Black Jewel

[h1]SUMMARY[/h1] A barbarian game in true C64 style. You know the saying "Nintendo hard"? Well on the C64, you had games that laughed at that level of difficulty. Most of the time because they were only 15 to 30 minutes in length. You had your Turrican's, and your The Legend of BlackSilver, which could all last several hours, especially the latter being an RPG, but generally, the length of a game on the C64 was around 30 minutes, and just like arcades, they extended this gameplay length by being brutally difficult, but unlike arcade games, these were typically a lot more fair. They were fair in that, while short, over time you could master them, and beating them was an accomplishment that took days, if not weeks of on-and-off play. Here that is replicated to a T, for better and for worse. It bases a lot of its animations, gameplay, and setting off of Storm Warrior, although the animation and pixel-art here is far more detailed and robust. The gameplay is brutally difficult, with left and right movement, a jump, and a 2-combo sword attack. It is up to you to master these controls and make every second count. I will be the first to say that this gameplay style has not aged well. There is nothing more disheartening than dying after carefully planning every movement, and winding up back at the beginning, knowing you'll have another long adventure ahead of you, which you will be very careful not to suffer a single hit in the process of progressing through. The enemies are classic goblins and ogres and some other interesting stuff, with some mild platforming and environmental hazards to look out for. It's basically the idealized version of a C64 hack-and-slasher, though more difficult than quite a number of them. The real stand-out I must say is the soundtrack, with the main theme being an absolute banger, and something I could easily see myself listening to in my spare time. The splash screens for the intro, story-beats, and death are all very well done as well. If I could offer a suggestion to the developer though; please, for the love of god, either add in more health potions, or make the health potions heal you more. I get you're going for authenticity, but the health placement is just a bit too sadistic, and could be better paced. [h1]OVERALL SCORE[/h1] Moderately Recommended [h1]REPLAY VALUE[/h1] Average

A truly horrendous game that wouldn't have been forgivable even on the C64 it was inspired by. There's no escaping from the fact this is a clunky, shallow and unsatisfactory attempt at a game to house a decent soundtrack. I can't believe I was stupid enough to pay money for this.

Lindo juego. Un homenaje a los juegos de C64. Esto es obvio por cómo carga el juego. El movimiento del personaje es duro, tosco y lento. Eso lo hace más desafiante ya que hay que calcular cada movimiento que hagas. Además de que sólo contamos con una barra de vida que al acabarse, se acaba el juego. Pero cada tanto te van dando pociones que restauran salud. Los enemigos tienen ataques bastante aleatorios, más que nada las plantitas que tiran pelotitas y no sabés cuando van a dejarte pasar. Porque parece que dejan de tirarlas. Te confiás y te la pegan. Los gráficos son simples, estilo retro. No son geniales, pero están lindos. Es un buen desafío. Un juego que hay que jugar para estudiarlo un poco e ir llegando cada vez un poco más lejos.

Just like [b]Mastema[/b] from the same developer, this is a game crafted with clear love but even harder to recommend than its "sibling". It goes even further back in time, in a Commodore 64 style with chunky pixels, sparse backgrounds with mountains and trees that contrast starkly with the solid black. I've been pointed to its inspiration, a 1988 release called [b]Storm Warrior[/b], but thankfully there is more variety of sprites here, as in that game you fought only clones of the protagonist and some big lizard things, clearly homaged by one of the bosses. Given the amazing job with [b]Mastema[/b]'s pixel art, there was little doubt this one would deliver on the retro vibe, including the fairly large UI at the bottom of the screen, which offers portraits of the opponent faced at a given moment. There is even a loading screen in this style, but the magic is partially broken by the choice of making the graphics take the entire 16:9 aspect ratio. In the epic tale of… Ryan the Barbarian VS the evil Darkor? Meh, the character isn't really well equipped: he's slow, can't crouch, and can only have an overhead slash follow the basic attack. He also has a fairly long health bar but, beside a few potions that restore it completely, has only that chance to succeed. It's one of those games where the action is slow and methodical, as you need to carefully measure any jump, and study your approach to even the lamest enemy. Unfortunately, it's what doesn't work, because there is no "method" in how the enemies move and attack. For example, evil trees launch fireballs in random directions rather than fixed ones, and close-combat enemies don't follow a real pattern, just execute one of their animations with, again, apparent randomness. An enemy may be completely non-reactive to Ryan's attacks, or initiate their own before you can even finish your approach. No matter how precise you are in your approach to non-combat situations, you are at the mercy of luck when you have to contend with enemies or, worse, fireball shooters that can't even be killed. What could have been a difficult but fair (and very fairly priced) little game - it can be completed in 15 minutes but requires much more time to be mastered - turns instead into a frustrating slog, bringing me to decide on a thumbs down. It's curious that, according to the developer, this was a little side project after [b]Mastema[/b] and it ultimately got more attention. For a long time already there's also been a project called [b]Black Jewel Reborn[/b] on Mega Drive, which has over time expanded and evolved into a completely new game that looks in fact pretty good, provided it will ultimately see completion.

Ufff ...un juego que puede ser cargante en dificultad... y muy corto en jugabilidad. pero se gana las tres bbb. lo recomiendo.

[h1]A Jornada de Ryan, o Bárbaro, em Busca de Redenção e Glória[/h1] Em um mundo cheio de magia, mistérios e perigos incontáveis, um tesouro lendário é roubado, e o destino de um reino inteiro repousa nas mãos de um guerreiro. "Black Jewel" nos apresenta uma aventura clássica e épica, onde você, na pele do destemido bárbaro Ryan, embarca em uma missão para recuperar a preciosa Joia Negra, que foi roubada por Darkor, o maligno feiticeiro. [h3]A Lenda da Joia Negra[/h3] A Joia Negra, um artefato antigo de imenso poder, era a âncora que mantinha o equilíbrio entre as forças do bem e do mal no reino. Quando ela é subitamente roubada por Darkor, uma figura sombria que almeja o controle total das terras, o mundo começa a desmoronar. O caos se espalha, a luz se esvai, e monstros anteriormente adormecidos despertam com sede de destruição. Apenas Ryan, o bárbaro guerreiro, pode deter essa catástrofe iminente. [h3]Ryan – O Herói Bárbaro[/h3] Ryan não é um herói comum. Ele carrega o espírito indomável de um verdadeiro guerreiro bárbaro. Sua vida foi forjada no campo de batalha, e sua força é lendária. No entanto, a missão de recuperar a Joia Negra não é apenas uma questão de honra, mas também de sobrevivência. À medida que a escuridão de Darkor se espalha, Ryan deve usar todo o seu poder, sua coragem e sua astúcia para restaurar a paz e salvar seu povo de um destino trágico. [h3]Jogabilidade e Desafios[/h3] "Black Jewel" é uma homenagem aos jogos de ação e aventura clássicos, onde a jogabilidade simples e eficaz é o coração da experiência. O jogo te leva através de diversos ambientes repletos de perigos, desde florestas sombrias até cavernas traiçoeiras e fortalezas místicas. Cada cenário está saturado de inimigos brutais e armadilhas engenhosas, prontos para frustrar sua missão a cada passo. Ryan, equipado com sua espada imponente e habilidades de combate aprimoradas, deve abrir caminho por hordas de inimigos, que variam de criaturas monstruosas a servos leais de Darkor. As batalhas são intensas, exigindo reflexos rápidos e decisões estratégicas. Mas não se trata apenas de força bruta – a exploração também desempenha um papel vital. Você precisará vasculhar cada canto, procurando por tesouros escondidos, armas e itens que irão melhorar suas habilidades e aumentar suas chances de sucesso. [h3]O Confronto com Darkor[/h3] No coração dessa jornada está o inevitável confronto com Darkor. O feiticeiro não é apenas poderoso, mas também astuto, e ele usará todos os seus truques e feitiços para impedir Ryan de recuperar a Joia Negra. A batalha final será um teste de todas as habilidades que você aprendeu ao longo do jogo. Será que Ryan será capaz de derrotar Darkor e restaurar a paz ao reino? Ou será que a escuridão prevalecerá? [h3]Estilo Retrô e Homenagem aos Clássicos[/h3] "Black Jewel" foi feito sob medida para aqueles que têm um carinho especial pelos jogos clássicos dos anos 80 e 90. Seu visual pixelado e a trilha sonora retrô remetem diretamente a essa era dourada dos videogames, criando uma sensação nostálgica para jogadores que cresceram jogando títulos de ação e aventura da época. No entanto, apesar de sua aparência retrô, o jogo possui mecânicas refinadas e modernizadas que oferecem uma jogabilidade fluida e empolgante. [h1]3/5[/h1]

Can’t play it. Just sits on the Home Screen

Black Jewel, developed by Oscar Celestini and published by Forever Entertainment S.A., is a modest indie project that embraces a stripped-down approach to gameplay, focusing on immediacy and simplicity rather than depth or complexity. It presents itself as a compact action experience, one that aims to be easy to understand and quick to engage with, but in doing so, it reveals both the strengths and limitations of such a minimal design philosophy. The gameplay is built around a very straightforward loop, placing the player in confined spaces where they must navigate, avoid threats, and interact with enemies using a limited set of mechanics. Controls are intuitive and require little time to learn, allowing players to jump in almost instantly. This accessibility is one of the game’s most noticeable advantages, as it avoids overwhelming the player with systems or layers of complexity. However, this same simplicity quickly becomes repetitive, as the game does not significantly expand on its core mechanics. Encounters begin to feel predictable, and the lack of variation means that the experience can lose its sense of engagement relatively early. Progression follows a linear structure, with each segment offering slight variations of the same ideas rather than introducing new concepts. There is little sense of escalation or evolution, which makes the overall experience feel static. Instead of building toward more challenging or diverse scenarios, the game maintains a consistent pace that rarely surprises the player. While this can make it approachable for short sessions, it also limits the sense of accomplishment or discovery that often drives engagement in similar titles. Visually, Black Jewel adopts a minimalistic style that prioritizes clarity over detail. The environments and character designs are functional but lack distinct personality, resulting in a presentation that feels somewhat generic. Animations are basic, and visual feedback during gameplay is subdued, which can reduce the impact of player actions. While the simplicity of the visuals aligns with the game’s overall design, it does little to create a memorable or immersive atmosphere. The audio design mirrors this restrained approach. Sound effects are present but unremarkable, serving their purpose without adding much character to the experience. Music, if noticed, remains in the background and does not significantly contribute to the game’s tone. As a result, the overall presentation feels neutral, with no particular element standing out strongly enough to leave a lasting impression. Where the game does succeed is in its ability to provide a quick, low-commitment experience. It is easy to pick up, requires minimal investment, and can be played in short bursts without demanding sustained focus. For players looking for something simple and undemanding, this can be appealing. However, the lack of depth, variety, and meaningful progression means that there is little incentive to continue playing beyond the initial experience. Replay value is limited, and the game does not offer enough new elements to encourage extended engagement. In the end, Black Jewel is a clear example of a game built around a single idea that is never fully developed. It offers a functional and accessible gameplay loop, but one that lacks the evolution and refinement needed to maintain interest over time. While it may find a small audience among players who appreciate minimalistic or experimental titles, it ultimately feels too limited to stand out in a meaningful way. Rating: 5/10

Ok, vamos lá, O jogo tem um belo gráfico, dentro das limitações propostas pelo autor. Os efeitos sonóros e a música são bem interessantes, mas poderiam receber um tratamento um pouco melhor na hora em que enfrentamos os chefes, para transmitir a tensão necessária, principalmente no último chefe. Acho que o maior problema do jogo, se encontra na jogabilidade, pois a mecânica é bem simples e fácil de compreender e até experimentar algumas coisas, mas a limitação no controle afeta bastante a forma de jogar. Como exemplo, podemos encontrar capturas onde o jogador consegue chegar até o final, praticamente sem matar nenhum inimigo além dos chefes e isso é devido a jogabilidade limitada. Para melhorar, poderiam ser acrescentadas algumas ações como: defender, abaixar e pular com um comando único, acho que só com esse acréscimo, o jogo já ganharia muito. O level design é simples, mas interessante, principalmente quando chegamos na última parte, na qual podemos explorar um pouco mais algumas possibilidades que o cenário nos oferece. è isso, o jogo é bem interessante e gostaria de convidá-los a visitar a página do autor no itch-io, pois o mesmo tem vários trabalhos lá, inclusive dois jogos, um com as tartarugas e um do Robocop vs Predator. OK, let's go, The game has beautiful graphics, within the limitations proposed by the author. The sound effects and music are very interesting, but they could have been treated a little better when facing the bosses, to convey the necessary tension, especially in the last boss. I think the game's biggest problem lies in the gameplay, as the mechanics are very simple and easy to understand and even try out some things, but the limitation in control greatly affects the way you play. As an example, we can find captures where the player manages to reach the end, practically without killing any enemies other than the bosses and this is due to the limited gameplay. To improve, some actions could be added such as: defending, ducking and jumping with a single command, I think that with this addition alone, the game would gain a lot. The level design is simple, but interesting, especially when we reach the last part, in which we can explore some of the possibilities that the scenario offers us a little more. That's it, the game is very interesting and I would like to invite you to visit the author's page on itch.io, as he has several works there, including two games, one with the turtles and one with Robocop vs Predator.

....Perhaps it is me who don't gets it, but the game, although having a wonderful and enchanting graphical fidelity to the era, lacks everything else. I mean, yes, it's supposed to be a faithful recreation of the C64 style...but c'mon, it is too barebones for me to be considered actual ''good''. Unless you are really nostalgic, give it a pass.