Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

The Good
The atmosphere of New Orleans is incredible. Many movies have attempted and failed at creating that evil atmosphere. (Angel Heart is perhaps the only exception i can think of) A mixture of beautiful french style, but the feeling of evil in every scene.

The plot is quite good (for the first few days). I got to the point where i couldnt stop playing cause i was so keen to find out what happened next. Whereas on other games (Kings quest ) there was no real plot other than to do unusal things to find the princess.

In fact , the only sierra game which comes close GK is police quest 4.(in my opinion)

The Bad
When you go to germany and see a dragon. Europe can be the most atmospheric place for a game , but the designers blew it by placing more childish elements in the europe segment.(The dragon - The idea that Gabriel's family comes from a wierd order who attack evil. Gabriel should have had evil ancestors who had been damned) Finally , the last day , when gabe goes to the underground lair. Destroys the entire fel of the game.

The Bottom Line
Worth buying two copies , one to play and one to set upon an altar and worship.

The Good
The voice acting! Simply incredible! Tim Curry as Gabriel, Leah Remini as Grace, Mark Hamill as Mosely, Michael Dorn as the voodoo master(sorry, forgot his name) The music! The music for the CD-version is simply superb! It sticks in your mind and won't let go - to get midi samples you can go to Quest Studios. The drama! Family cursed with duty to stop evil - and a Romeo and Juliet romance develops! The intrigue! All around you the eyes are watching - and you don't know who to trust!

The Bad
It was too short! Aaargh! I finished it!

The Bottom Line
Go. Buy this. It will show you what TRUE adventure gaming is.

The Good
I never was that big a fan of the Sierra adventure games. Sure, Sierra was one of my top 5 favorite game makers but, their games were either a bit childish in my taste in the case of the king quest games or didn't leave a lasting impression on me in the case of police and space quest games

That is until Gabriel Knight: Sins of Fathers.

I don't remember when or how I got the game, but about 10 minutes into the game I was hooked. First the Hero, Gabriel. I don't know who said it (maybe my brother) "Hey this guy is a like a clone of you" and maybe they were right, I was immediatly drawn in. Gabriel was like my computerized ego.

Second the place. A bookstore in New-Orleans. What can be a better setting for a occult mystery then this great city?

Third the plot. I didn't hear or read about the game before I played, so I didn't know what to expect, and a good thing it is. The plot of game (and the game as a whole) left an impression on me the same as is created by reading a great book or watching a superb movie. The hero starts the day without knowing what will happen, as he is drawn into a murder mystery the involves the occult, family heritage, romance with a stranger that cannont be, a friend that turns into a love intrest, a police detective that without his help you will not succeed and a plot that spans from New-Orleans to a castle in germany to african catacombs and back.

The only game that left me wanting to go around in blue jeans a white t-shirt and long black jacket while riding a harley around town. (I was too young for an harley)

Will always be in my eyes the best sierra game ever made, and one of best adventure games ever made.

The Bad
The only annoying thing, was a part in the african catacombs you had to click in an exact point of the screen within only a few second, otherwise you die, this was pointless, I was stuck for hours until I figured it out. But other then that there was nothing I didn't like, and I even think it was fixed with a patch.

The Bottom Line
Superb adventure, as good as any great movie or book. Still my number one favorite sierra game. (with the quest of glory games close behind)