It’s ambitious and plucky despite not always nailing the execution. The rough edges can be forgiven because Broken Pieces manages to pull off telling a psychological thriller in a subtle and sometimes understated way. It’s especially impressive as it’s come from an independent developer, Elseware Experience. The sense of mystery set against the gloomy yet somehow otherworldly backdrop proved almost irresistible. It was enough to keep me invested and playing until the end. The story being told here is touching, intriguing and genuinely surprisingly in many ways. It may seem like there are a number of areas where Broken Pieces falls short, however it doesn’t do so in the most important sense. Keeping one eye on the time and getting home before dark is essential to surviving the mysterious forces which mass against you. Travelling between different areas will eat into your time, as will taking a rest on one of the many benches which will recover some of your health. However, this is important because if you are out and about after 8pm then the mean streets of Saint-Exil become even more dangerous. To be clear, it isn’t awful either but does lack emotive range and ends up sounding pretty monotone throughout most of the game.Įlise keeps track of time with her trusty wrist watch which is shaped like a crab and speaks French when opened (don’t ask). Her character accounts for the vast majority of the dialogue in the game, and the voice acting isn’t great. The same can’t be said for Elise however. These are really quite brilliant, and you can use them as a soundtrack for your exploring whenever you feel like it.Įach song is poignant, and rather beautiful to listen to.
Pierre, it turns out, was a talented musician who recorded numerous songs for Elise. These short clips provide context and slowly remove the shroud around events, but also serve another purpose. The story is chiefly told through exploration, but also by several audio cassettes that are scattered around the world. Alongside your main objectives, there are also opportunities to complete optional side missions that reveal details about the goings on in Saint-Exil.
Think of it as a combination of Broken Sword, Silent Hill and Alan Wake and you’ll start to get the picture. In classic point and click fashion, there are many key items to find along with nuggets of information which further expand the story.
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