Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3114 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: THQ
• Released on: 2006-09-15
• Platform: Windows XP

Manufacturer's Description
When the forces of ancient worlds, and past forgotten myths battle against the power of old friends. When current emotions clash with past regret, and when some guys in York design cunning puzzles, write funny scripts and orchestrate the type of music to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end, it can only mean the fourth instalment of Broken Sword has been born.

After reluctantly battling dragons, Mayan gods and becoming a Knight of a long lost Holy Order, unwitting hero George Stobbart settles down to a life of mundane 9-5 office work. Who would have thought that a mysterious and beautiful woman would enter his life; a woman whose sudden disappearance draws him into a desperate search for a nefarious artefact of great and terrible power. (Well apart from those guys in York, that is)

Emotion, humour, time pressure and puzzling combine for the latest Broken Sword Adventure and unfortunately for George, it looks like the world needs saving one more time.

Customer Reviews

Good - not great...
Like other reviewers - I am a fan of the Broken Sword series.
If you play the first one (Shadow of the Templars) you'll be hooked.

I was so looking forward to this one - and once installed I couldn't stop playing. The story captivated me and I simply had to know what happened next.

The humour was as sharp as ever - the graphics were reasonable.
Some of the characters were good enough to warrant a game of their own.
(If you've played - I think you'll know who I mean! A lovable down and out...:-)
The puzzles were logical and not too obscure - but challenging enough.

However - there was something missing.
Something less satisfying than it should have been.
The ending was certainly abrupt and far too short.
Also - the promise of the introductory scene comes to naught in the end.
It hinted at a much more dramatic storyline.
The dialogue - which is essential at times - is a little long.

I did enjoy it - and replayed it as soon as I had finished.
It's not one I'll be in a hurry to replay again soon, though.

Fun in places, but not the best Broken Sword ever!
I love Broken Sword but was disappointed with the third one but eagerly awaited the fourth anyway in the hope it would be better. But I found it more tedious than the third.

Apart from having to practically buy a new computer to play the damn thing, all the tasks and puzzles in the game seemed pointless and unrealistic.

I am disappointed to see the dry humour, which is what I really loved about Broken Swords 1 and 2, was completely non-existant in the Angel of Death.

The 3D graphics are brilliant but, like a reviewer before me, I am not happy about walking around not really knowing where to go or what to do unlike in previous BS's where you were kinda nudged in the right direction!

And I agree with other reviewers that the ending was just not worth all my hard work! I'm still not sure what happened!

Overall, it was an OK game, I would play it again, maybe, one day, but there was no way I could play it without a walkthrough. It definitely isn't as re-playable as Broken Swords 1 and 2 which if I've played them once, I must have played them 20+ times!! (and haven't got bored of them yet!)

Oh yeah - and what's with all the computer-hacking?? Got a bit repetitive for me!

Old fashioned genius
The unique problem with the two modern Broken Sword games is that their very structure is a problem. Sony USA decided early on that the previous game 'The Sleeping Dragon' was simply too old-fashioned for their new, hip market, and as such refused its release in the states.

And starting up 'The Angel of Death', you can fairly easily see what Sony saw as a problem. Controls is clunky and unresponsive, George walks slowly and stoicly as you direct him, clipping and pathfinding problems abound and the graphical transition to 3D still proves to be a slight problem to Charles Cecil's Revolution Studios. The sense of danger in the opening scene is there, but the slow strategy of examining, finding and using items is not condusive to action as a whole. George Stobbart is not an action hero.

And it's when you realise this that the game as it is meant to be clicks into gear. Everything that George comes across that is of any importance can be scrutinised, and the vocal work is of the highest standard. Seemingly impossible situations can be thought through and played at a leisurely pace, and the fully interactive nature of the scenes makes this an enjoyable experience.

Characters are, as usual, varied and interesting, and the almost accidental part that they play in George's life makes them all the better. The simple depth of the people you meet comes together to produce the feel of a very deep and real world, and as the game progresses this is what makes it feel like such a seminal experience. You feel like your actions have meaning, as the already fantastic narrative is bolstered by the inclusion of these minor people who add the fringe of humour and purpose. The self-referential nature of the game is also a plus in this regard: having George confuse Anna-Maria with Nico Collard is a genuine masterstroke, and a nod to the fans who have been with the series for over ten years.

What else is there to say? If you're a fan as I am, this is the game you wanted it to be. The transition to 3D does work, and although nothing will ever be as memorably lush as the first Broken Sword game, the fashion of fantastic narrative and memorable characters is carried on here and polished. A great story, a great experience, and a fantastic addition to the series.