Broken Sword has survived the rigours of time brilliantly. This is thanks in no small part to a series of superb design decisions. The hand drawn backgrounds from Dave Gibbons – of Watchmen fame, no less – are beautiful to behold. The screen overflows with incidental details and colour. The characters are also superb, blessed with charm and flaws and served by a superb script full of wit and wry observation.
This is handy because there's a lot of talking in Broken Sword. Lots. Really, lots. Anybody who considers a lunch menu a heavy read is undoubtedly going to have a hard time, but for those of us who like this sort of thing, Broken Sword is a rewarding experience. Even though the dialogue choice that will help you progress is often obvious, you'll probably click every option simply to hear what the larger than life characters have got to say for themselves.
Chalgyr's Game Room writes:
Some games are ingrained in our memories due in large part to their music. Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros. and more. They are important of course, but every now and then a game tune can be so catchy and memorable - despite the game itself not being elevated to a kind of legendary status in our minds. This list has a few of those types of titles this time around.
Chalgyr's Game Room:
In Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars you play as George Stobbart, an American tourist who gets involved in an international conspiracy after a murder takes place in front of his eyes in Paris. The conspiracy has to do with two opposing, powerful organizations dating back to the Medieval Times. One of them is the monastic order of the Knights Templar, who were convicted by the Inquisition and executed brutally. The other is the Assassins, a group of devoted, highly effective killers from the Middle East. Thankfully, you are not alone in this endeavor· a young French photojournalist, Nico, is interested in the case and helps you.
Chalgyr's Game Room writes:
It's been a while since we last took a look at some of the more memorable soundtracks in gaming. Hamza, our newest member of the team, has decided to share his thoughts on the matter on a more regular basis - so you should see more like this coming soon.
Silent Hill 4 - Silent Circus
The Silent Hill series is well-known for its acclaimed atmospheric scores, and from the liberal set of memorable, eerie music, Silent Circus is my most favorite. It almost sounds like a rather long intro to a Japanese equivalent of Pink Floyd. Its distinct atmospheric and piercing (albeit mocking) melody is a fitting companion to the psychological horrors of Silent Hill.
