Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars is a sacred text in the history of point-and-click adventure games, and new remaster Reforged is the best version of the game that’s ever been released. Quality-of-life improvements mean players who just want to enjoy the story without too much lateral thinking can do so, while veterans of the genre or returning fans can play the game in its original form, goats and all. Paris in the fall has never been more beautiful.
Originally released for PlayStation in 1998, Broken Sword proved to be a surprise commercial hit for UK based Revolution Software. It’s a classic point-and-click adventure game. You wander environments interacting with people or objects, solving puzzles either through dialogue or using items you’ve acquired. The puzzles in old school adventure titles are often notorious for the abstract thinking required, and while there are a few of those in Broken Sword, it’s generally more straightforward than its contemporaries.
Broken Sword tells the story of American tourist George Stobbart who, at the beginning of the game, is almost killed in an apparent terrorist attack on a Parisian café. Much against everyone’s advice, he decides to launch his own private investigation into the bombing, and across 10 hours or so, uncovers the shocking truth behind the incident and the shadowy figures involved. The narrative deftly blends real world Christian history with more fantastical elements and conspiracy theories, but throws plenty of levity in there too. It’s pulpy, and thoroughly entertaining, like a slower Indiana Jones or a good The Da Vinci Code.
As a remaster, Reforged is about as good as it gets. It hits that perfect sweet spot where the game looks kinda like you remember it looking all those years ago, but then you have the option to switch back to the original graphics and see just how improved the new version actually is. It’s a massive leap. There’s also a robust and quite granular hint system to help you with puzzles that can be completely tailored to your playstyle, including a story mode that drastically revises how much thinking is required to progress. It’s one of many reasons this remaster is perfect for newcomers and returning fans alike.