Preview Syberia II Developer: Microids Canada Publisher: XS Games Genre: Adventure Release Date: Mid-March 2004 Platform: Preview by Randy Sluganski February 19, 2004

The long wait is almost over and the most-anticipated sequel in the history of adventure gaming is almost upon us.

I’ve been given the enviable – yet impossible – task of putting into words my feelings about this game. Sometimes though words are not enough. Imagine attempting to describe the Mona Lisa to someone who has no knowledge of the portrait. How do you explain the intangibles – the subtle smile, the peaceful facial expression?

So it is with Syberia II. Revealing what I saw will be simple, but I’m afraid my vocabulary is no match for the eloquence of the graphics. Even though the temperature outside my front door was below zero and I had no desire to venture beyond, the frozen tundra of Syberia actually looked inviting, if not invigorating, as if inviting me to step through the monitor into the gameworld. It is the very rare game that holds my rapt attention, but I was captivated. It is a game to be lingered over and savored, yet immersion in the gameworld propels you forward almost at breakneck speed. You will, as did I, find yourself repeatedly replaying the cinematics for no discernable reason other than to watch it “one more time.”

The graphics constantly feature small touches that separate this game from anything else on the market. Squirrels scamper across overhead railings, dislodging clumps of snow that then break apart and flutter harmlessly, large chunks of snow and ice slide from tin roofs and plop noisily, Kate’s every step leaves footprints in the snow but they are soon covered by the shifting winds and snowdrifts. There’s much, much more but these are things you have to see and experience for yourself.

Syberia II is an unashamed continuation of the first game. It does not attempt to break any new ground, nor does it need to. For those few who have yet to play the first Syberia, there is a nicely done recap to bring you up to snuff.

Kate Walker’s journey then continues in the gulag town of Romansburg and concludes in, well, I’m not telling, but the game is called Syberia for a reason. As Oscar makes repairs to the train, Kate must search for a source of fuel. Of course nothing is ever as easy as it sounds and Kate soon finds herself involved in numerous complicated situations.

The characters are once again memorable. Well-defined, each with their own little nuances that linger in the imagination. You will feel pity for young Malka the waif, fear the Patriarch and loathe Ivan and Igor. But the biggest surprise has to be Youki - pronounced ‘you-key’ – a half-seal, half-dog creature that soon becomes Kate’s mascot. I despise animal mascots – it seemed as though every movie I saw as a kid in the sixties was ruined by animals, chimpanzees in The Magic Sword & Sinbad! and if that wasn’t bad enough Journey to the Center of the Earth had a pet duck! – but Youki is actually a welcome addition. Unobtrusive for the most part, it (he?) still manages to play a major role in the game without every coming off as ‘cutesy’.

The music is just as dramatic as previously and I’m once again begging Microids to release a compilation of the music from Syberia. The score is sweeping and poignant and reminds me in many ways of how the music from the classic Lawrence of Arabia pulled the viewer into the movie and made them feel as though they were part of something special.

The development team also seems to have taken to heart the criticisms of adventure gamers and the two biggest complaints from the first Syberia have been corrected. Though Kate still has her cell phone, it is not as much of a plot angle as it was in the first installment and many will be thrilled to hear that the oft-repeated and always grating line, “You can’t go down there,” has been eliminated. That is the good news. The bad news is that Kate now has a new and equally annoying catchphrase, “This thing’s stuck!” With heavy emphasis on the “stuck.” Sometimes you wonder how so many things can be stuck in one game – levers are stuck, doors are stuck, buttons are stuck. But if this is the only displeasure that can be leveled against an entire game. . .

Finally, the puzzles. There are more puzzles and even a few that had me stumped for a day or two, but it is often difficult for me to judge puzzle difficulty as I’ve played so many adventure games over the years. There is one puzzle influenced by the Shroud of Turin that is unique and is among my favorites. Those who complained that the puzzles in the first game were too easy are likely to again level the same complaint. But these nit-pickers need to realize that a great game is the sum of its parts and Syberia II does a masterful job balancing diverse elements. Syberia II is a game to be enjoyed and completed by all, not a game to sit unfinished on a shelf.

I’m not sure what else I can say without revealing key plot elements. Syberia II is a game of death and rebirth, of spiritual fulfillment and of making the ultimate sacrifice for your loved ones. It is chock full of surprises and has one of the greatest plot twists I’ve ever experienced in a game. The ending is the stuff of legends and is guaranteed to bring a tear or two to the eyes of even the most jaded adventure gamer. Benoit Sokal and his development team are to be applauded.

Syberia II is as close to perfection as any adventure game has ever achieved.