Broken Sword 3 - the Sleeping Dragon (2003)

My first honest reaction to Broken Sword 3 was relief. Relief that Revolution Software kept the wit, the globe-trotting conspiracy plots, and the unmistakable voice of George Stobbart intact when they made the leap from classic 2D point-and-click to full 3D. That transition could have been a disaster, and in some ways it partially is. But the story, the writing, and the sheer confidence of the adventure that unfolds across the Congo, Paris, and Glastonbury are strong enough to survive the rougher edges of the design. The shift to direct control means you move George and Nico around fully rendered 3D environments using a keyboard or gamepad rather than clicking your way around static backdrops. The series traded its mouse-driven heritage for context-sensitive action buttons, quick-time events during stealth and chase sequences, and a conversation tree system that still hands you genuinely funny dialogue and plot-relevant clues. The cinematic ambition is real. Revolution brought in a consultant specifically to give scenes a film-like feel, and in the cutscenes especially that effort shows. Voice acting and lip-sync are exceptional for the era, Rolf Saxon returns as George, and the dry humor lands consistently in his sections. Here is where the goodwill gets tested, though. The 3D pivot also introduced an obsession with crate-shoving puzzles that almost every reviewer, player, and eventually even the game's own director acknowledged went too far. These Sokoban-style block-pushing sections appear with such frequency that spotting a crate in a new area triggers dread more than curiosity. They solve quickly in terms of logic but drag in terms of execution, and they kill narrative momentum at the worst possible moments. Compound that with a fixed camera system that changes angle based on position rather than player input, meaning your directional controls flip when the camera cuts, and you will misfire during timed sequences more than once. The PC version, which dropped mouse control entirely, frustrates veterans of the first two entries most sharply. Set those complaints alongside what the game does well, and the balance still lands in positive territory for adventure fans. The story is arguably the most ambitious in the series, weaving Knights Templar mythology, global conspiracy, and personal stakes into a plot that sustains pace across its runtime. Locations feel distinct, the dual-character mechanic of swapping between George and Nico adds variety, and the cooperative puzzles that require both characters to work in tandem are among the game's design highlights. If you have already played the earlier entries, the call-backs and returning characters carry genuine warmth. If this is your first Broken Sword, you lose little by starting here, though the series' roots make more sense with context. For new players or returning fans weighing up whether it holds up: the story still does. The controls are a period compromise that modern players can adapt to with patience, and a gamepad helps considerably on PC. Think of it as a cinematic adventure with one irritating mechanical habit that nobody bothered to stop. The highs are high enough to justify the trip.

Alex · Scout Team

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