:Broken Sword

{{about|the video game series|the novel|The Broken Sword|9=Broken Sword (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox video game series

| title = Broken Sword

| image = Broken Sword 2012on logo.png

| genre = Point-and-click adventure
Adventure

| developer = Revolution Software (in partnership with Sumo Digital in 2006)

| platforms = Android, Game Boy Advance, iOS, Linux, Mac OS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, Palm OS, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii, Windows, Windows Mobile, Xbox, Xbox One

| first release version = Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars

| first release date = 30 September 1996

| latest release version = Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged

| latest release date = 19 September 2024

}}

Broken Sword is a series of adventure games. The first game in the series, Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, was released and developed in 1996 by British developer Revolution Software. Its sequel, Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror, was released a year later, and was followed by Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon in 2003, Broken Sword: The Angel of Death in 2006, and Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse in 2013. A remake of the first game in the series, known as Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut, was released in 2009, and a remake of the second game in the series, Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror – Remastered, in 2010 for iOS devices; other platforms followed in 2011.

The main protagonists of the series are George Stobbart, an American patent lawyer, and Nicole "Nico" Collard, a French freelance journalist. While Nico does not appear as a playable character in the original version of The Shadow of the Templars, she does become playable in the Director's Cut.

The Broken Sword series was conceived in 1994 by Charles Cecil, Noirin Carmody and Sean Brennan, while talking about the mythology of the Knights Templar. The first three games in the series as well as the fifth game were developed by Revolution Software, while the fourth game was co-developed by Revolution and Sumo Digital. The Shadow of the Templars and The Smoking Mirror were critical and commercial successes, selling millions. However, The Sleeping Dragon and The Angel of Death received mixed reviews and were not as popular as the first two games. This was mainly due to the switch to 3D graphics and because the third game left the "point and click" interface for a more action-oriented gameplay. The latest game in the series, The Serpent's Curse, returned to the series' 2D roots. The series appeared on several top adventure game lists. A comic book was produced for each remake of the first two Broken Sword games.

Games

class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
style="text-align: center;" ! rowspan="2" \| Game
\| Release year ! \| Developer ! \| Platforms
colspan="5" style="background:#c5f3c6;"\|
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| *Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars* \| 1996 \| Revolution Software \| Windows, Mac OS, Linux, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, Palm OS, Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, Android
colspan="5" style="border:none; vertical-align:top;"\|The Shadow of the Templars, known as Circle of Blood in North America, is the first game in the series, and developed by Revolution Software. Originally released in 1996 on Windows, Mac OS and PlayStation, the game was later ported on Game Boy Advance and Palm OS, then re-released with new content as Shadow of the Templars the director's cut first on Wii and Nintendo DS and later ported on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS and Android. In The Shadow of the Templars, the player assumes the role of George Stobbart – a young American who is an eyewitness and victim of a bomb attack on a small Parisian café. It garnered critical acclaim and sold around one million units.
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| colspan="5" style="background:#ddf3c5;"\|
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| *Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror* \| 1997 \| Revolution Software \| Windows, PlayStation, Mac OS, iOS, Android, Linux
colspan="5" style="border:none; vertical-align:top;"\|With the success of The Shadow of the Templars, Revolution began work on The Smoking Mirror, which was released a year later. Originally released on Windows and PlayStation, it was re-released on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS and Android as a remastered edition. It is the only game in the series not to involve the Knights Templar. The Smoking Mirror was a commercial success, selling around one million units, but was not as acclaimed as the first game.
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| colspan="5" style="background:#f3e1c5;"\|
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| *Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon* \| 2003 \| Revolution Software \| Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 2
colspan="5" style="border:none; vertical-align:top;"\|The third game, The Sleeping Dragon, was a departure from the gameplay style of previous games in the series, featuring 3D graphics, and the only game in the series to use a direct control interface. It continues the story of The Shadow of the Templars. The game received highly positive reviews from critics and sold several hundred thousand copies.
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| colspan="5" style="background:#ecc5f3;"\|
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| *Broken Sword: The Angel of Death* \| 2006 \| Revolution Software, Sumo Digital \| Windows
colspan="5" style="border:none; vertical-align:top;"\|The fourth installment in the series, The Angel of Death, was co-developed by Revolution and Sumo Digital. While the game featured 3D graphics, it returned to the point and click interface. It sold several hundred thousand copies, but received mixed reviews.
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| colspan="5" style="background:#c5cdf3;"\|
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| *Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse* \| 2013-2014 \| Revolution Software \| Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, TvOS, Android, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
colspan="5" style="border:none; vertical-align:top;"\|The fifth Broken Sword game, The Serpent's Curse, is the first installment to receive its funding from Kickstarter during its conception. Released in December 2013,{{cite web\|url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/262940/ \|title=Save 70% on Broken Sword 5 - the Serpent's Curse on Steam \|access-date=2013-11-30 \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130011846/http://store.steampowered.com/app/262940/ \|archive-date=November 30, 2013}} the game returned to the series' 2D roots.
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| colspan="5" style="background:#c5cdf3;"\|
style="background:#f2f2f2; text-align:center;" \| *Broken Sword: Parzival's Stone* \| TBA \| Revolution Software \| Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, Consoles
colspan="5" style="border:none; vertical-align:top;"\|The sixth Broken Sword game, Parzival's Stone, was announced during the Xbox Gamescom conference in 2023.

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