Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon

"The dragon is sleeping?"

Broken sword has another installment with the 3rd, The Sleeping Dragon. The first one is my 2nd favorite PnC adventure game(beside Day of the Tentacle), but i never got the chance to play the second. In Broken Sword 3 they have now gone from 2d to 3d, scaring the pants of me.

Graphics: 8/10
The switch from 2d to graphics was a very daring move, but the 3d is actually pretty nice looking. Of course there are times when they will step through bodies and while brushing their hair it goes entirly through it, not doing anything to the hair. The graphics look very pretty in the exterior places, but inside they tend to be very dark. I thought this was fine, until i stepped into a storage room with a crate puzzle without being able to see anything.

Sound 9/10
There's nothing like that music playing when you've solved a puzzle without help. The music is also good when you play in dark areas at 2 AM, you tend to look behind you a lot to check if there anything in your room. The only lacking part is that at times its just some noise in the back.

Story 10/10
Wow...I love broken sword, not for the gameplay, not for the graphics, BUT FOR THE STORY! All the installments of Broken Sword have great stories, which is what the creaters but first. (i never played the second but i've heard it good). The story can be followed without having played the others, but you won't know some characters (nico...george...andre...etc...). To me playing it is like reading a great book, but now im really inside it(remember your 1st grade teachers saying you could be a race car driver by reading a book). This is why i keep coming back to finish the game, and probably you too.

Gameplay 6/10
I know some people may not like this score but come on! Now you can jump, climb, and run. There are a few to many crate puzzles and a lot of the other puzzles, are just too easy. Its nearly impossible to walk in a straight line due to the camera angles, reminding me of resident evil angles. The other reason its hard to walk in a straight line is because it just is, the keyboard is hard to play with. I've heard a lot of people say the action during cutscene's is annoying, but i like it, it feels like im inside the story. I do remind everyone that you shouldnt get the game because of these weak points, but because of the story.

Overall 8/10
i know people might argue about gameplay, but this is my opinion. I enjoy the music, I LOVE the story, im fine with the graphics, annoyed by some too simple puzzles, numerous crate puzzles, and the controls. I wish they'd stay in 2d relying more on harder puzzles and an even better story, but its still great. I give this game an 8 out of 10.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/04