Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore

Mastering the true art of parody is what separates quality content from half-baked nonsense. There’s a significant reason why “Weird Al” Yankovic holds such a prestigious place in the halls of comedy and pastiche songs, but that one guy who sang “I Want It That Way” filled with homophobic innuendos was forgotten the second Limewire shut down. You can’t just imitate pitch and sound: you need to have soul and reason to back it up. It’s comparing Airplane! to Epic Movie or In Livin...

Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is such an unjudgmental love letter to Link: The Faces of Evil and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon. It’s a reminder that whether or not a game is good or bad isn’t the whole store. It’s more complex than that. The internet found legitimate entertainment in the CD-i Zelda games, and rather than write them off as ridiculous, Seedy Eye dug in and asked why. It found what was so compelling about those astounding failures and applied those lessons in a thoughtful and deliberate way. The result transcends its influences and takes on a life of its own.

Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore revels in the absurd animation of the Zelda CDI games while avoiding most of their pitfalls. The princess’ romp through Faramore is wacky and fun, with secrets to find around every corner and a new NPC with a hilarious cutscene just over the horizon.

Remember those Zelda CD-i game remasters that appeared out of nowhere, and dissapeared as quickly as they came? Well their creator is back, with a game and IP of his own creation. Join Arzette in an animated adventure as she battles monsters and fights to save the kingdom of Faramore. Marvel at the "fully animated" cutscenes sure to make you convulse with joy.

This eccentric reexamination of games many consider to be the worst of all time is a resounding success. Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore proves that you can find inspiration in all that brings you joy.

Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is a bit lost. Its attempt to channel the energy of a certain duology of titles is too self-aware to resonate with its target audience. Meanwhile, those looking for a grand adventure won’t appreciate its gaudy design and plodding gameplay. As a result, this Philips CD-i tribute is only suited for a very specific few.

It's easy to forget that almost every game is made by a talented team trying their hardest to overcome obstacles in the pursuit of art. Critical and commercial flops are often seen as failures by publishers who would rather shun or even delist creative endeavours to save face, making it exceedingly hard for “bad” games to get the recognition they deserve as someone’s hard work and passion brought to life. Luckily, the cultural impact of the CD-i adventures has thrived thanks to a community of curious fans that continues to share the strange charm of these Nintendo offshoots.