Syberia II

"The conclusion to a series that some would consider to be a diamond in the rough..."

Introduction

When I played the first chapter of Syberia...I admit that I was kinda bored. The puzzles were extremely simple and the pacing of the story was deadly slow. Though, the characters in this game grew on me and the strange atmosphere of the game intrigued me. I first noticed that the main heroine was not some horribly over the top character. You could honestly look at the character and sympathize with what was going on with her because well...she was human...in every sense of the word. The game even had a cell phone feature that even further portrayed her as a normal person and showed cased a few interesting side stories. The character of Oscar (an automaton aka robot) was a charming character that on several occasions could get on your nerves but he was a odd and an amusing character that pushed the story. Plus, the game had many other crazy characters that gave the game a more interesting edge than the game really had going for it. Then, there was Hans Voralberg...the character that you were searching for the whole first game became an enigma in himself. The game had me curious as to how Hans was as a person and if he really was even alive for that matter. The game had enough charm(mostly due to each individual character's personalities) to push me through the game.

Though, I reached the end of the first chapter of the game and the game stiffed me with a giant cliffhanger. Well, to your imagination...I was pretty pissed. I almost didn't even pick up the second game because I wasn't sure if I'd even want to go through the same boring pace and simple puzzles again. It wasn't until I was really craving a new adventure game that I had picked this game up. What was my reaction to the second chapter? If you're wondering...well...let's just say that I wasn't disappointed.

Gameplay

The game vastly improves on the first games puzzles that were border line insulting to your intelligence. In the first game you had to be just slightly aware of your surroundings to solve every puzzle in the game. In this game however you need to study your surroundings more carefully to solve each puzzle. The game makes it so the puzzles aren't so easy that they seem like an annoyance. The puzzles when finished are actually something that you can come out feeling at least somewhat satisfied about. The controls seem more smooth in the game as well. Kate doesn't run so...robotically this time around and she just feels easier to handle.

Graphics

In this installment of the series the graphics are improved over the original. The backgrounds harbor more attention to detail and show more life in your surroundings. You will see snow falling off rooftops and people moving about in these backgrounds. They seem to have focused on you having more eye candy this time around. The game feels more like real areas when it has fluid animation in areas where it doesn't need it. This is a feeling that I personally enjoyed more.

Story/Pacing

Well, all I have to say about this area of the game is wow. This is obviously the biggest improvement of the game. The first game heavily relied more on style than substance. It tried to distance itself from other games by being a unique experience that gamers could call their own but while trying to do this...they forgot about the fact that the story wasn't very interesting and that there was little to drive the gamers interest. The makers basically figured that it had enough going for it because of the simple fact that it was unique. Though, in my opinion it was a mistake because there was many times where I felt compelled to quit.

The second game rolls in right away with a much quicker pace than before. You'll watch a cut-scene where people from your previous life in New York are trying to get you back. Then, you will see Hans in terrible health and Kate accompanying him and promising him that she will him accomplish his life long dream of reaching Syberia. The stakes are raised even higher after the start of the game with the inclusion of villains in the game which adds an extra dimension to the world of the Syberia series. Hell, even the cold snowy areas add a sense of urgency to reach your goal in this game. Since the game adds up all these odds against Kate...it just make you want to push harder to get to the end. It has enough substance to stay interesting and to keep you entertained through the game. It also doesn't overstay it's welcome and keeps the game at a short but brisk pace. My only real problem with the story is the somewhat unsatisfying conclusion to the game. The game leaves off with many unanswered questions.

Replay

Well, this is an adventure game and with almost all adventure games...it has no replay value. It does however have a few hidden tidbits in the game....just like the first. Though, your chances of wanting to go out of your way to find them all is slim. The reason for this being... the extras are nothing to really write home about. Who knows though...you might have such a love for this game that you'll want to go out and find everything but for casual fans of the series...its nothing to really go for.

Conclusion

I admittedly had no real hopes for this game when I first played it. Though, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this game was a real joy to play however. In this world of the ever thinning adventure game genre...it will undoubtedly satisfy fans of the genre. If you're looking for a game that does just that then this is for you. If you're a fan of the first game then this is for you. If you're a fan of old school PC games then this just might be for you. This game isn't a revolutionary chapter in the adventure gaming genre but it is an assuredly much needed step-up from the last game.

P.S. I didn't hate the first game...if this review gave you that impression. It was just kind of a disappointment for me. I was looking for harder puzzles and a more engaging storyline. I was looking for more than what I got in the first game. Once again though...I seriously was struggling to get through the game and the sheer depth given to the characters alone drove me to the end.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/02/05