The headline "The First Templar Trailer Grinds Augers" was written in 2011, but you better believe that the moment I stumbled across it, I immediately wanted to know more. The good news for me (and for those of you with even a modicum of curiosity) is that "The First Templar" is now free on GOG as well.

That trailer has since been removed, but 13 years is a long time:

The First Templar is a "sprawling historical adventure" in which French Templars travel with a noblewoman who is considered a heretic. Some of the problems arising from that partnership will probably be immediately apparent, but the focus is not on its potentially awkward situations: instead, players must "unravel the mystery behind the Templars, be part of a grand conspiracy, and discover the secret of the Holy Grail." All the while dealing with enemies such as the Inquisition, King Philippe IV of France, and the "Sacrasens," who are thought to be misspelled Saracens.

(If that is indeed the official name of the ogre who goes by MMA style, sorry for the confusion; the back cover of the boxed edition of "The First Templar" available on Mobygames specifically mentions Saracens, so it must be a typo. I would guess).

In any case, it looks like a pretty good game. We didn't review it, but it has a 3.75/5 rating on GOG and "mostly favorable" user reviews on Steam. As far as I can tell, it's worth at least 15 more points.

The First Templar: As part of GOG's ongoing summer sale, the special edition is free through July 6.