Circle of Blood

Developer: Revolution Software
Publisher: Virgin Interactive
Released: 1996

Walkthrough

I am playing the first two Broken Sword games in anticipation of the third.

It is true that these are “older” games but I have never played them before and I am sure there are a lot of other gamers out there who are wondering about them in anticipation of the third game in line. This is the reason that I am revisiting the first game with this review in spite of the fact that there is a very good review available on GameBoomers.

CIRCLE OF BLOOD

Game is point and click, third person, linear and inventory based with puzzles. You can die at several places and than you are discretely buried by a grey haired gentleman.

Story

George a young American tourist is and innocent bystander of the bombing of a Café in Paris, he is appalled at the destruction and enraged by the senseless murder of a man carried out by an assassin in a clown’s disguise. He meets a free lance photojournalist a young French woman and they decide to go after the killer. The investigation takes place in different parts of the world. We go from Paris to Ireland, Syria, Spain, and England.

The main story line is clear, George finds himself in the midst of the activities of the “New Templars” who are trying to re forge an ancient weapon and with it rule the world.

The whole thing ends with a satisfying big bang, all the bad guys are done in and the protagonists who are argumentative all through the game kiss in the afterglow of the explosion and are ready for the next adventure.

I have to say that I like Circle of Blood very much. I find the story interesting and quite comprehensive. The little side stories are concluded and nothing is left hanging in the air as it in so many other games.


Characters

George is a brash young American who rushes in where angels fear to thread.

At each place we go to we meet characters representative to their area, lovingly portrayed with kindly satire. They are all interesting, they talk and talk but even when you are ready to be annoyed by all the talk the little details that are worked into the game so skillfully entertain you. A plump flower seller casts adoring looks at George while she knits furiously never dropping a stitch. The goat in the Irish castle has a mean look that turns into bewilderment when he is trapped, the little boy in the market place fidgets like little boys do when they brag. The tourist couple comes alive in the Syrian market place complete with sunglasses and cameras, while the kebob vendor is a real hoot as he bastes his wares with his unusual cooking implement and the taxi drive’s flowery language really tickles the funny bone.

All the characters are works of art none of them is skimpy each has a personality and even the obnoxious ones have their moment of amiability. I think it is a very nice touch and we experience this form of presentation later in TLJ and Syberia where it is refined even more.

Music and Voice

I found both the music and the voice acting good, the later rounds out the character of the speaker form the sexy voice of Nichole to the officious museum guide, the hoods, the lazy policeman and the English aristocrat (we will not mention the hotel clerk, that would be politically incorrect), there is a whole range of emotions portrayed here to the players satisfaction.


Playing the Game*

Looking at the game play in the time frame it belongs I must say that it is very good. I like the clear colorful background and the cursor action (a changing hand). Moving George and minding of the inventory are a pleasure with a very few exceptions where we have to pixel hunt or move fast. Some of the puzzles are hard to figure out and you have to talk to people over and over again and examine the smallest details with grate care so not to miss an important clue.

The other thing that is very gratifying is that there are no bugs.

This game stands the test of time, it is just as fresh and entertaining as it was in 1996.

*The game played well on my Pentium II, Win 98 Sony with and old Radeon card (updated driver and DirecX 8). I have not tried it on my XP.

Glad to see your review. I always have enjoyed tyour review style. Very nice touch adding the links. I agree about the voices. I thought some of the outstanding elements of both games were the voice talent and ambiant music.

I read somewhere recently that they have re-signed the actor who did the voice of George for the new Broken Sword game.

Laura

Hi lasanidine

Glad to see this game getting the positive review that it deserves

[Hoping for as much pleasure with BS3 as BS1 & BS2 gave ]

Cheers.

Mad