Classic Puzzle Adventure Coming to Wii, DS
In the early incarnations of video games while kids were playing simple platformers like Mario Bros. and Joust, many gamers were getting their fix from games that were uncomplicated in terms of visuals but valued brainpower and logic over quick reflexes and careful timing. These were often text-based and relied on detailed descriptions. When graphics and the mouse came along game designers melded them together to create a genre that still delights many gamers today: the point-and-click adventure. While occasionally a puzzle would simply be a frustrating pixel hunt there were many classics known for their complex yet enjoyable puzzles and deep, intricate storylines.
One classic, Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars, is getting a resurrection and a bit of a facelift. The game will be brought to both the Wii and the DS with this new ‘directors cut’ version building on the original with extra narrative and puzzles. The game will also feature facial animations done by Dave Gibbons, the man behind the art of the Watchmen graphic novel.
Players unfamiliar with the story will begin as a photojournalist who witnesses the murder of a Parisian statesman and eventually get drawn into the web of a vast conspiracy that has its roots in medieval legend. Both versions are due out in March of next year.