May 2017 Playthrough - Syberia

[douglie007]

I just finished the DS version they really rushed it, the bulk of the story was there just most of the puzzles where gone and all of the npcs that didn't have to go with the plot was taken out, I see why it got a 4 out of 10

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[Addicted]

I was going to save some of this for later but I agree with Pam 100%. The answer to the question of why Syberia exploded is marketing. Syberia had a huge marketing push behind it. Take a look at who provided the quotes on the back of the Xbox version. The quotes also signify the target audience.

http://www.rfgeneration.c...075-S-05680-A&type=bb

From Rock Paper Shotgun regarding Syberia 3:

The original Syberia was released in 2002, a time during which I paid my rent by writing reviews of the endless sloughing of barely translated adventure games from Europe into our shores. Games like Curse: The Eye Of Isis, Dracula (Resurrection), The Black Mirror, Schizm: Mysterious Journey, and Jerusalem: The 3 Roads To The Holy Land. (All of which are reviewed in my archaic archive of early reviews, fans.) And oh boy, the hate I would receive for giving these dreadful games the low, low marks they deserved. Oh the forum wars that would erupt, the furious missives on the PC Gamer message boards, the angry letters. Because, as I’ve said before and I’ll say again, adventure game fans are like heroin addicts: any game is a hit.

Into this mire of bubbling shite appeared Syberia, looking like it was going to be exactly the same as the rest, the same overly glossy pre-rendered sheen, the same generic white 20-something like-a-cop female with a mobile phone that starred in 90% of them, the same ludicrous premise and cruddy menus. Here I went again, I thought. And then, out of the blue, like a shining golden goblet atop a mountain of rotting arse, it was… fine.

I gave it 78%! This was a game about a New York lawyer who’d been sent to France to sort out some sort of issue with a will over a clockwork toy factory. Why? Because it was 2002, man, you weren’t there. But as dull as that premise might sound, it belied a sweet, moving story of a broken family, an attempt to understand the life of a recently deceased brilliant mind, and the experience of his astonishing (well, impossible) clockwork automatons. It dealt with autism with a delicate hand, in an era when it still wasn’t being sensibly discussed. And it wasn’t terrible!

It wasn’t great, of course. It was fine. Fine! Which, in those dire years, meant it was The Holy One, to be revered like the appearance of Jesus in some bridge mold, adventure game fans making pilgrimages to its birthplace. So, when two years later a sequel was released, expectations were high. Or, you know, moderate, because the first game had been fine.

One of the best quotes I've read about this game:

Syberia is noteworthy for bringing many of the best characteristics of Myst and its imitators into a third person game. At the time it was made I think those were the best graphics in a third-person adventure game ever.

[Pam]

Thanks for quoting that article Addicted. I looked it up and read the whole thing and really enjoyed it. I'd personally rate Syberia as much lower than a 78%, but it does put things in context.

[Addicted]

@Pam: You're welcome. I've heard the period from 2000-2005 described as the great European Adventure Game gold rush. From 2000 to around 2004 globalization we were seeing the effects of globalization and how technology came to dominate our lives and Syberia deals with this in some interesting ways.

[Crabmaster2000]

Very awesome to see the game put into perspective like that Addicted!

[singlebanana]

I just have to say that the great discussions on the playthrough forums over the last few months have been what I envisioned when I came on to help take them over several years ago.  Thank you all so much for playing and taking the time to put down your thoughts!  Though we may not always respond to each comment, none of them go without being read.  THANK YOU! 

[BuriedOnMars]

It was poring rain today so I was able to stay inside and put a few more hours into Syberia.  Seems like I'll only be repeating what has already been said here.  Love the backgrounds but the gameplay is is meh overall.  I feel like I 'm just walking around more than doing something.  I can't like everything, I guess.  I like the Steam punk robots though!  I'm going to get a head start on Enslaved instead of finishing this one.  I'll listen to what you guys have to say about the ending on the show.

[Addicted]

Syberia parts 1 & 2 are currently 99 cents each on GOG in case anyone wants to continue the story....

https://www.gog.com/promo...2ca57dc24a53ffb3ef5303122

[singlebanana]

Finished the game today. Interesting ending....

[singlebanana]

Last day of our Syberia playthrough.  Seems we've had a lot of good discussion so far, but curious to hear some other final thoughts.  We are recording this Friday, so if you have any questions regarding the game, or just for us in general, please let us know.

As always, thanks for joining us for another great month of playthroughs!

[douglie007]

Last day of our Syberia playthrough.  Seems we've had a lot of good discussion so far, but curious to hear some other final thoughts.  We are recording this Friday, so if you have any questions regarding the game, or just for us in general, please let us know.

As always, thanks for joining us for another great month of playthroughs!

Just no one ever torture themselves with the DS version

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[singlebanana]

Last day of our Syberia playthrough.  Seems we've had a lot of good discussion so far, but curious to hear some other final thoughts.  We are recording this Friday, so if you have any questions regarding the game, or just for us in general, please let us know.

As always, thanks for joining us for another great month of playthroughs!

Just no one ever torture themselves with the DS version

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We will be sure to mention that. Ha ha! Thanks for the effort.