Overall Rating

A magical land in danger. An ancient prophecy realized. A "Pokemon" rip-off. You can use any of these phrases to describe this adventure/RPG hybrid from European gamemaker Funatics Software. This week "Extended Play" journeys to a realm of fairies, elves, goblins, and dwarves in "Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal."

The human world and the world of fairies

"Zanzarah" casts the player as Amy, a young woman from the mundane world of humans. By way of a magic rune stone, Amy finds herself in Zanzarah, a magical place where elves, goblins, and dwarves all coexist peacefully. But the forces of evil have twisted the normally benevolent fairy population into wild creatures who attack on sight. It's up to Amy to tame a contingent of these beasts, and with their power bring order back to the land.

The story isn't going to win any awards, but it does serve as an interesting backdrop to some excellent gameplay. "Zanzarah" is a linear game that has the player roaming about richly detailed environments, solving quests, and progressing through the game in order to fight a great evil at the end. To do any of this you're going to need a pack of fairies.

Gotta catch 'em all

The only truly dangerous creatures in "Zanzarah" are the wild fairies that litter the landscape. These magical creatures inhabit the trees, rocks, and waterways. Taking a simple stroll through the forest is bound to stir up dozens of them -- and spell certain doom for the unprepared traveler. The only way to combat them is by letting other fairies fight on your behalf. Early in the game Amy is given a tamed fairy for protection, but the more you have, the better off you're bound to be.

Much of the game involves the seeking out and capture of rare and powerful fairies. By weakening a wild fairy in combat you can capture and tame it via a special ball. At this point the parallels between "Zanzarah" and "Pokemon" should be obvious. In truth, much of the gameplay bares more than a passing resemblance to "Pokemon." Although there are more than 70 fairies to capture, you can only take up to five of them into combat. Each fairy has certain strengths and weaknesses, so building a well-rounded stable is important if you want to progress. Even the way you meet up and battle with other ambitious fairy trainers smells faintly of Pikachu.

Real-time combat

Yes, it's a lot like "Pokemon." But "Zanzarah" is more than a mere wanna-be. There are plenty of additions and improvements to the tried-and-true game mechanic. The biggest difference is that combat is played out in real time, giving you direct control of your fairy. When combat commences, your deck of fairies enters a floating arena made up of platforms, ledges, and various other simple structures. The fighting is handled from a first-person perspective with the player launching spells by holding and releasing the mouse button. The longer you hold the button, the more powerful the spell. Holding it for too long will result in a backfire, causing damage to your fairy.

This appears to be too simplistic, as the wild fairies don't put up much of a fight early on. But things quickly become complicated. With dozens of spells to choose from and so many different ways to organize your party of fairies, coming up with an effective strategy against a powerful foe can take some time. And as the game progresses, the enemy AI gets increasingly clever. Unlike "Pokemon," which feels more like rock/paper/scissors, the combat in "Zanzarah" takes the skill of the player into account, and that's what makes it so much fun.

Beautiful visuals and sounds

The land of "Zanzarah" is gorgeous. The vibrant color palette and meticulous attention to detail make roaming the countryside a joy. And it's not just eye candy. Though attacks from wild fairies at first appear to be random, observant players will notice that attacks almost always happen near large trees, rocks, and other conspicuous landmarks. Needless combat can occasionally be avoided simply by being aware of your surroundings. Access to rare and powerful fairies can be facilitated by being on the lookout for an oddly shaped rock, a beautiful waterfall, or any other interesting anomaly in the landscape. Music and sound effects are equally impressive. Appropriate fantasy music plays throughout the game, yet it somehow never becomes tiring. The shrieks and groans from your fairies while in combat are amusing. It's odd, however, that the babbling from the resident elves, dwarves, and goblins sound like some mutated version of French or Italian.

A fairy with no soul

If there's a failing in "Zanzarah" it's that the story doesn't have nearly the epic quality it deserves. Amy, the main character, has very little personality. It would have been fun to hear some verbal sparring between her and the rather pompous elves. Things never feel dire or urgent. You can catch and train your fairies at your own pace. Don't worry about saving the world. It'll all be waiting for you when you get around to it.

Yet there's so much to like. It's extremely playable, the combat is challenging, and in your quest to build up an impressive fairy army you'll scour each area thoroughly. There are even a few hidden areas that are optional. And all of it looks fantastic. If you can get past its silly "Pokemon with fairies" premise, "Zanzarah" will provide you with a fun, long, and challenging quest.