BROKEN SWORD II - THE SMOKING MIRROR
                 (Graphic adventure on CD)

                 A review by J. Betteridge

When I bought this game I didn't realise it was the second game of
the series. However it did not in any way lessen my enjoyment of
playing it.  The game loaded easily on my machine, a PC which can
best be described has having the minimum requirements.  It starts
with a movie sequence which leads you into the story and sets the
atmosphere. The music, composed by Barrington Pheloung, is never
distracting and really sets the mood.

Nicole Collard, a French photo-journalist is investigating a drug
smuggling racket and has been sent a carved Mayan stone. She and
George Stobbart go to visit Professor Oubier in Paris, an expert
on Mayan artifacts. When they arrive at his house, George is
knocked out and tied up and Nicole drugged and kidnapped.  Now the
game starts.  George must escape the burning house and the
poisonous giant spider and try to find out where Nicole has been
taken. (The booklet which comes with the discs tells you how to do
this just to give you a start.)

The action takes you from Paris to Marseilles, South America,
London, The Caribbean and the South American Jungle. The dialogue
is well spoken and amusing.  The puzzles are logical and I thought
a bit too easy although there were two occasions when I had
trouble.  The first is at the "Treasure Island" film set on Zombie
Island.  Do not pick up another pancake after giving a syrup
covered one to Bert. I couldn't get the Hornets to fly out of the
bush, no matter how many buns George threw at them.  The second
time was at the Pyramid.  Nicole must pick up the torch straight
away after stepping off the elevator. If she talks to Titipoco or
stops the engine or anything else, she will never get the torch.
Perhaps there is a solution to these events but I never found
them. If there is, maybe someone will let me know.

I enjoyed playing this game and am now looking for the first
Broken Sword adventure.
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