While many would argue that the Adventure genre has come and gone (more like
high-tailed out of state being chased by every half-wit and his dog), Syberia
stands out as one of the finest the genre has ever had to offer. While many
still remember the monstrosity that was Myst, and all of its clones, Syberia
breathes new life into beaten and abused Adventure category. Although highly
underrated by critics and the public alike, Syberia deserves much attention due
to the breaking of the traditional non-sense stories and brain-shackling,
ridiculous puzzles suffered by its forefathers, such as Amerzone and Beyond
Atlantis, among others. While I myself am more of an action gamer, with such
walkthroughs of Half-Life and Deus Ex to my credit, it just goes to show you
that anyone can enjoy what this game has to offer, which is an excellent story,
unique and realistic characters, and clever yet down-to-earth puzzles.
Now, writing a walkthrough would be the standard way to handle such a game as
this. But here, where so much revolves around solving puzzles, a straight
walkthrough can spoil one's experience if one looks at the answer. Thus, when
scrolling through the walkthrough, you should notice that for most of the
puzzles I provide either one or two hints. The answer will be listed below both,
after a pause. Hopefully, you can look at them and get the idea without
completely spoiling things.
There will be very few updates to this file, if any at all. I also don't expect
much email from this obscure title, but if you want, you can drop me a line,
correcting any spotty writing or errors here and there. And now, time to get to
it, what you've all been waiting for -- the walkthrough. You could also read my
mini-review...though if you're reading this you've probably already bought the
game :P
This is to be my 12th FAQ/Walkthrough. Since the game is so short, the
walkthrough probably will be in proportion with the game, with the least amount
of filler possible. I hope you enjoy my latest.
After the opening cutscene, you take control of Kate Walker in a hotel. Since
Kate is too tired to carry her bag any longer, you need to find an employee to
do it for her. Grab the [BROSHURE] on the bulletin board, then talk to Momo.
Take note of what he is doing, and then head to the front desk. In order to
signal someone, you need to ring the bell.
Hint 1: The bell appears to be missing something.
Hint 2: I wonder if there's anything around here that could help...?
Answer: Grab the [RECEPTION BELL KEY] on the desk and put it onto the toy. Ring
the bell.
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Talk to the Hotel manager about "Help." He will take your bag up. Make sure you
also speak to him about Momo. When you arrive in Kate's room, grab the [FAX 1]
off the desk, then use your cell phone to call the office. Your boss says he
faxed you an introductory letter. Head down to the front desk and ask the
manager, whom will hand you the letter. Leave the hotel and trot down the
street; speak wit the baker, if you wish, before finding the notaries office a
screen later. Approach the door.
Hint 1: The automaton appears to have eyes for something.
Answer: Place the [INTRODUCTORY LETTER] into the automatons hands and pull the
lever to open the doors.
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Talk to the notary about all available topics. He will agree to let you inspect
the factory grounds, and grant you his key, which he left in the reception area.
Since he's not in good health, he will retire and rest. This whole town seems to
be in a state of rot, don't you agree?
Before you leave, grab the [TELESCOPIC KEY] the notary left near the door.
Either you can head into the factory now, or later -- right now, I would
recommend you head to the cemetery, which is a little ways past the hotel on the
opposite end of the street. Since the church door is locked, head around back
and go into the only open door. Inside, various puzzles confront you; first,
walk over to the drawers to find that they're locked.
Hint 1: This lever appears to be jammed, or at least stopped by something.
Answer: Pull out the third drawer down to use the lever, and take the [VORALBERG
KEY] and [PRIEST'S CONFESSION].
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Exit the room and return to the path you came here with. Notice the elevator on
the way; inspect its controlling mechanism.
Hint 1: If that thing is to work, judging by the lever, I'd say gears are
missing.
Hint 2: This situation reminds me of Momo, for, as you may have gathered, poor
Momo has 'a few gears missing' (pun intended).
Answer: Momo was playing with some gears the last time you saw him. When the
hotel manager chased him away, he left the gears. Retrieve them now and use them
on the machine.
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Ride the elevator up and use your punch cards on the automaton. The purple one
will cause the Voralberg tomb automaton to bend out its hat and allow the
insertion of a key. Inside the tomb, pull out the coffin of the supposedly dead
Hans Voralberg and grab the [VALADILENE VOICE CYLANDIR]. Return to the street
and use the [TELESCOPIC KEY] on the factory entrance. At the fountain, take the
rightmost path to a manor, whose doors are locked. Take the path that goes
around the side of it to find a machine that may extend a ladder all the way to
the roof of the mansion.
Hint 1: The key to this puzzle lies in wait, long forgotten and misplaced.
Answer: That wasn't much of a hint, was it? Well, give me a break. I couldn't
think of anything better and this puzzle is very easy. Grab a key in the
fountain on the left side of the garden-maze.
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Use the key on the machine to extend the ladder, and climb up and into the
attic. Turn on the light and Momo will appear, requesting a drawing of a
Mammoth.
Hint 1: Since Kate can't draw, can you think of any other way to use this paper
to draw a mammoth?
Hint 2: Didn't you see something that resembled a mammoth? I wonder if there's
anything we can do with it.
Answer: Trace the drawing of a mammoth near the light bulb.
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Hand the drawing to Momo and in return, Momo will show you the cave in which
Hans fell and his mammoth obsession began (no pun intended...okay, maybe a
little pun intended). Be sure, though, that you grab the [INK BOTTLE] and
[ANNA'S DIARY]. Although [ANNA'S DIARY] is not essential to gameplay and is very
long, it really is an interesting read and reveals a LOT of the backstory. It
also serves to put Anna's character into perspective. Therefore, I suggest you
put aside ten minutes to read it.
When you resume gameplay, follow Momo out of the attic and to the street, where
he will continue to walk to the end of the street, a screen down from the
Notary's office. The strange boy will lead you through a gate and through some
lovely scenery (make sure you've got anti-aliasing enabled to properly enjoy
it!). You will find Momo again, this time perched on a rock. Ignore him for now
and continue a screen ahead of him to find a dam. Since Kate decides that being
a goody-too-shoes is better than being wet, we are going to have to drain the
stream in order to cross it. Of course, Kate can't push it herself. Momo can
help here, so go ask him for "Help." As luck would have it, the dam's operating
mechanism breaks as a result of Momo's overexertion.
Hint 1: Momo broke the piece of wood that was used to operate the dam. Don't you
think we'd better find a replacement?
Answer: There is a log near the wrecked rowboat. Since it's in the water, first
you'll have to use the broken piece of wood to move it closer, then have Momo to
grab it. WOW, is Kate being a pansy or what?
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Cross the stream, which is now depleted of its H2O. Once you grab the [MAMMOTH
TOY DOLL], Momo disappears for the rest of the game. Return to the square with
the fountain, near the factory entrance. This time, hang a left. Upon entering
the factory, proceed to the farthest left screen, where you will find a door.
Inside, you will find the lovable, eccentric automaton named Oscar. Currently
he's hanging by his arms--lower him with the crank behind the workbench. Speak
to him and he will request that you make him some legs, or as he calls them,
"appendices." For this he will give you [OSCAR'S CARD], and will tell you to use
the console in the previous room. Problem is, the console won't work, because
the assembly line below isn't fully assembled.
______________________________________________________________________________
Hint 1: Return to the fountain area and explore any paths you haven't.
Hint 2: Rats and hamsters often can be found in this warehouse...
Hint 3: Again, make sure fully explore the warehouse.
Answer: Fist off, return to the fountain area and take the 11 o'clock path,
which is right of the path that leads to the warehouse. Pull the lever there.
Return to the warehouse and go right a few screens and through a door; pull the
chain cord, then the levers in succession. Finally, revisit the area just
outside the door to the workshop where Oscar is located. There is a fuel pod
lying on the ground that needs to put onto the conveyor belt, but it is too
heavy -- use the automaton forklift for that.
______________________________________________________________________________
Now there comes the problem of making the feet. Operate the console at the top
of the stairs and start making some feet by switching the latch on the far
right, bottom row. If Oscar rejects the feet, then you didn't use the right
texture, selectable by the switch on the far left. YOU can figure out which
color is right!...okay okay, I won't leave you hanging like that. The correct
color is gold! *I* even had to look at a walkthrough for that information, for
neither Oscar nor anything else offers any hint of what the texture is supposed
to be. When you hand Oscar his feet, he will leave and go look for his train.
Before leaving the warehouse, go up the stairs, which you climbed to reach the
console that controlled the production line. This time, head into the office.
Examine the desk, and look at all the debt this company has acquired. Now look
over the book case.
Hint 1: Books, books, more books. What is the most cliched puzzle EVER regarding
books?
Answer: Pull out one of the books on the right. This will give you the [HANS-
ANNA MECHANICAL TOY].
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Now, take the 1 o'clock path to the train station. Board the train, and before
speaking with Oscar, go to the back and place all the items you can in their
respective slots. Talk with Oscar and he will say that before the train can
leave, he must have a train ticket and a Train Release permit, then he will
leave. Follow him out to find him at *gasp* the ticket office. Talk to him to
get both a ticket and a train release permit, and Oscar will board the train.
Talk to him AGAIN and he will not accept the train release permit, because it
isn't stamped o_O Talk about wrapped in red tape.
Hint 1: Oscar said that someone with legal status might be able to stamp the
ticket. Who do we know with legal status? The notary! But alas, he is asleep.
Yet, I don't think he would mind if we took things into our own hands, would he?
Answer: Go to the notary's office and use the stamp machine on his desk. If you
don't have [INK BOTTLE], go and get it in the attic where you drew the mammoth.
______________________________________________________________________________
Now Oscar requests his train be wound before it can leave. Do this by going
outside on the right side of the train (right at least from where the camera is
positioned) to find the machine. Operate crank and lever, then talk to Oscar,
show him your papers, and you're off.
Leave the train, which is stopped because the clockwork mechanism is unwound.
Leave the train and move right, then head right a few screens to find the
stationmaster. Talk to him about every available topic, then return to the train
and head past it a few screens. Kate's jackass boss will phone, and when you go
back to the aviary Oscar will want to see you. He says that he just received a
message from the rectors of this university; they want to see Kate. So, make
your way to the university, which I'm sure you can find. Head into the library,
first door on the left, and grab some books there, the one on the table and the
one on the bookshelf. The Rectors' offices are left of the door to the library,
so go there. Speak to the comical trio about all topics, including Sauvignon,
then leave.
Head back to the aviary's entrance, then head left a screen to find a pair of
Russians. Ask them for "Help" and they will demand 100 dollars, a total rip-off,
I might add. Where can you get that kind of money? Ask the rectors and they will
tell you that in order for them to help you, you must first repair their
bandstand. For now, go to the stationmaster and talk to him about Souvignon. He
will get nervous and leave you, so follow him to the bridge. Talk to him again
and he will say to talk to Professor Pons, who is to the right of the lobby
inside the university; on speaking to HIM, he will tell you to speak to the
rectors. Are we getting the run-around or what? The rectors will then admit to
possessing the valuable grapes, and will grant you permission to take a few.
Speak to the stationmaster and follow him to a gate, which he will open. Head
inside and grab the grapes, then leave and return to the walkway to the LEFT of
your train. Follow it to a ladder, which is currently blocked off by a pair of
unruly cuckoos.
Hint 1: I hear Mammoths obsess Professor Pons. In fact, he is conducting a
sermon on them later today.
Answer: Go give Professor Pons the Mammoth Toy Doll you found in Valadilene. He
will open his office for you, and inside you will find several useful items,
including a [TEST TUBE HOLDER], a [BARROKSTADT VOIDE CYLANDIR], and [YANGALA-
COLA POWDER].
______________________________________________________________________________
With the [TEST TUBE HOLDER], we can grab the egg. Now, what do we do with an
_egg_? Go to the bandstand (on the way, you should be confronted by the
stationmaster, who'll give you a [BOTTLE OF WINE]) and put the egg onto the
scale to balance it. Open the door, and at the bottom of the ladder, pull the
switch to restart the bandstand. Talk with the Rectors to claim your money, then
pay the eccentric Russian couple who offered to help move your train. First
though, before they can move, the locks need to be opened and the water level
modified. Speak with the stationmaster about "locks" to get a key; use the key
on the console nearby.
Hint 1: This console seems to be incredibly complicated. You need to enter a
two-digit number to open the locks. But first, before you can start guessing,
you need to press a certain button that draws the machine to attention.
Hint 2: You also need to try to find the "Enter" button, per say.
Answer: Press #, 4, 2, * ; then talk to the captain about locks. Return to the
console, and press #, 4, 1, *.
______________________________________________________________________________
The good professor will give Kate a ring as you approach the Russian couple's
boat. He is in the process of delivering his lecture, so head to the university
and view it for some interesting information. Afterward, go to his office and
retake the Mammoth Toy doll. Put it back in its place on the train.
Now, the Russian couple needs you to connect a chain to your train. But before
you can do that, you need something.
Hint 1: You can't just tie the chain around your train, can you? No, somehow you
need to hook it onto it...
Answer: There is a hook lying on the beach where you originally found the
stationmaster. Take it and use it.
______________________________________________________________________________
Wind up your train, and then talk to Oscar, who will refuse to leave unless you
have an exit visa. Oscar is getting incredibly annoying. Anyway, head into the
giant fortress-like wall and climb the stairs. Talk to the captain about
"Mission" and he will say that he won't write you a visa, because there is an
enemy scout outside the walls. Use the telescope and focus it to find that the
"enemy scout" is just a dead tree. If you talk to him again, he will deny it and
won't even bother to look. Stubborn old man!
Hint 1: I wonder if there is any way we can get him to be friendlier...
Hint 2: Give him something special. And no, not what you perverts are thinking
of.
Answer: Pour him some wine contaminated with the Yangala-Cola Powder. Now he
will willingly look into the telescope and find his error. He will then hand you
a visa, so talk to Oscar, whom will give you a train ticket.
______________________________________________________________________________
Your train is unwound...again! Out of the train, head right a few screens to
find a gigantic automaton. Climb the ladder and inspect the living quarters to
find the [KOMOLZGRAD VOICE CYLANDIR] and [HANS' DESIGNS].
Hint 1: Examine Hans' Designs. Why do you think that the leg of this automaton
is circled?
Answer: Put the lever into the machine and move it forward twice, then press the
button to wind the train.
______________________________________________________________________________
As you return to your train, you will find a suspicious personality leaving the
train, and Dan will call (is he annoying or what? Kind of like Raiden from
MGS2). Inside the train, you will find poor Oscar tied up and gagged. Remove the
bandages and talk to him to learn that the suspicious character seen escaping
the train was a robber who took Oscars...hands. Tats one teH l33t theef!!!one!!1
Grab the [METAL SHEERS], and leave quivering Oscar alone while you return to the
giant automaton. This time, move it forward once and get off. Use the sheers to
cut a whole into the thin wall, then grab the sparkplug on the shelf and return
to the automaton. Take it back and get to ground level. Run to the end of the
platform, where a lift will take you down to a mine, which is pitch black. So,
use the sparkplug on the generator to light your way.
Next, you will find a ladder that, inconveniently, has a sign attached to its
middle, thus making it unusable.
Answer: Grab the screwdriver near the organ's keyboard, and then use it to
unscrew the sign.
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Climb the ladder and enter the room on the left to encounter the quirky,
slightly insane Borodine, who is obsessed with a singer named Helena Romanski.
Before he will give Oscars hands back, he MUST have her sing for him here, where
he has built "the greatest organ in the world" or something along those lines.
He's no idea where Helena is. He will let you search his collection of
collection of various Romanski things, so go do that. You should find a
scrapbook with pictures and articles inside. It is of some significance, though
I can't remember what :P Now, what to do, what to do...
Hint 1: I don't remember exactly what was in the scrapbook, but I do recall that
Kate's mother dated someone in it. Maybe you should look at it again?
Answer: Call Kate's mother. She will wake up her boyfriend, who will let you
know that this Romanski chick now lives in a retirement village called Aralbad.
______________________________________________________________________________
Speak with Borodine about this; he will say that he has no means of
transportation to get Kate to Aralbad. However, he does know someone nearby that
might, a drunk and a former Soviet cosmonaut. He will give you access to a tram
system that will take you to him. So, go outside his office and use the tram on
the right.
Continue past a few screens until you come to the cosmonaut's home, a small
cylinder filled with vodka bottles and dirty dishes. He's totally stoned right
now, so there's no point in talking to him.
Hint 1: I wish there was a way to stop him from drinking. Say...that bottle in
his hand in almost empty!
Answer: Grab his only remaining bottle of vodka, lying on the ground behind him.
With that, he'll leave and 'get some fresh air.' Follow him out and watch as the
drunk falls over a rail and into a garbage bin.
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Operate the controls; make the bin the cosmonaut is in move left, then up. After
that, leave the console and use the wheel near the corner of the platform to get
the water running. Go back to the console; press the button that resembles water
to 'forcefully' sober up the cosmonaut. Talk to him if you want, then head a
screen to the right. Climb the ladder, enter the blimp which will take you to
Aralbad, and pull the lever -- but lo! nothing happens. Go report this to your
new friend (notice that I've been using a lot of pronouns for him -- well, I
forgot his name :P) and he will tell you that he'll help, but only if you can
get him into space. So, head to 'mission control', a screen to the left of the
cosmonaut. Inside you will find the console control unresponsive.
Hint 1: You can toggle it on or off, but it won't do anything. Something must be
disrupting the circuit...
Answer: Open the rectangular cover. You'll find two disconnected wires --
connect them!
______________________________________________________________________________
Turn on the computer and take out the [BLOOD TESTING APPARATUS]. Bring it to the
cosmonaut, then bring it back. It will reject the blood because of its high
alcohol level.
Hint 1: Stupid computer! Who cares what a bunch of ones, zeroes and algorithms
think about a drunks blood!? Bah! I wonder if there's away to cheat around this
damnable appliance!
Hint 2: Looks like that'd hurt, pressing on that thing, having it puncture your
skin. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it. I hope it is automatically
cleaned, because if someone touches it they could get HIV...or something.
Answer: Since Kate isn't doesn't drink and doesn't have any diseases, prick her
finger against the needle.
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Press all the buttons in succession, from left to right, to start the countdown.
Before he shoots off to God-knows-where, he will give you a scrambled hint that
before the blimp will work, you need to 'raise it up,' or something like that.
Gee, thanks, we just fulfilled a lifelong dream of yours and how do you repay
us?
Hint 1: There are a lot of birds around here. I'm sure they aren't helping
matters. Didn't the cosmonaut say there was a large automaton that could get rid
of them?
Hint 2: I think we need to signal the aforementioned automaton. But, how?
Answer: Grab the crank handle near the entrance to the launch pad. Take it past
the platform the cosmonaut called his own, up a ladder to a siren. Use the crank
to set off the siren, which will signal the automaton.
______________________________________________________________________________
With the birds out of the way, we are free to take off! Backtrack to the blimp
and pull the lever to go to Aralbad!
Step out of the blimp and into the reception area of the hotel. Talk with the
hotel manager, and he'll say that because Kate did not call earlier she cannot
see Ms. Romanski. Annoying sack of lard, how dare he! Now what to do? The door
to the hotel rooms is locked!
Hint 1: If only we could cause some sort of distraction, to get him away from
his desk and TV. I'm sure that there's a key or something that we could use to
open the door!
Hint 2: Look in the closet. Detergent? What can we do with this?
Answer: Take the detergent outside and pour it into the fountain to start a
bubbly mess. Go back inside and pull the drapes to get the manager to notice,
and he'll rush outside to clean things up.
______________________________________________________________________________
There's no hurry; he won't return until we've finished what we're doing. So, go
behind the front desk and push the red button. Grab the [HOTEL BROSHURE] on the
desk and take a look at the guest log. All have checked out, except for Ms.
Romanski. Enter the pool area and head to the left to find Ms. Romanski's
automaton; he says that you must wait for her for a few hours. Well, we don't
have time to wait; since she's out on the pier, we're going to need a code. We
could try to guess all day long, but that would not get us anywhere.
Answer: Go to the front desk and look at the log. On the second page, there's
Romanski's name, along with her day code. Try it out -- it won't work, but that
will trigger a locker-room door to open a screen to the right. Inside is a card
with a code on it -- use it to reach the pier.
______________________________________________________________________________
Since there's a bad salt-storm going on outside, we need to wear a gas mask. Go
talk to Romanski, whom is sitting near the end of the pier on a wooden chair.
The manager will then find Kate and demand that she leave, but Helena will wave
him away and defend Kate. He'll leave, and Helena will ask you to signal Thomas,
her valet, the automaton you spoke with earlier. Talk to her again and she'll
say to ring the bell; even if you do, nothing will happen.
Hint 1: Don't you think the bell is a bit too far out for the valet to hear?
Answer: Take the bell out of its current position and put it near the entrance.
Ring it a few times, and when nothing happens, go inside and confront the
stubborn automaton. Kate will convince him to retrieve Romanski.
______________________________________________________________________________
Talk to Helena about all subjects. She will conclude that she can no longer
sing, and wishes you make her a cocktail from the peculiar machine.
Hint 1: If you talked to Helena about _ALL_ the topics, she must have mentioned
that one day a friend of hers mixed her a drink that made her voice feel like
new again. If only we knew that recipe.
Hint 2: The bartender that mixed her the special drink worked in a Paris hotel
of this same hotel chain. Hmm...
Answer: Use the brochure you got at the front desk -- it has a phone number to a
Paris hotel, 464-33643. Call the number to get the recipe for Blue Helena; write
it down. If you forget, or if you didn't catch it the first time, call as many
times as you like for confirmation.
______________________________________________________________________________
Notice that in the recipe for Blue Helena, there are several ingredients missing
-- there's no honey, vodka, or lime. While you have the Vodka bottle, the other
two are missing. Look under the counter to find a lemon and crystallized honey.
Put the lemon and vodka onto the machine, into the pipe work. Now what can we do
about that honey?
Hint 1: How do we melt crystallized honey? Well, a microwave would help. Since
we don't have access to one, we're going to have to find an alternative.
Answer: Take the crystallized honey to the Jacuzzi in the poolroom. Turn on the
heat using the wheel, and place the honey in the hot water to melt it.
______________________________________________________________________________
Put the crystallized honey in its place in the network of pipes. Now we can
actually make the drink. Notice that there are many keys, almost like a piano or
keyboard. When you press one, the corresponding liquor is put into a bowl, which
is in the center. When you finish mixing, press the button with the picture of
the automaton on it; this will cause the bowl with the heterogeneous mixture to
shake and then to serve to Helena. To understand which key corresponds to which
liquor, take the piece of paper lying near the pipe work. I do not expect you to
understand the piece of paper--neither did I X_X. If you figure out the logic of
the paper, email me. For now, press the I/O button, and then press the second
button from left; now flip the switch and press the third button from left. Add
ice, honey and lemon, in any order, and shake to make the Blue Helena. If she
doesn't accept it and gives you a rude remark, then you did it wrong. When you
get it right, she will agree to return with you to Komolzgrad.
After Romanski finished her operetta, the madman known as Borodine will
foolishly trap her. I guess it is his perverse fantasy to keep a retired, washed
out singer as his prisoner for life. Don't worry, he will get what's coming to
him :)
Break the lock with the metal sheers. After Helena leaves you, take the lift
down to the mines. Proceed to the next lift, only to find an explosive charge
set on it! Kate will automatically flee the perilous plight. That was Borodine's
effort to keep Kate buried underground for eternity, but it backfire on him; the
blast exposed some water pipes running adjacent to the tunnel. Use them to reach
the surface. Topside, you will find that the giant automaton is blocking your
trains escape.
Hint 1: What do you think could move such a humongous robot?
Answer: Grab some TNT near the lift that would normally take you to the mine.
Place it on the leg of the automaton and make your exeunt in style.
______________________________________________________________________________
We're back at Aralbad. Head inside and go to the front desk, where Hans has left
you a present, the [MAMMOTH TOY DOLL], which serves absolutely no purpose
whatsoever. Take it anyway, and meet the man, the myth, Hans Voralberg himself,
outside on the pier. Enjoy the final cutscene, and let us all wait for the
stunning conclusion to the Syberia saga, to be released in late September of
this year!
Thank you very much for reading my walkthrough. I truly hope you enjoyed it and
that it helped you through whatever your problems were! See you next time!
One of the things that makes Syberia so good is the atmosphere, the overall feel
of the levels. From dreary, wet Valadilene to the hopelessness of the retirement
hotel Aralbad, each emotion the developers intended you to feel is there. There
is an excellent, animated menu, virtually no loading times whatsoever, and there
are wonderful, eye-popping backgrounds. The story in this game is
top-notch; you actually care for the protagonists, and be swept away with the
thought provoking story. The only thing to complain about is the open-ended
ending, but that just proves that there will be a sequel to this magnificent
adventure.
Although the graphics of the game do not have the quality textures you would
expect from other games, the sheer artistic value of the game is stunning. From
beautiful, imaginative architecture, to exquisite character models, to the feel,
the atmosphere of the levels the graphical style accomplishes -- it all makes up
for the lacking textures. The only complaint that was actually detrimental to
the score would be the water effects -- they are just plain awful. They look
exactly like rotating polygons at a very low resolution, and they do not
contribute to the environmental atmosphere at all. I honestly believe they
should have been scratched, but there are very few places in the game where
water is involved.
The most noticeable of all of Syberia's soundtracks happens to be the one that
is found in the first level, Valadilene. This wondrous ballad that also happens
to be the games theme song, captures the heart and imagination of the user. It
brings to you a sense of adventure and anticipation. And that's only one song!
The others are just as well done, but usually they only occur when you solve a
puzzle; in the meantime, it is just ambient sounds, such as birds calling or
gears grinding, but those are all very well done as well.
Now we come to the category that makes or breaks a game; the gameplay. While
most games of this genre suffer from overly-difficult, stupid puzzles, Syberia
offers clever brain-tinglers that require only common sense and not blind luck.
And, though the game is point-and-click, you'll never be dragging the screen,
looking for hotspots as you were in other Adventure games. Though the game
itself is short, only 6 hours or so, those six hours will be some of your
greatest gaming moments. If you haven't already, then you owe it to the gaming
community to pick this one up.
Overall (not an average) -----------------------------------------------> 9.7
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This file is Copyright 2003 Paul "black hole sun" Lauria.
