Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon

About

"Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon" is a 3D adventure game with fixed cinematic perspectives and full 5.1 sound. Players control George or Nico, exploring environments, conversing with characters, and searching/combining items. Action sequences, including ducking, sneaking, and moving crates, add variety to the gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon screenshot

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 403 reviews

story97 positive mentions

gameplay14 negative mentions

The story is engaging and continues the narrative from the first two games, featuring familiar characters and new twists.
The voice acting and dialogue are well done, maintaining the charm and humor of the series.
The graphics, while dated, still offer a colorful and vibrant world that adds to the overall atmosphere.

The controls are clunky and frustrating, relying solely on keyboard input without mouse support, making navigation difficult.
There are an excessive number of box-pushing puzzles that feel tedious and detract from the overall experience.
The camera angles are often awkward, leading to confusion about character movement and direction.

story
212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
50%
5%
The story of "Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon" is generally regarded as a solid continuation of the series, featuring familiar characters and engaging writing that evokes nostalgia for fans of the earlier games. However, many reviewers noted inconsistencies and a disjointed narrative, particularly in the latter parts, which detracted from the overall experience. While the story is entertaining and has its moments, it often feels overshadowed by gameplay issues and a departure from the charm of its predecessors.
- “The story is engaging and takes the series back to its roots.”
- “The story was a little annoying as I'd gotten a little bored by now with Templars.”
- “The story, music, and characters saved this game.”
- “However, the story in this one was even more far-fetched and lacking than I could have imagined, and several times there were inconsistencies within the same cutscene.”
- “The story was quite okay for the most part, until they managed to ruin that as well with a ridiculous ending.”
- “I forced myself to sit through this game, hoping the story would make it worthwhile, but the ending was very disappointing.”
graphics
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
57%
17%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated and subpar, especially when compared to the earlier titles in the series, which featured charming 2D art. While some reviewers acknowledge that the 3D visuals were impressive for their time in 2003, many criticize the awkward camera angles and lack of detail, leading to a less engaging experience. Overall, the transition to 3D has not aged well, detracting from the game's appeal despite its strong story and voice acting.
- “The art and graphics were very impressive back in 2003, and while certainly dated now, they still hold up rather well, I feel, on the smaller screen of Valve’s venerable Steam Deck.”
- “The graphics have a bulky, vivid, and colorful character that has an old-school charm - not modern by any stretch, but of its time, and it does not suffer the problem that the early Resident Evil games had, where the backgrounds and moving characters looked jarringly different because the environments were pre-rendered.”
- “Yes, there are quite a few box puzzles, and the controls take a while to assimilate, but the story is amazing, the graphics are gorgeous to watch, and the music and voice acting are top-notch.”
- “Graphics are dated, especially since this had to run on Xbox and PS2 as well.”
- “The gameplay is terrible, the graphics are damning, and controls are a crime against the customers who purchase this title.”
- “The graphics haven't aged too well.”
gameplay
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
70%
16%
The gameplay of "Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon" has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the transition from the beloved point-and-click mechanics of the earlier titles to a clunky 3D system that features awkward controls and frustrating camera angles. While some appreciate the introduction of new mechanics and the engaging story, the overall execution has left many feeling disappointed, citing issues like repetitive puzzles and a lack of the charm found in the previous games. Despite its flaws, the game still offers a decent amount of content, but players may find the gameplay experience to be a significant downgrade from its predecessors.
- “The story was fun and the mechanics set new expectations for the series.”
- “The beautifully crafted world, rich characters, and clever mechanics make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
- “New mechanics have been introduced, so even if the third dimension wasn't necessary, it suits this adventure fine as the items you can interact with are easily marked and reachable, the character can move fluently, and the camera system has been studied enough to prevent as much as possible those classic shot troubles.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are truly terrible, however.”
- “Unfortunately, a lot of this is ruined by the gameplay itself.”
- “The gameplay is terrible, the graphics are damning and controls are a crime against the customers who purchase this title.”
grinding
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium throughout the game, particularly due to repetitive box-pushing puzzles and frustrating stealth sections exacerbated by clunky controls and poor camera angles. While some players found enjoyment in the story and certain puzzles, the overall experience is marred by the tedious nature of gameplay mechanics, leading to a mixed reception. Many reviewers suggest that the game feels outdated, with its design choices contributing to a frustrating and drawn-out experience.
- “The game overall is too tedious to be happily redoing the lost parts.”
- “It's disappointing, since I do have fond memories of this game and I think it has its good points, but the clunkiness of the camera/controls and the general lack of direction make playing such a frustrating and tedious experience that it ruins any investment in the story or joy from puzzle-solving.”
- “If you cannot handle the old-school awful controls, camera angles, and tedious puzzle design, I suggest you pass it.”
humor
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the witty dialogue, character interactions, and the series' trademark comedic style. However, some critiques highlight that the humor can be inconsistent, with certain accents and character portrayals veering into offensive territory. Overall, while the game maintains a fun atmosphere and delivers laughs, technical issues and a lack of emotional depth in the visuals detract from the experience.
- “The writing was fun and often made me laugh, even if the plot was a bit of a shambles filled with mcguffins.”
- “The humor is still intact.”
- “Because, as always, you will meet some of your favorite characters, you will see or hear a few good jokes and funny situations.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the orchestral soundtrack and its ability to enhance the gaming experience, while others find it lackluster or recycled from previous titles. Voice acting is generally well-received, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere. Despite some criticisms regarding volume levels and repetitiveness, many players appreciate the music's role in immersing them in the story.
- “George and Nico are great as always, the music and the story are fantastic.”
- “I have always loved the Broken Sword OST, and this game is no different; the music is incredible and really makes the game so much better.”
- “The standout feature of Sleeping Dragon, however, has to be the familiar but nonetheless fantastic orchestral soundtrack that accompanies you around the world.”
- “The background music was a little loud and overwhelming.”
- “It's just a shame that a jaunty and adventurous soundtrack is creatively sapped by the innately drab mechanics and story underlying Sleeping Dragon.”
- “The music is okay, but nothing really worth mentioning; it feels kind of recycled from previous games.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is largely criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs, frustrating controls, and camera issues that detract from the gameplay experience. While some mention minor glitches, the overall consensus highlights significant stability problems, including freezing and audio delays.
- “Game is buggy, the controls are awful and the camera's point of view is extremely frustrating.”
- “Constantly freezes.”
- “A hot buggy mess, story was decent.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by an excellent score that evokes strong emotions, though some players feel it lacks immersion due to less engaging environments and character connections. While the classic quiet atmosphere is appreciated, the presence of generic villains and clichéd scenarios detracts from the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is there, believe me.”
- “The score is probably one of the best things about this game - it's excellent and really adds to the atmosphere and emotion of the game.”
- “I felt less connected to the characters, and there was definitely less atmosphere in each environment, resulting in a lack of immersion.”
- “Honestly, I did enjoy this because it gave a small excitement to the classic quiet atmosphere of the old adventures.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's incorporation of European myths and legends, which adds a layer of emotional depth to the story. However, the 3D art design and sound elements, intended to enhance immersion, often fall short, leaving some players feeling disconnected from the overall experience.
- “I also like the story, touching on some nice European myths and legends.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Character development in the game features visually appealing models that have aged well, though some designs may come off as overly silly. Players can anticipate engaging and interesting character arcs throughout the narrative.
- “Expect to see interesting character developments.”
- “The character models, technically speaking, look fairly nice and have aged decently.”
- “The character models, technically speaking, look fairly nice and have aged decently, but there are a few character designs that are too silly even for Broken Sword standards.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks the depth needed to make players truly connect with the characters.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, making it hard to stay invested in their journeys.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with users finding the $6 price tag for what is essentially abandonware to be unreasonable and exploitative.
- “There's a ridiculous nostalgia/cash grab price of $6 USD on this abandonware... that's not really acceptable.”