Syberia

Rating:
Summary: fun but not captivating
Review: The story line started off decently, but began to fade near the end. I felt the ending could have been much better. The automatons were cute and dialogue decent. It is a decent game to play on a rainy day or if your snowed in. The use of only the mouse for game play was a first for me. I am definitely a hard- core keyboard fan. Graphics in the game I must admit were very well done. I think a beginning gamer would have fun playing this game, but if you are a serious gamer try something like, "Alice"
or "Undying."

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Game With a Horrible Ending
Review: I must say that I have waited my entire life for a game like this. I'm terrible at running around and shooting things but love puzzles and games that make you think. The Kings Quest series of games used to satisfy this desire, until then they too became games in which you have to run around and kill things. Syberia was amazing. The graphics were incredible, the music was amazing, I loved every bit of the game. My only complaint is that the ending is amazingly abrubt. One minute you're playing, and the next minute the credits are rolling. I truly almost cried because things felt so unresolved. If other reviewers are correct and this is simply because they're planning a sequel, then I'm not quite as crushed. However, I want everyone who buys it to be prepared for the abrubt ending, since I was not.

Rating:
Summary: Spectacular graphics, but little after that.
Review: I admit I'm an adventure game junkie. From the ranks of Zork, Myst and others I was quite excited to find another adventure thought driven game rather than just another shoot em up game. At first I was impressed by this game's graphics. I was getting ready and settled in for what looked to be an epic adventure. This is where my impressedness ended.

You play a lawyer, trying to get a toy company to sign with another large toy company. Interesting prospect... not saving the world for once. You look over this pseudo european landscape chasing down this toy company owner and engage in a little adventure. Nice so far huh?

This game, despite being delightful with its graphics felt empty. No finality to this game, no epic I just saved the world feeling, no feeling of having completed anything. It just was like a movie that fell flat.

Sure if you're a graphics junkie, this will be great. If you're looking for something to complete on a Sunday afternoon or on a day off, great. I dont think the cost of this game justifies even the great graphics. I happen to just like games that take me longer than an afternoon to complete. Maybe you'll have better luck, as I am an adventure gamaholic.

Rating:
Summary: boring rehash of a ten year old game.
Review: If you've just bought a computer, never played a game before, never heard of the game MYST, and find this game in a dumpster you might just enjoy this ridiculous, boring, overblown, tedious, dimwitted game. Endlessly boring gameplay puncuated by mediocre payoffs with graphics that we've already seen ten years ago. This is what happens when a bunch of graphic artists that understand the subtleties of tic-tac-toe write a game for the masses. If you've already clipped your nails and removed all of your belly-button lint, then you've already had more fun than you'll ever find in this derivative rip off of a classic game that was fun and inventive ten years ago. Waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: Visually stunning yet lacking elsewhere
Review: Syberia is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful games I have played. The prerendered towns, machines and the patina on them are very artfully done, and the camera angle capturing them creates a truly stunning atmosphere. Visual style is nearly impeccable.

However, it feels like the developers had slacked off in tidying up other areas.

Story line feels unfinished. It is also philosophically shallow (Oh, the tacky existential ending). The game's attempt to have a seemingly strong female character is undermined by a number of "Frailty, thy name is woman" sequences (The main character being physically weak is somewhat excusable, but her refusing to touch a boat oar because it is slimy? Give me a break!).

Support characters are stereotypical. Intolerant towns folk. Rude boss. Cheating boyfriend. Nagging mother. Rude, aristocratic old woman. B-movie butleresque mechanical servants.

There are a number of very annoying and completely unnecessary "run back and forth" routines (Quite a few of which are in Barrockstadt portion of the game accompanied by equally annoying and unnecessary testicle jokes).

And most offensive of them all, the game's rude disregard for us left-handed people. Syberia takes over the mouse and turns it into a right-handed mouse. The game option does not allow re-mapping of mouse buttons.

Check out this game for the visuals, but don't expect a great plot. And if you are left-handed... expect to be annoyed.

Rating:
Summary: One of the very best adventure games I ever played!
Review: Excellent game in every way. The graphics are breathtaking, the storyline is interesting, it keeps you wanting more and more of it. The ending definitely suggests a sequel! I can only wait with baited breath. I love this game and would recommend it highly to any adventure game lover.

Rating:
Summary: Good Game with a few problems
Review: I loved how this game looked, especially Valideline. The storyline was interesting. I was interested in the legend of Syberia and other facets. I liked the Dan, Olivia, and Mom. I didn't like the ending. I also had some troubles running the game on my computer, which meets the system requirements. I had trouble with freezes at certain points, like at the begining when the hotel clerk gets the fax. I didn't like a couple of things about the ending. I loved how many extra things were included to make a world instead of a room with only what you need. I didn't like how long it took to get everywhere. I thought this game was much nicer to look at and more detailed than The Longest Journey, but it didn't have quite as good storyline or puzzles. It was overall an enjoyable experience.

Rating:
Summary: Nice game
Review: I really enjoyed this game. In fact, so much so I finished it in 3 nights. I think the plot was well thought out and it kept me interested. There were a few slow moments in the game and a few times the required task was not obvious to me at all, but all in all, my only complaint is that it is too short of a game.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful game, but too many bugs.
Review: I was so eager to play this game that I'd read so many positive things about, but sadly I was disappointed in the quality of the game. First I'd like to review the postives about the game. The scenery is beautiful without qestion. A lot of time was spent of the graphics and artwork and it shows. Also, the puzzles weren't too difficult. Now some may find that a disappointment, but I actually enjoyed it because I didn't have to rely too much on cheating to solve the game for once.
Now the negatives... there were just too many glich's in the game. The dialogue was just way off and overlapping. Everytime characters spoke to one another, they'd overlap each other making it very confusing and difficult to understand. If you play this game, use the subtitles and follow those while trying to tune out the audio speakers. Also another problem are the graphics. They were way off. For example, Kate (the main character) would be running down the middle of a street or crossing a bridge, would end up walking in front of objects she actually should be walking behind. It's difficult to explain, but after a while it does get irritating. Also there were many times in which half of characters bodies would be missing or Kate would have partially blacked off face (an obvious glich). I kid you not! She actually looked like the phontom of the opera! Now, of course I thought these glich's may be because of my computer, but I'd installed it a couple of times on 2 computers, and at different levels (recommeded and full) and the glich's were on all the games. It may be that I just got a bum copy of the game, I don't know. Another irk I had was the speed. Getting Kate from point A to point B was a slow process. I wish there had been a Zip mode. Sure if I'd double click where I'd like Kate to go she'd run instead of walk, but her run was a slow trot. Also, the plot of the story wasn't too great. Kate's a lawyer who's trying to hunt down an heir to a toy factory in the hopes of getting him to sign over the rights to a company she's representing. However, I realized at the end of the game, throughout the game all I was doing was completing tasks in order to get the train (her main mode of transportation) to work. Not fun. This game had so many possiblities, but sadly they were missed.

Rating:
Summary: "Girl" Game
Review: I love games but was unable to find a contemporary computer game that I understood and enjoyed. (By contemporary, I mean not a traditional game like Monopoly or Chess- I understand those, ha ha.) It seems, in general, most computer games are designed with men in mind- shoot 'em up, violence, battles, monsters, that just don't appeal to me. This game was the first I found that held my interest. I like spy themes, mysteries... Second, because I'm new to contemporary games, it's the first I've been able to understand with a little help from my teenage daughter. She zipped through the game, but the concept of finding clues by mousing over pictures, moving from scene to scene, collecting items... was challenging for a beginner who is used to playing games by rolling a die and moving three squares. I think this is a good introductory game for moms and grandmas like me.