GK3–Final Beta Version–Thoughts and Observations
Gabriel Knight 3
Final Beta Version
Thoughts and Observations
The following is not meant to be a review of GK3, nor is it intended to be a discussion of any bugs that may be present in the beta version. To subject an unfinished product to such scrutiny would be a disservice to our readers and to Sierra. What does follow are my more or less random thoughts on what is the most anticipated adventure game of the year. I have done my best to convey the atmosphere of the game without giving away any of the plot.
Let me begin by stating that Gabriel Knight as portrayed by Tim Curry has more personality in his pinkie finger than any existing computer character present or past. Period. With all due respect accorded to Dean Erickson, Mr. Curry is Gabriel Knight. His every voice inflection seems to be embedded into Gabriel’s character. His sense of humor and smooth Southern drawl are infectious, and when, early in GK3, Gabriel turns and speaks directly to you, the player, a la Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, it is the classic and defining moment in Gabriel Knight history. It is Jane Jensen’s way of winking at her fans and making us feel as though we share a special secret with her and Gabe.
Gabriel’s physical appearance is actually more realistic in 3D than it was in full motion video. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that it is easier to transfer your playing personality to an animated character than it is a real, flesh-and-bones, honest-to-goodness, full-motion-video person. The more high-end your computer system, the smoother Gabriel’s appearance. Without going into a discourse of anti-aliasing, transparency and numerous other 3D-accelerated effects that are only understood by action gamers, I did set my video card at numerous different settings just to see if Gabriel’s physical appearance would be altered–and it was. Squared polygonal shoulders were rounded off and smoother, and Gabriel did not have as much of a blocky look to him. Keep in mind, though, that these are only cosmetic effects and do not in any way affect the most important elements–the plot and the gameplay.
Jane Jensen has honed her craft well over the years. Whereas the first Gabriel Knight adventure (Sins of the Fathers) was slow to build momentum, GK3 jumps right into the meat of the story. While I suspect that most of the prologue will be established in the game manual (which I do not have), the opening cinematic is presented in a dreamlike fugue that is reminiscent of many Alfred Hitchcock films.
Anyone familiar with the Grand Dame of Mystery, Agatha Christie, will quickly realize where Ms. Jensen drew her inspiration for this incarnation of Gabriel Knight. In classic fashion, we are presented with a cast of characters who will, as the story broadens, all be suspects in a Lindbergh-style kidnaping and treasure hunt that will have enormous religious and socioeconomic repercussions. This is Ten Little Indians and Murder on the Orient Express revised for the computer generation, and Gabriel Knight is Hercule Poirot but with more hair.
If you have played any of the 3D action/adventure games that have been released in the past year, e.g., Redguard or Mask of Eternity, then you will have no problem controlling Gabriel’s movements. One nice touch is that the cursor can cover an extensive distance before you must actually click on it to move Gabriel to a particular spot. The graphics have so far been splendid. Inventory can be accessed by a right click of the mouse, but if I am to believe my eyes, Gabriel has been putting all of the inventory items he has discovered in his pants pocket. I found it extremely uncomfortable to watch Gabriel shove a metal clothes hanger into the right pocket of his jeans. (Note to Jane Jensen: this is not something I have ever seen a normal guy do, not to mention the difficulty (and pain!) it would cause in walking. Even as I remember this scene, I wince.) In all fairness, Jane does later address the implausibility of the inventory system in a wonderfully surrealistic scene that had me roaring with laughter. Too bad Grace wasn’t present at this scene–she could have stolen an old Mae West line about a gun and happiness. Another nice touch is the point system that allows you to keep track of your progress. It is particularity satisfying (at least to me) to have some knowledge of how far you have progressed in the game. Lastly, a look inside Gabe’s wallet gave me a feeling of warmth, as I now respected Gabe even more for his newfound sense of responsibility.
There are some problems with the game that, while I found them annoying, are not ruinous. First, Gabriel often walks as slowly as he talks. This can be avoided by either pressing the escape key or by setting the options to not view these transition scenes. Secondly, I was dismayed by the game’s insistence that certain puzzles could only be solved if I was in an exactly predetermined spot with no room for error. Even though I knew my solution was correct, my inability to solve certain puzzles led me to believe otherwise, and in frustration I had Sierra provide me with a walkthrough. (Just for the record, I have learned my lesson after the Cydonia incident when I received over 50 emails asking me for that hard-to-get walkthrough. I have erased the GK3 walkthrough from my hard drive, as I would rather have players use their own gray cells and converse with each other over the newsgroups than complete the game in one weekend.)
This game will be a best-seller, but if Sierra wants it to be a blockbuster and cause waves in the industry, it will need to create controversy, as Phantasmagoria did with its now infamous rape scene. The most interesting and sure-to-be-controversial aspect of GK3 thus far has to be the religious imagery along with Gabriel’s sarcastic remarks concerning such. I would think that Gabriel’s peculiar religious musings and offhand remarks such as referring to Mary Magdalene as, “What a babe. Huh,” will be just what the doctor ordered for the ailing adventure genre. I hereby extend a helping hand, free of charge, to Sierra’s public relations staff and offer a suitable quote to get the ball rolling:
“Ridiculing the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene! What has this country come to when our youth can play a game that is not only sacrilegious in nature, but also disrespectful towards women of the Bible. Gabriel Knight 3 is a game that should be boycotted by all God-fearing Americans.”
Is GK3 the godsend that will save the adventure genre? Quite simply–no. I personally do not believe that any one game will save the genre–no matter how excellent it is. At its heart and soul, GK3 is still a point-and-click, slow-moving, heavy-on-the-brain-cells adventure game. If the genre is to be saved, I sincerely believe that it will come from an unexpected source, be it the sudden influx of adventure games on the Playstation or the recent outspoken group of action gamers who are demanding more adventure/puzzle aspects in games such as Drakan. It may even be saved by the most unexpected source of all–Lara Croft. In a recent interview, Jeremy Smith, the Managing Director of Core, stated that the Tomb Raider series needs to go in a new direction, and he is seriously considering the adventure genre. Now wouldn’t that be a team-up for the new millennium! Gabriel and Lara with Grace on the sidelines to pick up the pieces.
Join us in two weeks as Just Adventure begins its “Where’s Gabriel?” contest and we award copies of Gabriel Knight 3 and Gabriel Knight 3 coffee mugs to our readers. Then be sure to be back in late October to read co-editor Jen Guenther’s review of Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned.
Oh, I almost forgot! Will there be a Gabriel Knight 4? Well, that depends on the sales figures and the controversy caused by GK3. At the best, we would be looking at a release date at least two years in the future. But if you listen closely to a certain dialogue exchange in the game, there is a very strong clue concerning the content and the location if there is a sequel.
