Syberia: The World Before

Those with a yen for adventure games should fall for the charm of this title, because it's an emotional, beautiful story full of mystery, intrigue, love and loss. Syberia: The World Before is highly enjoyable, but simple puzzles and technical glitches somewhat taint the overall experience. First, the good news. The characters and voice acting are extraordinary. It's available in multiple languages, too, which is even more impressive given the many thousands of lines of spoken dialog. Characters like Kate and Dana are easy to fall for, as are some supporting characters, so those who love a meaty story won't be disappointed. Optional "Introspection" moments are a nice touch for those who want to really get into the story. But it's too bad you can't skip dialog or cut-scene sequences, if you've already seen and heard them, though, which is a little annoying. The developers could have at least added a spacebar skip so long as the dialog was heard once.

The biggest issue with the game is the lack of ingenious puzzles found in the original Syberia games. None in Syberia: The World Before are particularly challenging, which could make players feel like they're merely clicking through a story that's all been laid out for you opposed to your decisions and puzzle skills helping to shape the narrative. Another issue is a potential glitch, when the character Oscar makes its unexpected return in the game (known to those who've played previous Syberia games). Since there's no reference to the character, it will likely cause confusion players. Also not a big deal, but there were also some spelling mistakes, mispronunciations by some voice actors, and some annoying "invisible walls" that prevent you from exploring some areas that look like you can go there (instead of making it look roped off). Overall, Syberia: The World Before is a really good adventure that gets it mostly right, but better, more challenging puzzles and patched glitches would make the game even better.