Zwei: TAA is the kind of game that, for reasons both tangible and not, are infused with such a pure and powerful sense of joy that it’s just hard not to smile. I don’t have a history with the series - or with many JRPGs, really - yet the childlike wonder that effortlessly permeates the art, dialogue, and titular adventure still managed to make me feel the nostalgic yearn of simpler times. It’s a game that has its share of rough edges, but one that I don’t find terribly difficult to recommend.

While there’s a lot to love within The Arges Adventure, it’s mostly superficial due to a frustrating combat system that forces most of the game to become a slog.

In short, Zwei: The Arges Adventure may not be the most polished or compelling experience, but it's a fascinating look into Falcom's past, and a quite loveable one to boot. Those looking for a rollicking action RPG should stick with The Ilvard Insurrection, but enthusiasts interested in Falcom's trajectory will no doubt find a lot to love here.

Although the two-dimentional visuals in Zwei: The Arges Adventure differentiate itself from its sequel, the game retains a lot of the depth and plot that made the other so good.

While notably simpler than The Ilvard Insurrection, Zwei: The Arges Adventure still manages to hold its own as a short, enjoyable RPG experience. Clocking in at just under twenty hours, the game is brief, but there are a number of optional dungeons for players who want to explore the world a bit further. Although its simpler story and combat keep it from matching last year's game, that's also what you would hope to expect from seven years of innovation and technology.

Zwei! The Arges Adventure is a lovely little title from Falcom that I am very happy was localised after the success of its successor. If you’ve been been needing some lighthearted dungeon crawling or have already played the localised sequel and want to know how the series began, than you'll appreciate this one a great deal.

It has some shortcomings in comparison to modern games, but if you can overlook its quirks and are in the market for a simple dungeon grind with a colorful world, basic story, a focus on RPG elements, and some humor thrown in for good measure, then Zwei: AA is a worthwhile $20.

I would say that Zwei: The Arges Adventure is best played by gamers with an eye for charm and adorable characters that you’d want to spend hours with exploring dungeons and going on adventures. Sadly, the decade-old dungeon design and repetitive action don’t hold up as well as its sequel, but it’s still a game that Falcom fans will enjoy until the end, I know I did.

A beautiful world filled with many different kinds of characters and enemies in an enjoyable dungeon crawler. The combat system is too rough and the story is not as interesting as others. However, it's quite interesting how the characters evolve their attributes just by eating food.

Zwei: The Arges Adventure is a rare and enjoyable title, especially for anyone familiar with Falcom's output. The core fundamentals, such as controls and playability, aren't always ideal, and the rough frame-rate is a nuisance. The final result is a title that's buoyed by its charm and creativity. This a rambunctious collection of minor details that still manages a strong sense of coherency. However, it's tough to excuse the messy combat. The way it ties into healing and levelling is clever, but there isn't enough finesse. It's as if the system was designed by a team that hasn't yet found its footing in an ever-evolving genre. To sum it all up, this isn't a classic, but it's still worth experiencing.

Pleasing aesthetics aside, Zwei hasn’t aged all that well in parts that matter the most. The game lacks the wit and charm of its sequel, the gameplay is unwieldy and the progress amounts often to guesswork. Everything The Arges Adventure does, the superior sequel The Ilvard Insurrection refines further - and beyond, as any good sequel should. There’s no guesswork in which one of the Zwei games I recommend to fill the need for a funny and smooth Japanese action RPG. In the end, The Arges Adventure is not a bad show, it’s just has passed its shelf life.

Zwei: The Arges Adventure is sadly not a very interesting game, but I give XSEED huge props for their dedication in finally bringing the title over to English players. At less than 20 hours in length for the main story, it's a title that might be worth checking out as a sort of curious novelty, but it's probably not going to leave any lasting impression.

I think it’s important to preserve old games for future audiences, or make them available for audiences that never knew they existed. Video games, like any other art form, have a long history behind them, and a longer history ahead of them. Releases like Zwei: The Arges Adventure serve as time-capsules to help keep old pieces of history from disappearing. It’s a game very much from its time. While I appreciate the effort put into making the writing stand proudly in a modern day, gameplay flaws and dated design choices make it a chore to truly get a satisfying experience out of the game.