Ok,

I'm taking a short break from Broken Sword.
I'm finding it not so enthralling as I expected in the beginning, so I might as well play something different for a change.

I'm a bit undecided on what to play now. On one hand I'm thinking of another fun adventure, such as one from the Monkey Island series, likely the third one.

I'm Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate!

On the other hand, I'm also thinking about one of the more "serious" games such as Riven, or more likely one of my favories: Syberia.

Syberia = Pure magic!

 If I'm going on the Syberia path though, I still have to make it run on Linux, which might be an issue.

Oh well, let me think a bit about it and I'll start typing soon enough.

Broken Sword: Back in Paris... Again

Not much to say today, I didn't feel much like playing.

Still, I did meet a nice priest who polished my Templar cup!

Same scenery, new character!

In the end, although I didn't play much today, I did get to figure what the lens was for. Not a bad improvement overall.

The Templar probably wasn't very happy when he took this picture...

Broken Sword: Syria Continued

It just so happened that the kebab seller with the Union Jack didn't speak any English apart from "buy kebab, most good"... go figure.

Little did I know at the time that that same kebab seller would play a key role in progressing further down my adventure path.

At last, the bathroom.

Damn, I was stuck big time in this market square trying to figure what to do, just because it seems I forgot to read a little note... And afterwards because I just wasn't clever enough to get a towel... oh well.

I've also learned that the killer knows my name by the cab driver... It suddenly seems that peril is on it's way towards me!

Peril. On a very non-subtle way.

 Well, yes, the peril eventually found me. I regret I had to use a save game for some 4 or 5 times on Bull's Head until I managed to figure out how to survive it.

Save, save, save. And when in doubt, save again!

In the end I did manage it and was soon back in Paris telling Nico about my tale.

Broken Sword: Syria

My last discovery, back in Paris on the catacombs of Montfauçon, led me to a small village in Syria.
At arrival, one can only feel that this place is unlike any other previously visited.

The Arab theme never stops to feel exotic.

Alas, after much, much talk,  I finally found where the Alamut is! To further the excitemente, I also met the self-proclaimed world's greatest luxury taxi driver. Surprises just don't seem to stop flowing in this middle east jewel called Marib.

Ultar and the Alamut club

It seems Syria is one of those places who will make me talk to many people. Although I've found the club, I'm so far failing to do much more, including opening the door to the bathroom.
This is one of those places that will require some thorough exploration in order to make the best of it.

The Union Jack rather contrasts in this set

Broken Sword: Beneath Montfauçon

After Spain I found out a new clown in town... Actually, a juggler.

There's something about Paris and clowns...

After a bit of self-humiliation, I finally managed to get him out of my way and progress to the catacombs of Montfauçon, all under the scrutinizing eyes of an applauding crowd!

I felt a bit at a lost in the sewers, as it took me a while to figure out what to do with the boat, but eventually I found out what to do. At that moment I realized it was a long time since I last saved... So I did it, you never know who you'll find in these dark catacombs.

I wonder who navigates the sewers with a boat with a winch...

One of the things that sometimes frustrate you in this game (well, in most of these adventure games I guess), is that you'll spend an awful amount of time when you're stuck because you always assume you left something to do in some other part and you'll be walking around a lot.
It's not like Riven when you wander around for days trying to figure out a sound you heard, but it will still make you wonder a bit.

Hmmm... not the Templars I was expecting to find.

In the end, the catacomb expedition proved fruitful in finding out a major part of the plot, who the players are in this conspiracy. The brief hint on what they're looking for is exposed: The Broken Sword!
What it is or what is it for remains yet a mystery, but alas, the next location is unveiled by the light!

I'm finally using an object other than the sewer tool!

Broken Sword: Spain

Our hero, Mr. Stobbart, has then arrived in Spain.
The bull in the Templar parchment had already hinted that location, but finally the moment came to travel there.

Southern Europe... I smell spring already!

Spain proved to be very, very entertaining. Not an awful amount of puzzles, but all the lore about the Templars coming from the Countess felt like a million.
It did take me a bit to get to talk to the Countess due to the general unfriendliness of the caretaker, but it was worth it.

Breaking the ice

In the end, it also took me a while to figure out the chess enigma, but it proved to be a logic one.
The unfolding of the mystery behind the Templars eventually led to... well, promising to solve even more mysteries.

Crypts, riddles and five dead knights

Broken Sword: Templar Artifacts

Ok, so I figured out how to get the tripod... Ok, with some help of my friend Nico I admit.
And I didn't need to show the parchment to André after all, I have totally forgotten he told me he'd visit Nico. Ok, I didn't forget it, I just assumed it was something triggered by some action I needed done.

Hmm... Ok, I guess I triggered it but recovering the tripod then.

Nico got it all done this time.

After another of my visits to the museum, André hinted where can I procede with my adventure.

Spain, here I go!

Broken Sword: Doctor Stobbart

Back in Paris is easy to get lost in the plot. So many things to see, so many people to talk to.

Again, gorgeous looks on this game

In the end, it figured out the police might be able to help after all! Still, the plot thickens as one finally knows where to find Mr. Marquet and figure out what to do with the gem that came into Stobbart's possession back in Ireland.

I should have guessed going into the sewers again was too obvious

The Hospital is another of those places where you have to time your actions a bit in order to bypass the janitor (and Mr. Shiny) and pass as Dr. Stobbart, but after the goat in Ireland, one starts to get the hang of it and it proves to be rather easy.

Can't quite remember how I got here, but one does get lost in all the details

With the jewel at hand, I got more information from Marquet, just before his assassination!

It's now time to gather some more information about the scroll and the whereabouts of the fabled treasure (or at least that's what I'm fancying to find by the end of the adventure).
Right now I'm heading again to to the museum, I haven't figured out exactly how I'm supposed to show the scroll to André back there, and how to get the tripod... But I'll figure it out eventually.

Broken Sword: Back to Paris!

I admit, I cheated!

The damn goat was driving me crazy and I was tired of going back and forth looking for an answer, so this once I had to look for a walk trough for this part.
Believe me, I would never ever figured it out, so I'm glad I cheated, otherwise I'd only get stuck there for a long while.

Now, this is starting to look more Indiana Jones style!

After the goat, the descent into the castle basement was quite nice, being it a soft puzzle after all the talking in Ireland. Ingenious and enjoyable indeed!

Alas, dungeons!

In the end, the transition to Paris felt abrupt, just when things were getting dungeon-like...
Oh well, I'll have to wait a bit more for this kind of action.

Broken Sword: Ireland

I've clearly been away from this game for a long time.
First of, I tought I would only be "allowed" to leave Paris much, much later in the game.
Second, I didn't recall Ireland at all.

Well, even better! It's like playing a brand new adventure game!

Ireland = Pubs. Yes, just like in real life.

Ireland happens to be a tough nut to crack, it seems one has to talk about a load of subjects with many people to slowly progress trough this stage. Although it provides loads of laughable dialogues, one does get a bit bored of never seeing much more than Mac Devitt's pub.

Damn, it took forever to open this trapdoor.

Nevertheless, this chapter does provide an interesting unfold of events regarding our evil character, Khan!

Rammed by a goat! Oh, cruel fate...

Broken Sword: Fishes Fed

Oh, I've totally forgotten you can die in Broken Sword.
Apparently the thugs didn't enjoy what they found in my pockets and threw me off a bridge!

Thugs!

Well, if you do get to play this game, don't forget to save regularly just in case :)
Anyway, I eventually found the way around the thugs and did get to hear the story about the templar treasure, this is indeed a story that promises many hours of puzzle solving.

Maps, treasures and old riddles. All good ingredients for a fantastic story!

Broken Sword: Paris Continued

There is no such thing as a Club Alamut in Paris...

Or so does the flower lady tell me!

The dialogue says it all

That was the conclusion of running around asking if anyone knows about a matchbox I found in someone else's pants.

I've come into a slight halt in my adventure, as I've progressed into that part where there's nothing too obvious to do. Still, I'm avoiding any kind of cheat for the moment, as I don't want to ruin my own experience.

There's always a slight Tomb Raider feeling in the Broken Sword games

Although I'm avoiding it for the moment, one thing I've learned about these games is that it is sometimes better to cheat now and then than blocking so hard that you'll get burned of the game. All in good balance, after all, these games are made to be a challenge, but the priority is always for you to have fun.

Bummer, no more Café in these parts

One of the things that amaze me it's the artwork. We're talking about a 1996 game, so a game from the Windows 95 era. By this time we've just hit the 200Mhz barrier and games such as Quake (the first one) hit the shelves and were considered top-notch.
Of course, we're not talking about  3D graphics here as it is mostly pre-rendered background graphics, but still the attention to detail if fascinating, making it a gorgeous depiction of Paris, retaining the legendary romantic feel of the French city.

Isn't the landscape gorgeous?

Although Broken Sword wasn't compatible with MS-DOS, a still popular operating system for the ones who couldn't afford a Pentium class PC, this game came out in various platforms, including Windows, Mac and Playstation, widening considerably it's reception.

Broken Sword

And yet another adventure begins

Ahh... Now this brings back some memories.


This is George Stobbart, our hero. At this time he's only beginning a grand new adventure. An old man, a clown and an explosion! All ingredients to the intrigue that unfolds in Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars.

To be quite honest, I haven't played this game in years, so I don't really recall the moments yet-to-be, so bear with me while I travel the streets of Paris exploring this game.

Here's the place where no help comes whatsoever, the police station!

 Ah, so far I've been meddling with Inspector Rosso, what a laugh! The absolute king of mind power unveiled!
Not to spread too many spoilers, there are people who help you in the game, as there are so many people which are quite useless. Still, it's worth the dialogues!

Built-in hint system!

I've also gotten slightly in the good mood with Nicole, she has even invited me to drop over by her place.

Yes, this was a good Broken Sword session, and even better than I could remember since the last time I played it some 10 years ago!
Wish me luck on this grand adventure!

Intro

I've recently been a bit more enthusiastic about gaming. Not top-notch gaming with a load of jaw-dropping visual effects and graphics engines that will bring the uttermost power machine to it's knees.

I'm talking about fun, mind bending adventure games of old!

The beginning of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge

Who doesn't recall the old Monkey Islands where there were yet no sound cards on most PCs and you still had a blast playing it and loosing your sleep over and over trying to figure out how to solve the next puzzle?
Granted, to recall that you probably have to have at least some 30 years old, but then again, retro appeals to anyone I guess.
I've also been inspired by http://www.adventuregamers.com as it has some great insight about these old (and also new) adventure games that we all love.



Given that, I'll try and share in this blog my latest adventures. And yes, there might be some spoilers, but I'll try my best to avoid it.

Regards,
João Marques