Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged is the 2024 remaster of Revolution Software’s 1996 point-and-click adventure, not a new story or the later Director’s Cut. It keeps George Stobbart and Nico Collard’s Templar-linked mystery while refreshing the presentation and adding optional guidance. That makes it a more approachable way to revisit the classic, though the visual overhaul is not an unqualified improvement: one review found parts of it muted or strange. Whether Reforged is the right version depends on how much you value its higher-resolution artwork and modern options against the original’s familiar look.
What is Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged?
Reforged is a remastered edition of the original 1996 adventure. American tourist George Stobbart and journalist Nico Collard investigate a mystery that leads into a conspiracy connected with the Knights Templar. The game unfolds through exploration, observation, conversations, clue gathering and puzzles, with a fully voiced cast. Revolution Software presents it as a globe-spanning adventure; its central story remains the one told in the original game. Revolution Software’s game page describes the premise and experience.
That distinction matters if you are choosing between editions. MeriStation’s review, updated 3 October 2024, says Reforged follows the 1996 game and does not include the changes and added material introduced in the 2009 Director’s Cut. Reforged is therefore best understood as a presentation refresh of the original, not a combined or expanded edition. MeriStation’s review discusses the version distinction.
What changes in Reforged?
Higher-resolution artwork and enhanced audio
Revolution advertises remastered visuals in 4K and enhanced audio, including the original soundtrack by composer Barrington Pheloung. In a PlayStation.Blog feature, Revolution founder and CEO Charles Cecil says the team restored backgrounds from the original pencil layouts, using screens from the original game as references. He describes the work as covering more than 100 backgrounds and 30,000 sprites, meaning animation frames. Cecil also says the 4K artwork is over 50 times the resolution of the original PlayStation version. These are the developer’s descriptions of the restoration and resolution, rather than independent image-quality measurements. Cecil’s PlayStation.Blog feature explains the project.
#1 Best Overall
- The Art Of Point-And-Click Adventure Games 3E /Books
Traditional play or added guidance
Reforged offers a traditional approach alongside a new Story Mode, according to Cecil. MeriStation also describes an optional gradual hint system. Players who want to solve the puzzles with minimal prompting can stick with the traditional approach; those who get stuck can use guidance rather than abandoning a puzzle or looking elsewhere for its solution. The available descriptions establish that these options exist, but do not spell out every interface difference between the two approaches.
How does the visual update hold up?
The remaster’s clearest trade-off is that sharper artwork does not guarantee a uniformly better-looking game. MeriStation praises the improved audiovisual presentation but judges the visual revision uneven, reporting that some elements look muted or strange and raising concerns about AI use in portions of the graphic retouching. Those are that reviewer’s observations, not a universal verdict or proof that every scene has the same issue.
Rank #2
- Beautiful graphics bring haunting scenes to life!
- Solve devious puzzles and riddles!
- Explore the Asylum grounds and unravel the story behind this mysterious place!
- Complete 10 chapters - all FREE - each with unique escape challenges!
- Uncover the truth about Anna’s past!
Cecil’s account supplies useful context for the restoration goal: he says the original layouts informed the background work and that extra detail can make puzzle-relevant elements easier to see. That is the creator’s rationale, while MeriStation’s review offers a more critical assessment of the result. The practical choice is whether you prefer Reforged’s higher-resolution treatment and options or the look of the original; the available evidence does not establish that every player will prefer the revision.
Is Reforged worth playing?
If you want to experience the original Broken Sword story with a contemporary presentation and the option of hints, Reforged is a sensible version to consider. Its core appeal remains the character-led mystery, voiced conversations and clue-driven puzzles, rather than a rewritten plot. The guidance options are particularly relevant if classic adventure-game puzzles feel intimidating, while the traditional approach preserves a less assisted route.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRank #3
- Lost & Alone invites you to explore a breathtaking vast and open world in this epic & dramatic Point & Click Adventure Game.
- Classic Point & Click Adventure Escape game with breathtaking HDR scenery, intriguing puzzles, and a mysterious storyline that will captivate you from the beginning...
- Embark on the Adventure of a lifetime in the vast, and open land of Lost & Alone. Collect items and artifacts on your quest of discovery & solve riddles and bewildering puzzles along the way...
- Stunning HDR Scenery will blow your mind - gorgeous areas to explore with so much eye candy with the visuals!
- Find notes & clues, and put the pieces together while exploring a massive world with over 100 scenes of beautifully photographed imagery.
If your priority is the 2009 Director’s Cut material, Reforged is not a substitute for that edition. And if you are sensitive to changes in hand-drawn-era artwork, take the mixed visual response seriously: the remaster’s increased resolution is a technical improvement claimed by the developer, but not a guarantee that its art direction will suit your taste.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Platforms and release details
Documented releases include PC on Steam, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Store availability, language details and edition information may differ by region, so check the local listing before purchasing.
Rank #4
- Do you love Mystery Games, Adventure Games and Classic Point & Click Adventure and Puzzle Games, because if you do this daring Mysterious Adventure will enthrall your senses.
- Stunning photography & professionally designed imagery will delight lovers of Adventure Games!
- Interwoven story with peculiar and tricky puzzles!
- Built in Hint System, Map, Compass, and Diary notes to help you on this Adventure!
- Solve Riddles, Puzzles, collect inventory, and solve the mystery of Sycamore Hill!
| Platform | Documented release detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Steam lists the game as released 19 September 2024, with Revolution Software as developer and publisher. The listing also has separate digital add-ons for the game manual/travel guide and soundtrack. | Steam |
| PlayStation 5 | PlayStation.Blog announced a PS5 launch for 19 September 2024. | PlayStation.Blog |
| Nintendo Switch | Nintendo’s US store lists a digital edition released 31 October 2024, with TV, tabletop and handheld modes. It lists English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese language options, and says the version is supported on Switch 2 with behavior consistent with Switch. Store details can vary by region. | Nintendo US store |
A PS5 catalog record associates the game with Red Art Games, but that record does not establish a current retailer listing, physical format, stock or Amazon availability. RF Generation’s catalog entry is a catalog reference, not a live purchase listing.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Complete 9 chapters - all FREE - each with unique escape challenges!
- Gather tools and items to aid in your escape!
- Discover the mystery of the Time Library!
- Hilarious story with memorable characters like Hiro!
- Solve devious puzzles and riddles!
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →
