I saw Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars for a decent price in a local game store a while ago and thought it may be worth a try. For the price I paid it lives up to its expectations and was, if not instantly, a satisfying adventure. However, it is very slow paced and I would not recommend it to the sort of person that likes to skip games' cut-scenes as this is basically one long, interactive story.

Game-play -

The game has a very slow-paced tempo which may not suit some peoples' tastes, but if you persevere to the end it can be quite rewarding. The game uses the idea of walking around using the d-pad which is refreshing from a genre that usually involves purely point & click. There is also a simple yet effective use of one button to examine your surroundings to see what evidence you can dig up to solve the mystery of the Templars. As needed by this type of game, Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars has a strong story which spans a variety of locations and is fairly deep and should keep you hooked until the end. Occasionally, some of the puzzles in the game can be quite tricky but if you do eventually complete them this just gives a stronger sense of satisfaction.

Graphics -

Due to the fact that the game does not have to generate much action in terms of graphics, they are very clean and crisp with a nice artistic tone. The backdrops are often stationary with the player examining their surroundings in the foreground. The characters are drawn nicely and the game seems to have a nice atmosphere as you visit locations around the globe, with one of my personal favourites being a desert town. The rendered comic strips also produce extremely good graphics from your GBA.

Sound -

The game has a surprisingly atmospheric musical score considering the GBA's audio capabilities and often lends tension and a sense of foreboding to the game. In fact, it is almost one of the game's strong points, as with out it Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars would lose its air of mystery that is so vital to it.

Value -

Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars' story is of a mediocre length and will lead you round many locations, probably keeping you hooked until the finale. However, once its completed, there is pretty much nothing else left for you to do with the game as there is a lack of extras or any re-playability.

Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable game, if a little tedious at times, that will appeal to a gamer who likes their game to have a solid story. Bear with it and you will find a great narrative experience with colourful visuals and good music, but perhaps with a lack of extras that will mean that once finished, Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars will disappear to your cupboard and probably never emerge again.