Broken Sword - Parzival's Stone

[Infinitron]

 

[d1r]

3D fucking ugly

 

[Maxie]

looks exactly the same as broken sword 5, probably as bad too
don't waste your money on the remaster of bs1 niggas the original version is coded very well and runs natively on modern systems

 

[Shinji]

Every cartoonish 3D character now looks like a Fortnite character.

The backgrounds look nice, but the 3D characters don't match the art style.

And when you put the first game in the same trailer, the difference in quality becomes even more apparent.

 

[Shinji]

On the new game:

Parzival’s Stone will reintroduce 3D graphics to the series, after a return to the original 2D in 2013’s fifth, Kickstarter-funded game, The Serpent’s Curse. But series creator Charles Cecil has dubbed the new graphical style “Super 2D” as it attempts to recreate the look of the original games by applying hand-drawn textures to the 3D geometry. It will have a classic, point-and-click adventure game interface.

Parzival’s Stone will send George and Nico on a quest for the mythical Holy Grail — “but not as one might expect,” according to the press release. Their quest will take them to Montségur in the South of France, former stronghold of the Cathar Christian sect, and pit them against tech entrepreneurs, government agencies, and energy corporations in a story that also involves Nazi treasure hunters (but of course) and quantum physics.

On the remaster:

The new version of the first game — in which George witnesses a bomb attack on a Parisian café, drawing him into a mystery involving the Knights Templar — notably updates its hand-drawn, animated-film-style visuals from 640x400 pixels to 4K resolution with fully redrawn assets. This enormous task was accomplished with a mixture of human artists and A.I. techniques; Revolution head Charles Cecil told Polygon that the tiny studio “just simply couldn’t afford” to remake the game without using A.I. The game’s audio will also be upscaled, a few minor changes made to story and characterization to fit modern sensibilities, and gameplay improvements brought over from the currently available Director’s Cut version.

Cecil said that, if the reissue of Shadow of the Templars is a success, the intention is to follow it up with a remaster of the second Broken Sword game, The Smoking Mirror, using the same techniques.

Source: Polygon

 

[Rahdulan]

I mean, it's 3D and I didn't really like 3D Broken Sword titles. Not sure how I feel about the remaster, especially if they're fiddling with it. "For modern sensibilities" is on the level of "toxic" as far as meaningless yet detestable terms go.

 

[Strig]

Wait, wasn't Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut already in higher res than the original? I didn't even bother to check it out as the changes to the style didn't sit well with me.

 

[Terra]

Yeah, there's nothing "super 2D" about that Charles, it just looks a bit meh overall as it stands. We all know why you're making it in 3D then trying to glamour it up into a 2D look; it's cheaper and faster to make, just fucking say it.

I think 5, which I've yet to get around to playing had a better look than this, I think 5 used 3D models too but the end result blended together more cohesively than this is looking to. Oh well, at least Nico is looking decent... To be honest Nico's aesthetic seems to be meshing with the whole style a lot more than George. It is what it is I guess.

 

[Sordid MCA/Prosper Hybryd]

"Cecil is not above making a few changes to “some of the things, which, culturally, have always slightly worried me” about the 1996 game to make it “a little bit more culturally appropriate for 2023.” He cites the examples of a Syrian carpet seller character, changed to be less “stereotypically mean, he’s slightly more jovial,” and an awkward moment between the game’s pair of heroes, American patent lawyer George Stobbart and French journalist Nico Collard. “There’s another point where Nico is tied up, and George can kiss her when she’s tied up. And you know, that’s just a little bit strange. [...] It’s just three or four very, very minor things. But, you know, the example of that character, I’d been embarrassed about it pretty much from the beginning. So it’s just wonderful to be able just to tweak it [...] but without losing the core charm that existed.”"

 

[Ludwig von Eisenthal]

What a disappointment this Cecil guy has become. The 2013-relaunch was already pretty weak, especially compared with BS1 and 2. And now he feels inclined to respect "modern sensibilities" and in this assfucks his own creation on the way to appease the deranged Zeitgeist and its zealots. He can create as many adventures as he likes, with all "modern sensibilities" stuffed into, I don't care. But it deeply saddens me that he even dares to fuck his only true masterpieces with this "treatment". Is there a secret law of the universe that dictates that formerly successful (and even creative) adventure game developers transform into spineless losers at some point of their life cycle?

 

[Maxie]

"Cecil is not above making a few changes to “some of the things, which, culturally, have always slightly worried me” about the 1996 game to make it “a little bit more culturally appropriate for 2023.” He cites the examples of a Syrian carpet seller character, changed to be less “stereotypically mean, he’s slightly more jovial,” and an awkward moment between the game’s pair of heroes, American patent lawyer George Stobbart and French journalist Nico Collard. “There’s another point where Nico is tied up, and George can kiss her when she’s tied up. And you know, that’s just a little bit strange. [...] It’s just three or four very, very minor things. But, you know, the example of that character, I’d been embarrassed about it pretty much from the beginning. So it’s just wonderful to be able just to tweak it [...] but without losing the core charm that existed.”"

Cecil, being the racist Briton he happens to be, assumes that Syrian carpet sellers cannot be stereotypically mean whether in life or fiction, they have to all have a heart of gold and Dickensian sly charm 24/7, as if any Syrian carpet seller would bother to muster these against George, some clueless yank who randomly bothers them, and doesn't even intend to buy anything
having a personality is reserved to native English speakers, conditionally extended to other protestant cultures and the French if needed

 

[Wizfall]

I like much better 2D but those 3D grahics are ok.
The main issue will be the quality of everything else : "atmosphere", dialogue and scenario in this order.
BS 5 was very average and quite a deception despite quite good graphics, the game simply did not grab me.
But still happy by the news as i really like the series, especially the first one of course.
0 interest in the remake, the original is better than the director's cut IMO

By the way i can't believe BS5 was in 2013 already ten years ago !

 

[Infinitron]

Steam page:

From multi award-winning Revolution Software and legendary director Charles Cecil comes the latest genre-defining adventure. Remembering a murderous clown, a deadly explosion and a life-changing adventure, intrepid George Stobbart and fearless journalist, Nico Collard, are summoned by an eccentric academic to help decipher a mysterious medieval manuscript. But they arrive to find themselves in the middle of a murder scene - the academic is dead, his house ransacked, and the manuscript has gone. Our two heroes promise the grieving wife that they will bring the callous murderers to justice.

Take on the roles of George and Nico as they find themselves drawn into a terrifying conspiracy involving brutal treasure hunters, sinister medieval cabals, and the perplexities of Quantum Physics.

The trail leads our heroes from Berlin to Paris and Occitania as the ancient manuscript reveals clues to the secret location of Parzival’s Stone - known to most as the Grail - a mythical treasure lost for over a thousand years and a source of a thousand legends.

Pursued by ruthless tech entrepreneurs, corrupt government agencies, and billion-dollar global energy corporations, the collective powers of the modern world are all out to beat our heroes to the ultimate goal.

Using wits and dry humor, can George and Nico unravel the mystery of Parzival’s Stone? Because they might just well be the only things stopping the whole world from armageddon.

Key Features:​

• Continue the Journey: The latest in the seminal Broken Sword series offers more of the very best in intelligent adventure gaming
• 4K ’Super 2D’ Visuals: Experience the magic of ’Super 2D' with artist-rendered, high-definition graphics in a beautiful mix of traditional 2D and cutting-edge 3D animation, bringing picturesque landscapes, detailed characters, and intricate environments to life in exquisite 4K
• Point-and-Click Gameplay: An intuitive interface offers challenging and thought-provoking puzzles with every challenge leading a step closer to uncovering the terrifying truth of Parzival’s stone
• Fully Voice Acted: A wonderful cast of colorful local characters is brought to life by an outstanding cast of voice actors

 

[Maxie]

comes the latest genre-defining adventure

is this a threat

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.eurogamer.net/broken-sw...by-original-remaster-and-brand-new-sixth-game

Then we move on to discuss Broken Sword 6, which brings us back to those bleeding stones.

"I want to talk to you about my love of history," said Cecil, before sweeping me up into a long tale of Gnosticism and Orthodox Christianity, of myths about the Holy Grail, the Dominican Order, and the Château de Montségur near the French Pyrenees that was originally a Cathar fortress.

Then he shows me two "Grail stones", tiny pebbles he briefly pops into his mouth and then rubs together between his fingers. He turns them to me and indeed these miniscule grey lumps are bleeding bright red.

Anyone who's played a Broken Sword game will be acutely aware of their gripping storytelling; it turns out Cecil himself is also a fabulous storyteller. To say more of his holiday stories in the South of France would give away too much of the new game's plot, but rest assured it will provide opportunities to parallel past and future, to conjure gameplay from mythology, and to be authentic to real history.


The new game will employ "Super 2D" visuals. | Image credit: Revolution Software

Broken Sword 6 will also employ what Cecil is calling "Super 2D": the visuals maintain a hand-drawn look of pencil and paint, but with depth and layers to simulate 3D. The environments, at least, look stunning.

For fans of the series, it will be a long wait for the sixth game, which is in development but still without a release date - though it's set for PC, console and mobile. At least there's the remaster - due in 2024 - to keep us all busy until then.

 

[Neuromancer]

This doesn't look hand-drawn as all.
It has this kind of artificial plastic look from all these 2 1/2D (meaning prerendered backgrounds displayed in 2D with inserted 3D characters) from 15-20 years ago.

Only some of them, like Syberia 1 and 2 looked way better.

 

[duskvile]

comes the latest genre-defining adventure

is this a threat

You're in for the treat.

 

[Strig]

This doesn't look hand-drawn as all.
It has this kind of artificial plastic look from all these 2 1/2D (meaning prerendered backgrounds displayed in 2D with inserted 3D characters) from 15-20 years ago.

Only some of them, like Syberia 1 and 2 looked way better.

The city scene looks lousy, but the village shown in the showcase mostly pulls off an illusion of a painted scene. At least while the camera is static and they don't zoom in too much, because the close up during the dialogue scene was absolutely terrible. I do miss the high quality of these older adventures, truly a lightning in a bottle.

 

[Barbarian]

Isn't this basically the only classic/old school P&C adventure game developer still afoot?

I suppose the fixture with constant remasters and ports is part of the reason this company is still viable. It is getting a bit annoying though. Also BS5 and BSS 2 were quite meh.

There was a thread here years ago about how the guy who wrote most of the original games wasn't actually Charles Cecil, but rather Dave Cummins(who died alone and forgotten after leaving the company, by all accounts). It figures.

 

[negator2vc]

Isn't this basically the only classic/old school P&C adventure game developer still afoot?

I suppose the fixture with constant remasters and ports is part of the reason this company is still viable. It is getting a bit annoying though. Also BS5 and BSS 2 were quite meh.

There was a thread here years ago about how the guy who wrote most of the original games wasn't actually Charles Cecil, but rather Dave Cummins(who died alone and forgotten after leaving the company, by all accounts). It figures.

Not the only one unfortunately .
Ron Gilbert, The Coles, The Williams are among those still around (more or less).
Considering the meh to WTF games they have released recently I am quite happy to see the genre in the hands of the indie game devs.

 

[Barbarian]

Isn't this basically the only classic/old school P&C adventure game developer still afoot?

I suppose the fixture with constant remasters and ports is part of the reason this company is still viable. It is getting a bit annoying though. Also BS5 and BSS 2 were quite meh.

There was a thread here years ago about how the guy who wrote most of the original games wasn't actually Charles Cecil, but rather Dave Cummins(who died alone and forgotten after leaving the company, by all accounts). It figures.

Not the only one unfortunately .
Ron Gilbert, The Coles, The Williams are among those still around (more or less).
Considering the meh to WTF games they have released recently I am quite happy to see the genre in the hands of the indie game devs.

But those devs were inactive for over a decade and their original companies went bankrupt or were sold long ago.

Cecil and Revolution have continued making games since the early 90s.

 

[Neuromancer]

I suppose the fixture with constant remasters and ports is part of the reason this company is still viable.

Yes, Charles Cecil said once in an interview, that the remasters for the iphone (other ports came later) basically saved the company.
Although at that time only a handful of people were left.

 

[Neuromancer]

Isn't this basically the only classic/old school P&C adventure game developer still afoot?

I suppose the fixture with constant remasters and ports is part of the reason this company is still viable. It is getting a bit annoying though. Also BS5 and BSS 2 were quite meh.

There was a thread here years ago about how the guy who wrote most of the original games wasn't actually Charles Cecil, but rather Dave Cummins(who died alone and forgotten after leaving the company, by all accounts). It figures.

Not the only one unfortunately .
Ron Gilbert, The Coles, The Williams are among those still around (more or less).
Considering the meh to WTF games they have released recently I am quite happy to see the genre in the hands of the indie game devs.

But those devs were inactive for over a decade and their original companies went bankrupt or were sold long ago.

Cecil and Revolution have continued making games since the early 90s.

As far as I remember, the only other adventure developer that stayed constantly in business, was Cyan.
But then, they didn't produce classic P&C adventures.

 

[OndrejSc]

I liked 3 the best. Played it on my PlayStation 2.

 

[OndrejSc]

Unlisted from Steam?