Broken Sword - The Sleeping Dragon
Broken Sword - The Sleeping Dragon is a PlayStation 2 puzzle game released in 2003 developed by Revolution Software. It centers on rule recognition, spatial or logical judgment, and successive puzzle solving, with controls and information arranged around the DualShock 2 twin analog sticks, directional pad, shoulder and face buttons, with a dedicated peripheral only where explicitly required.
- AI score · out of 10
- 7.4 / 10
About this game
Broken Sword - The Sleeping Dragon is a PlayStation 2 puzzle game centered on rule recognition, spatial or logical judgment, and successive puzzle solving. Compact stages add conditions and tighter constraints over time, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Graphics, audio, and input feedback need to support decisions directly, while 3D scenes, streamed data, cinematics, surround audio, and interlaced television output need to preserve action and state readability together. The genre-specific limitation is that limited explanations, input recognition, repetition, or abrupt difficulty can stall progress. Platform conditions also include DVD loading, the 8MB Memory Card, analog sticks and pressure-sensitive buttons, Multitap, Network Adapter, dedicated peripherals, and retired online services affect present-day use. This description covers only this platform release and does not import features or conveniences from remasters, emulators, or other console editions.
Collected in series
Broken Sword follows George Stobbart and journalist Nico Collard through mysteries where ordinary clues lead into dangerous conspiracies. Conversations, curious objects and carefully observed details drive the investigations, with dry humor giving the pair room to breathe between discoveries.
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PlayStation 2
AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
A charming conspiracy adventure whose writing outshines its crates and awkward action beats.
The Sleeping Dragon sends George and Nico from the Congo through Paris and Prague in a lively conspiracy mystery. Alternating viewpoints, sharp dialogue and eccentric supporting characters give the journey a reason to continue. Direct movement and contextual action icons make examining clues, climbing and simpler puzzles approachable on a controller. The trade-off is a more restricted path than the earlier point-and-click adventures, with too many locked doors and crate-moving problems. Occasional timed actions also interrupt the investigative rhythm; failure can mean replaying dialogue that cannot be skipped. Colorful three-dimensional locations, expressive faces, orchestral cues and energetic voice performances preserve the series' distinctive warmth. On console, preset camera cuts can reverse movement unexpectedly, precise hotspot alignment creates needless friction, and repeated loading breaks up exploration. The story remains rewarding, but the interface frequently asks the player to tolerate it rather than enjoy it.
Strengths
- Witty two-protagonist mystery and memorable characters
- Expressive art, score and voice work
Weaknesses
- Repetitive crates and forced scene replays
- Fixed-camera controls and disruptive loading
Who it is for: Adventure fans who prize dialogue, character and mystery over fluid action.
Play notes: Original PS2 and Xbox releases judged separately; the PC-specific sound bug is not attributed to them.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Narrative momentum is strong until reused obstacles and compulsory scene replays dilute it. | Reviewed | 6.9 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Witty mystery and accessible interaction sustain an engaging adventure, despite less exploratory freedom than the earlier point-and-click games. | Reviewed | 7.8 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension The visual and audio style preserves the series' personality through its shift from hand-drawn 2D. | Reviewed | 8.0 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension The controller suits contextual actions, but camera and loading friction reduce the sense of seamless investigation. | Reviewed | 6.4 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Revolution Software
- Release date
- 2003
- Platforms
- PlayStation 2
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Adventure · Primary genre
- Tags
- Short SessionsFixed CameraLow Entry Barrier3D GraphicsSlow BurnSolo-friendlyPick-up and PlayPuzzle SolvingMain Story Under 10 HoursReplayableFantasy
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- Single player
- Perspectives
- Third person
Release editions
- PlayStation 2Worldwide2003
- Original XboxWorldwide2003
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided