I am now half way through this game and I figure I must be missing something. This just doesn't appear to be a true adventure game to me. Hardly any puzzles, just going around carrying on conversations. The two or three puzzles I have encountered so far were so easy a 5 year old could figure them out. I sure hope 2 is a little more challenging with more puzzles. I just feel like I am watching a movie rather than playing a game.
Also, I've noticed that BSI is listed by some as Circle of Blood. Why is my version of BS1 called The Shadow of the Templars?

i believe that it was renamed "Circle of Blood" when it came to the states (to the developers' surprise!)

i'm discouraged to hear this because i am about to load this game up. i have been looking forward to it... i hope i enjoy it more than you are!

-emily

Emily, The game appears on a lot of peoples twisty list, However it would not be a game I would recommend to a first timer. I think they would be bored and be discouraged from playing other adventue games, I know I would have. The game is mostly conversation, going here, going there, talking to this one, talking to that one. A major lack of puzzles to solve. But that could be some peoples reason for liking it. I'm baffled that it appears on a lot of twisty list that dont even include a masterpiece like the Longest Journey or Syberia.

I'm a bit surprised that you think there is a shortage of puzzles.

Hi.

I'm a LOT surprised that you think there is a shortage of puzzles

Trouble is there are 2 tuype of adventure gamers,ones who like Myst style games where there are most mostly like games where you wonder around usually in first person rarely meeting anyone or talking to people and doing alot of puzzles and brain teasers.The others are usually third person and you meet alot of people with alot of conversations to find out about story and plot and what other characters in the story are about.There are some people who like both styles.And then there are games which are action adventure.Who is correct in saying there is only one type of real adventure game.To me this is the fustrating thing about the genre of adventure games,because to me there are some adventure games I have bought that I was dissapointed that I purchased

The progression of the BS game I am playing is through mostly conversation, I have encountered two puzzles so far. The tool for opening grates, and the cloth with the water and the plaster so you can open the door in the dungeon. I checked the walkthrough to see how far I was in the game and I could not believe I was half way through and only had these two puzzles. That is why I asked if I missed something.

Well, there you go. For you a puzzle is using a tool to do something. Other people would say that 1. getting around the goat; 2. Getting into the hotel room; 3. Getting the papers out of the hotel room without getting iced by the two goons; to name just a few from the beginning of the game, were puzzles.

Also, your astonishment that people could put BS1 and not TLJ on their top 15 lists is pretty weird. I liked TLJ (it's on my own list, a few slots below BS1) but the complaint one heard about it is that its a talk-to-everybody-about-everything gabfest.
Just what you are saying about BS1. It's not true of either, of course

Duh, May I defend my own ignorance? I really didnt consider the goat, the papers, etc. as puzzles for the reason I didn't use inventory items. I thought the use of inventory items made the puzzle. There were only two puzzles to figure out that used inventory items. The cloth for wetting and the tool for opening the sewer. I guess what I should have said (if I would have known better) is that it is lacking inventory based puzzles which is more or less what I am used to. TLJ made a lot of use of inventory items. Also a game with a lot of conversation that only somewhat holds your interest could be called a "gabfest. As with TLJ the story was so wonderful, so invovling, so spiritual, I didnt look at it as a gabfest. The game moved me like no other. Sorry you thought I was being contradictory. I was, but not intentional.

i think this is a good example of players gravitating towards what they're used to... even though we don't always realize we're doing it.

and sometimes we just love one game and hate another. i wasn't too keen on the dialogue in TLJ... even though i generally like being able to interact a lot with characters.

i will hopefully be loading up this game tonight, so maybe tomorrow i'll have more to say on the subject!

emily

I loved both Broken Sword 1 and The Longest Journey. Everybody has their own tastes. Alot of people list the Myst series among their favorite and I never cared for them because of the lack of character interaction. I bet when the new twisty list in done you will see all of these games up near the top.

I can see that you prefer inventory based puzzles. I like them in classic games. But there are many games that have hands on type puzzles involving no inventory items at all. Sliders, locked door puzzles are all like this. There may be music, visual based puzzles. The end puzzle in Simon 3D involves nothing in the game at all. Not giving away any more about it than that. It's awesome.

Discovering who to talk to - what to ask them and what to say is also a puzzle/challenge if solving it advances the game. But I can certainly understand your preference for inventory driven games.

Laura

Johnboy: I am currently playing #2 and I think it is MUCH better. The dialogues are much shorter although there still are alot of conversations but with better character development. However, there are many more puzzles than before using the inventory, although they still do remain relatively easy. Easy is fine with me though Many have said it is shorter than the first, but it is taking me as long to play the second. Exciting plot and gameplay, not quite so far fetched, less long-winded, and you get to play as Nico! I find it to be a definite improvement.

I am enjoying it better now that I have gotten into the caves. Its getting a little more interesting. I am so used to having to use a walkthrough to get through a game this is blowing me away that I have gotten this far without having to use one. Looking forward to part2.