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| 30 OCT 2002 at 7:52am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | So I'm sitting here thinking... why not post a mini review of apparently the most controversial adventure game in recent history? Yes, it's Syberia!
Syberia comes on two CDs and can be installed completely to harddrive but requires the first CD in drive to play (annoying!). I found the game to be remarkably stable - I played through the game twice and it never crashed or displayed other aberrant behavior (except some minor memory leak).
Syberia's strongest points are graphics and sound. The game uses 2D backgrounds and 3D characters - that seems to be a popular trend lately. The character models, especially that of the protagonist Kate Walker, are very detailed. The game looks very stylish, if not necessarily entirely realistic.
The game has purely mouse control, 100% point and click. The icons are a little strange - for instance the magnifying glass icon means both "look" and "talk". Nevertheless the interface is easy to use. Inventory items cannot be combined which immediately excludes one class of puzzles.
The game is chock full of odd mechanical contraptions aka automatons. They do not look very believable yet provide an excellent opportunity for puzzles. The puzzles are rather easy - I'll leave it up to you whether that's good or bad. Mostly it's pick up a key here, use it there, push a few buttons and something happens.
The main character, Kate Walker, is a likeable person - for a lawyer anyway. She always carries her cell phone (which mysteriously seems to function anywhere on Earth) and every once in a while someone calls her up - be it boyfriend, boss or mom. The phone calls are where we really learn about Kate's personality.
There some (but not too many) lengthy conversations (with professional voice acting) and quite a lot of running around - the Syberia locations are fairly large.
There are several references to Benoit Sokal's earlier game, Amerzone.
The biggest problem is the ending. For one, it feels more like a setup for a sequel (which is in the works) than a proper ending. In many ways the Syberia story raises more questions than it answers. What's worse is the fact that the end is not very distant from the beginning. I finished the game in about 11 hours - for comparison TLJ took me more than twice as long.
Syberia is a truly well made game. Everyone has to decide for themselves if it is also a very good game. Play it but don't blame me if you happen not to like it, okay?
I forgot my sig.
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| 30 OCT 2002 at 8:00am |
bleepnikPrivate Detective
Posts : 544
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | Nice mini-review, MichalN, thanks for posting!
.gita (has anyone - besides me - not played this game yet?)
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| 30 OCT 2002 at 9:24am |
FlameBoyIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 48
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Nope G - I haven't played it either!
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| 17 NOV 2002 at 7:16pm |
| Deleted User | Neither have I. I haven't even bought it yet.
I know I should buy it for the full price, to support the adventure gaming industry, but I just know I won't be able to play it in the near future, and then it will be in the bargain bin. Knowing I supported a company which published an adventure game is a nice feeling, but I could also send them some extra money afterwards. I must confess I've never send a company a check because I felt I paid not enough for their games.
I feel guilty and confused. What should I do ?
Mus
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| 17 NOV 2002 at 11:03pm |
| Deleted User | Send me the cheque instead -
I'll buy it!
(Actually - I find I'm inspired. I reckon I'll buy it to try after CF2)
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| 30 MAY 2003 at 1:48pm |
RismiIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 43
Joined: 11 MAY 2003
Status : Online | We've played it and we liked it. Also the end !
It's true that it doesn't give many answers and that it is clear that it is a setup for Syberia2.
But well, many good movies have a so called 'open ending'... it leaves space for your own imagination.
We're playing Amerzone now. When we end it, I'll write maybe a review...
Ri&Smi
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| 13 JUN 2003 at 11:01am |
GinnyWIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 8 JUN 2003
Status : Online | Well I have it and am playing, though I'm on a big break lately, stopped. Will play some today. I try to pace it slowly cause I know it's short and easy, so I don't wanna hurry it up.
Anyway I'm liking so far though I agree with your points. However Kate sometimes annoys me lol. Not nearly as much as Oscar though .
Anyway, overall, nice game so far.
Apparantly Syberia was supposed to be one game, but it got too long (how could that be? lol) so they split it up. That's probably why the ending isn't conclusive. I'll have to see it for myself first though, lol.
Btw, the graphics and music - wow..... I just am paralised when I see and hear this!
and the cutscenes....ahhh......I could watch the intro over and over... The rain, so pretty.......
*wakes up*
lol, truly great game in that aspect.
Still, TLJ was much better. lol.
edit: Rismi, we? do you have a multiple personality? lol
or is it just two members together? or you and someone else? lol.
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| 6 JUL 2003 at 11:28pm |
CueIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 14
Joined: 6 JUL 2003
Status : Online | Hi everyone...I'm new to this forum and I'm just doing some digital strolling to see what's available on the boards.
I found Syberia to be an immersive game but then again I am a graphics nut and the graphics in this game are extraordinary! I have to agree that the opening was done beautifully and that it carries the feel of the entire game.
I enjoyed the various types of automatons and I felt that they were somewhat believable but they also give the game designers a lot to work with in terms of possibe interactions throughout this game and the sequel.
The puzzles were pretty easy but what I didn't care for was the notebook for the conversation topics. I understand that this is part of the puzzle aspect of the game but I guess that's the guy in me coming out...God knows we don't like to talk.
The ending did come rather abruptly which was a surprise for me. I thought I would at least get a glimpse of Syberia but I guess that will have to wait for the sequel.
[I] -Cue [/I]
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| 8 JUL 2003 at 1:02pm |
AnneGuild Master
Posts : 4800
Joined: 8 MAR 2003
Status : Online | I can`t identify you from syceria,give me a clue
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| 8 JUL 2003 at 1:40pm |
rockfordIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 38
Joined: 8 JUL 2003
Status : Online | here i am Milady, "the private dick" rockford!!
a joke today can be reality tomorrow
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| 8 JUL 2003 at 1:55pm |
AnneGuild Master
Posts : 4800
Joined: 8 MAR 2003
Status : Online | I knew that.Does it mean you are playing Posrmortem?.
Did you ever get round to Amerzone?
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| 8 JUL 2003 at 2:52pm |
rockfordIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 38
Joined: 8 JUL 2003
Status : Online | post mortem - no, because of the private dick? haha, maybe you missed my talk with Daryl and Caroline......
amerzone - yes, i have played. also a nice story - but without knowing yet about mr. sokal it reminded me to "just" a MYST copy. don't get me wrong - i liked the story but i prefer to see my character - not the egoview.
a joke today can be reality tomorrow
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| 8 JUL 2003 at 11:47pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16552
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | Of all the rabid overly biased reviews I've read on Syberia, I have to say, MicalN's review was spot on, accurate and fair.
Obviously I enjoyed the game very much but I did find Kate's manners a problem at first and the slow walking. However I preferred her silence to April's chatter in TLJ. I HATED being told over and over that something was a set of shelves just because the cursor ran over them. >
As for the graphics, yes stunning and no. 2 screenshots look great as well. But Riven still retains no.1 spot in my heart for sheer beauty of location. I liked Amerzone.
Have you seen the advert for Rhem? Looks good. Not available in Oz yet though
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| 9 JUL 2003 at 12:05am |
| Deleted User | And it will surprise you to hear me say it Caroline, but April really had a little upper hand over Kate.
What is that you ask?
She was Dan-less.
Try breaking up with a jerk, doing your job and keeping your brown pants fresh all at the same time, while having your cell rang up constantly. Well that is something I don’t suffer from because I refuse to own a cell phone.
“Hello” Kate answered.
“I am here in justadventure.com” the new voice said, or did it? She jiggled the phone a little as if doing so might get the signal stronger and more audible.
“Speak louder” she said into the receiver “So all can hear it” she shrunk down and put the phone in her pocket and looked a little dejected.
“No news on Syberia” she said as she walked up the path looking for Momo and a Mammoth.
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| 24 JUL 2003 at 5:00pm |
jalexSchattenjger
Posts : 2503
Joined: 5 MAR 2003
Status : Offline | Hi
That was a great review. I have played it many times and you said it pretty much like it was. I agree on the ending but I knew that the game was originaly one long game split in two so I kind of expected an ending like that. I thought they did great job making an ending where none was planed in the original game.
I am really not a fan of this kind of story line but this game was so good that enjoyed it very much and I can't wait until the sequel come out.
Jim
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