Revolution Software Limited is a British video game developer based in York, founded in 1989 by Charles Cecil, Tony Warriner, David Sykes and Noirin Carmody.[1] Its most popular line of games is that of Broken Sword, a series which began in 1996 with Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars. As of 2024, there have been a further four iterations in the series: The Smoking Mirror (1997), The Sleeping Dragon (2003), The Angel of Death (2006) and The Serpent's Curse (2013).
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Charles Cecil (managing director) |
| Products | Broken Sword series |
| Website | revolution.co.uk |
Company history
edit1992–1994: Lure of the Temptress and Beneath a Steel Sky
editThe company's logo was inspired by the 1981 film Excalibur and designed in collaboration with a graphic design firm in Hull.[2]
Released in 1992 for the Amiga, Atari ST and DOS platforms, Lure of the Temptress was both critically and commercially a success[3] which helped set the company up for their future game releases.[4] Revolution released the game as freeware on 1 April 2003.[5]
Their next game was released in 1994; Beneath a Steel Sky became a hit on the Amiga and IBM PC compatibles. The game focused on protagonist Robert Foster's abduction and subsequent search for answers in a dystopian city of the future. In that period they also ported Sierra's King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow to the Amiga. Virtual Theatre system was used instead of Sierra's Creative Interpreter because of its much better performance.[6]
1996–1997: Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars and Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror
editDespite the success of Beneath a Steel Sky, it was the company's next game that they would become best known for, and which would have both the biggest critical and commercial success.[7] Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars was released for PC and PlayStation in 1996 and was later ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2002. The game revolves around the story of George Stobbart, an American tourist whose holiday in Paris is rudely interrupted by a bombing. Investigating, he runs into photo-journalist Nicole Collard, and the two embark on a globe-trotting adventure. The hand drawn graphics, story and characters, and gameplay helped cement the company's reputation for story driven games.[7] The game was quickly followed by a well-received sequel, Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror.[8] According to Charles Cecil, each of the first two Broken Sword games sold around 1,000,000 copies in the mid-1990s.
2000: In Cold Blood and Gold and Glory: The Road to El Dorado
editIn July 2000, the company released their first 3D game In Cold Blood for the PlayStation (later released for Microsoft Windows in October 2000). Set in the near future, the game featured John Cord, an MI6 agent. Sent to the fictional, former Soviet region of Volgia, the player embarks on a mission to investigate a newly discovered substance, Blue Nephrine. However, Cord is betrayed and must work out by whom, while simultaneously trying to work out what plans the dictator of Volgia, General Nagarov, has for this mysterious new chemical and the implications for the world.
In December 2000, the company also released a children's adventure game Gold and Glory: The Road to El Dorado to coincide with the release of the film The Road to El Dorado.[9]
2001–2002: Good Cop Bad Cop cancellation
editThe company then started work on Good Cop Bad Cop, an action game for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. However the game was eventually cancelled[10] so that the company could concentrate on Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon.
2003–2006: Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon and Broken Sword: The Angel of Death
editReleased in November 2003, Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon featured 3D graphics, and moved away from the 2D point-and-click style of older games. As the game was developed for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox simultaneously, they decided to implement a direct control mechanism for the protagonist, instead of mouse control clicking on hot spots, as this was easier to convert to console game pads.[11]
Revolution released Broken Sword: The Angel of Death on 15 September 2006. At the start of the game, George is working as a bail bonds clerk when he falls in love with Anna-Maria, a woman who asks George to help her find an artifact.[12]
2009–2011: Director's Cut and Remasters
editOn 1 March 2009, Revolution Software released a director's cut version of their first Broken Sword series, titled Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut, for Wii and Nintendo DS platforms (later on iOS, Microsoft Windows and OS X).[13] According to a Charles Cecil interview with Pocket Gamer, the iOS version of the Director's Cut sold around 160,000 copies by December 2010.[14] The company also announced that The Director's Cut is coming soon to Android.[15]
In October 2009, Beneath a Steel Sky – Remastered was made available on the Apple App Store.[16] The Remastered Edition sold around 20,000 copies in its first month and expected to hit 70,000 sales in the first year and 100,000 lifetime sales.[17]
The company announced the remastered edition of the second game in the Broken Sword series on 9 December 2010, called Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror – Remastered. The game was released in late 2010 on iPhone, April 2011 on OS X and May 2011 on Microsoft Windows.[18]
2012–present: Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse, Beyond a Steel Sky and Broken Sword 6 ideas
editOn 25 July 2012, Charles Cecil posted on his personal Facebook account: "Totally focused on the announce video for our next game. I am thrilled by how it's looking, and can't wait to talk publicly, but completing the video for end of the month – as originally promised – now seems somewhat ambitious."[19] After a short delay, the game was officially announced to be a fifth entry in the series: Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse.[20] The game was announced with a Kickstarter campaign and a video, showing some of the game's graphics and hinting at its storyline.[21]
After the release of Beneath a Steel Sky – Remastered, Charles Cecil and Dave Gibbons stated that a sequel could be likely and that iPhone would be the ideal platform.[22] During the Broken Sword 5 crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, the company originally put Beneath a Steel Sky 2 as a $1,000,000 bonus stretch goal if the new Broken Sword game raises enough money, but it only raised $820,000 (including PayPal donations). On 24 September 2012, after failing to reach the bonus stretch goal, the company's co-founder Tony Warriner said that "after the huge success of the Broken Sword 5 crowdfunding campaign on Kickstater, it inspired us to begin work on Beneath a Steel Sky 2. Development of the sequel will begin after the release of Broken Sword 5. We're delighted by the recent level of interest in a sequel to Beneath a Steel Sky and are currently discussing design ideas for this project which we plan to go into development following the release of Broken Sword 5. We're deeply touched that our Beneath a Steel Sky fans are as enthusiastic today as they were when the original game released in 1994." Beneath a Steel Sky 2 is to be developed for iOS, Android, PC, Linux and OS X. There is also a possibility in looking into a console version release.[23] In a September 2015 interview, Cecil announced that he was working on a story for Broken Sword 6 which would involve the main characters travelling to Germany.[24] In a later interview from April 2020, however, Cecil said he was "mulling around" ideas for Broken Sword 6, while his focus seemed to be still on Beyond a Steel Sky, though he did not exclude the idea that the next Broken Sword game may follow the company's present project.[25]
Towards the end of 2023, Revolution announced[26] that a sixth instalment of Broken Sword was in development, titled Broken Sword: Parzival's Stone, which is scheduled for release in 2024. In addition, a "Reforged" revamp of the first game, Shadow of the Templars, is due to be released in 2024, with updated graphics and other minor changes to the original gameplay.
Games developed
editRecognition
editAwards and nominations
edit| Year | Publication/Ceremony | Nominated game or person | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | PC Gamer | Beneath a Steel Sky | Best Dialogue | Won |
| Golden Joystick Awards | Best Adventure | Won | ||
| 1997 | Generation 4[28] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | Best Adventure 1997 | Won |
| Quest magazine[28] | Best Quest | Won | ||
| 2001 | GameVortex | In Cold Blood | Top Pick | Won |
| 2003 | British Academy Video Games Awards[29] | Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon | Best Design | Nominated |
| Best PC Game | Nominated | |||
| Best Adventure Game | Nominated | |||
| Just Adventure[30] | Best Adventure Game of 2003 | Won | ||
| 2004 | Game Developers Choice Awards[31] | Excellence in Writing | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Develop | Charles Cecil | Development Legend | Won |
| 2009 | Slide to Play | Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered | Game of the Month, October 2009 | Won |
| Slide to Play's iPhone Games Holiday Buyer's Guide | Best Adventure Game | Won | ||
| British Academy Video Games Awards[32] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | Best Story | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Adventure Gamers' 2009 Aggie Awards[33] | Best Port/Updated Re-release | Nominated | |
| Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered | Nominated | |||
| 2011 | European Games Awards[34] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | Best European Adventure | Won |
| Order of the British Empire | Charles Cecil | Member of the Order of the British Empire | Won |
Appearances on lists
edit| Year | Publication | List | Game or company | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Amiga Power | Amiga Power All-Time Top 100 | Lure of the Temptress | 47 |
| 1994 | 66 | |||
| Beneath a Steel Sky | 42 | |||
| 1995 | 72 | |||
| 1996 | 84 | |||
| 2004 | Adventure Gamers | Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time[35] | 17 | |
| Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | 4 | |||
| 2006 | Adventure Classic Gaming | Top 10 retro graphic adventure games of all time from PC to consoles[35] | Beneath a Steel Sky | 9 |
| Broken Sword: The Shadow of Templars | 3 | |||
| 2009 | Edge | Top 50 iPhone Games Available | Beneath a Steel Sky – Remastered | 26 |
| 2010 | PCWorld | 25 Best iPad Games[16] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut HD | * |
| Pocket Gamer | Top 10-point-and-click adventure games on iPhone and iPad | Beneath a Steel Sky – Remastered | * | |
| Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | * | |||
| Metacritic | The Best iPhone and iPad Games of 2010[36] | 9 | ||
| Retro Gamer | Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time... not by LucasArts[37] | Beneath a Steel Sky | 3 | |
| Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | 2 | |||
| 2011 | Develop | Develop 100: The World's Most Successful Studios | Revolution Software | 47 |
| Brighthub | The Best PC Adventure Games of All Time[38] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | * | |
| Gameranx | Top 25 Best iOS Games[39] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | 10 | |
| Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror – Remastered | 9 | |||
| Trusted Reviews | 100 Best iPhone Games Ever[40] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | 31 | |
| TechRadar | Top 30 best free games you should play today | Beneath a Steel Sky | 4 | |
| PC Gamer | 20 free PC games you must play | 9 | ||
| Altered Gamer | Top 5 Adventure PC Games | * | ||
| Now Gamer | Greatest Point-And-Click Games (Not By LucasArts)[41] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | * | |
| Beneath a Steel Sky | * | |||
| Adventure Gamers | Top 100 All-Time Adventures[42] | 19 | ||
| Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | 4 | |||
| 2012 | GamesRadar | Best point-and-click adventure games[43] | 8 | |
| Gaming Enthusiast | Top 10 PC Adventure Games[44] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars / The Smoking Mirror | 4 | |
| * | VideoGamer | Top Wii Adventure Games of All Time[45] | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | 5 |
| Top DS Adventure Games of All Time[46] | 1 | |||
| Adventure Gamers | Top Adventure Games[47] | * | ||
| Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | * |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Join the Revolution". Retro Gamer. No. 6. Imagine Publishing. pp. 97–101.
- ^ Yarwood, Jack (26 April 2023). "How The '80s Film 'Excalibur' Inspired Revolution Software's Famous Logo". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ "Interview: Charles Cecil on Broken Sword" at Adventure Gamers.
- ^ "Lure of the Temptress". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012.
- ^ "Lure of the Temptress Freeware". Revolution Software.
- ^ Fuente, Derek Dela (July–August 1993). "Beneath a Steel Sky". Joystick (40). Hachette Disney Presse: 93.
- ^ a b "Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
- ^ "Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012.
- ^ "Gold and Glory: The Road to El Do Rado". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 June 2002.
- ^ "Good Cop Bad Cop Canceled". IGN.
- ^ "Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Broken Sword: The Angel of Death". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
- ^ "Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012.
- ^ "Revolution's Charles Cecil on Broken Sword 2 and why it's the best time ever to be an indie". Pocket Gamer.
- ^ "Revolution Software to bring Broken Sword and a mysterious new game to Android". Droid Gamer.
- ^ a b "Beneath a Steel Sky: Remastered". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
- ^ "iPhone's Beneath a Steel Sky on track for 20,000 sales in first month". Pocket Gamer.
- ^ "Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror – Remastered". Revolution Software. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
- ^ "Charles Cecil hints at new game".
- ^ "Broken Sword 5 announcement".
- ^ "Broken Sword 5 Kickstarter, with video".
- ^ "Beneath a Steel Sky 2". Pocket Gamer.
- ^ Chapple, Craig (24 September 2012). "Revolution greenlights Beneath a Steel Sky 2". Develop. Intent Media. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
- ^ Caballero, David (15 September 2015). "Charles Cecil: "Broken Sword 6 will be great"". GameReactor Germany. Gamez Publishing A/S. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- ^ Cullen, Johnny (17 April 2020). "The Long Talk: Beyond A Steel Sky's Charles Cecil on friendship and happiness". Play Diaries. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ Broken Sword Parzival's Stone | Shadow of the Templars: Reforged | Xbox Showcase - Gamescom 2023, retrieved 6 January 2024
- ^ "'Beyond a Steel Sky' Is a Sequel to Classic '90s 'Beneath a Steel Sky'". Variety. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ a b "TEDxYork: Charles Cecil – Revolution Games :: "Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars". TED. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ "1UP: BAFTA Game Awards Nominees". 1UP. 2003. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ "Revolution Software (Former website [2004], WayBack Machine)". Revolution Software. 25 February 2004. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ "4th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards". Game Developers Choice Awards. 2004. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ "Video Games Awards 2010". BAFTA. 16 February 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Adventure Gamers: 2009 Aggie Award nominees". Adventure Gamers. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ "European Games Awards 2011 Winners". European Games Awards. 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Adventure Gamers: Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time". Adventure Gamers. 2 April 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Metacritic: 25 Best iPhone and iPad Games of 2010". Metacritic. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time... not by LucasArts". Retro Gamer (84). December 2010.
- ^ "Brighthub: The Best PC Adventure Games of All Time". Brightub. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Gameranx: Top 25 Best iOS Games". Gameranx. 17 January 2011. Archived from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Trusted Reviews: Top 100 Best iPhone Games Ever". Trusted Reviews. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Now Gamer: Greatest Point-And-Click Games (Not By LucasArts)". Now Gamer. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Adventure Gamers: Top 100 All-Time Adventures". Adventure Gamers. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "GamesRadar: Best point-and-click adventure games". GamesRadar. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Gaming Enthusiast: Top 10 PC Adventure Games". Gaming Enthusiast. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "VideoGamer: Top Wii Adventure Games of All Time". VideoGamer. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "VideoGamer: Top DS Adventure Games of All Time". VideoGamer. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Adventure Games: Top Adventure Games". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved 17 April 2012.