Microids released Syberia in 2002 with the promise of a superb adventure game that would revive the flagging video game business. I saw major television press on it as well as reviews in glossy magazines that showed scenes from the game that were breathtaking. So naturally I bought it.
It truly is gorgeous: having worked with 3D graphics I'm hard to impress, and I had wished I'd been part of their team on this one, most of which I noticed were French. The backgrounds for the game are very realistic, and the interactive objects done well enough that they blend in fairly seamlessly. Excellant shadowing done on interactives [clearly done with complex forms beneath the skins - also looks like more than the usual 8 or so perameters built into how shadows will fall]. And the color is also realistic: very little of the over-cartooned type color tones in most games. This is closest to MYST in its sensibility.
As for the action in the game; there is nothing supernatural about any of the games interactivity other than the fact that many of the "toy" characters have the ability to act and react like humans without any explanation as to why this happens.
The story is based on an American lawyer named Kate Walker who has been called over to a small town in Europe to settle the sale of a property to an American company. Last minute the sale goes into dispute when the owner dies leaving it to a missing but living heir. It is her job to find him.
The property is a toy factory: the old fashioned variety which is based completely on mechanical functions. These are more than just toys however, and it is through the "toys" that she embarks on her adventure that takes her farther away than she imagined this trip would ever go.
It is the user's job however to find the clues along the way that will aid in finding the heir and solving the case. So it is part mystery, part adventure, but is however mostly intrigue. It is not a fast game, but a thoughtful, beautiful journey which you need to pay attention to: not just to find the clues but to see all that the game offers.
Syberia however is plagued with problems. My first copy of the game crashed my computer so badly i had to reinstall windows, and that was even after a long conversation with their customer service. There were problems with the sound which were not related to my soundcard.
I eventually was given a second copy as a gift and the installation of this version worked without the sound issues. It is however easy to get stuck in the second destination, which is where I've been for months. Eventually I got bored and abandoned it for another game. This is not a good sign. The problem with a beautiful and thoughtful game, is that eventually it will lose even the most dedicated of gamers attention.
There are many issues that come with the game; it is crucial that you have the correct video and sound cards or the game will not work: so check your computer before purchasing to be sure it is compatible. If not, you'll have to upgrade either your video or sound cards. Your screen also has to be set to 16 bit or it again will not function correctly. These are fairly standard issues, but important to remember regardless.
As for getting stuck in the second destination: I have no advice. But I would appreciate if someone would tell me exactly I can get the train out of the station now that I've done everything else?
As a side note; the music in this game is wonderful. I usually have a problem with the scores written for many of them, but in this case they aced it. Sound itself is excellant; great ambient sounds. Birds whose voices become muffled as they fly away... the squeaking of a shoe on steps... the echo of a coin falling in an empty room. All considered and built into the game for realism.
You play as Kate Walker, a businesswoman looking for the long-lost heir of the world's greatest family of toymakers To find this heir, she'll have to ...More at Amazon
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