Secrets of the Ark: A Broken Sword Game

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 43
  3. Negative: 13 out of 43
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  1. ScrumptiousG
    Sep 20, 2010
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Probably the most disappointed I have ever been with a game. I would rate BS1 in my all time top 5 games and it is head and shoulders above the newest installment. Most of what made BS1 great is not found in BS4. Tthere were only several brief moments in the game when I actually felt like I was playing a series that I loved every minute of previously, even BS3. The story never grabbed me and pulled me in at anytime, I didn't care about the other characters and worst of all I found the game a complete chore to play. Had this not been a Broken Sword game I would have given up on it.… Expand
  2. lelloV.
    Jan 21, 2008
    4
    Poor game-the previous title (dragon) was clearly better. The plot is incredibly dull, and the story moves at the speed of plight. The death knell for this once glorious franchise?
  3. jape
    May 24, 2014
    4
    Do you like adventure games with no real ending? How about a game with plenty of pixels but most of them beige? If you also feel that walking around should be a minigame all in itself, then this is the game for you!

    On the plus side you do get to see Nico and George again, but other than that, it fails in so many ways. Graphics are mediocre. The story line premise doesn't make a lot    Do you like adventure games with no real ending? How about a game with plenty of pixels but most of them beige? If you also feel that walking around should be a minigame all in itself, then this is the game for you!

    On the plus side you do get to see Nico and George again, but other than that, it fails in so many ways. Graphics are mediocre. The story line premise doesn't make a lot of sense. It is clear that the game developers ran out of money or time, so they decided to ship the game with no real closure.

    Even plain walking around (which you will do PLENTY of) is painful since the camera angles change unexpectedly so you start travelling in a different direction.

    I do not recommend this game. I would put it in the same category as indiana jones and the crystal skull (the movie). Just pretend that #4 of both franchises doesn't exist.    … Expand
  4. DaveE.
    Oct 1, 2006
    0
    I'm sure many others new to the point and click style will offer the positives to this game, so as a BS veteran, I'll stick to the negatives, that for me, far outweigh any positives, and make this the worst of the point and click style BS's by some distance. Another dip into 3D and another disappointment. This game was rushed out, probably a couple of months too early. The I'm sure many others new to the point and click style will offer the positives to this game, so as a BS veteran, I'll stick to the negatives, that for me, far outweigh any positives, and make this the worst of the point and click style BS's by some distance. Another dip into 3D and another disappointment. This game was rushed out, probably a couple of months too early. The environments are large, empty, and few in numbers. Take the Vatican, Salami Factory and Turkish hotel locations - only two mute guards at the Vatican, two men at the factory, and only a "busy" receptionist and waiter in the hotel. They've just stuck in the bare mininum to get through the game, and it looks very poor and unrealistic - adventure games released 10 years ago gave more depth than this. And the cause is probably the 3D - that aspect means the locations *have* to be bigger, and take a *lot* more work to get right in terms of content. They just haven't done it. The player rewards are woeful. Take the final scenes. Without giving away any spoilers, the ending is possibly the worst ending to any game I have ever played, and even if you fail to save the day you don't even get a cutscene showing what terrible events occur, just another 3 minute long loading screen and right back into the very last 'puzzle'. They couldn't even be bothered to put in a real enemy for you to be fighting against. The (often) lengthy conversations are poorly done - just the same frozen viewpoint of the two characters for minutes on end. Farenheit showed how a 3D game can keep lengthy conversations interesting. Revolution should stop worrying about trying to turn BS in a role playing game in 3D (which requires a ridiculous spec of graphics card - for nothing more than a Point and Click game with very average graphics that still runs slow for 90% of people!) with dodgy control, and get back to what made it so engaging in the first place - the art of storytelling and creating atmosphere. And they'll only manage that by going back to 2D.… Expand
  5. MarkL.
    Aug 29, 2006
    10
    A triumphant return for the point 'n' click genre. Broken Sword has always been unbeatable for storyline and characterization, and Angel of Death is no exception. In fact, it's more gripping and immersive than ever before. The 3D poin 'n' click engine is unlike anything I've tried before, and I think it works remarkably well. I found this the most difficult A triumphant return for the point 'n' click genre. Broken Sword has always been unbeatable for storyline and characterization, and Angel of Death is no exception. In fact, it's more gripping and immersive than ever before. The 3D poin 'n' click engine is unlike anything I've tried before, and I think it works remarkably well. I found this the most difficult of the series so far, I expect a few people will mark it down out of frustration. But the puzzles are extremely well crafted and, for the most part, highly original. I hope we see more of George and Nico soon.… Expand
  6. EdlismangeD.
    Sep 23, 2006
    10
    Much better than 'The Sleeping Dragon', in terms of everything really. The interface is near perfect, I can't remember any of the bugs (there were only a couple) as they were so minor and easy to work around. The plot is told well, and got me a lot more involved with the game. Although some of the puzzles seemed unnervingly hard, I never felt the urge to use a walkthrough, Much better than 'The Sleeping Dragon', in terms of everything really. The interface is near perfect, I can't remember any of the bugs (there were only a couple) as they were so minor and easy to work around. The plot is told well, and got me a lot more involved with the game. Although some of the puzzles seemed unnervingly hard, I never felt the urge to use a walkthrough, so the difficulty level is just right. It just seemed as though a lot of care had gone into the game, it is quite long with lots of detail and memorable characters. It is also pretty funny at times. Definatley a classic for adventure fans. There'd better be a sequel.… Expand
  7. BenM.
    Nov 23, 2006
    9
    Very good improvement of Sleeping Dragon, but still not perfect. I'm a big point and click fan and this was the best BS yet. The puzzles stopped main gameply though.
  8. IamKing
    Mar 3, 2012
    9
    I don't know why they called this game one of the worst ever. The worst in the series, but still GREAT! The puzzles were pretty better than in BS3, and voice acting was amazing. The story was a bit forgetable, but still awesome. But the "eeeh" ending, and Anna-Marria thing etc. were a bit....bad. Still, a must-play :) :) :)
  9. [Anonymous]
    Apr 16, 2007
    4
    Blant graphics, really cliche storyline, nearly no Nicole at all, tucked in puzzles, weird path finding. Worst game of the series ever. No wonder they republished it under a different name without the Broken Sword logo on it. Fans of the series, avoid!
  10. MikaH.
    Nov 24, 2006
    9
    A good game. Holds its own very well. Aside from couple of illogical puzzles and slightly annoying control scheme, this is a very good piece to the Broken Sword saga.
  11. theSplund
    Sep 4, 2014
    3
    Some good dialogue from George but ultimately let down by poor characters and tired graphics. A shame as it felt better than BS3 but it just jars so badly that I can't be bothered to get through the first part of the story - life's too short. If you want to play a game as good as BS1 or even 2 then wait a year or two until you've forgotten enough of the answers to the problems and play them again.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best PC Game of 2007
97
#97 Most Discussed PC Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. PC Zone UK
    78
    It's hard, its opening acts don't match the quality of those which follow and some characters grate - but as a modern rendition of a traditional formula, The Angel of Death has both pointed and clicked wisely. It's another nail out of the adventure gaming coffin. [Oct 2006, p.58]
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  2. Eurogamer
    70
    It's a great game in so many respects, and we're overflowing with admiration that Revolution stuck to its purity of vision about what an adventure game can and should be about in the mid noughties. But when you're sat in front of the monitor filled with rage because of some utterly obscure puzzle, you'll have to question whether consistently busting a player's balls in so many ways is the right approach these days.
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  3. Total Video Games
    60
    If you have the perseverance to stick with puzzles that have been designed to test the patience of time itself, the slow introductory pace and continuous struggles with the game's interface (the genre's weaknesses as a whole) then Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death probably provides everything you're looking for.
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