Pondrew Reviews... Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars

[Guest Pondrew]

[teaser]Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars

for Windows Mobile for Pocket PC 2003, 2003 SE and 5.0 with QVGA, VGA and 240x240 resolutions

It is almost a month now since Astraware and Revolution Software announced the release of Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars for devices running Windows Mobile for Pocket PC. The joint press release for which proudly declared that the game delivered stunning graphics, video cutscenes and text dialog along with full speech soundtrack and music. Sounds good doesn't it? Does the game live up to it in my opinion? Read on to find out...

[/teaser]

Before we get into the review itself let me first give you a little background on Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars. Originally available for PC, Playstation, Mac and Game Boy Advance, the game was probably Revolution Software's biggest selling adventure title to date. Its success on PC spawned two (soon to be three) further instalments of the Broken Sword series and a large following in the adventure gaming community. Now, having worked with Astraware to make the release of the Pocket PC version possible, Revolution Software declare themselves proud of the Windows Mobile translation. Astraware, having themselves a solid reputation for the development, publishing and distribution of games for mobile devices, seem equally proud of their work declaring it the complete PC game experience on a handheld device.

What does all this mean? Well, hopefully it means that those adventure game enthusiasts with Pocket PCs can now enjoy truly involving storyline and a fluid user interface, combined with excellent graphics and sound, while mobile. Of course, they'll need at least 130 meg free on their storage card to do so but that's a small price to pay. :D

So, onto initial impressions of the game which I am pleased to say are very good. From the moment you first run the game you are greeted with lilting, atmospheric music and a polished menu system. There is a full range of options, the most significant of which being language selection and orientation. Aside from English, the text dialog can be displayed in French, German, Italian or Spanish. Regarding screen orientation, although the screen will always display in landscape mode, orientation enables customisation for left or right handed use.

Start the game itself and you are treated to a spoken introduction before the rolling of the intro. This is the first of many impressive cut scenes that, during the course of the game, will tell the story of The Shadow of the Templars.

The story begins at the end of the last millennium with the main character George Stobbart, an American Tourist vacationing in Paris, narrowly missing an early death in an explosion at a caf

[Guest spider]

I remember I had this game for my GBA...however it had a serious bug...If a player went to the wrong country at the wrong time (I cant remember how exactly it was right now, though I recall it had something to do with traveling to or from Spain) you were locked in the game and couldn't not finish it (you had to start all over again). As I recall it, there was a notice about this on a web page for the game or for the publisher as I recall it.....

I even had the game replaced as the shop were I bought it thought it was a defect game!!!

Do you know if this is the case with the PPC version as well?

Also there should be an easteregg, when you are in the sewer..at least in the GBA version....maybe it is in the PPC verison as well... :D

[Guest Pondrew]

I hadn't heard of this bug. Having just done some research I've found the suggestion that the bug only ever affected the Gameboy Advance version.

I am 99% sure that this does not occur in the Windows Mobile version although I will do some tests. Oh, and for what it is worth I understand that Astraware's beta testers are better then most...

In the meantime, I'd be interested to hear more about the easter egg in the sewers? :D

[Guest awarner (MVP)]

There was a bug on the PC version when you were in Ireland but it does not appear in this version.

[Guest Pondrew]

Right. Well what my research suggested is that the bug in the Gameboy Advance version was that if you went to Spain before Syria then you would be unable to then subsequently visit Syria and/or (there were two different suggestions!) as a result be stuck in a particular location without the object needed to proceed.

I've just tested these particular aspects of the game (because I don't get enough software testing in my 9 to 5!?!) and had no problems. I am now certain this bug IS NOT in this Windows Mobile version of Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars.

Yep, and as Awarner says there was a bug involving an object in Ireland. There was another at the end of the game, again involving certain objects. Neither of these bugs are in this version of the game. It seems Revolution Software, with the help of Astraware, finally have an ultimate version. The Windows Mobile version! :D

[Guest spider]

I would have been surprised, if they hadn't fixed the bug in this version, but nice to know that it is non-existing.....

What I remember about the easter egg was that when you go into the sewer, from the street, you are can, as a part of the game, go down the end of the tubing and apparently at the end there would be a preview of the next version of Broken Sword. Now I have to say that I didn't try this myself as I had sold the game when I found out about this, but I wonder if it is embedded in the PPC version....could be funny to see...

[Guest Alsicole]

Hi guys

Just to confirm, the Spain/Syria bug you are talking about was in the GBA version, and did affect the Palm OS version of Broken Sword as it was based upon the GBA version, however now that the Windows Mobile version is complete, Revolution are working on a fix for that.

I've checked the Windows Mobile version and it doesn't appear that the Easter Egg is included.

Cheers!

Alison

[Guest Pondrew]

Thanks Alison. Didn't think the Easter egg was in there as I thoroughly explored both sewers...

[Guest spider]

Thanks Alison, for the clarification :D

Now that you are here maybe you can tell me what the Easter egg was in the GBA version...I never saw it myself... sorry I know this is off topic :D

[Guest Laser_iCE]

I've never heard of this game before... But it looks a lot like Monkey Island, so it must be pretty funny :D I'll check it out when I'm not so poor :D

[Guest Alsicole]

Hi Spider, actually I'm here most days but I tend to lurk a lot. I really don't know what the Easter Egg in the GBA version was. I played it myself when it came out, but never found an Easter Egg.

There's an old interview with Charles Cecil here but it doesn't tell you what the Easter Eggs are, just that they exist!

[Guest richard_d]

Pondrew - thanks for the good review - you're tempting my credit card. I don't suppose you've had a look at Myst to see how well that's ported?

Richard

[Guest Pondrew]

I haven't I'm afraid. Will let you know if I manage to try it out...