Before Assassin's Creed and The Da Vinci Code, there was Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars. Considered by many (including yours truly) to be one of the greatest adventure games ever made, it has since had an overhaul with 4K visuals and lots more. What matters now is being able to re-live or experience Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged on PC and consoles for the first time.
I'm reluctant to refer to yesteryear repeatedly, so I am allocating a paragraph to these memories. From the opening cinematic, the score by Barrington Pheloung, the sultry tones of Nico, to the most infuriating goat in gaming history, this reforging is wonderful. It was the first game that sparked my interest in history, encouraging trips to the library (pre-internet) and a passion that's remained ever since. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars is a masterpiece that just got... better.
Forgive me; there will still be sentimental dips as it's part of the review process. Veterans can replay Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged with the original graphics or the new and improved ones. The UI has had an overhaul, and it's one of the more accommodating point and clicks, dispelling the verb wheel for a simple left and right click of the mouse. I had started this on the Steam Deck using the touchscreen, but instincts pushed me back to my laptop and the desktop when at my desk. Thank you, Steam Cloud.
This is the 'origin story' with George Stobbart and Nicole Collard for those new to the franchise. Whilst on holiday in France, George is unwittingly brought into a historical web of deceit, religion, symbolism and pure excitement - all via an explosion at a café that kills a man. The café doesn't kill him, a clown does. Excluding a law degree, not much is known about the American besides a thirst for knowledge and adventure. Or maybe he's a busybody with deep pockets.
He meets Nico, a freelance reporter, and the two initially share ideas on what seems to be a murder investigation with links traced back through the ages. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged starts in France, but there are trips worldwide. Reminiscent of a Hitchcock film, the duo are either two steps ahead of their pursuers or two steps behind the evidence trail.
Unlike LucasArts' model of no deaths for the protagonist, original developers Revolution Software (Beyond A Steel Sky) have opted for the Sierra norm. While it's not permadeath, players are advised to save regularly to avoid any sudden turn of events that could prematurely end our hero's journey. However, with the game's forgiving gameplay, you can explore the story without fearing failure.
Autosaves are frequent enough, and there are so many adjustable parameters to make Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged a personalised experience. While there are no hotspot options, the game can point you in the right direction with visual clues, you can trigger manual hints, or you can go pro and discover everything with George and Nico as you go along - highly recommended for new players, but for veterans too as there are now achievements that weren't present in the original game, meaning you still have to do a bit of prodding if you're a completionist.
Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars was initially released in 1996 and was untouchable. Since then, times have changed. There are no mobile phones or the internet here, even though it's set at the end of the millenium, and some of the observations felt dated - especially George's arrogant chants of, "I'm an American!" and other stereotypes. However, these are all inoffensive, in my opinion, and it isn't until decades later that I've caught nuances I hadn't seen or got before. It's like when you re-watch a cartoon from childhood and find it riddled with innuendo. Not that we're talking about that here, but I love Lady Piermont.
Revisiting Broken Sword has always been on my to-do list, but always a time factor. As a review code was supplied, there's some urgency to play and produce an opinion, which I have zero complaints about. What I must stress is Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged isn't simply a restoration of a classic that would appeal to a retro niche - it's an incredible adventure that can be enjoyed decades later, only so much more appealing/convenient that it's accessible on the Steam Deck, PlayStation, Xbox or Switch.
I implore you to buy this game. Again, I'm using the terminology masterpiece for clarity.
