Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse Reviews
For fans of the series, there's enough glittery nostalgia and polish in Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse to gloss over the rough edges. The lighthearted banter, the brightly colored scenes, enticing mystery, and solid puzzles make this something that the original Kickstarter campaign promised: "fan service aimed directly at those aching to experience one more story involving one of adventure gaming's favorite teams."
A witty, sometimes challenging point and click adventure that will charm new players and delight existing fans.
It's always a pleasure to meet George and Nico again in their latest adventures to date. The Switch version contains some new features, especially two modes of gameplayand a renewed interface. We only regret a less successfull final act, than before and some illogical riddles which need to refer to the game help.But if you never have played this game, this ''ultimate'' version is an excellent opportunity to discover it.
Review in French | Read full review
It's definitely a shame the animation is so awkward and stiff; it pales in comparison to the visual splendor of the hand-drawn backgrounds, and it's nowhere near as impressive as the graphics of The Shadow of the Templars were in 1996. Still, it'd be an even bigger shame if that put anyone off from experiencing this classically-inspired adventure. This is worth looking into for any fan of the point-and-click genre, and you're not likely to get many more like it on PS4.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse is a solid little point-and-click adventure that's let down by its clunky controls and its sometimes nonsensical puzzles.
While I definitely preferred the first half the second still fits in as "good" and I'm happy to give it a "good" score. Overall Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse is probably around a 7.5, and that's despite not featuring any snakes or curses at all. There are goats and pet cockroaches at least, and that's good enough for me.
Broken Sword 5 delivers a competent point-and-click, with a cast of colorful characters, a rollicking-if-cheesy adventure, and solid puzzle design. Some minor issues with gameplay and puzzle design don't harm the game's quality too much, and in such an undeserved genre they're forgivable. The biggest issue with the game is that it is a bit too married to convention both in plot and gameplay. Broken Sword 5 won't stick with like classics of the point-and-click Golden Age, but it's still a solid adventure and I'll be keeping my eyes open for future (and past) travels of George and Nico.
Genre fans will of course be happy of this revival, but the writing isn't as good as we hoped.
Review in Italian | Read full review
All in all, Broken Sword 5 is a good adventure with good visuals, a good story, and enjoyable puzzle segments. It's not the hardest, it's not the best, and it certainly comes at a price point many won't find acceptable, but it's an enjoyable experience nonetheless.
Part mystery, part comedy, this is a classy point-and-click with dazzling art, charming characters, and crackling dialogue. Although slightly overlong and occasionally slow, it feel surprisingly fresh.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse is an entertaining title with a few disappointing aspects, including linear puzzles and awkward animations, which makes for a lukewarm revival. If you're a fan of the adventure genre, you'll probably be able to overlook most, if not all, of the shortcomings listed above with very little difficulty. Newcomers, on the other hand, may wish to spend their money elsewhere.
Whilst point and click games may not be to everyone's taste, Broken Sword 5 manages to weave in a sense of mystery and a bunch of puzzles, which allows it to appeal to a wider audience. Even veteran puzzlers may find themselves stuck for a little while at some points in this adventure, but there are hints throughout the game should you feel you need the extra help. You are thrown straight into the excitement of the murder, and the story only gets better the deeper into the game you get. Although the conversations are often slow and drawn out, the characters are amusing and the game constantly pokes fun of itself and is never too serious, even given the subject matter. Players of any of the previous games should feel right at home here, and for fans of puzzles that may be a little outside of the box, there is plenty to keep you entertained. There's a lot of fun to be had here and it will definitely get the cogs whirring in your brain, even if it doesn't quite hit the mark all the time.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse - Part 1 is thoughtfully constructed with low-pressure environments and the promise of a global thriller with a supernatural curse reaching back to Biblical times. It's strung me along this far, so I'm ready for part 2, but part 1 is doing very little to hint at any major payoff for this sleepy but good-natured point-and-click adventure.
It is safe to say that Broken Sword 5 on the Switch is the ultimate version of Charles Cecil's Adventure game. Being able to switch (no pun intended) between handheld and console mode is a great feature for a game such as this one. And the addition of brand new bonus videos is a nice touch for fans of the franchise.
Review in French | Read full review
Veterans of the genre may find many of the puzzles straightforward but it's worth picking up if you haven't already.
A cracking Broken Sword caper brought to life thanks to Kickstarter.
I had a great time playing Broken Sword 5. Is it as good as my personal favourites, the first two games in the series? No, it is not, but it's still an excellent Point & Click adventure that I would personally recommend. It's quite a different experience to the more recent releases in the genre that adheres to a more classic format, which both works in its favour and against it, depending on how you look at it. It's definitely a solid title, especially considering the fact that it was funded via Kickstarter, and with the low price point in mind, I'd definitely consider giving it a go - you won't regret it.
The Serpent's Curse will no doubt provide a great nostalgia trip for those who grew up on Nico and George's adventures, and it's a well executed and entertaining enough 9 or 10 hours with all the over-the-top, Indiana Jones-esque exploits we've come to expect from the franchise.
Part one of Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse sets a decent standard for the franchise. In a return to its roots it shows that a beautifully imagined 2D world can still be engaging and relevant. Its puzzles are varied without being over-strenuous, but the game's narrative makes them feel somewhat linear, which could put some gamers off. Overall though it's a worthwhile purchase, assuming the second half can maintain the same standard or even surpass it.
Broken Sword 5 features a story that slowly uncovers but leaves you hanging for more and a plot that is grand but equally simple enough to grasp. The puzzles are once more the highlight here, but the controls will take some time to get used to, and even then, they are not that extraordinary.