Syberia II Review

|Tap-Repeatedly|FFC Archives

           

Syberia II

Review by JenApril 2004

I regard Syberia as a minor cultural phenomenon, the culture in question, of course, being the adventure gaming world. It was released to almost universal critical accolade and very well received by the adventure-playing public. At first. But then there was a groundswell against it—the buzz turned negative, the game’s flaws being magnified all out of proportion and completely overshadowing what was right about it.  Puzzle-lovers reviled it for its easy conundrums, exploration-lovers despised its many doors that would not open … even the eye-candy lovers found bones to pick—the environments were too sterile, lifeless; pretty pictures do not a good game make. Perhaps it is a token of the broader human condition, this business of it being easier to find fault with a thing than to praise it. I’m certainly guilty of that myself from time to time.

Whatever the case, I was one of those swept off my feet by the first Syberia. For that I make no apology; my fond opinion stands to this day. All of the contrarians have had their effect on me, though. Throughout its development, I have looked at Syberia II with a jaundiced eye.

In between Syberia the first and this new Syberia II, I took up computer role-playing games. I have never understood why anybody thinks linearity in video games is a bad thing; I like knowing where I’m going and what I’m doing and that the game will actually come to an end one day. In CRPGs, though, even if they are wholly linear, you generally can find other things to do aside from working on the main task, and you can do these branching quests out of order. Adventure games don’t offer this; usually there is only the one story/puzzle path and if you’re stuck, you’re stuck—you can’t go do something else while you mull over the solution. I thought I would miss this multiplicity of missions in going from RPG back to adventure.

I needn’t have worried about any of this. Syberia II is every bit as enchanting as its predecessor—the wind- and snow-swept wintry surroundings, the absolute mastery of the medium displayed in the drawings, the artful camera angles, the grandiose music …  all conspired to carry me off to a different world every time I played.

Puzzles are well-integrated, although some are fairly preposterous.  For example, there is a time where Kate has to awaken a character who is visible but out of earshot for whatever reason—the particular puzzle involved is very convoluted with multiple steps and leaps of logic required to reach the goal, and meanwhile there is a whole pile of rocks practically under Kate’s arm—in real life, she probably would’ve just picked up and chucked one or two of them at the guy to attract his notice. Also, there is too much trial-and-error in some of the puzzles, as in one instance where what appears at first glance to be one big hotspot is really several smaller hotspots, and it matters which is chosen. Since I had made a vow to myself to play the whole game without a walkthrough (subsequently broken thanks to these and some other misunderstood or overlooked pixels), I can’t tell you how much time I spent on this particular part.  Well, really, I could tell you, but … it’s too embarrassing. Overall, though, despite the overabundance of artificial obstacles, one after another, the puzzles make sense within the context of the game and are fun to play.

But Syberia is not really about the puzzles. It is more a computer graphics showcase used as a vehicle for delivery of a magical story of one woman’s quest for the meaning of life—if not all life, at least her own. She is carried along by a wave of events on a quest for the fabled lost northern island of Syberia, whose descendants build their towns from ancient ivory and eat long-frozen mammoth meat by thawing glaciers.

The external events are driven by Hans Voralberg, an eccentric inventing savant. Hans is old and tired, and his final wish is to see the legendary living mammoths of Syberia before he kicks it.  Hans has designed and built a life-size mechanical train that travels hundreds of miles on a single windup, that stops at real train stations that just happen to have winding mechanisms already in place, and whose tracks end in the far Asian north, deep in the frozen tundra.  Yes, it sounds silly, but if you suspend your disbelief just so, it works.

As well, Hans has made a manservant automaton to act as the train’s engineer. The metal man, Oscar, is very rigidly built, so to speak, but he does talk, reason (to an extent), and have a personality.  The Oscar of the first Syberia drove me nuts. He is supposed to tug at your heartstrings a la R2D2/C3PO or Glottis (funny how those are all LucasArts/-Films creations, eh? what evil hath they wrought?), but he is purely a big fat impediment that must be overcome time and again. Oscar is too close a thing to a sidekick for my personal comfort level; anyone who knows me knows how I feel about stinkin’ sidekicks, which is that they stink. (In all fairness, Oscar is well loved by plenty of other players.) Anyway, Oscar is back. This time around, though, he plays a much smaller part, a significant plus in my view.

The player character, Kate Walker, continues, uninterrupted from the first Syberia, down her road to personal development via interactions with others. One thing I really like about these games is their respectful and fairly realistic portrayal of women, as embodied by Kate. Yes, Kate is supermodel-pretty (supposedly, that is; this is not always evidenced by the in-game Kate Walker avatar), but the whole rest of the game is supermodel-pretty as well, so she fits right in. She is young and sexy, yet she is (almost) always fully clothed; she need never resort to feminine wiles. She may make bad choices from time to time, but she is not stupid. She is capable and self-reliant; she ends up assuming a not exactly maternal but more big-sisterly caretaking role in a game world populated predominantly by male nonplayable characters.

The developers have taken a lot more care this time around in cleaning up after themselves. I seem to remember Syberia was originally conceived as a single game, and later, after development was well underway, the decision was made to split it into two. Hence the rather abrupt ending of the first game. Hence too all of those useless extra hotspots in the first game. At the time, I had theorized they were left over from the undivided game and would come into play in part deux. However, not only do those hotspots not do that, you never even see them again! But that turned out to be sloppy design in the first game; we’re talking about Syberia II, and there is none of that here.

Unlike the first game, which did stand, albeit, some might argue, somewhat shakily, on its own two feet, I do not think Syberia II would work as anything but a sequel; seeing as how it’s really the second half of a single game, I imagine my enjoyment would have been much less had I not played the first part. Accessible from the game’s main menu, there is a two- or three-minute video recap of the events of the first game. I don’t know if this was meant for players new to the game world or merely as a reminder for returning players. I definitely don’t think it would substitute for having played the original Syberia. Whatever the case, I didn’t even look at it until I was already well underway in the game proper; the new game does take up right where the old one left off, and my memory did not need refreshing—it all came flooding back within seconds.

Syberia II is not meant to be rushed through, it is intended to be savored, tasted by every side of the gaming tongue, plate licked clean in a leisurely spell of sensual gluttony. Eyes, ears, brain too—all of my gaming senses were engaged and satiated by this sumptuous repast. No, it is not perfect; it may not even have at its core a very good game (although I certainly enjoyed it). But it is a masterwork when viewed as an exemplar of the video game as art, one of the very best fusions of story and imagery extant in the medium today, and for that reason alone it deserves a place in the eventual Electronic Entertainment Hall of Fame. The End

The Verdict

The Lowdown

Developer: Microids Publisher: XS Games Release Date: March 2004

Available for: Windows

Four Fat Chicks Links

Player Feedback

Screenshots

Click to enlarge Click to enlargeClick to enlarge Click to enlargeClick to enlarge Click to enlargeClick to enlarge Click to enlargeClick to enlarge Click to enlargeClick to enlarge Click to enlarge

System Requirements

Windows 98/ME/2000/XP PII 350 MHz processor (PIII 800 MHz recommended) 16 MB Direct3D (DirectX 8.1) compatible 3D video card (32 MB recommended) 64 MB RAM (128 MB recommended) 400 MB free hard disk space 16X CD-ROM drive (24X recommended) DirectX 7 compatible sound card

Where to Find It

GoGamer 29.90

Prices/links current as of 04/12/04Links provided for informational purposes only.  FFC makes no warranty with regard to any transaction entered into by any party(ies).

      Copyright © Electric Eye Productions.  All rights reserved.  No reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission.

Pages

Top

Category Archives

Top

Blog Posts

Top

14 Responses to Fear Factor

  • Fear Factor | Tap-Repeatedly.com | Reality Topics Blog

    […] nobody@flickr.com (graftedno1) wrote a very interesting post today.   Here’s a quick excerpt:My greatest fear is to be trapped alone in a confined space with a blind human, in total darkness. They have a heightened sense of smell and hearing, and. […]

  • Matt "Steerpike" Sakey

    Lewis, you made me think of the scariest moments I’ve experienced in gaming, and we’re very similar people.

    Bioshock had two moments – the dentist and the flooded room filled with mannequins.

    Thief had Return to the Cathedral, which was terrifying to me. Thief 3 had Shalebridge Cradle, which is so scary it ought to be fined.

    System Shock 2 kept me on the edge of my seat, but it was more lonely panic than true fear.

    Korsakovia was so scary that I uninstalled it.

    And STALKER. Oh, god, the haunted labs in STALKER. The latter two games don’t have scares like that. Few games do.

    It’s especially rare for a game to have more than mere “moments” – for a game to be scary from beginning to end, that’s a triumph.

    Wonderful article. As if Gregg’s review wasn’t enough to convince me that Penumbra is not something I have the courage to play!

  • DPenn

    I’m with you Lewis … I’m a bit of a puss. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of dread as entertainment.

    Still, I’m drawn to dark stories when they have something interesting to say, whether it’s a game like Thief or a film like, say, Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible. So I’ll push through, sometimes peering through my fingers.

    The trouble with games, though, is that if you look through your fingers, you’re probably just going to have to play through the scenario again. :~)

  • Mike "Scout" Gust

    I wanted to play this game. I downloaded the demo but the controls were just too wonky for me to get my head around. I liked the atmospheric vibe a lot. I think I’m a bit desensitized from an overdose of horror movies in my youth so I don’t so much get the dread thing from these games as a nice creepy vibration. If only the controls were better…

  • Lewis B

    @ Mike, what’s wrong with the controls bud? As someone who despises poor control schemes, Penumbra’s is just like any other FPS, except to examine things you right click on them.  To use things you left click.  I’m not sure that can be considered difficult 🙂

  • Gregg B

    @Steerpike: Yeah my greatest shit-scared moments were with those games too. A few spoilers below people, so beware.

    Bioshock – Haha, I remember the dentist. I didn’t really find the game that scary overall but the bit where you go into the wine cellar and notice a mannequin facing the wall and after upgrading your weapon it’s stood directly behind you motionless and quiet just for a moment before attacking you. I shat a brick. I also missed that bit originally until Lew told me about it.

    System Shock 2 – same as you really, more unremitting tension all the way through rather than specific terrifying moments. Oh actually, theres a bit where you call a lift and it breaks then you realise a service droid is coming to fix it… I do remember having sleep issues after my first encounter with the cyborg ninjas though.

    Thief: The Dark Project – The Sword and Return to the Cathedral and Down in the Bonehoard and well, loads of them. The Sword made me break out into goosebumps though because there was a bit where you could hear this creepy giggling which seemed like it was following me about then it suddenly changed to this horrible throaty noise. What made matters worse was that the EAX (bless you Creative) made my foot steps sound like somebody else was there with me. That level was incredible, a bit too incredible as it seems I missed great chunks of it because I was so eager to leave.

    Thief II: The Metal Age – Trail of Blood where you end up in that opening with those damn tree beasts. God the first time I saw one of those hurtling towards me I actually died shortly afterward. Do you remember that Mechanist child walking around on one of the levels? That was a little creepy.

    Then there’s Penumbra: Overture – quite a few bits but I’m not mentioning them here.

    Oh and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – The brain scorcher lab just because it was so damn quiet. My imagination seriously got the better of me there. Those stuffed animals and heads I’d seen in various buildings led me to believe that those creatures were lurking somewhere in the Zone, specifically that lab.

    @Mike: My control setup was perfect after some tweaking (as well as the simple weapon swing fix). If you ever fancy giving it another go, give me a shout and I’ll let you know my setup.

  • Lewis B

    I’m not sure why guys, but one of my starting paragraphs had gone missing, even though I copied it straight from the original source, and It was fine earlier. 

    Incase you missed it due to some technical issue you might want to re-read just after “Well no she wouldn’t in truth, but in Penumbra: Overture you don’t want to move anyway.” at the very start for those who’ve already read the article. Apologies 🙂

  • Mike "Scout" Gust

    Lewis, it was the weapon swing. It had this terrible, unresponsive feel to it, like trying to hit through molasses. I couldn’t stand using it. I tried the .ini fix as mentioned in the review but it didn’t seem to help. Of course this was the demo…but that shouldn’t have made any difference. I might try the second game instead as I guess they did away with the weapons thing.

    I’m see your first paragraph just fine. It’s the dialogue, right?

  • jdeuel

    I like the argument that weapons can remove fear, but even loaded to the teeth with ammo in AVP’99 the Marine missions were frightful because the enemy was anywhere at any time.

    As for Penumbra Overture, if the controls are anything like the original Penumbra they need to hack in some Wii-Remote 3d controls. I did not like using my mouse for 3d movements.

  • Gregg B

    @Mike: I’ve read that many people avoided conflict altogether in Overture which incidentally is something forced upon you in Black Plague. As somebody who has been renovating a house over the last 6 months with no DIY experience I can safely say that swinging a hammer is significantly easier in real life than it is in Overture without the fix. The fix balanced that for me.

    I’d highly recommend completing the first Penumbra because it’s one big build up to Black Plague which spoils the ending to Overture in the intro. And it’s a great ending too. Just so you know!

  • Lewis B

    @ Steerpike, those moments you mention are all my worst too!!  Do you remember the Robot labs in SS2? Absolutely terrifying, waiting for robots to burst out on you! 🙁 oh and have you ever player Condemned?

    @ Mike, The use of weapons in Penumbra is different to say HL2, where the player is physically holding the weapon, as in Penumbra it floats slightly infront of you.  However, if you change the control method to normal weapon swing, it’s no different!  Speak to Greggi and he’ll tell you what to do 🙂

    @ jdeuel, AVP the original and its sequal were scary however what type of fear do you think it is? I don’t think it’s anything more than sheer tension.  Having a Smart Gun makes you feel incredibly powerful.  I can honestly say in Penumbra the fear is sheer unrivalled terror, where you actually have to force yourself to play on.  It genuinly is that scary! 🙂

  • Jason Dobry

    It’s so true, an arsenal of weapons and ammo rapidly deflates any sense of horror or uneasiness in any game for reasons you already mentioned. Sakey, I thought Bioshock was more “lonely panic,” while I was pretty much always terrified in System Shock 2. I really, really, REALLY did not want to enter The Many’s nursery, and my weapons were so unreliable and ammo so scarce that I never felt safe.

    Silent Hill was terrifying for the same reasons. Ammo was rare and I frequently had to rely on my pipe for self-defense.  Even when I had ammo, the game mechanics prevented my character from being anything other than marginal with any firearm.

    Fear had one moment for me: I was climbing up a ladder, and as I reached the upper platform, my guy briefly looked down as he climbed off. As my perspective looked up again, that Ring-esque little girl was RIGHT THERE, reaching for me. I screamed and she was gone.

    What else…the original Aliens vs. Predator sent me into a locker room and I could only hear the facehuggers scurrying about somewhere within. I had to go in there. I advanced about three steps before the damn thing screamed and filled up my screen with its repulsive underside as it implanted me with its spawn. My roommate made fun of me for weeks for screaming like a girl child.

    Korsakovia–meh.  I was too annoyed and frustrated by the box rearrangement/jumping puzzles to be scared. I uninstalled it after an hour of play, I think. Maybe the scary parts were later, but I doubt it.

    As for Penumbra, I did play through about half of it before other games distracted me. I remember unease and creepiness, but no sweaty fear. I think I’m to blame here, or, more precisely, my daughter, who was still an infant at the time and generally allowed me only to play during the day for 45 minutes at a time. I was denied total immersion and the fear effect suffered. Maybe I should give it another go after I finish Call of Pripyat since she sleeps through the night now. With any luck, Penumbra will keep me from doing the same.

  • Gregg B

    I played the demo of F.E.A.R. but that ladder scare is the only bit I remember. Christ, that made me jump. I’m not too good with cat scares.

    Also I felt exactly the same about Korsakovia. It was creepy at first but then it began to irritate me far too much and it just soured the experience. I stopped playing as a result. Not to mention, when I realised I could bash those smoke-things with my crowbar they didn’t bother me nearly as much.

  • Online Up

    Great article. I look forward to reading more in the future.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.