With Broken Sword 5 'free' on games with gold; I was nostalgia motivated to take a look. It tickled all the appropriate 90's member-berries of the original game I'd played way back when.
In looking up information about the 5th game I came across a review of it's recent release on the switch. The end result of the review had a/the CON of the animations being stiff. I had to laugh at that as it's the iconic art style, it's that 'stiff animation' that brings the most nostalgia. An art style and aesthetic that is the franchise. I wouldn't have listed it as a 'Con'.
This 5th game is all I expected in look, feel, animation, narration and story. Some things are 'bad but good' in an acquired taste kind of way. As I'm coming from the first game and have missed the rest(zeitgeist notwithstanding) I'm not sure that's all a good or bad thing for any other gamers when reading this. My nostalgic rose tinted glasses are strong. It's an 'old skool' game to take your time in, you'll need it.
Given a more non nostalgic devils advocate view, the dialogue is drawn out, the puzzles swing wildly from easy to wft hard(as in, how does that make sense) and the point and click 90's aesthetic is a bit thread bare this time round when viewed with a more modern eye. That said they are all exactly the same points I'd use as nostalgic positives that make the game and the franchise 'work'.
Besides what are mysteries without brainpower application. These types of game are somewhat quirky. There are certain things that happen in a certain order. View or do X allows a conversation about Y, but miss something and you can leave a room wondering what next. But you'll not be left without a way forward, just frustration that you've not done something to click on something to talk about something to then move on.
Being an adult and not being pig headed I've turned to a guide twice so far(I've 'only' scratched the surface of the game late in the Paris 'act'). Good or bad it is what it is.
Once to figure out the neon sign rejig.
And the next time to figure out the shredder puzzle.
It was an item in the drawer in the previous room I'd missed; So I'd not gotten the Q-Tip collectible to make all the rest fall into place.
AH HAH! It was the Q-Tip in the drawer with the oil splash!! Of course of course!!
Nostalgia is nostalgia and very subjective. If I'd not gotten the game 'free' then I'd not have played it now. I recall having some good memories with the original in '96; then again that was a special time in PC's and gaming(from classroom logo to C64's, Spectrum ZX's, Atari ST's, Amiga's and all the game consoles in between, not to mention the PC technology boom). It all feeds into the nostalgia, subjective to say the least.
As near to the start of the game as I am it seems a large % of players don't make it that far.
It seems that 40-ish % drop off quick enough.
If you've played any of the previous games and liked it then you'll 'get' what this game is. It's a franchise crowd-pleaser. Maybe not the best in the franchise but it is what it is.
As a nostalgic gamer coming back to the fold I'm happy with what I've seen. Curiosity may make me play a lot or some more or it. Time will tell. There's an element of wanting to know how things pan out. The art seems to suggest a grater adventure and broader story ahead which could prove interesting...
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