Nico Collard

Nicole "Nico" Collard is a fictional character in the "Broken Sword" series of computer games. She is the on-again-off-again girlfriend of the protagonist, George Stobbart, appearing in all four games, and as a playable character in ', ', and "". She currently lives at 361 Rue Jarry in Paris, and is a freelance photo journalist. She speaks both French and English fluently. In the games, Nico is frequently mentioned as struggling to make ends meet and sell stories. She shares George's sarcastic nature. She has dark hair in a bob and brown eyes in the two first installments, but her hair colour is dyed blue in the third installment and her eyes are blue in the third and fourth installments. She has been voiced by a different actress in each installment of the series.cite web
url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2003/dec/04/games.shopping?commentpage=1
title= Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon
publisher=The Guardian
accessdate=2008-09-09
last=
first=]

Private life

Nicole Collard's private life has been tragic. Her mother left her and her father when Nico was young to go off with her boyfriend. Nico didn't mind as her father was all she needed; he was like a big brother to her because he was always joking and laughing. He also bought Nico her first camera which got her into photography. However, four years later, Nico's father died in a car crash. Nico's father always wanted her to go to Art College, so Nico went there although she struggled to buy all the materials. She says the only term she didn't starve was when they did printing, she used to eat the potatoes..

Nico can also identify different metals because her grandfather worked in a foundry.

Appearances

"The Shadow of the Templars"

In the first Broken Sword game, Nicole Collard is the somewhat cold and distant photo journalist who helps George unravel the mystery of the The Knights Templar. At first she appears doubtful of George, but she soon warms up when she senses a good story. She spends most of the game in her flat, researching, before joining George in Scotland for the final confrontation.

She was voiced by Rachel Atkins.

"The Smoking Mirror"

Nico is the second playable character in "". After a six month relationship, George returns to his dying father in America leaving Nicole lonely. During this time, André Lobineau sees himself as a competitor for Nico's affections, though she does not appear to continue this relationship.

When George returns to Nico, instead of celebrating, she takes him to Professor Oubier, whom she believes has invited her to interview him. They are attacked, Nico is knocked unconscious and is kidnapped. During the game, Nico visits Marseilles, London and Central America. She was voiced by Flaminia Cinque.

"The Sleeping Dragon"

Nico is the second playable character in "" Again, Nico and George have been unable or incapable of continuing a relationship. Nico is imprisoned when she is suspected for the murder of Vernon Blier. She joins George to stop the Neo-Templars from taking over the world again, visiting Egypt and Glastonbury on the way. At the end, it is implied that she resumes her relationship with George. She was voiced by Sarah Crook.

"The Angel of Death"

Nico is the second playable character in ""

Nico returns to help George once more, but is no longer in a relationship with him.

It was revealed on the Broken Sword website that she, like George, has been blacklisted after the Glastonbury incident and has found work singing in seedy Parisian clubs.

She was voiced by Katherine Pageon.

=Relationships=

Nico's relationship with George Stobbart could be described as the definitive 'on again/off again' partnership. At the end of each Broken Sword game they hook up, only to be separated by the beginning of the next. It is unknown if this trend continues in "". George is sometimes passive but sarcastic, while Nico is . While this keeps their relationship interesting, it seems to cause friction too. Nico also has brought up money on occasion, stating that George has money so he should buy plane tickets.

One of Nico's old friends is André Lobineau, whom she has known since college. André has shown an interest in Nico, but the player has not seen Nico reciprocate this, apart from one scene in Broken Sword 3, George asks Nico if her and Andre have been doing that "boy-girl stuff". Nico replies with, "Listen George, Andre's a good friend." so the player is never entirely sure what is going on between them.

References