Chase a deadly conspiracy from a Paris café to ancient secrets across Europe — you can play Broken Sword online free right here in your browser, with no download, no setup, and no registration. Revolution Software's acclaimed 1996 point-and-click adventure, Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars, loads in seconds and delivers a gorgeous, cinematic mystery wrapped in hand-drawn animation. It works on mobile, but the point-and-click interface makes Broken Sword a significantly better experience on desktop with a mouse.

How to Play Broken Sword Online

Getting started takes seconds:

1. Click the Play button on this page to load the game.
2. Wait a moment for it to start — it runs right in your browser window.
3. Click inside the game frame so it captures your mouse and keyboard.
4. Use the cursor to look at, use, and talk to objects and characters.
5. Begin in Paris as tourist George Stobbart, moments after a café explosion sets the mystery in motion.

Broken Sword rewards careful observation — examine everything and talk through every dialogue option.

Controls

Broken Sword is played with a simple cursor-based interface, using the mouse:

Right-click to examine things before using them — George's observations often contain the clue you need.

What Is Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars?

Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is a point-and-click adventure developed by Revolution Software and released in 1996 for MS-DOS, Windows, and PlayStation. It follows American tourist George Stobbart, who survives a bombing at a Paris café and, together with photojournalist Nicole "Nico" Collard, is drawn into a globe-spanning conspiracy involving the medieval Knights Templar. The story unfolds across Paris, Ireland, Spain, Syria, and beyond.

Broken Sword is celebrated for its cinematic quality: lush, hand-drawn backgrounds, fluid character animation, a sweeping orchestral score, and a genuinely gripping conspiracy thriller plot. Its blend of accessible puzzles, sharp writing, and atmospheric storytelling made it one of the most beloved adventures of the late 1990s and the start of a long-running, much-loved series. It's widely regarded as a high point of the genre.

How the Game Works / Gameplay Basics

You guide George (and sometimes Nico) through beautifully illustrated locations using a straightforward cursor interface — left-click to interact, right-click to examine. Progress comes from exploring scenes, gathering inventory items, combining them cleverly, and talking to characters through branching dialogue, all in service of unraveling the Templar conspiracy.

The puzzles are generally fair and logic-based, woven naturally into the story so that solving them feels like real detective work — finding the right object, asking the right question, or noticing a small detail in the background. The game moves between many richly drawn locations across Europe and the Middle East, each with its own characters and clues. A strong narrative drives everything forward, and unlike pure action games, the pleasure here is in observation, deduction, and following a great story to its conclusion.

Beginner Tips

• Examine before using. Right-click to inspect objects — George's comments often hint at solutions.
• Talk through every option. Exhaust dialogue trees to gather clues and advance the plot.
• Collect every item. If you can take it, take it; you'll likely need it later.
• Combine inventory items. Many puzzles are solved by using objects together.
• Note small details. Background clues and overheard remarks frequently matter.
• Revisit locations. New conversations and options open up as the story develops.

Why Play Broken Sword Online?

Playing Broken Sword in your browser is the easiest way back into one of the most cinematic adventures ever made. There's nothing to install and nothing to configure — a classic that once shipped on CD-ROM now loads with a single click. It's perfect for a relaxed evening with a great mystery, for revisiting a beloved favorite, or for discovering George and Nico's first case for the first time.

Because it runs in the browser, you can chase the conspiracy on almost any computer without touching your hard drive. For an adventure this polished, that kind of instant access is hard to beat.

Troubleshooting

• Game won't start? Refresh the page and let it load fully before clicking.
• Mouse or keyboard not responding? Click once inside the game frame so it captures your input.
• Text hard to read? Use fullscreen mode for a larger, sharper picture.
• Running slowly? Close other browser tabs and heavy applications to free up resources.
• No sound? Check that your browser tab isn't muted and your system volume is up.
• Stuck on a puzzle? Re-examine scenes and revisit characters — the answer is usually nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Broken Sword free to play online? Yes. You can play Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars here for free, right in your browser, with no purchase required.

Do I need to download or install anything? No. The game loads directly in your browser — there's nothing to download and no registration needed.

Can I play Broken Sword on mobile? You can, but the point-and-click interface makes it a significantly better experience on a desktop or laptop with a mouse.

Is this the original 1996 Broken Sword? Yes, this is the classic original, The Shadow of the Templars, that launched the series.

What kind of game is Broken Sword? It's a story-driven point-and-click adventure centered on exploration, dialogue, and logic-based puzzle-solving.

Can I save my progress? Yes. Broken Sword has its own in-game save system — use the menu to save and load as you play.

A Paris café explosion is just the beginning. Load it up and follow the trail of the Templars.