Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut
Enhanced remake of the 1996 adventure game with new playable content.
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut is a 2009 enhanced remake and director's cut of the classic 1996 point-and-click adventure game Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, developed by Revolution Software. It was released across multiple platforms from 2009 to 2012, including Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Android, and Linux. The game is notable for making Nicole Collard a playable character for selected sections, whereas she was only a pivotal non-playable character in the original version.
- developer
- Revolution Software
- release_years
- 2009 to 2012
- platforms
- Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Android, Linux
- genre
- 2D point-and-click adventure game
- playable_characters
- George Stobbart and Nicole Collard
- additional_artwork_by
- Dave Gibbons
Lore & Background
The Director's Cut originated after fans petitioned Revolution Software to bring the Broken Sword series to the Wii and Nintendo DS. Rather than simply porting the original game, managing director Charles Cecil decided to create a director's cut. Comic book artist Dave Gibbons contributed additional artwork for the game. The gameplay is a 2D adventure from a third-person perspective, controlled via point-and-click, touch interface, or Wii Remote depending on the platform. Certain puzzles from the original were simplified, and new first-person puzzles were added. Hotspots are highlighted, a hint system is included, and a diary allows the player character to take notes. Unlike the original, the Director's Cut removes player death scenes and does not allow a game over from fatal mistakes, as part of a larger effort to censor the game.
Reader's Guide
The Director's Cut received positive reviews from critics and is often listed as one of the best games on the Wii, DS, and iOS/Android mobile devices. It was also a commercial success, outselling the third and fourth Broken Sword installments. The game expanded the original story by adding a prologue set in Paris a day before the original game's start, focusing on journalist Nicole Collard. The plot involves a conspiracy around the Knights Templar, a secret organization, and the Sword of Baphomet. The game's significance lies in its successful enhancement of a classic adventure game, its cross-platform release, and its inclusion of a previously non-playable character as a controllable protagonist. It demonstrates how fan petitions can influence game development and how remakes can revitalize older titles for new audiences.
Did You Know?
- The Director's Cut was created after fans petitioned Revolution Software to bring the series to the Wii and Nintendo DS.
- Comic book artist Dave Gibbons created additional artwork for the game.
- The Director's Cut does not allow players to get a game over from fatal mistakes, as player death scenes were removed as part of a larger effort to censor the game.
- The game outsold the third and fourth Broken Sword installments.
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