Broken Sword 2.5: The Return of the Templars is a free fan-made adventure that slots into the Broken Sword timeline between The Smoking Mirror and The Sleeping Dragon. George Stobbart is back in the United States, looking after his dying grandfather, when a telegram claims Nico Collard might be dead. He rushes to Paris, finds her very much alive, and discovers she’s tangled up in a deadly plot. The trail leads, naturally, back to the Knights Templar.
A German fan team called mindFactory started the project in December 2000 and spent roughly eight years on it. The game launched on September 28, 2008, as Baphomets Fluch 2.5, after a delay to run a public beta. Revolution Software, the studio behind the series, backed the project, and the game’s own website says it uses the Broken Sword name under license.
It first shipped with German voices and English subtitles, and an English voice pack followed in October 2010. ScummVM added support later and now hosts a repackaged freeware version, which is the easiest way to play it today on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Want to see how Parisian sleuthing stacks up against the rest of the field? Check the best free point-and-click adventure games list.
Is Broken Sword 2.5 Free?
Yes. Broken Sword 2.5 is freeware, with no price, no microtransactions and no paid version waiting behind it. It’s a fan project, so it has never been sold.
Gameplay & Features
This is a classic point-and-click detective story, played from a third-person view. You guide George and Nico around Paris and beyond, question suspects, gather inventory and work through puzzles. The puzzles are logical rather than obscure, and several reviewers found them easy, so veteran adventurers may breeze through. A few critics also felt the plot wraps up in a hurry.
- The hand-drawn 2D look of the first two games, running at 800×600 instead of their 640×480.
- A full orchestral score and complete voice acting, with George and Nico voiced in English by Stan Burdman and Maggie Nolan.
- Subtitles in nine languages, from English and German to Polish, Croatian and Russian.
- Familiar faces from the series, including one character from the original game who really shouldn’t still be around.
- Computer-generated cutscenes that haven’t aged as gracefully as the painted backgrounds.
If this hits the spot, Beneath a Steel Sky comes from Broken Sword’s own studio and is free too. Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space is another fan sequel with a professional sheen, the Space Quest II remake rebuilds a Sierra classic, and Heroine’s Quest shows a fan team can finish an adventure-RPG as well.
PC System Requirements
The developers don’t publish formal specs. The original Windows release dates from the XP and Vista era, and ScummVM runs the game on far newer hardware.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows XP or Vista (original release), or any system that runs ScummVM | Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux with ScummVM |
| Processor | Not specified | Any modern CPU |
| Memory | Not specified | Any modern PC |
| Graphics | 800×600 display, 24-bit colour | Any modern GPU |
| Storage | About 860 MB for the ScummVM package | Same, plus room for ScummVM |
The original release was Windows-only. Through ScummVM, the game also runs on Mac and Linux.
How to Download & Play Broken Sword 2.5 for Free
The game isn’t on Steam, GOG or Epic. The safest official route is ScummVM, the open-source engine project, which hosts a repackaged freeware copy of the game. The developers’ own website now points to third-party mirrors, so we recommend skipping those. If you’re unsure which sites to trust, our guide to safe free PC game download sites explains what to look for.
- Install ScummVM for your system from the official ScummVM downloads page.
- On ScummVM’s freeware games page, download Broken Sword 2.5 free. It’s a zip file of about 860 MB, so check your free space.
- Extract the zip into its own folder.
- Open ScummVM, click Add Game, and select that folder. ScummVM should detect it as Broken Sword 2.5.
- Select the game and click Start. If the voices or subtitles aren’t in your language, check the in-game options.
FAQ
Is Broken Sword 2.5 an official game?
Not an official Revolution Software release, but it was made with the studio’s blessing. The game’s website says it uses the Broken Sword name under license.
Do I need to play the first two games?
No, but it helps. The story is set between Broken Sword 2 and 3, and the relationship between George and Nico lands harder if you know their history.
Is Broken Sword 2.5 available in English?
Yes. English subtitles shipped at launch, and an English voice pack followed in October 2010.
Does it work on Mac and Linux?
Yes, through ScummVM. The original release only supported Windows.
