Point and Click Adventure Mega Review: Broken Sword II

The second Broken Sword was released shortly after the first, and was created in the same charming hand drawn animation style the original was known for.  It came quickly after its predecessor, and was a bit lacking due to the quick turn around, but it's still a worthwhile adventure game.

The game opens with George having to rescue Nico, who was investigating a case involving smugglers.  The two dig deeper into her case, and discover a conspiracy surrounding an upcoming solar eclipse.  The game alternates between George and Nico as the playable character, so unlike the director's cut of the first game, the remastered version of Broken Sword II doesn't add any new scenes.  The story here isn't nearly as strong as the first game, and it's hampered by a short length and a very abrupt ending, but the interactions between the characters is still the high point of the series.

What the game may lack in story and length, it more than makes up for it in presentation. George is once again voiced wonderfully, and the voice of Nico is excellent as well.  The new characters are also voiced great, and the returning characters are just as whimsical as they were in the previous game.  The music is also a high point of the series, and it continues to shine here.

What the remastered version does do is improve the resolution of much of the art.  The game has always looked great, as it has the same charming near-cinematic quality animation style of the first game.  The restoration of the art into high definition is a bit hit and miss however, as some of the retouched art doesn't quite make it up to the standards of others.  It's still the same game underneath however, and the charm of the art still manages to shine through the rough edges.

The puzzles here are excellent.  There are no confusing puzzles along the lines of the goat puzzle from the first game.  In fact, the developers acknowledge the fact with a joke regarding that puzzle, which has since become a recurring in-joke in the games of the Broken Sword series.  There are no casual style puzzles added here either, as was the case with the director's cut of the first game.  The remastered version is simply that, a version that aims to remaster the original material to modern standards as best it can.

Broken Sword II is short, and the story isn't as intriguing as the first game, but the character interaction is top notch.  On top of that, the art style, music, and puzzles are excellent.  In the end, Broken Sword II is not quite up to the standards set by its predecessor, but it's still worth a play.

Final Verdict:

3½ out of 5