Astraware has built its reputation upon the beautifully drawn graphics in all of its games.  Even the most basic puzzle games offer amazing graphics with intricate details.  All of the being said, it is probably fortunate that I have reviewed several other Astraware games before I began playing Broken Sword.  If this had been the first Astraware game I played, I probably would have found the exquisitely drawn graphics in Astraware’s other games to be sub-par, which says a lot about these amazing graphics in this game.

Installation and Registration:  There is a limited trial version which allows you to play the beginning levels of the game.  In order to download the full game experience, however, you must register.  Once you have registered, you will be provided with a link to the full game.  Due to the intricacies of the game and the attention to the graphics, be prepared for a somewhat large download (you will need at least 130 megs of free storage space to store the whole game).

The Story: You are George Stobbart, a vacationing American in Paris.  While enjoying an outdoor cafe, a bomb explodes, assassinating one patron.  You soon find that the assassin has stolen an ancient manuscript from the man he murdered.  The manuscript leads you to the 14th century Knights Templar and the legendary sword of power.  Along with photojournalist Nico Collard, you must unearth the secret of the broken sword of power and determine what all of this has to do with the perpetrator who planted the bomb in the first place.  Broken Sword offers a complex storyline which keep you in suspense until the last frame has ended.  And even then, you’ll want to go back and watch the ending again…just to make sure you caught the whole thing.

Gameplay: This is not so much a game as it is an interactive story.  Playing this game felt more like watching a movie than playing a game.  The cinematic look and feel of the graphics makes this game almost impossible to put down.  You will travel through numerous cities and towns across the continent as you investigate the mysterious manuscript and the secrets it holds.  Interact with various characters at each location by clicking on them.  You can also interact with and use items on the screen by clicking on them.  Be careful, sometimes you may think you have learned everything you can from a character, only to find that taking some other action will make him provide you with additional information.  Sometimes, the sequence of your actions can be as important as the actions themselves, so make sure you experiment with everything on the screen.

Graphics:  I cannot say enough about the graphics in Broken Sword.  Playing this game was like a cinematic experience.  The characters all exhibited lifelike movements and interactions, while the 3-D background and scenery were simply stunning.  Many of the items with which you interact or use also display their own characteristics.  Pick up a metal chain and you can almost feel its heft as you swing it into a wall.  Not only will you be amazed by the gameplay graphics, but Broken Sword also offers dozens of video cut scenes to help move the story along.  These cut scenes add to the cinematic feel of the game.  Watch breathlessly as George is nearly caught time and again bumbling his way through the mystery he was never intended to solve.  Once you play Broken Sword, the graphics in every other game you play will seem flat and unappealing.  Thanks for that, Astraware…

Characters: One of the more impressive parts of this game was the array of non-player characters included.  Each character has a unique personality, reacting to their environment in a manner which is always consistent with that personality.  From the local police in a variety of different countries to your reluctant colleague, Nico Collard, all of the characters are intricately drawn and organic.  Some will even change their responses based upon actions you take or items you use throughout the game.

Soundtrack: Broken Sword also offers a complete soundtrack which follows the flow and pace of the game.  In addition to the music, it also offers full speech for all of the characters.  When George interacts with another character, you don’t just read the dialogue on the screen, experience it as the sound is piped out of your Pocket PC.  It is this kind of minor detail that truly sets Broken Sword apart from other Pocket PC games. 

Conclusion: This game might as well have been called, "Astraware Strikes Again."  Once more, they have raised the bar in what we can expect from a Pocket PC game.  Having proven that every element of a PC game can be recreated on the Pocket PC platform (including the amazing graphics, sounds and speech), users will now expect nothing less than this in future offerings from Astraware and other companies.  This is among the best games I have ever played on the Pocket PC.  The story is engaging and suspenseful and flows at a perfect pace.  While Broken Sword does have a cinematic flavor (including fully animated video cut scenes) there is plenty for you to do as you explore various settings trying to solve the mystery of the Broken Sword.  Be forewarned though, like a great book, once you start, you’ll find yourself awake at 3:00 in the morning anxiously trying to find out where George Stobbart will stumble next.

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