Syberia Reviews
Syberia places you in a believable situation, then adds whimsical wonders to spark the imagination.
- Posted Sep 1, 2007 4:43 pm PT
- Recommended by 1 of 1 user.
- Difficulty:
- Just Right
- Time Spent:
- 20 to 40 Hours
- The Bottom Line:
- "Immersive"
Did your grandparents ever show you an old wind-up toy with metal spring coils and tiny gears that your parent's used to play with? Mine did. It was a little man that would jump up and down in the seat of his car while the car itself drove across the floor. I had completely forgotten about it too, until I played Syberia.
The game takes place in a little village called Valadilene in the French Alps. You play the role of Kate Walker, a New York city lawyer who has come to close the buyout deal on an old toy factory that catered to children and nobility alike back it its heyday. However, your stay gets extended by the unexpected death of the owner just before you arrive. This is followed by the surprise revelation that there was a long lost heir to the toy factory's founding family who may still be alive. This sets you off on a surreal adventure across eastern Europe on the trail of the mysterious Hans Voralberg and the legacy of his family.
What I found most compelling about this game was that while it introduced some truly whimsical notions with all the wind-up automatons and mechanical wonders, it maintained a level of believability that made me wonder how much of it could actually be done, and wish that it had been. In addition to this, Hans Voralberg's goal to find living woolly mammoths creates a dream within the dream sensation that just adds to the magic.
There is a heavy sense of history to all the places you explore throughout your adventure, at times it feels like you yourself are only playing a minor role in their continuing stories. This is complimented by a feeling of isolation; not one that adds a scare factor - with the possible exception of the Soviet factory - but more of a sense of disconnection from the real world.
All of the areas are beautifully rendered in pre-drawn backgrounds, the detail for which are truly astounding at times with the supplementation of dynamic water effects and other animations. The village of Valadilene really looks the part with traditional European architecture surrounded by majestic pine forests. The Barrockstadt University grounds has fortress-like battlements for the campus buildings and delicate glass domes for the lush rainforest aviary. The abandoned Soviet industrial town is dark, sooty, and intimidating. They all feel just right and you'll likely spend as much time admiring the visuals as you will following the plot.
The voice acting is very well done, each is appropriate for his or her character and they speak in hushed, often carefree tones and their dialogue conveys a general lack of concern for the world outside their purview. The music ranges from calm and serene to strong and foreboding, though is used sparingly throughout the game - often adding to the feeling of isolation.
The gameplay itself is the standard fare for point and click adventures. Explore your surroundings, pick up key items, and use them at the appropriate time. The game keeps it interesting though with its clever puzzles. One of the only real downsides is that too often you'll have to go from one end of an area to the other over and over to complete a puzzle, which gets annoying quickly.
All in all, Syberia will serve as a warm treat to your imagination and perhaps even instil some of the mystery Europe used to hold for the rest of the world.
The game takes place in a little village called Valadilene in the French Alps. You play the role of Kate Walker, a New York city lawyer who has come to close the buyout deal on an old toy factory that catered to children and nobility alike back it its heyday. However, your stay gets extended by the unexpected death of the owner just before you arrive. This is followed by the surprise revelation that there was a long lost heir to the toy factory's founding family who may still be alive. This sets you off on a surreal adventure across eastern Europe on the trail of the mysterious Hans Voralberg and the legacy of his family.
What I found most compelling about this game was that while it introduced some truly whimsical notions with all the wind-up automatons and mechanical wonders, it maintained a level of believability that made me wonder how much of it could actually be done, and wish that it had been. In addition to this, Hans Voralberg's goal to find living woolly mammoths creates a dream within the dream sensation that just adds to the magic.
There is a heavy sense of history to all the places you explore throughout your adventure, at times it feels like you yourself are only playing a minor role in their continuing stories. This is complimented by a feeling of isolation; not one that adds a scare factor - with the possible exception of the Soviet factory - but more of a sense of disconnection from the real world.
All of the areas are beautifully rendered in pre-drawn backgrounds, the detail for which are truly astounding at times with the supplementation of dynamic water effects and other animations. The village of Valadilene really looks the part with traditional European architecture surrounded by majestic pine forests. The Barrockstadt University grounds has fortress-like battlements for the campus buildings and delicate glass domes for the lush rainforest aviary. The abandoned Soviet industrial town is dark, sooty, and intimidating. They all feel just right and you'll likely spend as much time admiring the visuals as you will following the plot.
The voice acting is very well done, each is appropriate for his or her character and they speak in hushed, often carefree tones and their dialogue conveys a general lack of concern for the world outside their purview. The music ranges from calm and serene to strong and foreboding, though is used sparingly throughout the game - often adding to the feeling of isolation.
The gameplay itself is the standard fare for point and click adventures. Explore your surroundings, pick up key items, and use them at the appropriate time. The game keeps it interesting though with its clever puzzles. One of the only real downsides is that too often you'll have to go from one end of an area to the other over and over to complete a puzzle, which gets annoying quickly.
All in all, Syberia will serve as a warm treat to your imagination and perhaps even instil some of the mystery Europe used to hold for the rest of the world.
More Player Reviews
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- TheSergeant's Score
- 9.5
- superb
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- TheSergeant's Score
- 7.0
- good
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- TheSergeant's Score
- 9.3
- superb
Beautiful. Must I forget one of the most interesting story-telling I've ever had? Just a few behind Zelda. continue »
- Posted Jun 15, 2007 7:31 pm PT
-
- TheSergeant's Score
- 10
- perfect
THE BEST GAME ADVENTURE! Superb game ! No words to describe... continue »
- Posted Apr 5, 2007 2:57 am PT
-
- TheSergeant's Score
- 9.0
- superb
The Longest Journey was better... Syberia has too much manual labour... continue »
- Posted Apr 1, 2007 6:16 am PT
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- GameSpot Score9.1Editors' Choice
Critic Scores
- IGN 7.1 / 10
- TechTV 4 / 5
- Game Chronicles 7.4 / 10
- Worth Playing 9.5 / 10
- GameZone 9 / 10
- Adventure Classic Gaming 4 / 5
- Final-Level 4 / 5
- Game XC 7 / 10
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