The story revolves around the adventurous George and Nicole, as they fight sinister forces, an ancient conspiracy, and a fiendish source of pure evil. Fighting through the steaming jungles of the Congo, eerie castles in Prague, the chic back-streets of Paris and the historic English village of Glastonbury, the duo must unravel the secrets of an evil power, the Sleeping Dragon, and save mankind.

Patent Lawyers, Journalists and increasingly dangerous, life threatening situations and saving the world may not normally go hand in hand but those familiar with the previous adventures of George Sobbart a Patent Lawyer and his friend Nicole a French Journalist will know that all things are not always normal or as they seem and every detail needs to be examined and every clue analyzed within the word created within the Broken Sword series of games. Broken Sword The Sleeping Dragon make a huge step and moves away from the previous titles point and click nature and for a more familiar 3D world 3rd person Adventure.

The game commences with George on route to Congo to meet a scientist who has apparently created a never ending power source, abruptly the plane which you are traveling on flies into a storm never to arrive at your destination and to crash land deep in the jungle and in a rather tricky situation as the plane hangs balanced on the edge and the game commences, George’s adventure starts by witnessing the death at the hand of some mysterious characters of the scientist which he has traveled to see. George must now find who the mysterious killers are and so his journey and adventure begins.

You also swiftly pick up the plot of Nicole who’s career in journalism seems to be in the gutter with only the worst of the worst assignments offered to her, she travels to the home of a hacker who claims to have evidence that the end of the world is near, on her arrival she also finds that her meeting has been cut shot by the untimely death of the hacker and is confronted by a Russian Woman who has just killed the hacker and the mystery and so her adventure commences in the hunt for the Russian woman and revive her Journalism career.

Naturally along the way both characters meet along the way and discover that they are investigating the exact same crime as strange as that may seem. Together again George and Nicole undertake the mammoth task of solving the mysteries which surround the deaths of the Hacker and Scientist and save the world traveling through some spectacular locations including some familiar places from the previous Broken Sword titles.

Gameplay:

The game although no longer of the point and click nature of the previous titles and having made the dramatic leap to a 3D adventure title more reminiscent of say a tomb raider title but does manage to retain the overall gameplay experience and feel of the previous Broken Sword titles where it has been necessary to talk to everybody and search ever nook and cranny for the all important. The control system is easy to grasp with icons appearing in the lower right corner of your screen indicating what you character is able to do at any given time along with an easy to use inventory system, the puzzles do however follow the same vain as the previous titles but are actually in general (mostly due to the all new 3D gameplay) easier to follow and the clues are easier to find all in all making the game more logical and easier to follow throughout and lacking the move the mouse around screen hoping to discover the next clue aspect from the previous point and click outings.

Graphics:

The Graphics are simply described in a word as stunning, the animation of the characters is excellent and the facial expressions are superb, it is very hard to find any fault other than the poor lip-synching which at times does leave a little to be desired, the locations featured within the game are rendered superbly by the artist’s who have really created a great looking 3D adventure title.

Sound:

The sound is equally as impressive as the graphics and is atmospheric throughout, the voice-overs are instantly recognizable to those players of the previous titles and the characters which you encounter throughout your travels around the globe all have authentic accents and the background music is equally authentic and sets the scene throughout the game.

Round up:

Broken Sword Sleeping Dragon has successfully made the leap from a 2D point and click into a 3D adventure seamlessly and both fans of the originals such and adventure titles such as Tomb raider such as myself will be equally impressed with the game, from a great story stunning graphics the team at Revolution Software have created a challenging adventure title whilst maintaining the originals gameplay experience and challenges. Once completed there will be little point to return to the game but then completing the game once is more than enough of a challenge! Happy Gaming folks.