Anyone who's tried to take an eight-year-old to the movies in the last couple of years knows that few films at the local octoplex are both appropriate for younger viewers and entertaining for adults. One can say the same of computer games: those targeting teens and adults often overflow with violence and devilish complexity, while diversions designed for children are often too saccharine for mature tastes. Ferazel's Wand, a side-scrolling run-and-jump adventure from Ambrosia Software, strikes a pleasing compromise that should make players of all ages happy.
Macworld
I'm betting the short four levels will get you hooked and looking for more. Be prepared to grab your game pad, get comfortable in your chair, and spend some quality time with your new best friend!
InsideMacGames
I downloaded the demo to test it for my 12 year old. I wanted to see if she would like it. My gaming is limited to various versions of Solitaire, Shanghai and Myst. Well, I became hooked and now I want the full CD. I'm debating whether or not to tell my daughter that I've ordered because to be frank I don't want to share it with her yet. What a bad Mom!
Carole Morgenstern, Customer
Ferazel is tons of pretty innocent fun in a sea of blood-curdling violence! Now, if I can only figure out the LAST 30% of the "Secrets" in the Underground!
Jean and Ellen Olson, Customer
Great game! Got demo copy from MacAddict. Really is one of best games ever. So glad to see such high-quality games being made for Mac—it's way overdue.
Kristine Assink, Customer
Excellent software, as usual!
Jim Galt, Customer
Thank you, Ben…all other game demos are promptly erased. Ferazel's Wand has spoiled all other games for me. I will play this one until you come out with another mind-boggling, frustrating, want-to-throw-your-Mac-out-the-window, addicting game. This is a great Christmas gift.
Patricia Friggens, Customer
I really appreciate your continued support of the older Macs. The fact that the demo ran so well on my 10-year-old's Power Mac 8100 sold me (the fun game is a given, of course!). Not many new games run on PPC 601s. Kudos!
Patrick Mullen, Customer
You have out done yourselves on this game. The action is good, the graphics and sounds are outstanding. Keep these quality games and I'll keep coming back for more.
Thomas Doe, Customer
I really want to congratulate you on such a kick-ass game lineup. I love the fact that some games seem inspired by old console classics - i've never seen anyone else doing a shooter-type game or a side-scrolling platform game for quite some time (well, good ones, at least). Kudos, and keep up the good work.
Charles Lechasseur, Customer
At first I thought this game was too childish. Then I thought it was too hard. By then, I was hooked. Thanks for making such great games for the Mac.
Susan Branch Smith, Customer
Love the demo! Love it! This is much better than doing my dissertation research…
Susan K. Glover, Customer
Great great game guys…I got the demo off of a Mac Addict demo disk; I don't really get into a lot of computer games, but this one is hypnotic!
Scott Musgrove, Customer
I have tried several of your demos, and would like to commend you for supporting my platform of choice, but most importantly for writing such astoundingly good games! It really warms the heart of a seasoned gameplayer to see that vital _playability_ aspect being given such careful and deserved attention in your games, and not just the technology. Keep up the brilliant work!
James Bjerkholt, Customer
Ferazel's Wand is a truely engrossing game that takes you away from chores and other things that are most important. But thats why its a whole lot of fun!
Fresno Macintosh Users' Group
An excellent way to kill time between projects, or an excuse to put them off until tomorrow.
AppleLinks
Read the Full Review
A very big game, graphically impressive.
MacDesktop.com
Another feature of Ferazel's Wand is you don’t need a joystick to play it. It’s designed to be played on a keyboard so it’s perfect for laptop users or iMac owners who haven’t bought a joystick.
Game Industry News
To be truthful, I usually don't like side-scroller games, but Ferazel has managed to mix up the game play enough that I found myself playing for hours without even realizing it.
MacObserver
Read the Full Review
Appeal: Mario and Prince of Persia fans, Habnabits, novice spellcasters
Pros: Wonderful graphics and sound, a wand that shoots fireballs and tree trunks
Cons: Occasionally annoying controls, no level editor. <Ambrosia note: level editor now available>
Clan MacGaming
Too bad Britney Spears isn't on the receiving end of those fireballs, but that's about the only thing missing from Ferazel's Wand.
MacAddict
Ferazel's Wand is the best two dimensional platform game ever. Forget Mario, Sonic, Crash, and all the other console buffoons. Ferazel has shown them up with impunity. There's no platform game cliche that Ferazel doesn't reinterpret and make his own. All the tough puzzles and impossible jumps are here to torment you for hours on end.
MacHome
The game engine Ben Spees has created features dazzling dynamic particle and lighting effects, a physics model that makes the world feel real by allowing for rich details (like the bodies of fallen foes floating in the water), parallax scrolling (the illusion of depth created by multiple moving layers) and an atmospheric soundtrack composed by Eric Speiers that soars over the superb sound.
MacCentral
Demos of the game stopped showgoers in their tracks, despite a plethora of seats in the booth's theater area.
MacCentral
Ferazel's Wand—the most colossal game from Ambrosia to date—puts you inside the cloak of Ferazel. Jump, cast spells, and travel to the reaches of Teraknorn, enhancing your skill and learning new spells along the way.
MacUpdate
Read the Full Review
It's a well thought out game and will bring hours of entertainment to those who decide to try it out.
MacOS Monthly
If you need a respite from bloody first-person shooters, miss the old side-scrollers of yore, or just want to settle down and toast some Manditraki, by all means pick up Ferazel's Wand.
MacGamer's Ledge
Read the Full Review
Ferazel's Wand is quite simply a title that no gamer should be without. Gentle enough for kids, challenging enough for adults, and as beautiful to look at as any 3D game to date, Ferazel's Wand has all the makings of an instant classic.
MacAddict
