Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 973 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore Game Cover
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
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"Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore" is an interactive action-adventure game where you play as Princess Arzette. Explore hand-painted backgrounds and diverse locations, uncover mysteries through conversations with locals, and acquire powerful items to defeat the evil Daimur. The game features fully voice-acted cartoon cinematics and a colorful cast of characters.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 973 reviews
gameplay84 positive mentions
grinding19 negative mentions
  • Arzette is a charming homage to the infamous CD-i Zelda games, successfully capturing their quirky spirit while providing enjoyable gameplay.
  • The game features smooth controls, a catchy soundtrack, and beautifully crafted backgrounds that enhance the overall experience.
  • The cutscenes are hilarious and well-animated, adding a delightful layer of humor and nostalgia for fans of the original games.
  • The game can feel short, with a completion time of around 3-6 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
  • Backtracking is a common mechanic, which can become tedious as players revisit levels multiple times to complete quests and find collectibles.
  • Boss battles are generally easy and may lack the challenge that some players expect from a metroidvania-style game.
  • gameplay230 mentions

    The gameplay of "Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore" is a blend of metroidvania mechanics and action-adventure elements, offering a fun and engaging experience that pays homage to the infamous CD-i Zelda games while significantly improving upon their clunky mechanics. Players can expect a charming atmosphere, enjoyable exploration, and a variety of unlockable abilities, though some reviews note that the gameplay can feel simplistic and lacks innovative mechanics. Overall, it successfully captures the quirky charm of its inspirations while providing a polished and entertaining gameplay experience.

    • “It has great art, very catchy music, and gameplay that nails everything it set out to do.”
    • “Arzette is a love letter to the old janky cdi games but manages to combine that with solid gameplay, catchy music, and a great art style.”
    • “The gameplay is really solid, and I found myself genuinely invested in the world.”
    • “No puzzles, no unique mechanics; just simple exploration to find important items and enemies blocking the way.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly barebones and calling this a metroidvania does a disservice to the genre.”
    • “Objectively it is just a decent sidescrolling action-adventure with metroidvania-style gameplay and with a lot of fetch quests and backtracking, that has weird item-usage limits and a slippery power-curve and can be leisurely 100% in around 4-5 hours.”
  • music200 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy, energetic, and nostalgic qualities that evoke the charm of 90s CD-ROM games. The soundtrack is described as a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience with memorable tunes that fit the game's aesthetic perfectly. Overall, players find the music to be a delightful homage to the original CD-i games, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.

    • “The music is absolutely wonderful.”
    • “The soundtrack is just wonderful.”
    • “The music is incredible too, and really nails the aesthetic.”
    • “It looks at first like it has more effort put into it than a simple meme game retread, with all the artwork and music, but it's really a shallow experience that repeats itself after the first few levels.”
    • “The music can get quite loud at times and I keep my PC volume low too.”
    • “The music also, I wish every sub-area of the levels had a slightly different track like is the case with the originals; again though, I understand this limitation.”
  • story148 mentions

    The game's story is a lighthearted and goofy homage to classic fantasy narratives, featuring a straightforward plot where Princess Arzette must defeat the dark lord Daimur. While the story is often described as generic and filled with fetch quests, it is complemented by charming characters, humorous cutscenes, and a vibrant presentation that evokes nostalgia for retro gaming. Players appreciate the blend of silliness and sincerity, with many finding the character interactions and animated sequences to be particularly engaging despite some minor issues with backtracking and voice acting.

    • “But as well as being a great, reference-filled homage, this game does a great job at telling its own compelling story and creating its own interesting world, with its own humor and its own characters.”
    • “Genuinely fun to play, reminiscent of Zelda CD-i, Monster World, and Popful Mail, along with great 90's-esque music, funny cutscenes with deranged characters, and a surprisingly sincere and touching story.”
    • “It's been a blast to play, really charming story, characters, and cutscenes, beautiful backgrounds and music.”
    • “The story of Arzette is basically a generic fantasy story: a dark lord called Daimur, who was once sealed in a magic book, is released by one of his henchmen, and as he and his minions start causing havoc in Faramore, Princess Arzette has to take down Daimur and save the kingdom.”
    • “It's a standard story of, 'big bad threatens the kingdom again!'”
    • “The writing feels like it is written by people that are trying their hardest not to be genuine in their storytelling.”
  • humor147 mentions

    The humor in the game is a delightful blend of genuine affection for the infamous CD-i Zelda games and a playful, often absurd style that resonates with fans of internet culture. Players appreciate the hilarious cutscenes, quirky character designs, and clever dialogue, which evoke nostalgia while also delivering fresh comedic moments. While some may find the humor outdated or hit-or-miss, many agree that it successfully captures the charm of its inspirations, making it a fun and engaging experience.

    • “Delightful little game with funny and sometimes surprisingly touching cutscenes.”
    • “Genuinely fun to play, reminiscent of Zelda CD-i, Monster World, and Popful Mail, along with great 90's-esque music, funny cutscenes with deranged characters, and a surprisingly sincere and touching story.”
    • “Seriously, if you found the humor of the old CD-i cutscenes amusing, you'll likely find these hysterical.”
  • graphics98 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a charming homage to the infamous CD-i titles, featuring a blend of hand-drawn art and pixelated backgrounds that evoke nostalgia while also showcasing solid animation and design. However, some cutscenes suffer from inconsistent art styles and technical issues, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the visuals are generally well-received, with many praising the colorful aesthetics and engaging character designs that enhance the gameplay.

    • “The graphics are an excellent blend of spritework and painted backgrounds.”
    • “Graphics are beautiful and I love the pixel art, and the cutscenes are just perfect.”
    • “This is a fully realized 2D adventure platformer with killer sound and visuals that range from serene to diabolical and trippy.”
    • “There's an inconsistency with art style, framerate, and even the resolutions in the cutscenes that just don't mesh well in comparison to what it's trying to replicate, and come off as amateurish.”
    • “Many times the art style will be broken by a poor understanding of what they are trying to replicate.”
    • “If you know nothing about the Zelda CD-i games, then this game would come across as mediocre at best, a standard platformer with mismatched art styles, unusual cutscenes, and incredibly easy combat.”
  • grinding23 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while snappy controls and engaging power-ups help alleviate some tedium, players often find themselves needing to replay levels multiple times for 100% completion, which can feel monotonous. Backtracking for side quests and dealing with enemies that have long invincibility frames can also contribute to a sense of frustration, though some players appreciate these challenges as part of the game's charm. Overall, the experience is less tedious than other titles in the genre, but still requires patience and persistence.

    • “Of course, it has lamp oil, rope, and bombs, but you also have other items to unlock, and there's no farming here.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “In order to 100% the game, you need to tediously re-do each level many times, and the 'blocks' that you need new items for are never interesting--like a cracked wall for using bombs is far more interesting than a bunch of white blocks you need to use your power fist move that is otherwise completely worthless to get through.”
    • “The enemies that take more than one hit have really long invincibility frames, so they're very tedious to fight--by the end, I was mostly running through enemies and just taking the damage.”
    • “Backtracking for side quests was a little tedious, since you don't always get markers for where someone is in a level, but since the levels are fairly short, it doesn't take too long.”
  • emotional22 mentions

    The game is praised for its delightful blend of humor and surprisingly heartfelt moments, with cutscenes that evoke nostalgia and emotional investment in the characters. Reviewers highlight the comedic yet sincere storytelling, which creates a wholesome experience reminiscent of classic games. Overall, the emotional depth and charm of the characters contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Genuinely fun to play, reminiscent of Zelda CD-i, Monster World, and Popful Mail, along with great 90's-esque music, funny cutscenes with deranged characters, and a surprisingly sincere and touching story.”
    • “Like they kept the comedic atmosphere for most of the game but then actually made the characters likable and even a bit emotional at times; it's actually kind of wild how I felt invested in these characters that are supposed to be a parody.”
    • “Its most singular advancements are not its polishing up of rough gameplay ideas, but are in its disarmingly heartfelt and kind story and general tone.”
  • character development20 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely absent, with no significant growth or depth to the characters. However, the character designs are praised for their uniqueness and charm, showcasing a mix of originality and humor that pays homage to the CD-i games. While the writing struggles to balance humor and seriousness, the overall character presentation, including animations and cutscenes, is noted for its engaging and memorable qualities.

    • “The game has a lot of funny dialogue, while the character designs are all unique and memorable.”
    • “Even if you aren't in on the joke, Seedy Eye has breathed so much life and personality into every character design, cutscene, song, etc. It's just pure charm throughout.”
    • “The cutscenes are just the right amount of cheesy, the character designs are amazing, and the quests and item finds are rewarding to complete.”
    • “There is also no character development at all, and the writing can't make up its mind if it wants to be funny or serious.”
    • “>Character designs range from bad knock-off, bad Tumblr self-insert, and bad furry anthro character.”
    • “Even if you aren't in on the joke, seedy eye has breathed so much life and personality into every character design, cutscene, song, etc. it's just pure charm all throughout.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game offers decent to great replayability, enhanced by smooth controls, engaging cutscenes, and optional content. While backtracking can be overwhelming, intentional sequence breaks and an extra hard mode provide fresh challenges. The open structure suggests that features like a randomizer could further boost replay value, making it an addictive and enjoyable experience overall.

    • “The game has great replayability, and is actually quite addictive.”
    • “A true homage that runs laps around its inspirations, and a very replayable, short and sweet experience.”
    • “Short, simple, and very replayable metroidvania with very nice sprite art, a great soundtrack, and genuinely funny cutscenes that go beyond being a parody of the CDI games.”
    • “There is an overwhelming amount of backtracking, but the game also has some neat intentional sequence breaks that can clear up the monotony and rewards replayability.”
    • “I enjoyed my time with Arzette, and if possible, a randomizer could add even further replayability given how open the game's structure really is.”
    • “Plus there's mild replayability with an extra hard mode on completion along with some skips you can pull off in the metroidvania style.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is praised for significantly better performance compared to the Zelda CD-i games, with users consistently noting that all aspects of performance are excellent.

    • “All the performances were great!”
    • “It also has much better performance than the Zelda CD-i games.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is a delightful blend of humor and charm, successfully balancing comedic elements with emotional depth, making players feel genuinely invested in the characters despite their parody nature. This unique approach enhances the overall experience, proving that a meme game can offer both solid gameplay and an engaging atmosphere.

    • “A meme game that is actually worth your time with solid gameplay and a charming atmosphere!”
    • “They kept the comedic atmosphere for most of the game but then actually made the characters likable and even a bit emotional at times. It's actually kind of wild how I felt invested in these characters that are supposed to be a parody.”
    • “They kept the comedic atmosphere for most of the game but then actually made the characters likable and even a bit emotional at times. It's actually kind of wild how I felt invested in these characters that are supposed to be a parody.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game is reported to be stable at launch, with users noting that it was completed close to the release date and is free of glitches.

    • “Not to mention the game is actually completed near the release date, with no glitches!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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