Review - Broken Sword 5 – The Serpent’s Curse: Episode One (iOS)by Matt Taylor
Format reviewed on; iPhone 5 running 7.0.4 |
Developers; Revolution Software
Release date:06/02/14 Also available on: PC, Mac, PlayStation Vita |
The fifth instalment to the Broken Sword series, ‘The Serpent’s Curse’ started life with a Kickstarter drive. Since almost doubling their Kickstarter goal of $400,000 (achieving $771,560), Revolution first released the game on Windows, Mac and Linux on the 4th of December before releasing their point-and-click adventure on iOS on the 6th of February.
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The first episode of Broken Sword: The Serpents Curse holds onto the gameplay elements that made the genre popular, managing to stump me a few times with puzzles and riddles. The storyline propelled me through the game, highlighted by great background artwork and self aware, silly dialogue. From art deals and murders to religious cults and the church, ‘The Serpents Curse’ used it’s story line to keep me interested. I rarely finish iOS games but Broken Sword: The Serpents Curse works great on the platform, but highlights some of the issues with the antiquated gameplay elements and touchscreen controls. The original Broken Sword was released in 1996, and I fear that the developers are struggling to update the game and the way it plays.
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I played The Serpents Curse over a few days. Lunch breaks gave me 40 minutes to sit down and escape into the Broken Sword universe. The lore and tongue-in-cheek script is interesting and fun, but attempting to spend a large amount of time with the game left me feeling bogged down as I fumbled through touch screen menus and trudged through levels. I was fully aware of what I had to do but unsupported by the method the game wanted me to do it..
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One scene involved the player walking into a dark room to find a source of light. Rummaging through my inventory and finding matches I attempted to light them. Once lit I frantically tapped on the light switch on the wall, only for the light to go out, loosing sight of the switch while attempting to reignite a match. I eventually figured out that the light just needed to be clicked on in the dark after the match went out. Little things like this are normal for the genre should be modernised. It’s not 1996 anymore.
The game puts you in control of the series protagonist George Stobbard while occasionally controlling his companion Nico Collard. Neither character has a unique ability but will often have an inventory item necessary to solve a puzzle or riddle. The game changes between these characters independently so you never have to worry about which playable character has the necessary item required to progress; a missed gameplay opportunity. |
Neither of the characters changed the way the game played, but both characters felt slow. Clicking on certain objects in the game requires the player to stand at a particular spot on the ground and forcing the playable character to stroll around objects and interactive elements of the game felt tiring and unnecessary. A gentle jog while running down an alley or street never hurt anyone. The speed of the characters would be one of the one things I’d ask Revolution to change. That and the menu system.
Some items require the player to combine them, but this simply doesn't work with touch controls. I found myself Struggling to drag two items together, often closing the inventory menu and dangling the item onto the screen. This wouldn't be a problem with a keyboard and mouse but touch screens need a different solution.
Some items require the player to combine them, but this simply doesn't work with touch controls. I found myself Struggling to drag two items together, often closing the inventory menu and dangling the item onto the screen. This wouldn't be a problem with a keyboard and mouse but touch screens need a different solution.
I got stumped a number of times trying to figure out my next step. Over thinking problems and riddles early on in the game resulted in me using the tips button. Eventually I stopped over-thinking and by the end of the game I was combining bottles of Diet Coke with Mentos and jumping through skylights.
Most of what I've written here sounds like criticism and I guess it is. I really enjoyed playing Broken Sword: The Serpents Curse. It’s funny and looks incredible. But when you have point-and-click games experiencing a semi-revival thanks to the efforts of other developers, I think you have to modernise the way the game controls.
Most of what I've written here sounds like criticism and I guess it is. I really enjoyed playing Broken Sword: The Serpents Curse. It’s funny and looks incredible. But when you have point-and-click games experiencing a semi-revival thanks to the efforts of other developers, I think you have to modernise the way the game controls.
I’d recommend anyone who wants to solve a murder mystery on their lunch break, and doesn't mind spending some time doing so.
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Good - Great painted backdrops.Silly but funny dialogue. Challenging puzzles.
Bad - Clumsy controls, Slow, sluggish characters |
3.5/5 |
Game from Premier
Images - Premier
Images - Premier
