Syberia II demo

vovan · March 1, 2004, 20:03

Well, I don't know how many fans of the original Syberia there are around here, but I know for a fact - I'm one.

It was a great game.

And so, the demo for the sequel has been released today. The link's below:

http://syberia2-game.com/syberia2/en...emos/demos.asp

Guynemer · March 1, 2004, 20:17

Have yet to play the original, waiting for the price to drop to $20 at the local Best Buy/CompUSA/MediaPlay. Just out of curiosity, how would you compare it to some of the best adventure games of adventure gaming's "last gasp," i.e. Gabriel Knight 3 or The Longest Journey?

DrSpike · March 2, 2004, 05:59

Play it! Then play the demo. Quality game, and I've been waiting for the sequel for ages.

"In a while...........Kate - Walker -"

Classic.

Alex · March 2, 2004, 11:04

never played the original, but i guess i'll give the demo a try, especially because it is just 85 (right?) MB. seems like an interesting game.

Skanky Burns · March 2, 2004, 11:10

Downloading now. By the time I wake up it should be well and truely finished.

alva · March 2, 2004, 11:30

huh, you on dial-up Skanks?

85 MB that would take me about 2 minutes

/me points and laughs madly...

vovan · March 2, 2004, 11:52

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
"In a while...........Kate - Walker -"

Classic.

Yep.

One thing I noticed about the demo... There isn't much to do to finish it, but it really shows off the new features of the game - like the moving NPC character, the snow, and some pretty cool actions one could do like

Spoiler:

But something I noticed is that it references the original Syberia. So, those of y'all who haven't played the first game, may think Kate's crazy after she gets that call from her mother.

(Which, she may very well be.

) Then, again, I spotted a "Syberia Recap" button on the main menu, so they'll probably reiterate the story for ya if you haven't played Syberia...

Any way, the demo's sweet. If you haven't played it, go do so now.

Guynemer,
The graphics are definitely much better compared to those games, but that's no surprise, since Syberia is much older. But really, the first game isn't technologically amazing. All the backgrounds are static but stunningly well drawn. You can't quite see that from the screenies, but when you wander some of the locations, you totally seem immersed in them. Others aren't that great, I thought. For instance, if we take Syberia I, the very first location was amazing. I went all "Woah..." when I saw it. But the third location, for instance, an abandoned mine town in the former USSR wasn't that great. All in all, while you might say graphics are sorta superficial and unnecessary to a good adventure - it's all about the story and puzzles, after all - they definitely add a lot to Syberia.

And speaking of the puzzles and storyline. The story was one of the stronger points in those "last gasp" and pre-"last gasp" games, and it definitely plays out well for Syberia. The authors created a great immersive storyline that totally sucks you in. Well, it did suck me in, any way.

As far as the puzzles go, they are also very good for the most part. There is very little of the pixel-hunting crap that's plagued some of the other recent games of the genre, like Runaway: The Road Adventure. Other than one or two, the puzzles also don't seem out of place and integrate well with the rest of the story. The feeling of "Well, that's random." only came up once or twice for me, towards the end.

So, I guess I'd compare it favourably to the "last gasp" games you speak of.

DrSpike · March 2, 2004, 13:31

I agree with most of Vovan's comments; the story is an immersive one and the puzzles fit in to the story well rather than feel tacked on. The graphics and cut-scenes are nice, which is all they have to be.

However I have to disagree that the game is anything better than on a par with TLJ, which still holds the DrSpike award for greatest script ever in an adventure game.

All in all there's not much between those 2 greats, though both are better than GK3. If anything Syberia's ending knocks the fraction of a point off to let TLJ steal it.

vovan · March 2, 2004, 13:50

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
All in all there's not much between those 2 greats, though both are better than GK3. If anything Syberia's ending knocks the fraction of a point off to let TLJ steal it.

That's true, but I'm thinking that's because TLJ was a complete story, whereas Syberia was ended with sights on S2. So, the ending was, indeed, a bit anticlimactic.

Guynemer · March 2, 2004, 14:31

Just stopped by Gamestop on my way to lunch, and the ****ers didn't have it. According to Amazon, it's being sold for $20; I remember seeing it at MediaPlay a couple weeks ago at $35.

They didn't have Beyond Good And Evil either... I really dislike buying things online.

vovan · March 3, 2004, 00:17

I buy stuff on-line more often than not...

Amazon

Best Buy

Also, FYI, Syberia II has gone gold today.

We'll be seing the game on March 24.

Quote:

Syberia II goes gold

Adventure sequel will ship for the PC on March 24.

Microids has announced that Syberia II has gone gold. The adventure game will ship for the PC on March 24. No rating information is available. Syberia II will again follow heroine Kate Walker across four magical lands as she tries to find Hans Voralberg. Gameplay will focus on puzzles, quest completion, and character interaction.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure...s_6090471.html

Skanky Burns · March 3, 2004, 00:33

Quote:

Originally posted by alva
huh, you on dial-up Skanks?

85 MB that would take me about 2 minutes

* alva points and laughs madly...

DSL. It ended up taking around 20 minutes.
Still, I was right. The download was finished by the time I woke up 12 hours later.

Sarxis · March 3, 2004, 01:25

I played through Syberia, and it was great! The music really did it for me, and the whole ambiance of the game.

DrSpike · March 3, 2004, 06:03

Quote:

Originally posted by vovan
Also, FYI, Syberia II has gone gold today.

We'll be seing the game on March 24.

Damn, another game to make time for.

Guynemer · March 3, 2004, 10:36

Well, downloaded the demo. Kinda weird, not having the least bit of direction. Managed to finish it in ~30 minutes.

Unbelievably gorgeous. But what's with making her polar bear/dog thingy jump across the chasm? I wanted to slap the **** out of my own character.

Seemed like it could be good, but I think I'd have to play the original to be sure.

DrSpike · March 3, 2004, 15:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Guynemer
Unbelievably gorgeous. But what's with making her polar bear/dog thingy jump across the chasm? I wanted to slap the **** out of my own character.

That's strange, I also spent much of the first game wanting to smack her pert behind.

Guynemer · March 3, 2004, 20:06

After long, careful reflection on that statement, I would like to recommend, whole-heartedly and without reservation, the following course of action for you, DrSpike:

You need to get laid.

DrSpike · March 3, 2004, 20:09

Hehe, my gf is 4 feet away. I'll pass on your suggestion.

Skanky Burns · March 3, 2004, 20:29

I take it your g/f doesn't post on Poly.

EDIT: X-post. I must remember to refresh before replying whenever I open up a page and then have to go away for several hours before I get a chance to reply. Not that that happens too often, I guess.