Syberia II

Brief Description

gorgeously rendered backgrounds

First things first: if you are reading this review and you haven't played the first Syberia yet, go away and finish that game first! This game continues the story from Syberia and though you are offered a recap of the first game, you truly should play it.

Ok, now that you've played Syberia, should you play Syberia II? Yes, you do need to finish the journey with Kate Walker. The game features great music, interesting problems to solve and some gorgeous settings in which to solve them.

The details of the world have been carefully planned. Kate makes different sounds when she walks on snow, wood or metal. Water splashes merrily down a waterfall. Puddles reflect the sky and Kate passing by. Very impressive are the animals in the game, birds flying in and out, realistic beaver and bear and the penguins looked like they were in a wildlife film, not a game.

Game play and hints

Basic control window with monastary background

Assuming that you have played the first game, you will be fairly familar with the controls. The Esc key brings up the inventory, which includes separate sections for items and documents. Documents allow you to either view the document or use it in a scene. Regular items may be selected to use in a scene. All other actions are mouse or keyboard driven.

Look carefully at each scene. Almost everything you need to do makes sense once you work out why and how, but a number of the areas are quite small given the size of the screen. Not quite a pixel hunt, but close. Kate does look at areas of interest, pay attention to what she is looking at.

Gripes about Syberia II

Exactly how many people in your life insist on calling you by first and surname? Kate's mother is one of the few who doesn't keep calling her Kate Walker.

Fairly demanding for your computer, the discussion forum for the game recommends that you have the latest drivers for your computer system if anything goes wrong.

Conclusion for Syberia II

Good puzzles, excellent graphics and a good end for a gripping tale. Kate's journey into the frozen waste, her interactions with the locals and with Oscar and the general feel of the game are just wonderful. Well worth the purchase by any account. 5 stars.

Some final thoughts on the game.

While our journey to Syberia may have come to a conclusion, it will be worth watching for the next Benoit Sokal game. His games are more stunning with each new offering.

I love the fact that the interface has ice all over it. The journey to Syberia is, after all, very cold.

Does anyone know who manufactors a cell phone that can go for weeks being used without being charged? I need one of them.