Posted October 17, 2016
Happy birthday George and Nico, you globetrotting rascals!
As of last Friday, the Broken Sword series, the legendary point'n'clicks dealing in supernatural mysteries and shadowy cabals, have officially become 20 years old! This calls for a toast, but since we've tragically misplaced our Holy Grail, let's skip to the other most important part of this celebration: the <span class="bold">Broken Sword 20th Anniversary Sale</span>, which gives you the opportunity to complete the series for 75% off or grab any individual installment at a 60% discount!
Whether you are looking for globetrotting adventures across beautiful locations, quirky humor, romance, or a thrilling storyline, you can't go wrong with Broken Sword. But apart from the stunning presentation and clever brain-twisters, one of the main reasons why most of us keep coming back to the series is the tense dynamic between the two charming protagonists: George Stobbart, the uncharacteristically cordial American with the uncanny ability to stir trouble, and Nico Collard, the smart-mouthed photojournalist with the sexy French accent.
So what's your favorite Broken Sword moment? Was it an impressive cinematic stunt, a hilarious line, a dramatic confrontation, or the goat puzzle?
If you want a gentle push down memory lane, Charles Cecil, the main brain behind the 20-year-old franchise, recently gave a neat interview to Le Monde, where he discussed the Broken Sword legacy and how the games fit into the larger narrative of the point'n'click genre:
How do you explain that Broken Sword is so fondly remembered twenty years after its release?
At the time, the games stood out as being quite different to other adventure games. Stories were generally either slapstick, like the excellent Monkey Island, or deadly serious. I aimed to juxtapose humor with drama – to develop empathetic characters, and to use the very best talent from other mediums in art and music. The original Broken Sword games were unashamedly 2D, while around them adventures like Gabriel Knight 3 were moving to 3D. We were accused of being behind the times but disregarded the comments. It seems to have worked – the characters and the story appears to have a universal and timeless appeal. And while 3D technology advances fast, making older 3D games feel outdated, the 2D-look advances only in resolution. They appeal to fans from 25 years ago, but also a new generation who started playing the games on newer devices, particularly on mobile and tablets. I am hugely proud when we receive communications from people who were profoundly affected by the Broken Sword games.
How do you explain the fact that point’n’click games were one of the most popular genres in the nineties?
In the ‘90s the point and click adventure was the only genre that meaningfully told a story. Furthermore, it represented the cutting edge in technology – whether it was graphics or the use of the CD for full speech. That all changed with the advent of PlayStation and the obsessive move to 3D. Back then, the only sales route was through retailers, with the game funded by a publisher. Games became more and more expensive to develop – publishers became more and more risk-averse. 2D adventures were seen as ‘old fashioned’ and 3D adventures looked terrible and failed to convey the characterisation that was so important for the gameplay. Publishers and retailers stopped funding / stocking the genre – so, effectively, it died.
How do you explain that indie developers seem to be in love with PnC games ? My hypothesis is that it's a very convenient way to tell a story, for a small studio…
And so by the end of the ‘90s, the point and click was dead. But then everything changed with the release of the iPhone. Distribution was possible directly by developers, directly to their audience. Audiences made clear that they wanted to play point and click adventures – and the support of publishers and retailers was no longer required. Indie developers started writing point and click games and there was a healthy market. However, we need to be clear that point and click adventures are a niche genre. A sizeable niche, but a niche nonetheless. And they are expensive to write, because there is so much unique content. This makes the genre scary for the larger publishers – and ideal for indie developers.
Re-visit the glory days of adventure games or discover the franchise that will finally hook you to the genre, with the <span class="bold">Broken Sword 20th Anniversary Sale</span> - the perfect way to both celebrate a legend and add some classy classics to your collection for 60/75% off!
The sale will last until October 23, 2:59 PM UTC.
As of last Friday, the Broken Sword series, the legendary point'n'clicks dealing in supernatural mysteries and shadowy cabals, have officially become 20 years old! This calls for a toast, but since we've tragically misplaced our Holy Grail, let's skip to the other most important part of this celebration: the <span class="bold">Broken Sword 20th Anniversary Sale</span>, which gives you the opportunity to complete the series for 75% off or grab any individual installment at a 60% discount!
Whether you are looking for globetrotting adventures across beautiful locations, quirky humor, romance, or a thrilling storyline, you can't go wrong with Broken Sword. But apart from the stunning presentation and clever brain-twisters, one of the main reasons why most of us keep coming back to the series is the tense dynamic between the two charming protagonists: George Stobbart, the uncharacteristically cordial American with the uncanny ability to stir trouble, and Nico Collard, the smart-mouthed photojournalist with the sexy French accent.
So what's your favorite Broken Sword moment? Was it an impressive cinematic stunt, a hilarious line, a dramatic confrontation, or the goat puzzle?
If you want a gentle push down memory lane, Charles Cecil, the main brain behind the 20-year-old franchise, recently gave a neat interview to Le Monde, where he discussed the Broken Sword legacy and how the games fit into the larger narrative of the point'n'click genre:
How do you explain that Broken Sword is so fondly remembered twenty years after its release?
At the time, the games stood out as being quite different to other adventure games. Stories were generally either slapstick, like the excellent Monkey Island, or deadly serious. I aimed to juxtapose humor with drama – to develop empathetic characters, and to use the very best talent from other mediums in art and music. The original Broken Sword games were unashamedly 2D, while around them adventures like Gabriel Knight 3 were moving to 3D. We were accused of being behind the times but disregarded the comments. It seems to have worked – the characters and the story appears to have a universal and timeless appeal. And while 3D technology advances fast, making older 3D games feel outdated, the 2D-look advances only in resolution. They appeal to fans from 25 years ago, but also a new generation who started playing the games on newer devices, particularly on mobile and tablets. I am hugely proud when we receive communications from people who were profoundly affected by the Broken Sword games.
How do you explain the fact that point’n’click games were one of the most popular genres in the nineties?
In the ‘90s the point and click adventure was the only genre that meaningfully told a story. Furthermore, it represented the cutting edge in technology – whether it was graphics or the use of the CD for full speech. That all changed with the advent of PlayStation and the obsessive move to 3D. Back then, the only sales route was through retailers, with the game funded by a publisher. Games became more and more expensive to develop – publishers became more and more risk-averse. 2D adventures were seen as ‘old fashioned’ and 3D adventures looked terrible and failed to convey the characterisation that was so important for the gameplay. Publishers and retailers stopped funding / stocking the genre – so, effectively, it died.
How do you explain that indie developers seem to be in love with PnC games ? My hypothesis is that it's a very convenient way to tell a story, for a small studio…
And so by the end of the ‘90s, the point and click was dead. But then everything changed with the release of the iPhone. Distribution was possible directly by developers, directly to their audience. Audiences made clear that they wanted to play point and click adventures – and the support of publishers and retailers was no longer required. Indie developers started writing point and click games and there was a healthy market. However, we need to be clear that point and click adventures are a niche genre. A sizeable niche, but a niche nonetheless. And they are expensive to write, because there is so much unique content. This makes the genre scary for the larger publishers – and ideal for indie developers.
Re-visit the glory days of adventure games or discover the franchise that will finally hook you to the genre, with the <span class="bold">Broken Sword 20th Anniversary Sale</span> - the perfect way to both celebrate a legend and add some classy classics to your collection for 60/75% off!
The sale will last until October 23, 2:59 PM UTC.
Post edited October 17, 2016 by maladr0Id
