Adventure Gamers - Forums

Dag - 20 August 2013 09:25 AM

I never tried the fourth game, too many people have compared it with Escape from MI, so I doubt I’m missing out.

I was wrong thinking BS4 is heavily underrated press-wise - it’s interesting the game scored perhaps higher than MI 4, at least when it comes to adventure sites - solid 3,5 stars on AG, 5 stars on ACG, A on JustAdventure, 4,5 stars on UHS, 4 stars on Quandary, 81% on ATreff...

ozzie - 20 August 2013 01:05 PM

Broken Sword the first was fine, but it always felt like a poor man’s Indiana Jones to me. Not as funny, not as adventurous, not as atmospheric, the main character not as charismatic,...it was fine.

Hm… I don’t know. I see where you’re coming from, but I’ve never really thought of BS as another globetrotting adventure in the vein of Indy & Lost Horizon. It’s just that the seemingly trivial mystery happens to unravel in such way that brings George to different places.

I’ve decided to play all BS games in order before tackling the fifth one. 1/2 would be a replays, and I’d try to finish 3rd and 4th game this time, regardless of crates/hack game.

It’s fantastic replaying a game you haven’t played for 5/10/15… years, seeing how much of the things you actually remember. As for BS1, it’s a pretty fresh memory until now - I’m in Ireland right now, and I’ve remembered almost all of the things but I’m happy (or not?) to say that I’ve forgot how to pass the infamous goat puzzle which is the part where I’m at now.

Some impressions so far - I feel that the reason the game reached a cult status, is among other things, clever design which makes gameworld to “breathe” - like telephone calls/visits to Nico’s apartment which are sort of a “What progress have you made so far?”, or a “diary”. Still, there’re some illogical things like, for example, even though I’ve already spoke to a guy in the Irish pub, George would ask a boy in front of the pub the whereabout of that man, but I guess those things happen in almost every game.

Also, the game is not that puzzle-heavy, but I feel there’s a nice mix of inventory puzzles, and those that require of you to acknowledge the surroundings and characters/their actions. I’m not sure why we haven’t seen more examples in games like that puzzle in the museum with the window/sarcophagus which is beautiful.

I’m doing the same thing as soon as I finish Edna & Harvey and tackle along the first part of Inherit the Earth. I even noticed that since I already own all the other BS games in GOG, the 4th one is actually 6,4$ for me normal priced. I really like these package deals in GOG and how they work after you’ve already purchased parts of them, Steam should really learn from that.

So I’ll definitely be picking up the fourth game at that price unless there is another sale before I reach that far. And yes, I know it isn’t as good as the rest but it didn’t suck either so I’m definitely keeping it in.

(I don’t remember having any problems with the crates or hacking I only ever left 3rd game unfinished because it kept crashing and I found something more interesting to do at that time and never got back to it.)

diego - 06 December 2013 02:15 PM

I’m in Ireland right now, and I’ve remembered almost all of the things but I’m happy (or not?) to say that I’ve forgot how to pass the infamous goat puzzle which is the part where I’m at now.

Just kidding! Say hi to Billy from me!

diego - 06 December 2013 02:15 PM

I feel that the reason the game reached a cult status, is among other things, clever design which makes gameworld to “breathe” - like telephone calls/visits .
I’m not sure why we haven’t seen more examples in games like that puzzle in the museum with the window/sarcophagus which is beautiful.

Agree 100% !!!

millenia - 07 December 2013 12:52 PM

So I’ll definitely be picking up the fourth game at that price unless there is another sale before I reach that far. And yes, I know it isn’t as good as the rest but it didn’t suck either so I’m definitely keeping it in.

Even if I don’t like the fourth game I do addmit it had some good parts (too bad only some… )

I’ve finished the first one! I’ve needed UHS hints at few places (I’ve played the original without integrated hints), but the inventory puzzles are just as I remember them - well integrated into the story. The only puzzle I’ve wished I had more feedback was the chess puzzle, and I’m not really sure if there was any other way to solve it other than trial&error;?

If I tell that the biggest “flaws” are somewhat “classic action movie” ending and small illogical things, that’s enough to tell that it’s really a well-deserved classic. Those little annoyances are for example things like the street worker who continues to work right after the bombing (now that’s a committed worker!), or the fact that the man in a house next to cafe didn’t hear anything.

On the other hand, there’s a gripping mystery story (it’s enough to say that I’ve finished BS in 4-5 days, while my average playing time for a game is 4-5 months ), strong voice acting (George’s way of presenting things is unique, I believe he’s right there with Guybrush as for the best male voice, even though they’re totally different), incredible atmosphere throughout the whole game keeping you wanting more, and cast of interesting characters. Of course, add to that a rarely seen well-thought and researched background story, a great material for a history buffs to sink their teeth in. The only minor complain in the “geography” aspect is that I’ve wished if I could see more of Spain, Syria… than few screens.

As for the dialogue system, even though we can’t see the actual lines to choose, it’s one of the best I’ve seen - it’s really neat and not overdone, never getting you bored. And it’s great to have the opportunity to ask everyone about your inventory.

Speaking of inventory, there’s one “fear” I had throughout the game - I’ve always felt, whenever I was slightly stuck, that I might have missed something, like an inventory item that would prevent me from progressing - not to mention that “something” might be in France, while you’re trying to solve a puzzle in Spain, but my fears were totally unjustified as the game design never steps into the unfair territory.

As I’ve said, I’ve played the original version, and I’m not really sure why they added those “constant” hot-spots, removed some of the puzzles (like the goat puzzle, sacrilege!), as the original game is not THAT hard - it’s true there’re some tricky problems, but I would suggest to newcomers to play the original first at any cost, and to play Director’s Cut later if they wish. It’s true you have to get over some things, like being unable to jump to next screen quickly, but it’s worth it.

Now, it’s The Smoking Mirror time!

kate me - 07 December 2013 02:40 PM

Just kidding! Say hi to Billy from me!

Hehe… Billy says naaa hi!

That was one of the instances I’ve used UHS… but at least, I’m happy to say that I’ve used only first-level hint, and then solved it. I think it’s a good puzzle, whatever one may think!

The infamous goat puzzle…

[boasting on] I had no problems with it. I took the remarkable way the rope coiled and moved in the air as a hint and wallah!
[boasting off]

But I was unable to solve the puzzle in Medovsky’s study in BS5 without a hint. 

PS: Love your updated avatar, diego!

Karlok - 08 December 2013 10:39 AM

The infamous goat puzzle…

[boasting on] I had no problems with it. I took the remarkable way the rope coiled and moved in the air as a hint and wallah!
[boasting off]

But I was unable to solve the puzzle in Medovsky’s study in BS5 without a hint. 

Heh, same here. My first playthrough of the original BS1 and I solved the Goat Puzzle rather quickly.
I solved Medovski’s study in BS5 without hints (I had turned them off), but not without problems. I spent a good hour or so before figuring it out.

As far as I can remember, the goat puzzle in the remastered edition is easier than in the original. I had some extra challenge with playing on PSone and using the awesome controller as “a mouse”.

millenia - 08 December 2013 10:55 AM

As far as I can remember, the goat puzzle in the remastered edition is easier than in the original.

Yes, it was very simplified in the Director’s cut.

Who says BS3 introduced crate pushing:

Karlok - 08 December 2013 10:39 AM

I had no problems with it.

Dag - 08 December 2013 10:50 AM

Heh, same here.

You lucky… goats!

Karlok - 08 December 2013 10:39 AM

I took the remarkable way the rope coiled and moved in the air as a hint and wallah!

Yeah, I noticed that too, but it’s still not easy to come up with the solution.

Karlok - 08 December 2013 10:39 AM

Love your updated avatar, diego!

Thanks, although I cheated a little bit - Sadwick already wore a hatsie in this wallpaper I used

Your creepy Santa’s not bad, too! But whatever happened to that Christmas tree?!

diego - 08 December 2013 06:27 PM

Your creepy Santa’s not bad, too! But whatever happened to that Christmas tree?!

Ho-ho! Nice little Santa from Botanicula delivers that X-mas tree. It’s in the package.

Finished BS2! Yes - it’s shorter, it’s easier, cheesier… than BS1, but it’s a great game. It’s true it also borrows heavily from Monkey Island 1/2 (The Caribbean setting, jungle maze/ending maze) but it manages not only to make distinction to MI series, but also to the original game, as it’s more humorous and “cartoony”, yet keeping up with the mysterious spirit.

There’re still some small illogical things, overall it features simple puzzles (though few of them are brilliant), but the strength of The Smoking Mirror is story that is complex enough yet easy to follow and to get into (I’ve found it more easier to follow than Shadow of the Templars story, even though one might argue it’s more far-fetched). I can see where some of the critics are coming from, but it’s really an almost “perfect sequel” example.

OK, now for Broken Sword - The Pushing Crate-on Sleeping Dragon! GULP!