PC Critic Reviews

For a game, let alone a series, to have a 30 year long history and fanbase is no small feat and Revolution’s work has retained its audience and place in gaming culture for a reason. Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars is nothing short of a masterpiece, and the fact that we’re still playing this game decades after its initial release is proof of that. Reforged feels like the perfect way to honour the game’s past but modernise it for new audiences. There’s something calming about returning to a game that’s so familiar and such a part of who we are. I cannot thank Revolution enough for the joy that Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars has brought me over the years and I hope the game finds a new audience and sparks more love for the point-and-click genre.

George and Nico are back and looking better than ever in Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged, the excellent remastering of their classic first adventure.

Even after all these years, Broken Sword 1 still feels like a good book that you want to read a chapter of before going to bed, but can't put down. Now, however, it's more beautiful than ever.

Reforged has raised the bar to breathe new life into the game, reworking the original assets to maintain authenticity, addressing small plot holes, and most importantly, it sets a new standard for how to make point-and-clicks more accessible in this modern day when players are less forgiving with their time and patience. Not to mention, all these years later, making George show everyone his dirty greasepaint tissue is still just as funny as ever. With that, I only have one thing left to say. Does this tissue mean anything to you?

There are some frames in the cutscenes that leave a bit to be desired, but this does not invalidate the considerable modernization work done on this game: Broken Sword maintains its charm even after thirty years and its Reforged version improves the situation, restoring the wow-effect on modern platforms. The new generations can thus approach this immortal classic without fear that their eyes will be disturbed by unnatural pixelations and awkwardly blurred or antialiazed cubes, replicating the wonder that this game gave us at the time of the cathode ray tube. But even we loyal ones can play it again with joy and satisfaction, admiring the outcome of this restoration work. And it doesn't matter if, after all, we could already run the original for free with ScummVM.

The game has managed to retain everything that made the original special while giving it the updates it needed to appeal to a modern audience. The story, characters and atmosphere are still as engaging as ever, and the technical improvements make the experience even better. For old fans, it's a nostalgic journey back to a time when adventure games were at their peak, and for new players, it's a perfect opportunity to experience a true classic in an updated version.

Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is one of the most exciting detective adventure games. And the new remaster titled Reforged is a great gift for series fans and newcomers alike.

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - Reforged proves that good games are timeless. This version strikes the difficult balance between respecting the source material and adapting it to modern times. If you are a fan of the series, you will find that nostalgic feeling intact. And if it is your first time with George and Nico, prepare for an adventure that will hook you from start to finish.

An excellent remake of a classic adventure game, it will capture the interest of both newcomers to the genre and fans of the original game. We couldn't think of a better "appetizer" leading up to the release of Broken Sword 6.

Broken Sword - The Secret of the Templars: Reforged is the best way to (re)discover a genre classic that after nearly three decades, a Directo'rs Cut and several sequels remains a must-play graphic adventure.