"Broken Sword: The Angel of Death" improves upon many of the aspects of the last game, but unfortunately fails as a compelling adventure. But let us begin with some of the good points.
Firstly, the interface brings back mouse-interaction and this undoubtedly helps the gameplay, to a degree. The shifting camera-angles still make smooth moving impossible and on occasion I found myself favoring the keyboard (particularly with a certain puzzle near the end of the game). Graphics-wise the game has much greater detail and George doesn't look half as dorky as he did in the last game. Unfortunately the physics of the game have not been greatly improved.
All in all the game has a much slower pace and animation wise is not as memorable as its predecessor. Much of the comic-charm of the game is also taken out by ridiculously designed dialogue sequences that feel artificial and dialogue-subjects that can literally be repeated indefinitely when you're uncertain if you've missed something (and because you usually have to talk to certain NPCs more than once). The fact that you still can't skip dialogue only adds to the irritation.
Luckily cut-scenes can be paused by jumping to the menu. The game has great characters but a lot of the potential is lost here too since many of them only stop by for a quick appearance. Virgil's ridiculously small role irritated me most. The game still offers many great moments (such as disarming a bomb while George suffers from a furious hangover) and the same witty dialogue of the previous games. And while the game returns to the simplicity of the puzzles of the first two games, this too is a small consolation.
Where the game really lets us down is the plot. The story jumps around and justifies itself only with the faintest reference to previous titles. Additionally the badguys are uninteresting and plain. The game suffers from an over-all lack of comprehensive drama while the player keeps zooming around the globe without a clear clue as to what he/she is supposed to be doing.
Additional points of irritation include clear ripping off from Gabriel Knight 3 as well boring deaths, a clear plot-error concerning Duane, the lack of George's past-tense narrative and an inconsequential plot.
I can only hope that Charles Cecil will pull together a better script if he ever plans on making another Broken Sword and for once it wouldn't hurt to get someone other than just Rolf Saxon to reprise their roles. The lack of consistency with Nicole's voice-acting is becoming simply depressing.
Firstly, the interface brings back mouse-interaction and this undoubtedly helps the gameplay, to a degree. The shifting camera-angles still make smooth moving impossible and on occasion I found myself favoring the keyboard (particularly with a certain puzzle near the end of the game). Graphics-wise the game has much greater detail and George doesn't look half as dorky as he did in the last game. Unfortunately the physics of the game have not been greatly improved.
All in all the game has a much slower pace and animation wise is not as memorable as its predecessor. Much of the comic-charm of the game is also taken out by ridiculously designed dialogue sequences that feel artificial and dialogue-subjects that can literally be repeated indefinitely when you're uncertain if you've missed something (and because you usually have to talk to certain NPCs more than once). The fact that you still can't skip dialogue only adds to the irritation.
Luckily cut-scenes can be paused by jumping to the menu. The game has great characters but a lot of the potential is lost here too since many of them only stop by for a quick appearance. Virgil's ridiculously small role irritated me most. The game still offers many great moments (such as disarming a bomb while George suffers from a furious hangover) and the same witty dialogue of the previous games. And while the game returns to the simplicity of the puzzles of the first two games, this too is a small consolation.
Where the game really lets us down is the plot. The story jumps around and justifies itself only with the faintest reference to previous titles. Additionally the badguys are uninteresting and plain. The game suffers from an over-all lack of comprehensive drama while the player keeps zooming around the globe without a clear clue as to what he/she is supposed to be doing.
Additional points of irritation include clear ripping off from Gabriel Knight 3 as well boring deaths, a clear plot-error concerning Duane, the lack of George's past-tense narrative and an inconsequential plot.
I can only hope that Charles Cecil will pull together a better script if he ever plans on making another Broken Sword and for once it wouldn't hurt to get someone other than just Rolf Saxon to reprise their roles. The lack of consistency with Nicole's voice-acting is becoming simply depressing.