The story begins right where we left it: Kate, fascinated by Hans's stories, jumps with him on the train that will take her, the old man and the Oscar automaton to Syberia. together, of course, with exceptional graphics, a fabulous setting, and absolutely charismatic characters.Īnd guess what? These are all elements that you will find in the following that Sokal has designed for you. But the strength of the first Syberia was precisely the particular plot, completely unconventional. It might seem a naive, somewhat absurd story. Commitment and dedication amply rewarded by the players, who have joyfully joined the dreamlike and fascinating story of Kate Walker. And the proof was just the first Syberia, a splendid game, which showed the gaming world the commitment and dedication of its creator Benoit Sokal. If it is true that games of that type are now very rare, it is completely false that the genre does not attract its customers anymore. How many times have I read on the forums: "Games like Monkey Island have disappeared, they don't sell anymore". One cannot but begin the review of Syberia 2 without remembering that the previous chapter of this series, the first mythical Syberia, fell like a godsend for the now-extinct people of graphic adventure players. are you ready to dream again, in search of the lost Mammoths in Syberia 2. Replay Value: A linear story structure that's literally on rails functionally eliminates any re-playability.Kate Walker is back, and this time the journey to the mysterious, distant Syberia could really come to an end. It won't be much fun for people who haven't played the original. And, since the first game had some decent voice actors, this is a very good thing.Įnjoyment: Fans disappointed with the ending of the first installment will need to play this one through for closure. Sound: The voice actors in this one seem stronger than in the first game. Graphics: Exactly the same as the first game, though the designers have added more life to the various areas in the form of people going about their business in the background. Newcomers to Syberia would be better off playing through the first game before tackling the second. For fans of the first game, Syberia II is a must-play, if only to find out what happens to Kate and Hans on their way to Syberia. The player would have been better served by combining both games into one, compressing certain areas and story elements, and wrapping everything up a bit better.
While the game does provide more closure at the end of its story than the first adventure, it still feels woefully abrupt when the journey ends and the credits roll. Syberia II has just as strong a story as the first game, though it is less emotionally charged and more plot driven. The game only lets you interact with objects or people essential to moving the story along, however, so the additional people function primarily as window dressing. The environments feel more alive than in the first, as you can see people going about their daily tasks in the background. Graphically, the game looks just as good as the first, with beautifully rendered, skillfully designed backdrops. While it's impossible to die, it can be frustratingly difficult to try and locate the right widget necessary to bring Kate closer to her goal. Syberia II doesn't break any new ground in this genre. As in other games of this type, such as The Longest Journey, your main task is to figure out what to do or where to click in order to move the story along. Using a simple point and click interface, players control Kate as she visits exotic locations on her expedition. The eccentric genius welcomes Kate's help, and the two, accompanied by Hans' trusty automaton (a type of robot) Oscar, venture even further north and east to find a primitive race of people known as the Youkol, who may hold the key to traveling to Syberia. Walker, after locating Hans Voralberg in northern Europe, decides to accompany him on his quest to locate Syberia instead of returning home to New York.
As such, Syberia II has nearly all of the same strengths and weaknesses as the first installment, but lacks some of the freshness and sense of discovery that made the original so charming. Syberia II has exactly the same gameplay, graphics, and voice talent as the first game, but it's more accurate to think of Syberia II as the next chapter in Kate's story, rather than a proper sequel. Picking up right where Syberia left off, Syberia II continues the story of Kate Walker, a young attorney on a quest to find the mythical land of Syberia, a place where mammoths still roam the earth.