Essentially it is a “Point and Click” adventure which graphically has been surpassed by the likes of the excellent Bladerunner and the fantastic Grim Fandango. Even at the time The Curse of Monkey Island was the supposed leading light of the genre. The gameplay is exactly that what I would like to see in an adventure game. Personally, the most important things in an adventure are the storyline and the atmosphere and both are brilliantly interlaced in Broken Sword. Without giving too much away of the story, I will tell a little bit about it.

The game's plotline centres around George Stobbart, an American tourist on vacation in Paris. While drinking some coffee, his life in Paris is interrupted by an explosion and a death in a cafe. This of course begs the question, “What just happened?” not only is this the same thought of George, but is also the same thing you are thinking.

This is the beginning of the mystic and mysterious world of the Knights Templar which George finds himself become quickly immersed in. So, like any tourist George begins nosing around the cafe catastrophe and quickly finds himself caught into a world of intrigue and cloak and dagger conspiracies. George's around the world in 20 hours (roughly how long it would take to complete the game) quest takes him to several locations throughout not only the outer boundaries of Europe but also to other continental lands far away. His aim is to track down an ancient manuscript written by the Knights Templar.

Once George has left the crime scene, a French reporter by the name of Nico Collard emerges (I will refrain from any stereotypical French jokes here). This is of course the “love interest” which unlike most games actually works very well in this story. The game evolves with a depth and rhythm which is often all too seldom in most adventures. The game is very linear in its nature, unlike Bladerunner with its multiple endings, the player is held by the hand as each major twist or new location is uncovered. Yet despite the linearity, I never grew bored with the storyline while the game was in progress or found the puzzles stupidly difficult. Some of the item-pairing solutions need creative improvising, but when you uncover them it brings a real sense of achievement.

Most of the puzzles are rather straightforward to the experienced gamer, however, one particular moment with an angry goat (you’ll find out) had me pulling my hair out! The stereotypes found in the locations which are visited are not demeaning and often very funny, especially the Irish pub owner. An interesting portion of the game is the Knights Templar story. I found myself enjoying the actual history part of the Knights Templar(I even found myself after completing the game going onto Google and searching for more info on the Knights Templar!), but it is advisable to separate fact from fiction, although that isn’t too hard.

There are various twists and turns throughout the game that keep you interested. Certain characters revealing unforeseen alliances and important items making themselves known unexpectedly. One particular heart stopping moment occurs when George is in Spain and a tomb uncovers something spectacular! When the item is revealed the music score adds intensity and the characters voices tremble just like mine would had I been there.

The game is based on adventure rather than action; nevertheless it is possible to die in the game. Luckily the player can save at any point which is definitely needed for this game. There are times when George must combine items to save not only himself but other characters. Most of these “Do or Die” actions need to be accomplished within a certain time pressure period.

The scenery is beautifully drawn and radiates real warmth compared to later 3D related games. The dialogue is smooth and well acted; there are very few punch lines that fail. The humour in my opinion is spot on and not overly niche, which I find The Curse of Monkey Island, tends to do. Each new location is unique and makes logical sense within the story. The music is atmospheric and suits practically every scene. The music in this game really adds to the story telling and the locations George finds himself in.

As much as I like the Broken Sword series, there are some minor problems with this game. It would have been nice to have a less linear feel to the game, possibly a few more action choices to reach the same result. The story definitely had the scope to be longer and have some more original puzzles. It was 1996 when it was originally made, so the graphics are 2D comic style, at low resolution the characters don’t look great, although this really shouldn’t be used against it. Later instalments of the Broken Sword series have made use of having additional features, which this game unfortunately does not have.

Broke Sword encompasses a great story married to a superb atmosphere. The graphics are fun if not stylish and it is one of the easiest adventures to get to grip with in terms of controls. All these elements combine to make this a classic point and click adventure game. For enthusiasts of extras or bonuses in games it may disappoint but the replay value in my opinion is great and you will want to complete the game more than once. Despite the fact you already know what to do does not mean the game is any less fun. When you replay the game it is like watching a nostalgic piece of cinema where you have the ability to control the character and his destiny.