Added: 13.05.2014 21:21 | 5 views | 0 comments


It's like holding George and Nico in your hands. The point-and-click adventure game has seen a resurgence in the past few years, so much so that —​with mixed results. The distinctive art style and charismatic personalities shine, but touch-specific controls knock the experience down a peg or two. Broken Sword 5's narrative concerns itself with a mysterious painting titled "La Malediccio." Following a brief flashback in World War II-era Spain, the game shifts to modern-day Paris to show the theft of the painting by a fake delivery man, who also murders someone. Series protagonists George Stobbart and Nico Collard happen to run into each other at the art gallery during the theft and the responsibility falls on them to uncover the truth behind the painting and the identity of the culprit. Their search begins in Paris, but eventually the game turns into a globetrotting affair as players also visit London. It's a simple premise that slowly becomes more complicated—emphasis on slowly. [gallery=419] The game presents a compelling story with genuinely entertaining twists and turns. Its historical background and connection to Gnostic Gospels in particular establishes a level of narrative uniqueness that only strengthens the experience. Unfortunately, it takes its sweet time getting there. I'm not the kind of guy who requires non-stop thrills, but stilted pacing clearly stands out as one of Broken Sword 5's weaknesses. The first section in the art gallery, as both George and Nico investigate the crime scene, is only the first example. Eventually I was more than ready for a change in scenery. Though the game lingers at times, it avoids much of the tediousness with strong writing and even stronger personalities. Players control both George and Nico throughout the adventure, and I grew to like them both over the course of the first episode. The two are American and French respectively, which establishes a nice contrast in both personality and voice-acting. George provides much of the game's humor, which can best be described as subtle but effective and the English major in me particularly enjoyed the Kafka joke in the opening hours of the game. Broken Sword 5 also features memorable side characters, such as the haughty Hector Laine who also witnesses the murder/theft. But narrative and characters only serve as part of the adventure game formula—puzzles and mechanics provide the balance. Broken Sword 5 doesn't completely stumble in this area, but the puzzles feel like barriers to each new story bit. The lacking difficulty plays a large role in giving the player that feeling. Rarely did I find myself stumped by any one puzzle and even when I was it usually involved a clue I had yet to observe or a dialogue option I failed to recognize. I do commend the game for reasonable logic-based puzzles, though—I've played my fair share of adventure games with ridiculous solutions. A lot of the game involves scouring the environment for specific clues or items, which proves frustrating on PS Vita. No mouse and keyboard mean players will rely on the touchscreen and the control scheme transition stands as the Vita version's biggest flaw. I clearly remember my investigation of the first crime scene—there was a lot to observe, so I had to drag my finger around the environment to find icons to tap. However, movement is also controlled by tapping the touch screen, so I would move when I wanted to view items and vice versa. The entire time I thought to myself, "This probably controls a lot better on the computer." That said, Broken Sword 5 on the Vita does allow fans to take George and Nico with them on the go. The troublesome touch controls result in a lesser experience, but at its core Broken Sword 5 is still a solid adventure game. It touts undeniable charm and likeable characters that help compensate for slow pacing and simplistic puzzles. Now I play the waiting game and hope part two comes to the Vita soon—man, I hate cliffhangers. Code provided by publisher. Based on PlayStation Vita version. Also available for PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Added: 13.05.2014 9:47 | 2 views | 0 comments


Requires the base game Gas Guzzlers Extreme on Steam in order to play

Added: 12.05.2014 6:14 | 7 views | 0 comments


Alex of Greenlit Gaming writes: "I remember wandering around the expo hall floor at PAX, bewildered and amazed. Looking around at the endless sea of games and people playing them, French developer Amplitude Studios booth caught my eye."

Added: 10.05.2014 11:17 | 2 views | 0 comments


Bound by Flame is the latest instalment from French developer, Spiders. They have had a fairly rocky history of late, most notably for their most recent title Mars: War Logs that was quickly forgotten about, as well as their involvement in the development of Of Orcs and Men, which while it had promise, it sorely missed the mark somewhere along the line. Needless to say, it seems Spiders has learned from their past mistakes and have finally put their all into a fantastic RPG with Bound by Flame. Find out our full thoughts and opinions in the video review!

Added: 09.05.2014 12:19 | 1 views | 0 comments


GR-UK writes: "Dialogue is poorly written, and everything that happens in Bound by Flame's opening hours seems off somehow. The tone of this apocalyptic world is deeply unpleasant, the lines are cliché, the events just plain silly. The combat systems are boring, and stoic adventurers are sidelined by the inclusion of jokes about breasts. Despite the intention of creating a serious fantasy role-playing game, Spiders Studio has decided no lowbrow joke can remain unused. Far from a promising introduction. "However, the French developer gets its act together. After several hours, as our patience wavers, the team's ambitions become clear, and suddenly the drab greys of this perishing world start to permeate with interesting facts and storylines. The world's unpleasantness lingers, but we at least become immune to it. The jokes gradually evaporate and if the dialogue remains poor, at least it's enlivened by the introduction of new, interesting companions."

Added: 09.05.2014 6:14 | 4 views | 0 comments


Hardcore Gamer: "In an age where role playing games cost well into the seven figures to develop and reach millions of homes worldwide, our bar of quality has risen quite a bit. French developer Spiders is looking to take on the challenge, creating smaller scale RPG thats steaming with potential. Travel across a creative land filled with swordplay, witches, betrayal, the undead, and everything youve come to expect from the fantasy name. Bound by Flame looks to make its mark in the world by touting an offering that sizable for any fan of the genre."

Added: 09.05.2014 5:14 | 5 views | 0 comments


Hardcore Gamer: "In an age where role playing games cost well into the seven figures to develop and reach millions of homes worldwide, our bar of quality has risen quite a bit. French developer Spiders is looking to take on the challenge, creating smaller scale RPG thats steaming with potential. Travel across a creative land filled with swordplay, witches, betrayal, the undead, and everything youve come to expect from the fantasy name. Bound by Flame looks to make its mark in the world by touting an offering that sizable for any fan of the genre."