The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery

The Good
I think the story pays for most crimes against gamers, the game may commit. The story and the acting, particularly Peter Lucas'(Piotr Andrzejewski) excellent portrayal of main antagonist Friedrich von Glower. A lot of the story concerns German history and of course the story writers have been extremely liberal in building a fiction based on Lugwig II and Richard Wagner, but the game could still be called semi-historical and educational. But I think one of the most striking things about the game is the friendship between Gabriel and Von Glower, which of course develops into a non-friendship. They appear to have such a strong bond. Von Glower clearly has a sexual desire for Gabriel, which Gabriel reciprocates to a point. I thought the climax of their relationship came with Von Glower's romantic letter to Gabriel, which was like a strange, werewolf's marriage proposal.

The Bad
The problem solving isn't always great, but I thought what really hurt the game was the opera at the end, meant to be a long lost Wagner opera. Reading through the program at the start of the opera, you find that it's a very plain romance tale and meant to mirror Gabriel and Von Glower. So it tends to revert them from colourful and multi-faceted into black and white, which for me was a huge let down. I should also note that the door/entrapment puzzle at the end is very hard to solve, harder than it should be in an adventure game, I think.

The Bottom Line
Well it's completely worth playing for its great story and acting, great but imperfect. I wouldn't recommend spending too long trying to solve the problems and puzzles, look up the solution if you have to, so you can move forward with the story.

The Good
The plot was great, the scipting superb and the graphics were quite impressive. The locations were accurately reproduced and the interface was simple.

The Bad
There was no need to deviate from the traditional style, and replace it with poorly made FMV sequences. The guy who played Gabriel wasn't right for the role, and the conversations were too melodramatic, detracting from the game's atmosphere.

The Bottom Line
A thoroughly excellent adventure game, but frustatingly peppered with god-awful FMV sequences for conversations. A good effort, but mistakes were made.

The Good
The winning feature of Beast Within is the well crafted story. Jane Jenson's wonderful mix of history and fiction create a truly interesting world to explore. Moreover, the use of actual background shots from Germany provide a level of authenticity to the experience.

The game is also a giant step beyond Phantasmagoria, the most notable FMV game before this, regarding the technology is place. Backgrounds and character animation is much clearer. By using non-rendered backgrounds, the characters don't seem out of place. Also, numerous cut-scenes, despite a 640x480x256 resolution, are quite clear. The video compression must have been a step above.

The music is a bit disappointing. It's midi, and not very good midi at that. It certainly doesn't stand up to the original Gabriel Knight's moody standards, even when it reuses some themes. After some of the CD quality tracks from Phantasmagoria (or Return to Zork), the music really falls flat by comparison.

Many people complain that the game is extremely difficult. However, the puzzles are, for the most part, very clear. It is essential to listen carefully to all dialogue (which is time consuming) in order to know what to do next. A certain amount of game logic is abandoned in Beast Within as well. Players should be advised to think more as they would in real life.

The Bad
The acting can get a little out of control at times. The actress who places Grace is especially prone to mugging and ranting. This, matched with a cinematography style that tries hard to be creative, but comes of as amaturish, can be off-putting at times.

The use of German is interesting, but perhaps inappropriate. Numerous scenes involve German-only dialogue in the backgrounds. Knowing the language really opens some doors in terms of what is happening. The use of no subtitles deprives 99% of non-German speakers of an element of the game.

There are also some humerous moments in the game revolving around the German language. When Gabriel first attempts to speak to the police commissioner, he encounters a German-only speaking receptionist. He is asked, in German, who he is looking for. He replies "Leber", which is the name of the commissioner. However, he says "Lieber", pronouncing the word incorrectly. He, in effect, tells the old receptionist that he is looking for love. Intentional or not, it was amusing.

Moreover, aside from the poor pronunciation by Grace and Gabriel, many 'natives' speak like a three-year-old.

And while not a complaint against the game, the 'M' rating does not fit for this game. The story is complex, the gameplay revolving around details... it's less a rating for violence and more for simple thematic issues. Compared to Phantasmagoria, anyone can play it.

The Bottom Line
Beast Within is definitely a game to play, if only to see that FMV games could have worked, if only they had all been created as masterfully.

The Good
Good and evil. Light and darkness. Have you all noticed how always good is on the first place, how always light is before the dark. You won't hear someone saying evil and good, or darkness and light, right? Hah, as if that's gonna help anyway. This time, Sierra went far beyond just the basic facts. Completely mind boggling adventure with a live cast of characters (we could call it actors as well) will unravel us the story that deserves to be among top adventures no matter the time.

This time, a gate to elaboration is closed, and you can only have pieces of imagination to keep up with. The speculations can seem limitless, but the answer is only one. Good and evil, past and presence, time and existence, are all heavily extended to the very detailed end. I guess blood and violence are fairly weak weapons comparing to a good story and unexpected acts. As much as you probably saw many movies during your past time, you are hardly to guess the outcome of almost anything (except your dirty li'l tricks you do on purpose).

Don't dare to confuze this game for 'Phantasmagoria' series. As much as it is from Sierra, and the actual gameplay is fairly simmilar to both games, 'Phantasmagoria' is very large piece of crap. This, on the contrary, is very good, rather amazing adventure that don't base its roots and qualities on horror scenes and effects, but on the story itself, and lovely characters. Even The Black Wolf (Von Glover), who wanted you to join him, is rather nice person, when he could be called a person, of course. No matter, all the cast are set in place they couldn't be set better.

Ahh, playing 'Phantasmagoria' long gone now, I learned I should be prepared for my heart to stop ticking any minute as I played the game. For some reson, I was alwayse tensed playing this game, but when something's good, then it's darn good. What scary scenes, what rushing sounds or camera spin-offs? This won't do you any harm, but keep you at distance from totaly loosin' up. No matter these were all life-taken pictures, I couldn't notice some things, like white rug on the pale grey floor, so I had to do cursor-changing trick for some things.

Let us take a few shots upon the game itself...

The whole game is from third-person perspective, much to as the movie scenes, except at one point. After Wagner's opera, when you turn into the wolf itself, you walk using first-person perspective, and your sniffing abilities. Your menus and items you carry are suited at the bottom, the game itself, along with the movies is in the middle, and at the top, you see where you are, and over which artifact your mouse curzor is (if any).

Gabriel Knight: you play with two characters during the game. Mostly, each chapter one, except in the last chapter when you play with both characters. As the story of this sequel swiftly fading away, you, as Gabriel Knight, a voodoo maniac from The Sins of the Fathers somehow inherited a castle Ritter (Schloss Ritter). During the last year, you were busy writing a book called 'Voodoo Murders' or something like that, and it appeared to be a great hit, hitting the shelves in USA and going straight among top #20 bestselling books. Since your last name is Knight, which on german stands for Ritter, it's no doubt you have a deep roots in here. Your family (at least your uncle, Wolfgang Ritter) belong to the Shattenjagger myth, a Shadowhunter chain, you're the next one to be considered as a part of that blood.

One night, a villagers came to ask you for your help. You can't refuse such a curiously made story, taking your amulet you go along with the task, asking your secretary and helpful friend Gerda to search for the similar things you're going after. You wake up at the farm of the Hubers, they lend you their car and house until you track down and hunt the (Were)Wolf who killed their daughter. I know it's not the only victim, but temporarily the last one, and with the most fresh tracks to do the research. Police probably couldn't find all the evidence, since they didn't count any supernatural things on their minds. However, the loval Kommisar Lieber will be here for 'some kinda' help.

Beside following the story, Gabriel is self independent pompous a$$ thinking of nothing more then a story to arise again, since his brains get stucked, and abviously can't think of anything unseen to write. Well, let's give 'em something to see. Beside that, he's charming li'l fella, who affraids to admit his feelings to anyone, especially Grace, but not as much as she does to him. After being bitten by a warewolf, there are only two options left to choose. Admit the face of the nature and true gruesome existence, or will he try to embrace the reason for living. It's not literally that hard choice, but I think it's harder for player then for Gabriel himself.

Grace Nakimura: being in Gabriel's New Orleans bookstore, while Gabriel is having all the fun, she realizes her place is with him, no matter the price of admission. And beside that point, the letter he sent her were driving her nutz in this borring piece of town. She packs her things, and first thing you know, she's already at the schloss Ritter. So, the fight begins. Grace and Gerda will not pass as a perfect friends, at least not for some time. Maybe after half of the game has been left behind, the friendship and endurance between them will grow, and sorrow will come to interfere and join them to friends.

Grace will actually investigate pretty much more then Gabriel himself. All the interesting facts will come from a woman's hand, the past, presence, and the story will be up to her to discover. Sinking more into investigation, as Gabriel's life is on the loose, she'll find a way to cure him, and succeed where king Ludwig II and Wolfgang have failed.

The game elements in global...

I don't think I need to say anything more about the story. Jane Jensen made it more then we could possibly expect, and it is a real experience for every adventurer who plays with a heart, not just mechanically. Just once more, in the shortest as I can... you're Gabriel Knight (and Grace Nakimura), and you're up to uncover all those mysterious killings, that are more... unhuman taste. Become involved into the club where you don't know who's the hunter and who's hunted. Act upon yout own thoughts.

Now let's give some brightness upon the music. Inspite conversations have some smaller flaws, the music shadows it all. The music is simply great. I heard from the Sins of the Fathers and Gabriel Knight III, and loved them both, but his one... phew! This one is better then from the sequel and prequel. I know many of you guys wouldn't agree with me, but the atmosphere in this game is clearly shown by the music in it, and you wouldn't need any nature sounds to get a grip of it. Such a lovely piano music inside the schloss Ritter is one of the best piano pieces I've ever heard. Really, thank you Robert, for making us easier to play and live it the whole time (which in my case was only three days, sigh).

Graphics is simply breathtaking. I played it under windows and under 1024x768 pixcels resolution, and no matter the game keeps its 640x480 or such resolution, without stretching under windows, the game was extraodinary in every aspect.

The Bad
Not a smallest spark of darkness.

The Bottom Line
If you like adventures, don't wait. If you're not sure, take a move forward. If you're scared, don't be, as the box cover has absolutely nothing with the game itself, though I like the cover just as it is. One thing's for sure, you won't move until the very last moment. Fare the well, and think about playing it. I'm sure you'll love it... if you're adventurer.

The Good
Jane Jensen proves herself to be one of the interactive fiction authors to grace the business with the second entry in her supernatural suspense series. Reprising the role of reluctant paranormal investigator Gabriel Knight and eventually his assistant Grace, the player unveils a serial killing coverup involving escaped zoo wolves and historical lore.

Jensen does an amazing job of blending the supernatural in with thoroughly researched local flavor to make otherwise cheesy concepts (werewolves, in this case) terrifyingly believable.

GK2 ditches the original's hand-painted backdrops, rotoscope animation and cut-panel cinematics for the then-trendy "interactive movie" approach. Where almost every other game in the subgenre failed spectacularly, The Beast Within remains the definitive FMV game. The acting, while still sub-par for Hollywood, is tolerable at worst enthralling at best. While Dean Erickson leaves some to be desired as the titular hero, famous Polish actor Peter Lucas delivers an outstanding performance as the charismatic Baron von Glower.

While the blend of green-screened actors and photo-backdrops can at times be cheesy, the gorgeous Bavarian countryside makes a melancholy and atmospheric backdrop for the story, which incorporates centuries old political intrigue, psychosis and legitimate historical mysteries into its modern gothic core.

The two-character dynamic adds a level of depth and variety to the game. While Gabriel intuitively stumbles through the modern, empirical aspect of the mystery in the big city, Grace handles the metaphysical research end in the countryside, visiting museums, libraries and castles while uncovering historical parallels. Each subplot adds to the character development and movie-pacing of the game which other adventures lack.

As with the first, or perhaps more than, the music is a beautiful standout. Robert Holmes' moody piano anthems and suspenseful incidental pieces compliment the visual style perfectly, climaxing in a thoroughly-convincing Wagnerian opera, complete with German libretto.

The Bad
While it remains a prime example of the FMV genre, it still retains some of the inevitable cheese that comes with hiring D-list actors. Dean Erickson is unrecognizable as the character introduced in the first game. Gone is the sexist machismo and rakish Southern charm, replaced with an all-purpose perpetually-confused expression and an abysmal (and high-pitched) attempt at drawl. As an original character, Erickson does an admirable job, but he clearly has no idea what the character of Gabriel Knight entails. Same goes from Joanne Takahashi as Grace. For the first half of the game, Grace is bitterly disagreeable, but Takahashi's pass at cattiness isn't even passable for a soap opera. The performance picks up stride later on, but the two leads are the most cringe-worthy performances throughout the game.

The game is entirely linear. Probably because of the budget and technological constraints inherent with trying to coincide two opposing art forms, there are virtually no alternative solutions to puzzles or superfluous subplots. The game plays pretty much exactly the same each time, which means it really only artfully masks the core problem with the interactive movie genre -- it's better suited as a movie.

The Bottom Line
Ok, so there are flaws, and some of them might typically be considered to be critical, but in this case, they get a pass. The Beast Within is the best-written adventure game of all time. The story, pacing, music and atmosphere make this a must-play, and and it's certainly worthy of its contention for greatest adventure game of all time.

The Good
The Beast Within has tense, driven story that will captivate and draw you into the adventure. The puzzles are logically placed in the story and are believable for what a normal person would do. But again, it is the story that will keep you playing this game for days, and possibly weeks. I felt that it was a rare sequel that was better than its original.

The Bad
I do have to say that one of the puzzles requires timing, which is not my strong suit. I had to replay that part several times over. Also, this is just a personal preference, but I did not like the full motion video setup of the game, but this was the big technology at the time, and it did not hurt the actual story in any way.

The Bottom Line
A mystery/suspense adventure game that will keep you guessing until the end.

The Good
It was a fantastic idea. I hope Sierra would release another game like that in future (well G.K. III was bad; they made it more action than adventure... and the serie should stay on adventure side). The voice was great quality, images are clear and game is long and complex. There are lots of places to visit and lots of people to meet and trick. The story was really cool. I like those which are not about some weird aliens, but more close to human, more realistic. This game was unreal only about werewolfs (which actually don't exist; or maybe?). It was so good that I had to play it once more and I'm sure I'll do it at least once in future.

The Bad
Bad things were more technical problems. The game is on 6 CD's and it's annoying when you need to change CD's in the middle of the game. They've also fooled it when you need to insert a new CD, play intro animation and then change back to previous CD etc. Also the animations could be a bit more colourful (they're only in 256 colors). And maybe one more thing was annoying. When the speech should begin, it played for a moment somewhere in the middle of it, and then begin the same time with animation normally.

The Bottom Line
It's really great game and I recommend it to everyone who likes adventure games, puzzle solving games and/or watch animations. It has lots of them and they're long. Animations were taken with cameras and were not drawn (only 2 or 3 animations maybe - of many).

The Good
Gabriel Knight 2 was, for a long time, a holy grail for me. It was that game I never did seem to get my hands on, but always wanted to play, since I loved the first game so much. I even played part three before I played this game. I love the first game, and I like the third, despite its flaws, but would I enjoy this, the series FMV de-tour?

First of all, there is a good story here, buried beneath layers of horrible graphics, disturbingly disgusting design and useless actors. If you're less picky about those things than I am, you might enjoy this.

The music is also pretty good, although a bit over the top at times. The special effects are, although just as bad as in Phantasmagoria, quite amusing to look at (but never ever scary).

The Bad
This really should not have been an FMV-game. The video-sequences are horrible. They might have been fun to look at at the time the game was released. At that time the so called multimedia products flooded the markets. Useless cd-roms full of pixely and crappy videos and bad 3d-graphics. This development was soon revealed to produce hollow and quite crappy products and they soon started to dissapear.

The same goes for FMV-games. They were expensive to produce, sure, but the main reason they stopped making them was that they all sucked, and the audience soon discovered that, just as soon as the initial curiosity was settled.

Gabriel Knight 2 was just produced in the worst of times, and hence, a good game was fundamentally ruined. Just one look at Gabriel Knights butt-ugly shirt and you want to vomit. When he walks around, taking his time doing the simplest thing, because everything has to trigger horrible FMV-sequences of Gabriel opening doors, turning around, walking, etc. It's unbearable.

The absolute worst part, however, is the environments. The illusion that Gabriel is walking around in an actual, living world, is painfully absent. Instead, Gabriel floats around on pixely, badly rendered backgrounds that are so ill designed it looks like some three year old's doll house gone horribly wrong.

You might think I'm superficial to concentrate so much on things like graphics and presentation. Well, my friend, sometimes, the surface contains the biggest depths. Sometimes the look of something is what tells the story, or conveys the message. It's called supersurface, and Gabriel Knight 2 lacks every bit of it. All that's left are promises of what could have been.

The Bottom Line
A great game ruined by its choice of form. FMV-games never was, and will never be, anything but garbage. It's a disgrace.

The Good
The story was gripping, the game play wasn't too puzzling, and the FMV didn't suck. Given that FMV sucks for 95% of the games it's used in (not counting cutscenes), this is a major accomplishment.

The Bad
Don't recall anything about the game that really irked me.

The Bottom Line
A good, solid old-school adventure game.