Member name: Pio
Game genre: arcade adventure
Positive points: graphics & sound, non-linear, replayability
Negative points: too short, hard controls, scarce manual
Rating: 3.9
System requirements: Pentium II/400, no 3D accelerator (or faster, for transparency effect to work), Windows 98 or XP (?)
Official game URL: http://cezgs.computeremuzone.com/eng/card.php?id=8
Download location URL: http://computeremuzone.com/contador.php?f_ad=SirFred.exe&dd=cezgs/remakes&n_ar=Sir%20Fred%20-%20El%20Remake%20(pc)
Questionable content: killing animals, killing armed knights (no blood), some tortured prisoners
Multiplayer: none
The review:

From people called "Retro Works", under "Computer Emuzone Game Studio" label, comes this quality remake of an old "Made in Spain" team Spectrum game "Sir Fred". Besides this one, "CEZ GS" also features a few new spanish games for ZX Spectrum and Amstrad(!). "Sir Fred el Remake" looks like a faithful remake, with enhanced look but gameplay left intact. It's a 2D platform-like arcade adventure, divided in screens.

The goal of this game is simple: find a princess kept in custody somewhere in the castle.
For this, much exploring and some planning ahead is required, together with right timing and precise movement. Locations are very vivid, dangerous, interconnected, often with secret paths, including walking on impossible places. Game revolves around items which can sometimes be found in rooms. They can be used to gain more access, kill enemies or for some special simple purposes. Surprisingly, there are no classic traps. Puzzles are not hard, sometimes not logical nor realistic, but usually intuitive. And fencing is a game by itself - quite a challenge and produces great clanging sound.

Sounds and lo-res graphics are both done with great sense for humour and detail. Although there is music only in intro, menu and ending, ambient sound of crickets, water, wind and rain during the game make up for it. Twinkling stars, drifting clouds, flowers, shadows, especially at the beginning of the game are very appealing. In castle's garden they will hopefully hold you from quitting too soon, while trying to figure game's frustrating mechanics. Your character, Sir Fred, is very lifelike. He blinks and grimaces, his enormous nose bouncing while he runs.

This gentle sir is nothing like heroes we encounter in platform games. In fact, experience in modern platforms will be a hindrance when getting used to this one. He's a bit inert and easily hurt, not only when dropping from heights, but also when hitting ceilings, walls or even stairs too fast. He has only one life and loses his health easily. Behaviour of the main character is only a part of alien feel this game produces. Some platforms can be climbed on, others not, some guards can be killed only with sword, others only with something else, etc. Game appears user-friendly but it has a strange old Spectrum game at its core.

After initial shock however, "Sir Fred el Remake" is actually very playable and not so hard. It is also short: load/save feature reduces the need for careful planning and frequent restarting. Immense variety of rooms keeps you motivated to explore further and eventually you find the one with the princess and finish the game. 

Replayability is very high. Game places items both controlled and randomly on the map, so it is always possible to solve it but course of the game depends on which items can be found nearby. Princess also tends to be held on different places. Game is hard right from the start. Another motivation is percentage of visited rooms; can you see them all? A misterious locked door exists I could not open with the key...

Game's manual is too scarce. Some abilities of the main character should have been explained, like swinging the rope. Also, some items, like rope item, have to be used from pixel-perfect position. It is very hard to begin playing without these information.
In belief that this is not a spoiler, here is actually how to swing a rope: Do not hold the key! Shortly tap the arrow key in the direction your character is facing - Sir Fred turns the other way and swings the rope a little. Repeat whenever rope is near full-amplitude position. If you hold the arrow key or tap the arrow pointing Sir Fred's back, he will jump off the rope.

As a conclusion, I'd note that this game should not be played merely for pleasure or release of agression. Remember you are obliged to save the princess and you should demonstrate a bit of chivalry, necessary to endure presented obstacles! The remakers did a nice job bringing these values to modern freeware game player.