My BS5 Review (Warning: SPOILERS!!)

It's Scott (the "new guy" around here). I've enjoyed chatting with a number of you over last couple of weeks. Well, I have completed Broken Sword 5 and I did enjoy it - and the following are my completely unsolicited thoughts on it...just because. There are some disappointments along the way, but it's certainly worth the eighteen or so bucks I paid for it and it's a must for any Broken Sword enthusiast.

That said, I'll follow up with some further detail. I'll try to be as spoiler free as possible, but any review will contain some amount of spoilers (duh). ;)

So here is your final warning. If you haven't played it yet, don't read any further. Play it first, then read this and see if you agree of not.

(SPOILER ALERT)
*
*
*
*
*
(If you're still reading, don't blame me...)
*
*
*
Okay, here we go...

BS5 REVIEW - PART 1
As mentioned above, BS5 is certainly worth its very reasonable purchase price. By playing it, it's unlikely that you're going to feel cheated or demand your money back. You'll enjoy getting back together with our ol' pals George and Nico. The mystery surrounding the Gnostic religion is as interesting and engaging as any of the previous Broken Sword installments, regarding the Templers and so forth. It's full of Easter eggs and homage to previous concepts and characters from the previous installments, perhaps most notably, the infamous GOAT. (Truth be told, I only vaguely remembered the goat from BS1; it offered some laughs and a challenge, but I didn't recall it being such a big deal as to leave a lasting impression on me. I had basically forgotten the goat. What I remembered was the general storyline and the characters. To me, the goat was just another typical adventure game puzzle, which I don't tend to remember or care about in the overall scheme of things. I care about the characters. But apparently, the goat was a big enough deal to some folks to warrant its own Wikipedia page. So well, just for nostalgic grins, the goat is back - albeit a little more tamely than before.)

And if you're excited about the series return to its 2D-ish "cartoon"-style roots, then, well, here it is. Personally, I don't care about that, either. I look at things from the perspective of story and character. The gaming aspect is just that--it's gaming. I know: "Dude, it's a GAME." Yeah, I know, I get that. People play for different reasons. Some go for the high score, achievement, brainteasers, or whatever. But my only true interest is the storyline and the adventure that goes along with it. As mentioned, I may not even remember all the various puzzles you have to overcome. I just work to solve to puzzles simply because I want to advance back to the main story and delve deeper into the characters and their emotions.

I probably take longer than average to finish a game, because I'm the guy who actually *enjoys* clicking through every piece of dialog and every description on every subject, every situation, and every object. I want to know what every character thinks about every little thing (the sort of detail that you can't get in a movie because there isn't time). If there's a painting on the wall, I want to actually zoom in and *see* the painting and get the character's thoughts about it. It's little things like that that you used to see in older games all of the time, but are conspicuously absent in BS5--i.e. the game starts in an ART GALLERY and features paintings throughout the first chapter, but not once are you able to get a close look at any of them--with the exception of La Malediccio, only because it's integral to the plot. I remember enjoying (and getting Gabriel's and/or Grace's comments on) all the beautiful art work (framed paintings) in Gabriel Knight 2 among many examples, even though they weren't vital to the plot. Even in Elite Force II (a freakin' shooter!), if you want to, you can take the time to casually walk around Starfleet Headquarters and the Enterprise, look at every little unimportant object, talk to every random character who doesn't have anything to do with anything, just simply to immerse yourself into this fictional environment. Some might consider it minutia, and I suppose it is, but that's what I enjoy. I like the minutia. I like the detail. It's those tiny bits of detail that make the experience and the characters more well rounded. If you don't care about that, you can always skip past it, but I love it--so its unfortunate if game developers are now excluding such detail under the assumption that *no one* will care. For many of us, it's not just about the puzzles and brainteasers, it's about the in-depth experience; it's about getting into the heads of these characters. I want to know what they think (snarky comments and all) about the world around them.

For me, that's where this game (BS5) falls flat. George and Nico are just, well, kind of...there. You could have substituted just about any other random pair of characters in the same situation and it wouldn't have mattered. They were game pieces rather than the *characters* we've grown attached to for twenty years.

This is especially true with Nico. I'm a huge Nico Collard fan, so my biggest disappointment regarding BS5 is how terribly underutilized she is. In Broken Swords 2 through 4, Nico garnered at least 50% of the "screentime," sometimes more. Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon was a particularly strong outing for her as a character. In both BS3 and even the less popular BS4, Nico was portrayed as an action heroine, every bit George's equal. Whereas, in BS5...I have to wonder why she's even there. Because, that's all she is. She's *there.* But she doesn't do very much. She doesn't even really say very much. The majority of BS5's game play features George by a substantial margin. What little time you play as Nico is not only brief, but mostly inconsequential. She generally has one single and overly simple task to complete and then it's back to George. Nico spends quite a bit of time (particularly in the second episode)...well, not so much at George's side, but more accurately, in George's periphery. In other words, she's onscreen, but she mostly stands in a corner...not doing anything. Not even saying anything of consequence to either the plot, their apparently forgotten relationship, or even the game play itself. She just kind of...stands there.

Towards the end of the game, Nico finally grants us one laugh out loud moment when she admonishes George for his hilariously sadistic hatred of the goat--and it's one of the few times in BS5 we get to experience the back and forth charm of their friendship and romantic chemistry. Several years from now (speaking only for myself), I suspect that exchange will be one of the game's few memorable moments.

BS5 REVIEW - PART 2
Beyond such fleeting moments, there's little chemistry between George and Nico at all in BS5. They basically come off as passing acquaintances, who just happen to be working on the same case (except that George is doing all the work/game play with very marginal interaction with her). In fact, if someone played BS5 as their very first Broken Sword game, they would likely have no idea that George and Nico had ever dated! Did the writers forget that these two had once been a *couple*? i.e. romantically and physically involved with one another? Unless I missed it, I don't think it was mentioned one single time. Yes, George makes a couple of passing comments that he's glad to have Nico "back in his life," which indicates a form of interest. But that's not the same thing as acknowledging an actual physical, emotional relationship that once took place. Where's the sense of regret that it ended? What are his intentions? Feelings? What are hers? In BS3 and BS4, I recall Nico being rather saddened that he had left after BS2 and jealous/hurt over his rapport with Anna-Maria in BS4.

When George is back in Nico's apartment, seeing her things--her bed--why isn't he reminded of the times they spent together in love? I'm not asking for explicit details or an M-rating, but I didn't get any sense that he had ever even been in her apartment before! Hello?? By Broken Sword 2 and even 3, it was more than implied that they had spent some time living together. But instead, in BS5, we get these childish comments about how "she's not my girlfriend" and "he's not my boyfriend" -- and that's the entire extent of their pseudo sexual tension. There is no sexual tension in this game. You barely get a sense that they are close friends, let alone former lovers.

By the final scene (BIG SPOILERS...), it comes almost out of nowhere that they (almost) kiss. It's a moment that only makes sense in context of the entire series (for those of us who are already aware of their past together) - because there is certainly no buildup to it in this particular story. And then when the moment is about to happen...they cop out on you. Oh, come on, really?? For all we know, this could be their final adventure together and we end on a cop out. That's a shame.

BS5 REVIEW - PART 3
BS3 and BS4 are often maligned (mostly because some fans didn't like the 3D animation--at least that's my perception of their dislike). I'm not bothered by the form of animation one way or the other. If anything, it's esthetically pleasing for me to be able to observe Nico from any angle in 360 degrees, but at the end of the day, that's not really important. What's important, whether in cartoon form or 3D form, is that these fictional characters come off as believable within their own universe. It doesn't matter if it's serious angst or a moment of slapstick comedy. The characters have to *feel* real. Whether or not you liked the animation or the style of game play in either 3 or 4 (and yes, 4 was somewhat weaker in tone than the former), both games made it clear that these two people care deeply for one another, even if they were no longer "together," per se.

Furthermore, there was a sense of realism from a strictly practical perspective. For example, when George and Nico went globe-hopping and tomb raiding in the previous two games, they were at least appropriately dressed for the mission. In BS5, however, we see Nico Collard casually walking around the Iraqi desert in a miniskirt and high heels. That's not sexy, that's just, well...stupid. Nico looked equally sexy in blue jeans or khaki shorts in the previous games. Even George's business sport coat seems out of place climbing through an Assyrian tomb, but Nico's cocktail party dress (perfectly appropriate for the art exhibit in chapter one) is nothing short of lazy in chapter two. Even with budgetary concerns, surely a sensible change of clothes could have taken place between the first and second chapters.

I also miss the action adventure. All of the previous games (particularly the second, third, and fourth) each gave us a sense that George and Nico were constantly getting themselves in and out of mortal danger. BS5 really doesn't provide that sense at all. Even when surrounded by a burning building, there is very little sense of urgency. Achieving such feeling does *not* require a time sensitive puzzle to try our patience, but even in dialog, there isn't so much as a "pretend" sense that they are going to DIE, if they don't get out of here RIGHT NOW. (I don't know, maybe the escape puzzle was so easy that it might have become more dire had more time elapsed. But even granting it that benefit of the doubt, one would expect George and Nico to be highly alarmed from the get-go. Instead, they barely seem to notice. Even when they do make it to the roof, they just stand up there and begin speaking rather nonchalantly about where they should globe-trek to next--WHILE THE BUILDING IS STILL ON FIRE!! ...and Fade out. What??

BS5 REVIEW - PART 4
Dabbling in the film industry, I'm well aware that trailers and one-sheets are often deceptive. Sure enough, the Broken Sword 5 poster depicts the game as another exciting Indiana Jones-style action adventure similar to what we've seen from the series previously (The Sleeping Dragon being the best and most enjoyable example of this). The poster depicts George holding a dangling Nico from a gondola by a single hand--as Russian mobsters shoot at them. Alas, that's not exactly what happens in the game. Yes, there is a gondola ride and, yes, Russian mobsters do shoot at them. But George doesn't do anything to rescue Nico (there's not even much evidence that he's particularly concerned about her). Nico is on her own, hanging from the gondola by two hands--although she doesn't seem overly alarmed, either. I get that Nico is cool under pressure--she always has been and that's a good thing--but, keep in mind, this is the same woman whom we have witnessed her ability (in previous games) to athletically shimmy across chasms and high-rise building ledges while hanging from only two hands, pull herself back up, and be ready to dropkick the bad guy. And since George obviously doesn't seem to give a crap about her, this seemed like the perfect moment to show off some of her badass skills and reinstitute some excitement into the game.

Instead, Nico resorts to just (casually) hang there and (casually) talk to the idiot holding the gun--in a scene that was obviously intended to be humorous, but falls dreadfully flat. Yes, I said that I enjoy thorough dialog in a game (I don't skip any of it), but c'mon Nico! There's a *time* for idle talk, but now's the time to kick some ass! I realize that you're pushing forty by now, but c'mon, Nico, I know you still have it in you. Just look at Kate Beckinsale or Ming-Na Wen. They're both well over forty, but still look as great as ever kicking butt in a body suit. Surely Nico can do more than just hang there and causally chat her way out of her dilemma. We've seen her do it before.

It's not until the final moments of part two that we see a brief return to form--the moment when George is thrown into some kind of ethereal, primordial lake and Nico takes over (she finally gets to do something!) and saves the day. For this brief, fleeting moment, there is a real sense of adventure, a real sense of peril. But then it's over and epilogs with the afore mentioned cop out/fake out at the end.

Reading this, you probably get the impression that I hated this game. Let me be clear, that isn't so. This is only tough-love. I thoroughly enjoyed getting back together with George and Nico. The game is far from a rip-off. Buy it. Play it. I think you'll enjoy it. It's beautifully hand painted and dotted with fun bits of Broken Sword nostalgia throughout. Unfortunately, after years of anticipation, I just feel that it falls short of what it could have been.

If I were to grade the series installments, I'd give both "The Sleeping Dragon" and "Circle of Blood (Shadow of the Templers)" a solid A+ in that order, "The Smoking Mirror" gets at least a B+ or better, and "Secrets of the Ark (The Angel of Death)" receives a still very respectable B. Sadly, I'm afraid the fifth installment, "The Serpent's Curse" also comes in as the fifth weakest in the series with a milquetoast C. That said, Broken Sword's worst is as good or better than many other series' best. Hopefully, sales will be strong enough that George and Nico get another go at it. They deserve it.

This is all opinion--there's no right or wrong, so let me know (keep it friendly) if you agree or disagree. I look forward to your thoughts.

Happy adventuring,
Scott