Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned

"Solid story and great adventure game"

Gabriel Knight 3 is a great sequel to the games Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father and Gabriel Knight: The Best Within. In my opinion it's an above average adventure game that felt more like a normal game other than standard point and click games at the time. GK3 is done in full 3D and you can view the lovely world anyway that you like. It is written by Jane Jensen who created the story's for the three games. This game will really suck you in if you like games with a thick story and many plot twists.

Gameplay:7/10 You move Gabriel by using the mouse and directional keys. At first it is a bit confusing on how you do all thinks in the game. You left mouse click on the floor to tell Gabriel where you want him to move and the right mouse button is used to select different actions for various things that can be interacted with. The only problem is that the camera has to be moved manually and can't be locked to move with Gabriel. After awhile though I found out that it's easier if you use the directional keys on the keyboard to move the camera. This is a minor flaw but at some points will have you a bit frustrated.

Story:10/10 The story, like in most adventure games is very good. It's the story of Prince James's baby being stolen on a train in Rennes-le-Chateau, by what Gabriel thinks is vampires. He gets a room at a hotel with a list of suspects who are on a tour guide of the hidden treasure that is supposedly buried there. Guided by his friends Grace and the lovable Mosley he must find out who takes Prince James's baby. As in any other mystery, this story features a lot of memorable characters, each with their own secrets and agendas. There are some great plot twists also in this story. This is one of the high points of the game and a story that will have you guessing until the very end.

Graphics:10/10 The graphics are pretty good for a 3D adventure game and features detailed character models and environments. For a 3D adventure game everything is top notch. Character animation is fluid and lip movements are used when they talk.

Sound:9/10 Another high point of the game. The game features great voice acting by Tim Curry as Gabriel Knight and the other characters are believable in their parts. The music is also good and really sets the mood for the small French village. Although sometimes it can get old after hearing in after awhile.

Play Time/Replayability:5/10 This game is great to play through and will take a lot of time to solve most of the puzzles and thinks in the game if you attempt to beat it without a guide. There are many events that take place and the game keeps track of them so you'll know if you did all that can be done for the story. To find every little story point which adds to your overall score will take a long time of playing the game over and over again. But a standard gamer who is average with solving puzzles will take at least 12 hours to beat. But the sad thing is that once you beat it there isn't that feel of uncertainty to who stole Prince James's baby and it won't feel as fun. So unless your a hardcore gamer who wants to complete the story in its entirety, then you'll probably only play this once.

Final Recommendation: Buy it, it's hard to find now but it's definitely worth your time. It's adult story line and unforgettable characters while keep you wanting to play. If your sick of standard point and click adventure games and wants something that feels more "dimensional" then GK3 is right up your alley.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/23/04