Summary
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore is a loving homage to the infamous non-canonical Zelda CD-i, replicating the same garish cartoon cutscenes that made those original games a staple of internet comedy. However, unlike those CD-i Zelda games, Arzette is actually a really well-designed action platformer that wisely takes inspiration from other games set in Hyrule – particularly in regard to its items.
The items in Arzette are not just fun to use, but they always open exciting new pathways in your adventure for you to explore. Some are fairly conventional items you would expect to see in a video game, others lean into the game’s self-deprecating sense of humour.
10Winged Belt
Floating On Air
There’s nothing more frustrating in a platformer than falling just short of your jump. This can certainly be the case in Arzette, but with the Winged Belt on your side, you can float right on over to your intended landing zone.
The Winged Belt doesn’t just help you correct poorly-executed jumps. It also allows you to access areas that were previously inaccessible, so you may grab those goodies that used to be just out of reach.
9Speedy Shoes
Running Around At The Speed Of Sound
Some items in Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore serve a crucial role in the progression of the game. While others are less essential, but just make the game more fun to play. The Speedy Shoes are definitely in the latter category.
While playing Arzette was hardly a sluggish chore to begin with, the extra movement speed made possible with the Speedy Shoes is definitely a nice touch. They are especially useful if you need to quickly race through an older level just to acquire an item or complete a quest.
8Griffin Boots
Double The Jump, Double The Fun
The first time you visit levels in Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore, there is a strong chance you’ll come across an item that is too high to reach with your normal jump. Thanks to the Griffin Boots, Arzette’sjumping ability gets the boostit needs to finally reach those pesky items.
While a double jump ability is hardly unique, the Griffin Boots do grant you far more freedom in mobility than what you start with. Platforming sections are now easier, certain enemies can be leapt over altogether, and of course, those high-to-reach items are now yours for the taking.
7Canteen
We Heart This Item
If you play Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore on normal mode, then you won’t see a single health drop across your entire playthrough. This is where the Canteen becomes indispensable, as it is the only way you can replenish your health if you choose to avoid the game’s easy mode.
While Arzette isn’t a difficult game, the Canteen will still likely save you from some annoying restarts, especially the further you progress in the adventure. Just like any health item in video games, you’d be a fool to enter a level in Arzette without a Canteen or two in your stock.
6Lantern
Shining A Light In The Darkness
Out of all the replenishable items in Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore, the Lantern may be the one you find yourself using the most. This item illuminates caves and rooms that otherwise don’t have a single light source, with such areas being found across a large portion of the game’s levels.
Thanks to the Lantern, you are far less likely to run into an enemy or spiky pit, saving you from taking unnecessary damage. With so many gloomy areas in the game, the Lantern is one item you must keep well-stocked during your playthrough.
5Magic Cloak
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore requires you to revisit its levels several times to find items, characters, and new quests that you missed the first time through. While the levels are fairly short, it can still get a bit tedious having to fight off all the enemies if you are returning to an area for the third or fourth time.
The Magic Cloak helps with this process of backtracking by making you completely invisible and invincible to enemies for a short time. As long as you have enough Power Stones stored up, you can theoretically race to the end of a level without being disturbed by a single foe — significantly cutting down the amount of time needed to reach your destination.
4Bombs
Tick, Tick, Boom!
Out of all the items in Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore, the Bombs have the most similarities to theircounterpart in the Zelda games. What more is there to say? You throw them at enemies or cracked rocks and they blow them up.
The Bombs are really useful as a ranged attack early on in the game before you get the Color Gun and of course their explosive properties are handy for finding secret areas here and there. In a world of sword and sorcery, a little bit of gunpowder can also have its uses.
3Smart Chainsword
A Moral Dilemma
Of all thelegendary swords in gaming, Arzette’s Smart Sword may just be the most versatile. Obviously, it can slice up enemies, but it’s also your main tool for interacting with NPCs and picking up items.
Once you upgrade it to the Smart Chainsword, Arzette is now equipped with a weapon of mass dynamism. The Smart Chainsword deals more damage while still having the strongest moral compass out of any character (or item) in the game.
2Color Gun
Seeing Red And Shooting Blue
The Color Gun immediately becomes an indispensable piece of your arsenal once you acquire it in Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore. It is a highly effective ranged weapon, can break through the defences of color-coded enemies, and is the key to blasting through coloured tiles.
The best part about the Color Gun is that it’s usefulness doesn’t end there. Each time you get access to a new colour, it instigates another exciting journey through the game’s levels to see what you’re able to now access.
1Reflecting Ring
One Ring To Rule Them All
They say defence is the best offense, and that’s certainly the case with the Reflecting Ring from Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore. Yes, it stops any annoying projectile attacks from damaging you, but it also bounces those attacks right back at the enemy who sent them your way.
It’s the ultimate shield – one that protects and counter-attacks in equal measures. And once you unlock it, the Reflecting Ring quickly becomes one of your most valued items in the game.
