Bezel vs Forsaken
Bezel
retrobezel.comForsaken
forsaken-emu.comSide by side
| Figure | Bezel | Forsaken |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Game Library Managers | 8.0 (#10) | 7.5 (#19) |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 7.9 (#24) | 7.1 (#51) |
| License | The terms grant a personal, non-commercial license and state that Bezel is proprietary. | Forsaken is MIT licensed and described as community-driven. |
| Product | Bezel is a retro game launcher and library organizer with an optional AI companion called Bezelie. | Forsaken is an open-source emulator frontend that brings a retro gaming library together. |
Plans
In their own words
Bezel
Bezel is a retro game launcher and library organizer for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports more than 25 systems and lists a catalog of more than 80,000 games. Its offline game database supplies titles and metadata without API keys or scraping, and the launcher can capture emulator soundtracks for playback while you browse. The optional AI companion, Bezelie, can watch gameplay, react aloud, remember sessions, chat, and take control to play. Named integrations include RetroArch, RetroAchievements, YouTube, Twitch, ElevenLabs, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Bezel describes itself as offline-first, without accounts or telemetry, and says the library stays on your machine. Some enabled Bezelie features may send screenshots, recorded audio, text, or related context to an AI provider. The app does not include game or BIOS files. Its launcher is free; Bezelie Premium is optional, with no price listed. The Mac build is described as experimental, and the license is personal and non-commercial.
Forsaken
Forsaken is an open-source emulator frontend that organizes a retro gaming library. It supports more than 65 retro gaming platforms through 159 emulator configurations, with library browsing in Grid, List, or 3D Carousel views. Displays can include box art, screenshots, videos, and fan art. The frontend supports gamepad navigation and keyboard shortcuts, and its download manager tracks queues and progress. Forsaken can automatically detect and download BIOS files, with temporary or permanent storage and smart cleanup options. It is MIT licensed, community-driven, and translated into 14 languages. Listed platforms are Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows; Windows and macOS are identified as build-from-source options using Flutter. Forsaken does not distribute ROMs or copyrighted game files, so users must provide their own legally obtained ROMs. The project invites contributions on GitHub.