Nintendo Look - Faxanadu

Nowadays, it seems as if all action-adventures are expected to abide by certain rules. Interactions between the avatar and the enemies that accost them mustn't deviate from established norms, otherwise the game could get buried in endless criticism or fail to reach its intended audience. Even in the indie scene, there's this ideal that developers apparently strive for. If a monster is struck by a sword, then it should react in such-and-such a manner. If the protag is tagged by a projectile, then a mathematical formula that has been refined for the past four decades will determine what direction (if any) they're flung in. I'm not trying to say the games of today play the same, but it does seem as if they're too respectful of the classics, and quick to emulate what works. Of course, I say all this after muddying the waters with constant preaching about what good games should avoid doing. You and I both know that most of the words that land on this blog are 5:45 am ramblings. Games are imperfect creations, and that what makes them beautiful. Also, if being "perfect" means giving up a sliver of its identity, then what's the point? When I complain about a game doing something unexpected, know that it's out of love (or me just trying to bore myself back to sleep). 

The product that sparked today's diatribe is none other than Faxanadu, the 1987 Famicom adventure about a young man's quest to save The World Tree. It was struck by a meteor, causing all of the nearby dwarves to be transformed into crazed monsters. As most fans are aware, this game is a spin-off of Falcom's Xanadu series, but it's developed by Hudson Soft. I'm sure it was a partnership of convenience, because of the latter's familiarity with console hardware, but I have to say this: Hudson did a great job of capturing the spirit of Falcom. The World Tree is a remarkable menagerie of odd ladders, quirky jumps, and monsters in slightly obnoxious places. I love the wonderful eccentricities, like how the hero's speed increases when he's moving horizontally across ladders. Also, its curious decisions have aged surprisingly well. Gamers willing to take the plunge on older titles will find a lot to like.

Just so that we're all on the same page, let me talk a bit about how the game works. For the sake of convenience, today's protagonist is named Gabe. This playthrough was done with a romhack called Faxanadu Restoration. It allows players to name their hero, offers battery backup instead of passwords, and fixes a handful of bugs. That's right pendant fans! Now you can acquire an item that actually adds the 25% bonus to physical attacks instead of taking it away. Anyway, Gabe arrives at the Elves' ransacked kingdom. After receiving customary spending money from the King, our hero buys everything he needs: a weapon, a spell, potions, and keys. This game keeps it simple. All spells are damage-dealing projectiles, and potions restore their imbiber to full health. Thankfully, Hudson avoids Falcom's key fetishism. You won't need hundreds of keys to get anywhere. You will, however, need to make note of which doors require which keys. It's not a huge deal altogether, especially since the average playthrough is rather brisk. The World Tree is divvied into four areas, and even the most convoluted of them can be summed up as: go this way for the objective, go that way for something optional. 

Gabe has some quirks that will be important to grasp. First off, he picks up speed after walking a short distance. This has a slight yet noticeable effect on the distance of his jump, and the game is rather fond of its semi-precise platforming. Don't worry about spike beds or huge losses of progress though. Falling is usually a mild inconvenience. His dagger also can't hit the gooey spikey creatures that are low to the ground. I'm pretty sure this was done to teach players the importance of magic, as they won't fly over the heads(?) of the spiny slug thingies. Every monster in Faxanadu has an actual name, and they're all too complicated for me to remember. Hope you like vague descriptions instead! Anyway, Gabe has a decent amount of HP & MP, but these statistics remain static for the game's entirety. Doing and taking more damage will require better swords and armor. Shields can also be purchased. They serve to minimize the damage of enemy fireballs but aren't much use if the hero is positioned wrong or in a state of mid-stab. Spend time getting acclimated to the controls, as well as when to jump projectiles and when to block them. 

The intricacies of combat are what drove me to take a deeper look at this classic. Any fiend that walks or crawls will inch its way towards the nearest do-gooder. Some have actions that occur every couple of steps, others will perform a specific function when their target gets close. It won't take long to figure out a monster's capabilities, and there are never more than 3 onscreen at a time. However, their placement is rarely convenient. Flat, unobstructed hallways can be counted on one hand. Though the environment isn't outwardly hostile, it's often designed to benefit the enemy. There'll be plenty of situations where you have to navigate some walls and platforms to reach your target. Oh, and definitely be mindful of the fact that enemies love to stand near screen transitions and doors. There are these little guys with swords who wait outside homes or towers, ready to stab the unsuspecting. Keep a stock of four potions. Always. 

When an enemy is struck by the sword, it reels back and blinks, but there's no period of invulnerability. This is interesting since it creates options for the player. They can push forward and continue the assault, step back and wait for a counter, retreat, etc. The enemy's reaction can also differ. There are these largeish faceless guys who throw fireballs. Strike them at the right instant, and they'll spin around, lobbing their flame the other way. Creatures that are close to walls can be "bounced" against them with repeated stabs for a quick kill. Everything respawns when you move between screens, so take a moment to practice against troublesome foes. Bosses do tons of damage, but their set patterns make for some satisfying exploits. Crushing dragons with a series of well-timed jumping attacks feels really good, even by 2026 standards. If learning and picking apart every foe sounds a bit too stressful, then go for magic. The first two areas house a powerful (and expensive) death spell. A few shots will erase the most troublesome beasts, allowing Gabe to grab what he needs and escape.

Instead of stat-improving level-ups, accumulated experience leads to titles. Basically, the hero's title determines how much gold they start with after dying or loading a save game. This is a really neat idea, especially when you take into account when Faxanadu was released. There are few things more discouraging than dying in a tough dungeon and then having to grind just to afford a new stock of healing potions. Provided that you're visiting priests at semi-regular intervals, your title should award more than enough cash to replenish the essentials. It's a startingly convenient method for keeping players in the game, especially when placed to the likes of Metroid. Very different game sure, but I know at least one of you readers has felt the pain of sitting next to an alien-spawning pipe to farm energy pellets. Amazing how much has changed from 1986 to 1987. 

Don't bother with hospitals. Meat is cheaper.

Another fun aspect of Faxanadu is the inclusion of temporary items. Their usage varies from sparingly to never, but they add to the game's adventurous qualities, and even provide some clever routing strategies for professionals. You only need wing boots on two occasions, but anyone willing to hunt down a third pair is going to have a potentially incredible weapon for the final battle. Ointments provide temporary invincibility and are placed in really beneficial locations (like within a few screens of the final boss). Heh... Maybe I shouldn't be so obvious. Seriously though, clearing the room of monsters to uncover a secret item is a neat touch. There's not a ton to explore, but the rewards are plentiful enough to keep adventurers happy. 

The last time I played through this game had to have been... Actually, I won't bother thinking about. I get enough sad reminders of my age every time I bend my knees. Point is, Hudson Soft delivered an experience that manages to feel just like Falcom's classic era. Sometimes goofy, sometimes annoying, and not once did I ever think that my time was better spent elsewhere. There's an almost surrealness to the actions of the hero and the denizens that wish him harm. Learning how to survive in this crazy tree adds a richness that can't be easily replicated. Of course, if there's ever a Faxanadu-like, don't expect me to just automatically love it. The entire point of this whole write-up is to appreciate what makes a game special. It's not about doing things the right way, it's about doing them your way.