Arzette as she makes her way through Faramore, attempting to snag five shards of a magic jewel before the vicious demon king Daimur gets their hands on them.
This game is made up of side-scrolling platforming segments that look like something from the CD-I era, which was the point. While lacking in high details, it does nail down the nostalgic appearance pretty well, right down to the static backgrounds and cute (yet minimal) animations.
The real charm, however, lies in the animated sequences. As I mentioned above, they’re on the same comedic level of quality as the Zelda games. But they’re done exceptionally well, with quite a bit of humor and a whole lot of second-rate color shading. Nostalgic fans will be right at home here.
Not to mention the voice acting is top notch and, as expected, a little too much at times. Though some characters are better than others, Seedy Eye did a good job recreating the silliness of those Zelda games. Some of these guys just sound a little too unreal for their own good. But I guess that’s the point.
Plus, that 90s style adventure music, complete with its deep bass lines, also does well. The trailer below gives you a good idea of how that works.
While it would’ve been nice to get a few more details in the actual game, Arzette still scores some 90s points off of its inspired presentation. It won’t win awards on the same level as, say, Dead Cells, but it does what it needs to do.
Then There’s the Gameplay
Once you get past the general nature of the game and the tribute it’s paying, what’s left with Arzette is rather…basic.
That’s not to say the game plays badly. It doesn’t, it holds up just fine. But it doesn’t evolve over time. Since it’s based on the nature of a CD-I game, that’s the general path it follows. A good time for defeating enemies and what-not, but very little to make it feel like you’ve grown as a character.
There’s also some slight problems within the game design, especially when you misjudge certain platforms or end up accidentally falling to your doom. I assume this was part of the design, and Seedy Eye was nice enough to throw in infinite lives, so you don’t have to start all the way over.
It’s a neat trick if the developer intended to go for older 90s design. But it might pale in comparison to some of the more advanced platformers available for consoles. Just a heads up.
A Jewel By Any Other Name
The mileage you get out of Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore depends on your perspective of retro games. If you’ve moved on to more advanced fare, this will likely just look like old news to you. However, if you’re like me and appreciative of titles that pay tribute to older (if not entirely better) days, it’s definitely a diamond in the rough.
Seedy Eye did a commendable job recreating the aura of those terrible Zelda games, and also dated the gameplay to match the mood. That will likely leave a few of you turned off, especially if you’re looking for something above and beyond. But those of you that don’t mind a good “comfort food” title such as this will easily nestle right into it.
So, yeah, excuse us, princess, we’ll be enjoying this one.
GAMERHUB RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Limited Run Games for the code!
