| Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Seedy Eye Software |
| Publisher(s) | Limited Run Games |
| Director(s) | Seth Fulkerson |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Designer(s) |
|
| Artist(s) | Rob Dunlavey[1][2] |
| Writer(s) |
|
| Composer(s) | Jake Silverman |
| Engine | GameMaker |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Windows Xbox Series X/S |
| Release | February 14, 2024 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is an animated adventure game developed by Seedy Eye Software and published by Limited Run Games. It was released on February 14, 2024, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. Arzette is a spiritual successor to the CD-i games Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon.[3]
Gameplay[]
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is a hack and slash adventure game.[4] The player controls the titular protagonist, Arzette, who explores the land of Faramore on a quest to defeat the evil Daimur.[5] The gameplay is that of a 2D action platformer, with animated cutscenes in an art style similar to that in the CD-i games.[6] The game has been described as an "interactive animated adventure".[7] John Linneman described the game as having strong similarities to Monster World.[8]
Plot[]
The demon lord Daimur launches an attack on the kingdom of Faramore with the aid of the traitorous Duke Nodelki of Amelog. In response, King Rahkin of Faramore, Princess Arzette, "unlikely hero" Dail, and advisor Wogram assault Daimur's lair in the country of Oakurin. Using the magic of the Jewel of Faramore, Daimur is sealed in the Book of Oakurin, and peace returns. As the Jewel shatters into five shards on each use, Rahkin orders the shards protected separately in order to prevent Daimur's release, while Nodelki is sentenced to a lifetime of hard labor.
Ten years later, Nodelki recovers the Jewel shards and frees Daimur. The demon lord grants Nodelki magic powers and charges him and his four minions with protecting the shards while he exacts revenge on Faramore. Arzette, the only one to continue honing her skills in peacetime, takes it upon herself to relight the Sacred Beacons and recover the Sacred Candles that can dispel Daimur's dark magic enveloping the land.
Arzette ventures across Faramore, defeating Daimur's minions to recover the Jewel's shards while helping its citizens with their various problems in exchange for new powers. During her quest, King Rahkin passes on, hardening Arzette's resolve to vanquish Daimur. After killing Nodelki to claim the last shard, Dail and Wogram encourage her to seal Daimur in the Book of Oakurin again, but Arzette disagrees and has her weapons infused with the Jewel of Faramore. Upon confronting Daimur in his lair, Arzette questions why he embraced darkness, to which Daimur affirms his belief that power matters most and fights her. Arzette defeats him and, ignoring his offer of dark power, destroys him permanently with her Jewel-infused sword. Arzette is crowned Queen for defeating Daimur, but she insists that the entire Kingdom contributed to his defeat and declares Faramore a democracy, holding a feast to celebrate.
In a post-credits scene, an unknown voice is heard laughing as the Book of Oakurin magically opens itself.
Development[]
Arzette was developed by Seth "Dopply" Fulkerson under the developer name "Seedy Eye Software", a homophonic pun on "CD-i".[9][10] In November 2020, Fulkerson released unofficial remakes for Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon on Linux and Windows.[11] To avoid receiving a cease-and-desist notice from Nintendo like many similar unofficial projects, Fulkerson made the remakes unavailable for download two days after their release.[12][13]
The development for Arzette began in late 2020 through developing his company Seedy Eye Software and Limited Run Games as the publisher.[14] On July 12, 2023, the game was announced by Limited Run Games.[15] Jeffrey Rath and Bonnie Jean Wilbur, voice actors for Link and Zelda in the CD-i games, were also revealed to be voicing characters in Arzette.[9] He also contacted some of the original artists of the CD-i games, including artist Ron Dunleavy.[13] Digital Foundry's John Linneman announced his involvement as level designer after the initial reveal,[16] while fellow Digital Foundry personality Audun Sorlie revealed his involvement as lead producer and writer for the game.[17] In an interview with GamesRadar+, Fulkerson stated that the animators were given free rein, with their only limitations being the color palette, resolution, and frame-rate of the cutscenes of the original CD-i Zelda games.[13]
On October 29, 2023, Limited Run Games announced the game would release on February 14, 2024.[18]
Reception[]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 77/100[19] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 85/100[20] |
| Nintendo Life | 7/10[21] |
| Nintendo World Report | 80/100[22] |
| Push Square | 7/10[23] |
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[19]
References[]
- ↑ (in en) Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore - Official LRG3 Reveal Trailer - IGN, 2023-07-12, https://www.ign.com/videos/arzette-the-jewel-of-faramore-official-lrg3-reveal-trailer, retrieved 2023-07-15
- ↑ "Anunciado Arzette, una suerte de sucesor espiritual de los 'infames' Zelda de CD-i". Vandal . 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Doolan, Liam (2023-07-13). "Arzette Is A "Spiritual Successor" To The Infamous Zelda CD-i Games And It's Coming To Switch In 2023". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Peeples, Jeremy (2023-07-12). "Arzette Brings CDi Zelda-Inspired Thrills to Modern Hardware in 2023 - Hardcore Gamer". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Lyttle, Brandon (2023-08-01). "Niche Games Spotlight – Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore". Niche Gamer. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Franzese, Tomas (2023-07-12). "The worst Zelda games ever made are getting a spiritual successor". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Serin, Kaan (2023-07-13). "Limited Run Games announce retro revivals for Gex Trilogy, Jurassic Park, Tomba, and more" (in en). Rock, Paper, Shotgun. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/limited-run-games-announce-retro-revivals-for-gex-trilogy-jurassic-park-tomba-and-more.
- ↑ Linneman, John (2023-07-12). "Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore Announced for all platforms (Zelda CDi Inspired Platformer)". ResetEra. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 9.0 9.1 Romano, Sal (2023-07-12). "Interactive animated adventure game Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Shanklin, Will (2024-01-29). "Arzette, a love letter to the CD-i Zelda games, will also revive an awful controller". Engadget. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (2020-11-28). "Amateur dev remakes CD-i games Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon so we can suffer them again, 27 years later" (in en). Eurogamer. https://www.eurogamer.net/amateur-developer-remakes-cd-i-games-link-the-faces-of-evil-and-zelda-the-wand-of-gamelon-so-we-can-suffer-them-again-27-years-later.
- ↑ @thedopster (30 November 2020). "Just as a reminder, I have pulled the..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Machkovech, Sam (February 14, 2024). "How Arzette turned Zelda's biggest joke into something to laugh with, not at" (in en). GamesRadar+. https://www.gamesradar.com/how-arzette-turned-zeldas-biggest-joke-into-something-to-laugh-with-not-at/.
- ↑ Kelly, Josh (2023-08-14). "Owensboro game developer Seth Fulkerson reviving nostalgia with retro-inspired gaming gem". The Owensboro Times. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Romano, Sal (2023-07-12). "Limited Run Games announces over 20 new physical releases at LRG3 2023". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ @dark1x (12 July 2023). "Yeah, so I've been fortunate enough to do some level and game design work on Arzette..." (Tweet). Retrieved December 25, 2023 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ @pc98_audi (12 July 2023). "Finally we can talk about this one! I am the producer and co-writer on this amazing CD-i Zelda successor..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ @LimitedRunGames (29 October 2023). "Spend next Valentine's Day with @ArzetteGame! You heard it tonight at #IndieLand2023: You'll be able to play Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore on February 14th, 2024!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Handley, Zoey (14 February 2024). "Review: Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore". Destructoid. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Scullion, Chris (14 February 2024). "Review: Arzette: The Jewel Of Faramore (Switch) - An Adroit Homage To The Worst Zelda Games". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Hilhorst, Willem (14 February 2024). "Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore Review - Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Tailby, Stephen (14 February 2024). "Review: Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore (PS5) - A Charmingly Shoddy CD-i Sendup". Push Square. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
{{cite web}}:
External links[]
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