Syberia

Rating:
Summary: I adored it!
Review: Syberia was the most fun I'd had since The Longest Journey. I was tired of playing so-so games and was quite pleased with Syberia. It's graphics are beautiful, the story is believable, and the locations are incredible. I had very few gripes with it, and unlike some other reviewers, I didn't think that the phone calls were completely unnessecary. They set the stage for the ending, giving Kate a reason to do what she did. I loved this game, and it's definately worth getting. It does seem a tad short, but was very fun none the less. The only thing that really bothered me was the back-and-forth thing in one location. You were required to bounce back and forth, talking to the same people over and over. That was a bit of a snore. Luckily, that was only one part, and that was the only thing that really bothered me.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fabulous
Review: From the witty dialogues to the beautiful cut scenes, the detailed characters and the haunting soundtrack.
Wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: great graphics, not so great game
Review: The graphics were quite pretty, and a few of the supporting characters were interesting, but the game wasn't so hot.

The biggest problem is the lack of a plot. Instead it is just a sequence of puzzles, really. And the game is extremely linear. It also suffers from the tendancy to make key puzzles depend on noticing obscure details and hotspots in the background. That's kind of the lazy way out of designing fun puzzles.

Be aware, you have to talk to people, then do things, then talk to the same people again, then do things, then talk to the same people again, etc.

The ending was also pretty rushed. I would have preferred if Kate had a choice about what she does at the end.

Finally, Kate herself is annoying and whiney. Plus, there is no justification for the fact that she essentially steals valuable things from other people -- people who she has just talked to and befriended. It makes her pretty unsympathetic.

Rating:
Summary: Great Game
Review: I love adventure games, sure I am an adventure game junkie! I really liked this game. My all time favorites are Neverhood, Grim Fandango and Sanitarium! This does not come close to Neverhood nor Sanitarium, but is pretty nice in deed! You will love being Kate Walker and will never call a robot by that name again!

Get this game if you love adventure games!

Rating:
Summary: Syberia
Review: The graphics are excellent one could spend hours with this game.

Rating:
Summary: Loved the game most of the time
Review: I read some of the reviews below and agree with most of the positives and some of the negatives. The graphics were beautiful, and I did not have any glitches like some other people have described, although the game did crash frequently. I had to save constantly because of that little bug. The story was fun. I especially loved the automatons. They were very cool, and the graphics showing how they worked were fantastic. I was disappointed in the end. You never actually get to Syberia, this place you are trying to reach the entire game. I'm hoping that means a sequel. If you are expecting an open ended game, this is not for you. The game is basically linear and is more like watching an interactive movie than playing a game. The "B" plot that takes place by cell phone was interesting, but not very believable for what was supposed to be character development. I'm hoping for a sequel where you can actually visit Syberia!

Rating:
Summary: Wonder Really Fun Game
Review: Beautiful graphics, fun story, great music. This game is not action packed, but is relaxing, not frustrating with stupid puzzles that don't make sense. It kept me interested and anxious to see where Kate Walker would end up next. I didn't want it to end. Yes, the ending came up suddenly, but I hope that's because a sequel will follow soon. Great to see a fun game with no shooting, no blood, but just plain fun.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Game I Have Ever Played
Review: This is the best computer game I have ever played! The graphics are the best I have ever seen and the story line is captivating. It was the best impulse buy I have ever made. It has some parts are harder than others, but all in all it is the best. I usually don't give 5 stars to anything, so you see how good this computer game is. Yes, I did have to use some help, but only because I am to impatient to figure it out my self. This is the best game ever!!!!

Rating:
Summary: A visually stunning, immersive gameworld unlike any other...
Review: I eagerly snatched up a copy of French cartoonist Benoît Sokal's "Amerzone" a few years ago, an obscure little game with gorgeous graphics and creative critters. I dearly loved "Amerzone" because it was unique: following the legacy of a dying explorer to a remote South American country isn't your standard game fare. The problem with "Amerzone" was that the game was too short, too easy and there was hardly any music or character interaction. With "Syberia," which was originally intended to be an Amerzone sequel of sorts, many of the problems with "Amerzone" have been fixed outright.

In "Syberia" you play the role of an up-and-coming New York lawyer, Kate Walker, sent to buy out a French toy factory in the Alps. But when Kate arrives in Valadilene, she finds that closing the deal won't be as simple as she thought as Miss Anna, the owner of the factory, has died, and there is a mysterious heir. Kate must journey across countries searching for his identity. Along the way, she rediscovers herself, becoming more assured and independent, a true adventurer.

"Syberia" indulges in flights of fancy unlike anything I've ever experienced. The plot was a masterpiece of mystery, drama, melodramatic moments, and half-buried family secrets. The graphics are photorealistic, and the animations are some of the best that I've ever seen. The music is lush and haunting, always reflecting the particular country/atmosphere that it was portraying. Words cannot do this fantastic game justice. Play it for yourself, then keep an eye out for the sequel, which is due Fall 2003.

Microids is the same company that produced the love-it-or-hate-it "Road to India." Based on every other Amazon.com review except mine, everyone hated it. I loved it, flaws and all, and I think that for a small company in Montréal with a smallish budget, Microids did a fantastic job trying to capture the feel of India and come up with a semi-original mystery. It is much easier to critique what a game is missing or lacking than to sit down and produce a game from start to finish, sticking to the plot, deadlines and budget. However, "Syberia" is a superior game in every way: the 3D models, voice actors, animations, and the biggest difference is storyline. Where "Road to India" lacked much of a plot, "Syberia" has a novel-length backstory and plenty of twists and turns.

The Good: Everything
+ 3D models are extremely realistic, especially in closeup (think Helena Romanski's opera performance---the most haunting thing I will EVER see in a video game OR movie)
+ Architecture uses elements from Art Nouveau, Russian Communist-era factories, dilapidated, once elegant seaside resorts, train station/greenhouses...
+ Voice acting is superb, especially the cell phone conversations
+ Cell phone added a level of real-world plausibility: having Kate's boss calling and nagging you, having to listen to Kate's mom gush about her new boyfriend, talking with your boyfriend, your best friend sharing secrets along with her finds at Bloomingdales...you also use the phone in at least one puzzle to gather information. All together a nice touch.
+ Music (haunting, magical and highly addictive)
+ Cutscenes played like movies. The flashbacks to WWII were especially well done, as was the intro and the ending (which I found to be magnificent...although the actual end of the game does come very abruptly).
+ Characters: Unlike "Amerzone" and "Road to India," where there was hardly a soul, in "Syberia" there are dozens of characters that you interact with on your journey, all of them interesting and some with quite the personality!
+ Story: Highly original, magical, with unexpected twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my office chair
+ Creatures: some of the creatures from "Amerzone" make a guest appearance, and you will learn quite a bit about mammoths.
+ Attending a lecture at Barrockstadt University
+ The evolution of Kate Walker's character from a business-minded, uptight lawyer, to an adventurer who comes to care for the company she was going to sell

The not-so-good (with this game I can't make myself say "bad"):
- Occasional crashes
- Ending is very abrupt (not the ending cutscene, but simply the ending itself...quite obviously a setup for a sequel and rather a disappointment after all the puzzle-solving
- Many puzzles are easy, especially to seasoned gamers
- Kate's annoying "No need to go down there" and "No point. The door's locked," became incredibly frustrating and irritating after the hundredth time

Overall, along with "The Longest Journey," this is the most fantastic game that I've ever had the pleasure to play in terms of graphics, story and presentation. The best game of the year and possibly of all time in my humble opinion.

Rating:
Summary: Dreamcatcher does it again!
Review: They again have created a game with great graphics, great music & sound, and a solid storyline all for an affordable price. This is probably more like a 9 stars out of 10 game (I just couldn't bring myself to only give this a 4), but this adventure is uite awesome. I only have a few complaints. One, you have a cell phone that only helps you 2 or 3 times throughout the game. You get all of these calls and it is nothing but a bunch of annoying gibberish. Two, the story starts to fade the deeper you get into the game until you get closer to the end. And 3, some of the things are repititious and that gets annoying (though this is typical of most puzzle games).
The places you visit are just awesome. Everything is done in high detail and the cutscenes are very well done (the same software used to make Diablo & Warcraft III's cutscenes is used for this game). The sound effects are so real and the music sets the tone for every place you visit. The only other complaint I have are that the puzzles weren't very hard. Everything you find in the game becomes pretty obvious as to where you will use it. The only suggestion I have is to make sure you look at every area or you just my miss something. They seem to like to have alot of activity going on in a room just to distract you from finding an object that you will need to continue. The ending left a little something to be desired, but from what I have read on some gaming sites, a sequel to this game is already on the works. After you beat this game, you can gon back and watch all of the cutscenes over and over again if you want.
This game is no doubt worth the time and the money and it is a very large world with many things to look at and many things to do and many many hours of gameplaying fun. Good luck on your adventure.