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Broken Sword: Sleeping Dragon

Broken Sword: Sleeping Dragon

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $17.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: best game experience since syberia!!
Review: Just givin' a quick review here. Just to let ya'll know for me Syberia really set the standard for me. So when I say that this game is the best experience I've had since Syberia I am saying A LOT!! Some of the best graphics I've seen in awhile. 5.1 sound. I recommend the use of headphones for a more immersive experience. And one of the creepiest villians i've seen in a game. Good Times!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A fast-food adventure game
Review: Not to discourage adventure game makers, since there are so few these days, I must say that this game is not the goal to aim for. While it is a good game, an enjoyable game in many respects, it represents a lone voice in a current adventure vacuum. After playing it from start to finish within 5 days, I have to say several things; it is very easy, in terms of logic challenges. Ever heard of the old slip a newspaper under a door and poke out the key from the inside lock and gain access puzzle? This is that kind of game. This is the kind of game that gives you a small area to explore, and all the answers are right there, and the challenge is minimal. Also there are action-based challenges, which are fine, but sort of transform the game into a reflexive rather than cerebral arena.
This game also owes a major debt to Gabriel Knight 3, which is a superior game. There are too many similarities in detail to be mistaken, but the major difference is that Gabriel Knight was written exceptionally well, and Broken Sword is merely adequate. The BS story takes you along to the next little episode, but doesn't quite bring all the parts together. When the final confrontion comes about, I was reminded of Asmodeus from GK3, until the action was over and the story was resolved. In the case of George and Nico, it didn't really come to anything, so I'm holding out for Broken Sword 4. I admit, I'll play it, since there are so few choices these days. But I have to say, I care so much more about Gabriel and Grace, and the ending of GK3 left me feeling more for two fictional characters than any movie or other game ever has.
Sorry, George and Nico are lightweights. They don't have depth, and the series has never made the leap of genius, but they are fun for the short time that the game requires mastery of.
I can't wait to play Jane Jensen's upcoming game, but I don't want it rushed out. I hope that The Adventure Company will take their time and do it right. A five-star game is what we all want.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: George and Nico are back in style!
Review: The first instalment in the Broken Sword series (1996's Shadow of the Templars, US title Circle Of Blood) introduced us to American-in-Paris tourist George Stobbart, the glamorous Parisian photographer Nicole "Nico" Collard, the lecherous museum curator André Lobineau, and a host of other delightful (and dastardly) secondary characters. With hand-painted cels by former Don Bluth animators, the game had a revolutionary look and feel--it was like being immersed in an interactive animated movie. BS: SotT's witty dialogue, excellent soundtrack, and well-integrated puzzles made it an instant classic. The sequel, Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror was released in 1997.

Seven years later, creator Charles Cecil has resurrected George and Nico once more so that they may save the world in style, this time from the evil plans of Señor Susarro, who plans on harnessing the Earth's energy in order to make himself an all-powerful immortal.

The first part of the game cuts between the respective action in Paris and the Congo. Nico is framed for murder and must prove her innocence, and George must discover Chomondely's secret deep in the jungle. Their stories converge in an action-packed fashion (would we have it any other way?). One of the highlights of the game is the ability to play as both George and Nico.

The major difference in Sleeping Dragon is that the series has gone to a 3D prerendered platform in place of 2D painted cells. Another development is the absence of the mouse (Cecil dug an early grave with adventure gamers by claiming that "point and click" was dead)-the controls are the A,S,D, W and directional keys, which takes some getting used to. The constantly changing camera angles are annoying at best and fatal at worst, as several scenes involve timed escapes. I also encountered several bugs, the most annoying of which involved characters pausing during dialogues, and then speaking two or three lines at the same time.

Sleeping Dragon is much more action-based than its predecessors, so expect to shimmy across narrow outcroppings, inch along precarious ledges by your fingertips, leap across chasms, sneak past guards and have the occasional fight sequence.

There are a variety of puzzle types incorporated into the game, most of moderate difficulty. Puzzles can be solved by examining the inventory, combining objects and going through all dialogue options. One glaring pet peeve: the sheer abundance of Sobokan "move this crate over there" type puzzles, which numbered at least two dozen. The first few times were exciting, but I would see another crate, block, appliance, etc. and groan. Next time, less boxes, guys.

The graphics are gorgeous, the voice acting is top notch (a rarity), the music is worthy of John Williams, the one-liners fast and furious, and the storyline is a novel unto itself. Although not without its flaws, Broken Sword: Sleeping Dragon may be the most complete gaming experience I have ever had-once I started playing, I didn't want to stop.


Rating: 5 stars
Summary: absolutly brilliant
Review: This game was top of my christmas list as i liked the first two games so much due to the storyline. It's just briliant and i don't think any trilliogy will be able to compeat with this one it is just outstanding. The graphics are good storyline is good charecters are good, just like the first two. If you have played the first two im sure you will know that Broken sword the sleeping dragon is the next game you will buy and play and love. I can't describe how good this game truely is. It took my breath away im am sure it will take yours to.SO BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great classic adventure with all new style
Review: This game will have been an instant classic, if it weren't for the mediocre ending.

The story plot is engaging, although not particularly innovative. However, just like the Gabriel Knight series, you play as two different characters, who in most of the game are in different places investigating different stuff. There are some very repetitive puzzles, such as moving boxes to the right position so you can climb and advance to the next location. You get to go to many different locations, with many of them being in France, which is a plus for adventure games.

Voice acting is decent. To be honest, I like the voice of George, but not Nico. The keyboard control reminds me of the Prince of Persia Series in the 90's. However, you don't have to worry about jumping all those cliffs and gaps without falling off. One thing good about this game is that once you are near the edge, you can choose the option "Jump", and the character will automatically jump across fine. Nevertheless, there are numerous times when you have to run away from a danger or do a certain action quickly, or else you die. For those who are into more traditional adventure games, this may not be very appealing. You'll be given chances to replay the sequence right before you die, but it can still get annoying if you couldn't get it right for many times.

Finally, the ending is rather mediocre. Very abrupt and anticlimatic. It's almost as if the writers have a longer story in mind, but have to cut the story at the later stage of development b/c of budget or time constraint. Other than that, the story plot was great, and the length of the game sorta reminds me of the length of Gabriel Knight 3, another great game.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Overall a good game, but mediocre ending
Review: This game will have been an instant classic, if it weren't for the mediocre ending.

The story plot is engaging, although not particularly innovative. However, just like the Gabriel Knight series, you play as two different characters, who in most of the game are in different places investigating different stuff. There are some very repetitive puzzles, such as moving boxes to the right position so you can climb and advance to the next location. You get to go to many different locations, with many of them being in France, which is a plus for adventure games.

Voice acting is decent. To be honest, I like the voice of George, but not Nico. The keyboard control reminds me of the Prince of Persia Series in the 90's. However, you don't have to worry about jumping all those cliffs and gaps without falling off. One thing good about this game is that once you are near the edge, you can choose the option "Jump", and the character will automatically jump across fine. Nevertheless, there are numerous times when you have to run away from a danger or do a certain action quickly, or else you die. For those who are into more traditional adventure games, this may not be very appealing. You'll be given chances to replay the sequence right before you die, but it can still get annoying if you couldn't get it right for many times.

Finally, the ending is rather mediocre. Very abrupt and anticlimatic. It's almost as if the writers have a longer story in mind, but have to cut the story at the later stage of development b/c of budget or time constraint. Other than that, the story plot was great, and the length of the game sorta reminds me of the length of Gabriel Knight 3, another great game.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A Bore
Review: What a bore! This game has stilted characters, bad acting, stupid puzzles (it seems you have to find out things in a particular order -- if not, too bad). Maybe it gets better as it goes, but after about 20 minutes, I couldn't stand going through it again to get the clues in the proper order. It goes into the waste bin.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Sadly in 3D, which results in awful controls
Review: Why is it that any game company which has successfully produced great comic style adventure seems to believe that today's good adventures *have* to be in 3D? After Lucasarts, it is saddening to see that Revolutions chose the same path for the sequel to Broken Sword. Rather than presenting an easy to handle, mouse controlled game, they released a game which seems to require quick fingers rather than the kognitive ability to solve riddles.

The awful controls of the game spoil the gaming fun to a large extent, particularly since there are several scenes in the game which require a fast reaction from the player. And so one often finds oneself repeating the same part of the game over and over again, just because one can't seem to get the 4 different keys the scene requires timed correctly.

Also negative points for the lack of a gamma slider - many of the rooms in game are so dark, it's difficult to see much when playing during the day.

Then again, the game is at times far too easy and requires little thought. Important objects are marked by a blinking star, so it doesn't take a whole lot of thinking to figure out what to take along or to use.
It's almost completely unnecessary to save the game any time other than when logging off, because the game will automatically replay sequences that were failed. As it is impossible to save the game during these sequences, the repeated replaying of the longish scenes tends to get somewhat annoying.

Despite these issues, the game does get a few stars for its good, solid riddles, its overall good story and the fame of its prequels.


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