What the game is
Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror is a 1997 point-and-click adventure game developed by Revolution Software for PC and PlayStation. It is a story-driven sequel to Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, played from a third-person perspective in 2D.
How it actually plays
The player moves George Stobbart (and occasionally Nicole Collard) across hand-drawn 2D scenes using a mouse or gamepad. Right-clicking objects reveals descriptions and clues. Dialogue unfolds through branching trees to extract hints or plot progression. Puzzles require collecting items and combining them with scenery, people, or other objects. A map expands as the story advances, enabling travel between newly unlocked locations.
What works
The dialogue trees deliver sharp, character-led exposition. The map system cleanly organises geographic progression. Right-clicking objects consistently yields useful textual clues. Puzzle logic stays internal to the world’s rules—no moon logic, no arbitrary inventory combinations.
What does not
It offers no adaptive difficulty, no undo for fatal missteps, and no alternative paths once a puzzle locks progress. The interface gives no feedback on unimplemented actions. Its linear structure with hard gates means backtracking is mandatory, not optional.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for players who enjoy parsing environmental detail, weighing dialogue options for narrative leverage, and solving self-contained spatial and logical puzzles. It is not for players who dislike reading, need constant feedback, or reject death-as-consequence.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you want a tightly written, puzzle-driven point-and-click adventure that trusts your attention and rewards methodical observation. No—if you expect modern pacing, fail-safe design, or mechanical variety beyond the core loop.
