Broken Sword 5

Since I haven't finished the game, this isn't really a review.
It's more a few things I think about the game up to the point that it crashed on me in the flower shop.

It is slow; the pacing isn't good, IMO.
To be more precise, it drags.
In the dialogue, someone asks a question and then several beats later, gets an answer.
What's up with that?
There's too much inane chatter that doesn't advance the plot and too much repetition; if you say something once, I get it, there's no need to say it two or three times.

Frankly, some of the puzzles are silly - for instance, George at Bijou's makeup table.

I didn't mind the cockroach puzzle though I could see no point to it.
So maybe a reason for Trevor will come along later but if that's a cockroach, I'm an aardvark.

Backgrounds are beautiful - really, really well done.
The 3D characters aren't that bad but they move as if they're on rails, which, to me, is very distracting.

Strangely enough, I miss the portraits of BS1's Director's Cut which would provide the expression that these 3D characters decidedly don't have.
Perhaps it's inherent in that type of character that they look static but it was odd to see Nico, for instance, staring past Navet when she was talking to him.

The humor is strained, in my opinion, and often doesn't work.
That business with Sgt. Moue, for example, certainly got him out of the way but while I'm no prude, bathroom humor doesn't appeal to me much and it was sort of mean to treat poor old Moue like that.

The voice actors are hit and miss.
The painter, Hobbs, is really good; I wish I could place his accent.
Bassem and the waiter irritated me but their lines aren't the best either.
Whoever voices Lady Piermont isn't anywhere near as good or as funny as her predecessor in BS1 which is partly the fault of the lines she's given and partly her delivery which was more Upstairs/Downstairs than the broad, humorous burlesque on the aristocracy of BS1's Lady P.

The only one who really amused me was Hobbs the painter, probably because he reminded me of Tim Shafer for some reason.

Anyway, at this point the main reasons for me to continue the game (if I can) are the gorgeous background graphics and my curiosity about where the story will lead.

Subjectively yours (though not always),

Gil.

Thanks, Gil. Some interesting points.

As regards the humour, I remember playing the first two Broken Swords and finding a marked difference between the two. The first game had me laughing out loud with the clever dialogue. The second fell flat. To me, it felt forced, much as how you feel about this latest game.

There's a thin line between sparkle and irritant.

You put that so much better than I did, Rushes.
Yes, that's exactly how I felt about it.

Gil.

OK. I found your review and I tend to agree. The pace and all reminded me of - dare I say it - a Nancy Drew game where you go back and forth to the same spots and look for clues, exhaust all dialogue and then get to move on.

Like I said in the other thread, the BS game I really liked best - in spite of the action and timing sequences that I could do without - was Sleeping Dragon....lots of excitement, intriguing story line. You're right about Lady Piermont. The person who did the voice acting in the other BS game was soooo much better.

I was expecting more, sad to say.

I also am looking forward to where the story goes. The backgrounds are gorgeous and I will be buying part 2 as soon as it is available. Thanks for the review, the game is not perfect - but I did enjoy it.

What did you think of Nico in BS 5?
Personally, I found her as flat as a soda that's lost its fizz.
I haven't downloaded the updated Part 1 of BS 5 from GOG having decided to wait until the rest of the game comes out, but I very much doubt that Nico will become more like her old self since they can't rewrite her at this point.

I really did want this to blow us away much the way BS 1 did and I thought there was a good chance it would or I wouldn't have backed it.
Right now, though, all I can do is echo Melia who was 'expecting more'.

Gil.

I'm playing Broken Sword 2 (Remastered) right now and Nico seems to be the same as she was in BK5.

The game I really liked her in was Broken Sword - the Director's Cut.

"The game I really liked her in was Broken Sword - the Director's Cut."

Me, too.
I think Revolution went the right way in BS/DC, giving Nico a lot larger part to play and, of course, including one of my favorite sliding lock puzzles.
Nico was not only attractive but intelligent in the DC and, for me, her backstory was a plus.
The portraits were great, too, giving animated expression to the characters.
Not to mention that they dumbed down the goat, a fine move as far as I'm concerned.

I said it somewhere and for me it's true: the characters in BS 1 and 2 were caricatures, over the top and often extremely funny, like the guard on the hospital room who had one or two of the best lines in the game and...always...Lady Piermont, Ultar, Pearl and Duane.
In BS 5, they seem to have lost their feel for depicting characters who are ridiculous and funny yet somehow believable in an odd way; and, oh, how I wish they had somehow resurrected Inspector Rosso, who was a suave, interesting oddball with a faint air of being dangerous instead of bringing on Navet who is plainly an idiot and neither interesting nor funny, IMO.
And has anyone noticed that Langhan, the Interpol agent, seems...well, normal?
He's a jarring note in a Broken Sword game where the character types are exaggerated and pushed to the limit.

Gil.

"favorite sliding lock puzzle"

""

Hey, I really like the lock puzzles at Ile de la Cité!
I could do them standing on my head in the dark!
They're not like that monstrosity in Black Mirror 2, for instance, where you have to hook up all the panels in sequence, like putting a toy train together and somehow always ending up with the engine in back and the caboose in front.

Rotfl, indeed. Ha.

Gil.

Good review Gil.

Thanks traveler for your interesting comments on the game! I will definitely be buying the game as soon as Part 2 is released but it's useful to have some warning about the shortfalls!

I am looking forward to getting part 2 - some reviews of part 2 say it does complete the story well.

AFAIC, part 2 is infinitely better than part 1.
It left some unresolved questions in my mind and Nico had little to do but tell George he had to get busy and figure things out, but, on the whole, it was really good.

Gil.

I've heard that several major sites would not review part 1 - but wanted to wait for both parts to be released to do a review.

I can see why really.

Yep, Adventure Gamers gave it a (slightly qualified) glowing review.
I think the reviewer was wrong about a few things, like Lady Piermont's voice, and to my mind something was off with Pearl although Duane was as cute and nuts as ever but even with that awful Tabula puzzle and Nico's once again having little to do, Part 2 completely redeemed Revolution for me.
When I've let the game settle awhile, I'll go back and play it in its entirety, trying not to dread that awful makeup puzzle and the song that really grated on my ears and just let the beauty of the graphics wash over me.
IMO Revolution did an amazing job of bringing back the world of BS1 and 2, and while 5 is not quite as good, IMO, it's a worthy successor to the first two.
Rolf Saxon hasn't lost his touch either.

Gil.

As always, it's a matter of "personal opinion" but I felt the game had very few shortfalls. I enjoyed it very much

That's interesting.
Both you and chrissie said "shortfalls".
It's "shortcomings" around here.
Is this a British thing?

Anyhoo, as you'll see in the post above yours, Part 2 almost made up for everything, IMO.

Gil.

Yes, "shortcomings" is the word I would have chosen too but I just re-used what chrissie said

According to my dictionary (Collins):

'shortcoming' - a failing , defect or deficiency.

'shortfall' - 1. a failure to meet a goal or a requirement. (It doesn't matter about 2!)

Well both words fit!

EDIT
I've just finished Part 1 of the game & just loved it! - it was everything I hoped the game would be... so far!

I thought the 'shortcomings' were pretty minor like 'drags' in dialogue & after clicking on 'actions' before anything happened, also I agree that there were a couple of voice actors whose accents weren't perfect e.g. Nico's but they're just nit-picks which really didn't spoil my enjoyment of the game. N.B. I'm no expert but I think Hobbs' accent is UK Yorkshire?

I liked the pacing of the story also the humour although possibly some of it is essentially English which doesn't translate too well & not appreciated by all English people either!

I liked the character of Navet with aspects of Inspector Clousseau but without the charisma & less funny but he still made me laugh!

I really liked the puzzles ranging between easy to a little more challenging & thought the make-up one, silly or not, was a lot of fun!

I'm now about to start Part 2

No game is perfect, but I enjoyed Broken Sword 5, it is one of my favorites of the series.

This review as well as others does paint the picture well and this game deserves the positive reviews it has received.

I cant remember, does Broken Sword 5 have Action in it? parts where actions need to be completed quickly or you die?
thanks Marcia

Marcia, I haven't played it so will wait for someone who has to give you the definitive answer.

Marcia,

No - there is none that I can remember. If I can do the game - anyone can.

L4L.

I don't recall any action elements at all in BK5, just a regular point and click adventure game.

I loved it - best Broken Sword game for me and I have them all.

Thanks, MaG

Thanks, ipad_Lover

Marcia, are you going for it?