Published by
Developed by
Released

Platforms
MobyRank MobyScore
Windows Mobile
...
3.3
Windows
83
4.0
Nintendo DS
52
3.2

Description

Kate Walker is a lawyer who has been entrusted by the Universal Toy Company to negotiate the takeover of an old luxury toy and automaton factory. Over the centuries, the factory has been developing clockwork devices, specializing in perpetual mechanical movement. The factory's ambitions, however, are ill-suited to the contemporary economic climate, and the elderly Anna Voralberg, at the helm of the Valadilene factory for more than half a century, has decided to sell up.

It turns out that the takeover might not be as straightforward as expected. The day that Kate Walker arrives, Anna Voralberg is being buried. What is more is that she has left an heir – her brother Hans. But Hans had left the valley at the end of the thirties and never returned, and was actually believed to be dead. However, a letter written by Anna in the days leading up to her death reveals that Hans is well and truly alive and living somewhere in Siberia. Valadilene's elderly notary entrusted to take care of Anna's affairs suggests that Kate find Hans Voralberg as he is now the only person in a position to ratify the sale of the family business.

Syberia is a traditional puzzle-solving adventure. The player navigates a 3D model of the protagonist over pre-rendered backgrounds with fixed camera angles. Puzzles are mostly inventory-based, though some involve manipulating the environment (such as mechanical devices). The interface features a single cursor; only highlighted objects can be interacted with, and there are no verb choice commands.

Alternate Titles

  • "赛伯利亚" -- Chinese spelling (simplified)
  • "西伯利亞" -- Chinese spelling (traditional)
  • "Сибирь" -- Russian spelling
  • "Sibir" -- Russian title
  • "L'avventura di Kate Walker: Syberia Volume 1" -- Italian DVG title

Part of the Following Groups


Merchant Title Platform Price  
Amazon
Syberia Windows $7.19  
Syberia Xbox $0.96  
Syberia Xbox $0.96  
ebay.com
Syberia    
GOG
Syberia $9.99  
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User Reviews

Stylish, but overrated and unpleasant game Windows YID YANG Bronze Star Contributing Member (162560)
Beautiful. And lousy. Windows Straw Hubert (33)
A wonder, a marvel, and yet I do not quite understand why Windows Jacques Guy (55)
A beautiful, well-written but ultimately flawed game. Windows Tomer Gabel Bronze Star Contributing Member (4418)
A very, very long movie. Or, an extremely short game. Windows Dave Schenet (130)
Another otherwise creative game flawed by ridiculous and unlikely "adventuring". Windows kbmb Bronze Star Contributing Member (399)
Well, that's it! I just have to say.. Windows Afex Tween (164)
Awesome storyline... the adventure genre isn't dead yet! Windows Gothicgene (83)
Good, yet short adventure Windows tomimt (260)
Realism and emotion - an uncommon combination Windows Jeanne Bronze Star Contributing Member (75642)

The Press Says

Tap-Repeatedly/Four Fat Chicks Windows Jul, 2002 5 Stars5 Stars5 Stars5 Stars5 Stars 100
Absolute Games (AG.ru) Windows Jul 03, 2002 99 out of 100 99
Worth Playing Windows Sep 24, 2002 9.5 out of 10 95
Peliplaneetta.net Windows Oct 23, 2002 90 out of 100 90
PC Gamer Windows Sep, 2002 80 out of 100 80
Computer Gaming World (CGW) Windows Oct, 2002 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 80
Adventure Classic Gaming Windows Feb 04, 2006 4 out of 5 80
IGN Windows Oct 10, 2002 7.1 out of 10 71
IGN Xbox Aug 06, 2003 6.1 out of 10 61
Thunderbolt Games Nintendo DS Mar 05, 2009 4 out of 10 40

Forums

Topic # Posts Last Post
Who Was the Model for Kate Walker? 4 St. Martyne Bronze Star Contributing Member (3562)
Dec 01, 2007

Trivia

Language

The words written on the control panel of the airship in Kolmkozgrad are authentic Russian. However, the name of the hotel in Aralbad is written incorrectly.

Marketing

Some German games magazine editors received a postcard from New York with a handwritten text from someone called Kate who wrote in German, that she had an Austrian uncle, some problems and so on. There was no clue that this was a PR-event for the game Syberia, even the fake-handwriting was done with some smeared ink.

PlayStation 2 version

Contrary to the Xbox release, the PS2 version did not appear in North America, as SCEA did not approve the game there.

References

  • The rat from Road to India makes a cameo appearance in Syberia. It appears in the basement in Kolmkozgrad, makes exactly the same movements it did in Road to India, and disappears.
  • Syberia contains some references to another game by Microids, Amerzone . In Barockstadt you can read and hear a lot about different species of Amerzone's flora and fauna.

Awards

  • Computer Games Magazine
    • March 2003 (Issue #148) - #10 overall in the "10 Best Games of 2002" list
  • Computer Gaming World
    • April 2003 (Issue #225) – Adventure Game of the Year
  • Gamespot
    • 2002 - PC Adventure Game of the Year
    • 2002 - Best Artistic Graphics
  • Gamespy
    • 2002 - PC Adventure Game of the Year
  • IGN
    • 2002 - Best Adventure Game (Readers' Choice)
Information also contributed by Felix Knoke, Jeanne, PCGamer77 and Sciere


This entry was contributed by Charly2.0 (30589), Sciere Bronze Star Contributing Member (208588), LeChimp (304), Kabushi (105849) and Isdaron Bronze Star Contributing Member (681)
 

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