Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Lafferty
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dated but still solid puzzle-filled adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Syberia
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
SYBERIA is a third-person point-and-click adventure game filled with puzzles and a linear story line that follows the adventures of lawyer Kate Walker, sent to a remote French village to finalize the takeover of a toy factory. When she arrives at the village, Kate finds out the woman who owned the factory has died, and she must track down the woman's brother to complete the sale. This leads Kate on a puzzle-rich adventure across central and eastern Europe.
Is It Any Good?
First released in 2002 on the PC, Syberia has finally made its way over to the PS3 without discernable changes. The developers created a wondrous world full of intrigue and suspense. Plus, its fantasy and sci-fi elements are shown with cinematic elegance. This was truly a wonderful puzzle-based adventure when it was first released. Although Syberia does look its age and the controls can feel a bit awkward (the skills for clicking on certain areas require all the subtlety and finesse of painting fine lines with a brick), the game has a nice nostalgic feel.
Play is very linear, which can be a drawback to those who just want to get to key moments and dispense with the intricacies of plot. It's clearly for a very specific type of gamer who likes puzzle-based adventure with a heavy emphasis on story. Those who fall into this category and haven't played the original will find Syberia to be a fun diversion. The graphics are a touch grainy, but they're rich with detail, and although controls are cumbersome, it's still a solid game. Syberia may have some stumbling points, but it's a fun way to spend a couple of weekends.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Parents can talk about what elements make a good game and how Syberia demonstrates those elements. The game isn't packed with violence, sex, or harsh language; does the exclusion of these features make Syberia stronger? Use this as an entry point to discussing the impact of violence in media.
Families can talk about good strategies for reasoning out puzzle elements and how to work through puzzles in a logical way. Do some plans work better than others? Can you think of methods to help you out when you get stuck?
Game Details
- Platform : PlayStation 3
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Nordic Games
- Release date : December 2, 2014
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Robots
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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