What happens when you distil the essence of old-school RPGs—the grand quest and posturing about saving the world, the wandering about in the forested wilderness, and the sometimes overwrought combat system—into a single game? You’ll get Franken, a charming little 16-bit RPG that infuses both the highlights of the genre, as well as the absurdity of more recent fare like Earthbound and Undertale, into a miniature, hour-long experience. Despite its smallness, Franken is an odyssey to remember, squeezing as much endearing yet largely meaningless babble, and all other manner of hogwash, into its short journey.
