Broken Sword 5: The Serpents' Curse - Part I

A perfect mix of humour and intrigue is what separates Broken Sword from other games out there. It's not as foreign and “silly” as Deponia, not as serious as Gabriel Knight and Agatha Christie, not as incredible (in the literal meaning of the word), as The Next Big Thing. Broken Sword is just Broken Sword. There is no comparison.

George Stobbart and Nico Collard are sleuthing again, and it feels pretty good.

Eminently playable, cheekily characterised and delectably artistic, The Serpent’s Curse rekindles the romance of the much-loved Broken Sword series.

There may be some complaints about the game being a linear affair, with nothing in the way of free-form exploration. Those complaints are absolutely accurate, but I hardly view it's linear approach as something to whine about. It lets the story run it's course without the chance of the player running off the rails trying to dig around through a branching story.

Smart, occasionally funny, and immediately charming, Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse is easy to recommend based on its strong narrative, memorable characters, and artistic merit. The game is a vibrant return to form for the series, and should easily please the series' and point-and-click adventure game fans alike.

A solid return to form for a long-running series with a proud heritage -- though right now it's left frustratingly hanging and thus may provide a better experience once it's all wrapped up.

These points aside, the first episode of Broken Sword 5 is a lot of fun and a welcome return to form for the series.

Fans of the series shouldn’t hesitate – this is the Broken Sword you know and love – but I can understand other people being wary.

Funny, intriguing and effortlessly charming, Broken Sword 5: The Serpents Curse is an old fashioned point and click romp that feels like a breath of fresh, Parisian air.

Less technically adept than modern competitors, but The Serpent's Curse Part 1 is a pleasing start to a new Broken Sword story. [March 2014, p.54]

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."

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse - Episode 1 is only half of the whole game: when it finally catches our attention, the story ends abruptly.

A gorgeous return. Simpler than we remember, but no less charming for it. [Feb 2014, p.73]

Broken Sword 5: Serpent’s Curse is an adventure game through and through. The satisfaction comes not from high speed chases, but rather from patiently working the clues to uncover layers of mystery heaped upon one another hiding an evil curse. Here’s the rub – it’s half of a game.

Broken Sword 5 is a real Broken Sword: the couple of protagonists is still great, the gameplay is classic and fine. Too bad that when the story gets interesting, the title ends and postpones all the unanswered questions.

This sequel ignores the less popular Broken Sword 3 and 4. One the one hand that's great, because it revives the atmosphere of the first two games and it works. But technically it's not up to date and the important puzzles are too easy to solve. But there's hope for part 2.

The Serpent’s Curse might be a little bit like the recent Veromica Mars movie, where if you’re a fan of the series then you might be happy enough just seeing what George and Nico are up to. But for everybody else, there isn’t much to get excited about, and there are probably better options out there for your gaming time and money.

Good quality writing and voice acting help things along, but this is a game best experienced as a whole and does nothing to claim any but the most enthusiastic of point-and-click experts. [Issue#144, p.100]

I love Broken Swords and this one returns to the tradition of the first two games, which are the best in the series. If only this new sword were longer... [02/2014, p.64]

The thing is, if you’re a real Broken Sword fan then you’ll already own this from your Kickstarter pledge, and you’re just here to check in to see what the port quality is like. If you’ve enjoyed Broken Sword in the past (and especially the earlier ones) then you’ll not be disappointed here, as from the intrigue through to Rolf Saxon this is a Broken Sword game through and through.

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.

A classic adventure game with a story full of conspiracy and familiar figures. Its creators honour their own heritage, but they do not risk to stick to it less than firmly. The new Broken Sword is almost identical to the original.

It's a real pleasure to meet again with George Stobbart et Nico, above all when it's in a 2D game, which cleverly comes back to the origins. But let's face the truth : Broken Sword 5 is a very nice point'n click, but it's still not perfect. Puzzles are too easy and the game is technically old fashioned.

Breaking Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse in two was not a good idea. When the plot finally starts to mesh everything is postponed to a later date and the player stays dry mouthed. For the rest, however, it is still the beautiful Broken Sword.

In Broken Sword 5, Revolution Software tried to mimic Revolution Software circa 1996, but, for the most part, it failed.

Broken Sword 5 will slowly worm itself into your affections if you expose yourself to its ever so gentle humour for long enough.

Broken Sword 5 could be a nice dip in the past, but the puzzles are too easy to solve and the story waits long before due time to get interesting. There’s the second episode to hope in but perhaps, as in the case of the relationship between Nico and George, letting go of the past could really be for the best.

A true return to the series’ roots and a homage to the first game. Shows a lot of promise that we can only hope will be fulfilled in the second part. [Issue#237]

With the second part added, Broken Sword 5 could certainly reach beyond three stars – but, until then, it's wise to remain agnostic about Charles Cecil's latest offering.

Being broken into two parts only serves to hurt Broken Sword 5. The game was clearly developed as a whole and then chopped up – meaning you are left with all of the exposition in Episode 1, and none of the pay-off.

The Serpent's Curse just feels rushed. The well-researched plot takes its sweet time to truly get going and when it does, it's already over again. So, taken by itself, this first episode feels pretty average. It's up to the second half to pull the chestnuts out of the fire.

As a reminder of the old days of the series, The Serpent’s Curse just about serves its purpose; it sounds the same, works the same and, mostly, looks the same. But as a contender on the modern point-and-click landscape it offers little to drag players away from the new age of superior soirees.

I hope that, when episode two launches, I'll be bemoaning my own idiocy and falling over myself to award the complete game a much higher score. For now, though, I'm playing it safe: until I know how the whole thing plays out, my recommendation is guarded.

Revolution revived the Broken Sword with The Serpent's Curse, which is rudely divided (we could say "broken") in two parts. This first episode of the investigation is pleasant to follow, and even a little easy, it offers some of what fans expect from this point & click series: the humor of unusual characters and a funny world of clichés, but it misses the dark fantastic side, pushed back to the next episode. So, we keep a cool head and we wait for Episode 2.

Pure fan service in every sense, which ensures an enjoyably nostalgic adventure but also means a number of flaws that wouldn’t be tolerated in other circumstances.

Despite its flaws, Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse has a lot to offer avid fans of the series, who will relish the opportunity to play a new installment built on traditional 2D values.

The first episode of George and Nico's return is a disappointing experience, unable to achieve its dreams. The game works fine, but the story itself lacks of punch and ends suddenly, when things start to get interesting. We can only hope that the best is yet to come, maybe in the second chapter.