Get ready for a mysterious adventure in search of a clockwork genius whose story will unfold before you

User Rating: 8.8 | Syberia PC
Thanks to games like Myst and the Kings Quest series I have always been a big fan of adventure games. Unfortunately I’ve been crossed enough times with adventure games that don’t live up to the hype surrounding them (Schizm, Egypt) so I find myself hesitant when I learn of a new game of this genre. When I first heard about Syberia I wasn’t sure I was even going to try the game, but as I found out more about the game I became intrigued with its unique storyline. Usually these types of games happen in unknown worlds, or in ages past, where the user may feel uncertain about the rules of the environment they are in. In a different turn Syberia takes place in the current day across Europe. Playing Syberia you enter a world that is vaguely recognizable, but filled with the clockwork toys of one Hans Voralburg.

You play as Kate Walker, a lawyer who has come to Valideline to complete the purchase to a New York company, of a factory, owned by the Voralburg family, made famous from the clockwork toys they design. Upon arrival you find out that the current owner has just passed away, and the factory ownership has changed hands to the last remaining heir, Hans Voralburg. Unfortunately Hans has been missing for some time. Kate will have to search for Hans, learn about his childhood and exception talents, and follow in his footsteps across Europe is search of the fabled land of Syberia.

The graphics in this game are fantastic. Game play graphics are well rendered, and the cutscenes evoke an almost dreamlike quality. The real stars of the show are the amazing backgrounds found in Syberia. The villages and towns that you visit have a mystical quality to them, evoked by the design and color used in them. It truly is like walking through a painting. The musical score was brilliantly chosen to pull at the player’s heartstrings, and compliment the game quite nicely.

If you enjoy games that play more like stories, with depth and character development, then you’ll love Syberia.