Syberia II Preview
Microïds' Montreal studio has been busy working on a sequel to its hit adventure game. We take an exclusive in-depth look at Syberia II.
Surprise hits don't come any more surprising than Syberia . The adventure game from Microïds may not quite have revitalized the flagging adventure genre, but it was a certifiable hit in both Europe and America last year. Stylish, surreal settings attracted the attention of casual gamers, and puzzle design that emphasized actual thinking over the frustrating "use everything in your inventory and see what happens" style of game brought a lot of lapsed adventure gamers back into the fold. Unlike so many of its recent predecessors, Syberia actually made sense. What's more, it wrapped those logical puzzles in a sleek package that featured an involving story and some of the most eccentric visuals seen in a mass-market American game since the very Euro-chic The Longest Journey arrived stateside in 2000.
Perhaps the only disappointing part of Syberia was that the game didn't really come to a satisfying conclusion. While erstwhile corporate lawyer Kate Walker may have found missing toy creator Hans Voralberg at the end of her travels, many plotlines were left unresolved. Anyone who completed the first game must have been aware that a sequel was in the planning stages, a suspicion that we confirmed with a visit to the Microïds development studio in Montreal last week. We were offered an exclusive first look at Syberia II and a chance to sit down with the project leads for a discussion about the upcoming game. The game's designers walked us through the new story line, showcased a number of enhanced features, and displayed a tech demo of some nearly completed locations.
"We've added a lot of new features in comparison with the original Syberia, changed some of the focus and improved the graphics so that we can do things like animated snow and ice, complex real-time shadows, and so on," said production manager Stephane Grefford by way of introduction. "We've also added more action to the story line. No arcade elements or anything like that, but we've made the story more dynamic with more exciting things happening to Kate. As you will now be living the adventure with Hans instead of following around after him, trying to find him, there will be more dramatic action, more people, more life in the settings. There will also be more interaction with the environment, similar to what we did in the Komkolzgrad world in Syberia."
One thing that hasn't changed with the new game is its chief inspiration. While the game itself is being fully designed and programmed at Microïds' Montreal offices, the French novelist and artist Benoit Sokal (perhaps best known for his Amerzone graphic novel, which was adapted into an adventure game in 1999) is overseeing the project from his studios in Paris. As with the original Syberia, Sokal has written the script for the sequel and provided hundreds of concept sketches outlining his vision of everything from the "future gothic" architecture that made the first game so striking to the quirky facial features of the characters Kate and Hans will encounter during their expedition. Design team members keep in constant contact with Sokal, sharing ideas over the phone in lengthy conversations that take place almost every day. Sokal also visits Montreal for a few days every month, usually bringing along new concept sketches to be used in "brainstorming sessions" with the artists busy putting together Syberia II's new landscapes.
Syberia II Quick Links
Summary | Reviews | News | Previews & Features | Images | Videos | Downloads | Answers | Hints & Cheats | Forum
- GameSpot Score 7.8 good
Content you might like…
-
Syberia II Official Trailer 1
Kate Walker returns for another adventure in this trailer for Syberia II.
- Feb 19, 2004
Users who looked at this article also looked at these content items.
Images
Games you may like…
-
Syberia
(PC) -
Dreamfall
(PC) -
Shadow of Destiny
(PC) -
The Longest Journey
(PC) -
Broken Sword: The Sleepi
(PC)
Users who looked at content for this game also looked at these games.
See More Similar Games
1 Comments