While American adventure studios closed, Revolution kept making them. Charles Cecil’s British company created Lure of the Temptress, Beneath a Steel Sky, and the Broken Sword series, maintaining high production values and thoughtful puzzle design through the genre’s commercial wilderness. Their persistence paid off when adventure games returned.
Fast facts
Key releases
| Title |
Year |
Setting |
| Lure of the Temptress |
1992 |
Medieval fantasy |
| Beneath a Steel Sky |
1994 |
Cyberpunk |
| Broken Sword |
1996 |
Modern conspiracy |
| Broken Sword II |
1997 |
Central America |
Virtual Theatre engine
| Feature |
Innovation |
| NPC scheduling |
Characters move independently |
| Object interaction |
Contextual responses |
| Cinematic presentation |
Film-like storytelling |
Broken Sword series
| Title |
Year |
| Shadow of the Templars |
1996 |
| The Smoking Mirror |
1997 |
| The Sleeping Dragon |
2003 |
| The Angel of Death |
2006 |
| The Serpent’s Curse |
2013 |
Design philosophy
| Principle |
Implementation |
| Fair puzzles |
Logical solutions |
| Strong narrative |
Story-driven |
| Character voice |
Memorable personalities |
| Cinematic |
Film influence |
Crowdfunding era
| Project |
Year |
| Broken Sword 5 |
2012 (Kickstarter) |
| Beneath a Steel Sky 2 |
Announced |
Industry persistence
| Challenge |
Response |
| Genre decline (2000s) |
Continued development |
| Console transition |
Adapted to platforms |
| Mobile market |
Ports and originals |
See also