Broken Sword 5:The Serpent’s Curse - Part 1
PERHAPS THE KICKSTARTER HEX
IS A BETTER NAME
It’s funny, really, the effect that Kickstarter has had on the games industry. Beyond the importance of elements such as crowdfunding and the developer/fan community symbiosis, what is really interesting is how games like Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse can thrive. This is an archaic genre for an archaic group of gamers, but where most games would be criticised for failing to innovate too much, somehow it’s enough when a Kickstarter game remains unflinching in its old-school design. Therein lies the double-edged sword of Broken Sword 5; yes it is old in the way it is played, but for many – especially for those that threw money at its Kickstarter campaign – this is exactly what it needed to be. It’s a confusing, awkward situation to be in, but Revolution Software has – to its credit – stuck to its goals. It wanted to make a classic Broken Sword game, and it absolutely, completely has.
And when talking of ‘classic’ point-and click, it’s hard not to recall the 2D gloryscapes of yore – among which the original Broken Sword remains a stellar example. Utilising unique 3D-but-not-really technology, The Serpent’s Curse brings George Stobbart, Nico Collard and series-staple Paris into the HD era. And frankly, it is nothing short of gorgeous. Some serious effort has gone into maintaining that classic 2D feel for the series and ensuring it never really feels like Broken Sword has been dragged kicking and screaming into the modern age. It’s a subtle but clever means of giving players exactly what they want without putting off those that might be new to the series. Thanks to the 3D approach to character design, conversations can be focused on up close without splitting any pixels – crisp, clear visuals throughout. Facial animations are admittedly a little wooden, but that’s largely forgivable when the writing is as exceptional as it is. It is here that Broken Sword 5 really relives its roots, in fact, with the typically larger-than-life characters you’d expect to meet in these outstandingly crafted Parisian scenes. It’s twee, for sure, but as George becomes embroiled in unravelling a mysterious – and ultimately sinister – murder it’s obvious that Broken Sword is back. Fans need not worry, jump in and get involved. You’ll love it.
Despite that, however, it’s hard to ignore the most blatant criticism of Broken Sword 5: it is a game of two halves. As a result this is more of a teaser, a taste of things to come rather than the fully-fledged globe-trotting adventure we had hoped for. Being split into two parts has only restricted Broken Sword 5, which is an unnecessary fault to have when Part 2 is sure to follow so closely behind. While it’s swell returning to colourful Paris and re-meeting fan favourites from across the series, it is noticeable that the game is lessened by its pace. There’s an extended introduction to play through here that – in a larger, complete game – would not feel unnecessary, but as the curtain draws on Part 1 you’re left with an empty, wanting feeling. Part of that is due to its quality – you will want more of it – but mostly it’s down to the almost arbitrary cliffhanger placed as your handful of hours are done with Broken Sword 5 ’s first part. It doesn’t feel like a natural end to an episode as you might expect from a TV show or a Telltale game; instead it feels as though it was a game severed in half to be ready for a specified release date rather than waiting only a month or two for the final form to be released. It wouldn’t be so bad if Part 1 ended with more of a satisfying conclusion, and though one particular story arc is finalised, the real crux of the game is introduced – and to end on such a tease only heightens the unnecessary nature of the divide this game presents itself in.
Thankfully there is enough of a reason to reach that end, and not just for the promise of George and Nico finding themselves in precarious – and sometimes romantic – situations. In terms of puzzles, Broken Sword 5 does nothing to shake up the tried-and- tested formula. In that sense, it should be criticised, but somehow it manages to tread that line enough to be forgiven. It still suffers from the curse many point-and-click adventure games are pained by: that endless need to click absolutely everything.
Mercifully, you can’t leave an area now until you’ve acquired everything that might be of use to you in the future, and while that might sound like sacrilege to globetrotting Broken Sword diehards, it does manage to maintain a sense of cohesion. But the puzzles themselves, while fulfilling, are hardly challenging. You’ll still find yourself trying to staple one obscure item with another should the solution escape you, but by and large you’ll have no issues solving the challenges posed across Part 1. Maybe this is simply due to the game’s nature as a fluffer, a warm-up for the main event that hadn’t been balanced with that in mind. Every puzzle game needs to space its difficulty over a marathon not a hurdle race and Broken Sword 5 is perhaps no different. But then that’s the point, we just don’t know yet. Nostalgia plays a huge part in whether or not Broken Sword 5 should be deemed a success, so it’s perhaps best to look at it from that angle before diving straight into The Serpent’s Curse. Good quality writing and voice acting help things along, but this is a game best experienced as a whole and does nothing to claim any but the most enthusiastic of point-and-click experts.
DETAILS
Format: PC
Other Formats: PS Vita, Android, iOS
Origin: UK
Publisher: Revolution Software
Developer: In-house
Release: Out now
Players: 1
MInimum Spec: 1.6 GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 256MB GPU, 3GB HDD space
Online Reviewed: N/A
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