Farabel – Switch

Turn based time travelling has landed in the form of Farabel. Developed by Frogames and released by Dreagus Games and Goblinz in December 2019. This budget title includes thirteen levels accompanied by survival and single scenario modes. It is surprisingly tricky in places and features an interesting time control mechanic. Farabel appears simple at first glance but there is something deeper below the surface. 

You start the game at the end of the story and work backwards through the campaign. This is interesting as you discover why the two warring factions are at each other’s throats. The story is mostly shallow but there is enough to keep you going between scenarios. Your main unit is Cendor, a human lord who is using time travel to restore peace. He is joined by many different unit types from archers to scouts.

The action is played out like most turn based games. You move, attack and use special abilities all in one turn. Anyone who has experienced this type of game will feel at home right away. If you’re new to these games a simple interface and tutorial should help you get involved. Many of the units are simple move and attack but the ones with special abilities are unique. The scouts can teleport through walls and other units can implement a rage that increases damage. 

You will notice the levels are a little sparse which makes unit placement strategy simplistic. This is made up for with switches that need to be activated to release bridges or gates. Veteran strategy gamers may feel a little short changed but they do have the interesting time travel mechanic to tinker with. Cendor can use his time travel ability three times per level. It acts as a rewind function on a single unit, replenishing health and moving them back to their last position on the map.

If you are looking for a visual fantasy feast you will probably be disappointed with Farabel. The graphics are bland but decent for a budget title. Animations are smooth with cool special effects. It would have been great to see some more detail in the scenery but there is enough variety in the levels to keep you engaged. You may find it difficult to distinguish some of the units and this is not helped by the lack of camera control.

The music and sound effects fit the game style and keep things moving along. You will appreciate the variety between the scores and some are enjoyable to hum along with. Some of the unit voices and sounds are muffled but this does not affect gameplay. The presentation may be simple but is impressive in parts. The humour works in places but you will not be belly laughing at any point.

Once you finish the thirteen strong scenario mode you have two other modes to enjoy. Survival is a simple last as long as you can type affair and the single scenario allows you to build your own army before starting. There is not much longevity to this game but it has a lot of content for a budget title. You may wish to tighten up your turn count by revisiting levels again.

There is much to love about Farabel but its simple presentation and lack of camera control may put some off. If you can get past these shortcomings then there is fun game with an interesting mechanic to experiment with. Strategy fans looking for something different should put Farabel on their list. If you are not experienced with the genre but fancy trying it out this is a good entry point. 

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