Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars

"The sword may be broken, but the game's not."

Introduction
Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is part of a long series of point-and-click adventures games for a wide range of systems. The Shadow of the Templars is the first game in the Broken Sword series on either a Nintendo console or a portable system. Let's see how it faired, shall we?

Graphics: Average. The characters can be a bit blocky, but the environments are very detailed and colorful. The graphics also reflect the mood of the game, which works to better immerse the play in the game. The cutscences (done with still frames) were few and far between but were crisp and clear, surpassing even some professional animation. Of special note were the graphics on the Mid-Evil manuscript. The symbols really did look similar to ancient drawings, a touch of realism that added to the game. 9/10

Sound: The sound in the game is excellent. There aren't many sound effects, which really isn't a bad thing because that way they didn't overpower the music. The sound effects in the game are small, simple things such as the sound of plants rustling that fit well with the background music.
The music was quite easily some of the best I've ever heard in a game, especially one on a handheld system. The tunes were catchy, especially the background music when looking at the manuscript which had a mysterious beat to it. This music as well as the other music in the game fit the mood of the game almost perfectly. During cheery jaunts through a Paris cafe, the music is upbeat while it becomes dark and filled with suspense during George's near-death escapes. Simply put, the music is an awesome achievement which no other Gameboy Advance games come close to matching with a nice dabbling of sound effects mixed in. 10/10

Story: Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars has a extremely creative and well-written story line. You play as George, an American tourist-turned-detective who sets out to explore a series of suspicious crimes around the world with the help of a French photo journalist, Nicole. The story is very deep and involving, containing large amounts of character development and plot twists that will keep you guessing until the final scene. The dialogue is also well-written, and some of George's comments will have you laughing out load. A good storyline is vital to a point-and-click adventure, and Broken Sword: The Shadow of Templars certainly doesn't disappoint. 10/10

Control: This is the only real weak point in this game. Too many actions are assigned to one button, so you'll often find yourself opening the menu when you meant to use an item. However, this genre of games relies on a large number of buttons, and the developers did a pretty good job on the controls when you consider the fact the Gameboy Advance has just four real gameplay buttons. The controls have some problems, but with a bit of patience you should be able to sort them out. 7/10

Gameplay: The gameplay's foundation is the same basic environment interaction formula of other all other games in its genre; however, it certainly does a good job of using this formula. The puzzles are somewhat difficult without being outright impossible, and much of your success in game relies on using what you learn from talking to people and interacting with objects. I think the item combining feature is a great addition to the item collection part of this game because it challenges the player to not only look at what items they might need but also at the items they currently posses. If you like the type of games where your victory or defeat depends on how fast you can mash buttons, this game probably isn't your cup of tea, but if you're a fan of point-and-click adventures or just games that require you to put your brain to use, you will find the gameplay in this game to be among the best out there.

Replay value: While this game doesn't have any real replay incentives, such as hidden creatures, you might find yourself playing through it again just to hear the entertaining dialogue once again or to pick up on any plot elements you might have missed the first time around 9/10

Final: Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is truly a success. With an intriguing story line, good graphics, excellent sound, and great gameplay, this game's only true downfall is its somewhat faulty control scheme. I highly recommend this game to fans of the series or genre or anyone interested in buying a good long lasting game and hope it will make more games like it available on the Gameboy Advance in the future. 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/13/03, Updated 07/04/03