Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned

aka: GK3, Gabriel Knight 3, Gabriel Knight 3: Blut der Heiligen, Blut der Verdammten, Gabriel Knight 3: Enigme en Pays Cathare, Gabriel Knight 3: Il Mistero di Rennes-Le-Château, Il Mistero Macchiato di Sangue, Gabriel Knight 3: Krew Świętych, Krew Potępionych, Gabriel Knight 3: Sangue Profano, Gabriel Knight 3: Testamento del Diablo
Moby ID: 484
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Description official descriptions

The third game in the series takes Gabriel Knight, the former owner of a book store in New Orleans, and now a Schattenjäger ("shadow hunter") living in a castle in Bavaria, to Rennes-le-Chateau, a quiet town in Southern France. Gabriel and his assistant Grace Nakimura investigate the kidnapping of a baby: the son of Prince James of Albany was taken away, and the trace leads to Rennes-le-Chateau. While exploring the town and its surroundings and getting acquainted with the unusual history of the place, Gabriel and Grace realize that supernatural beings are pulling the strings behind the stage, and become involved in a mystery with a religious background dating back to the very beginnings of Christianity.

Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned is a 3D adventure game. Playing as Gabriel or Grace, the player navigates the characters through fully 3D environments, which can also be viewed and explored from first-person perspective using the "camera" option. The player interacts with people and objects by clicking on them and then selecting one of the available actions. There are many kinds of puzzles in the game: traditional inventory-based ones, detective investigation, as well as complex puzzles based on the player's knowledge and understanding of the game's lore.

Spellings

  • Гэбриэл Найт 3: В поисках Грааля - Russian spelling
  • 狩魔猎人3 - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 狩魔獵人3:聖魔血祭 - Traditional Chinese spelling

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Credits (Windows version)

130 People (119 developers, 11 thanks) · View all

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[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 83% (based on 45 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 127 ratings with 7 reviews)

Millennium Mystery

The Good
Every once in a thousand years, the developers make a mystery that marks a millennium, hehe, and this game definitely proves that no suspense movie can compete with minds of developers, designers, and story writers when they focus on something. And being an honest fan of mystery and detective adventure games such as Gabriel Knight series, Tex Murphy series, or such, I can say that without a doubt, playing such an intriguing, deep, sometimes complicated, turnover, investigator's role is much better then just sitting in front of screen and watching some Humphrey Boggart playing Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. Hey, I'm not saying I don't enjoy that either, I do :)

Okay, everything started when "The Beast Within" me awakened as I way sleeplessly playing through the second installment of the series, for which I consider it to be the best of the series, and officially decided to get "GK I" and "GK 3". Thanks to my great vendor, just next month he said he got the games, and soon afterwards I was unwrapping the package. Okay, I wanted to finish the first installment from the series to get even more acquainted with the main character's past and how he got into that schattenjaegger business. I dunno how have I managed, but for next couple of weeks I was finishing "Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers" without even checking the third one. And then the time has come to unravel the mystery larger than all so far seen and unseen.

It was a great to notice how they kept each of those three games so different by the stories, so connected by the characters, so great within the music element, and so stylishly parted from 2d point-and-click graphic adventure, through blue-screen video-post adventure to 3d point-and-click graphic adventure. Yup, this time Gabe definitely looked above expectations, hehe. And so did Grace if I may add :)

The game gives you opportunity to play in different resolutions (unlike the other two), and to use (or not) your 3d acc. graphic card. Shadowing and mapping lokes much smoother and more true that way. But the best point of all was that you could move camera independently of your main character. Seeing and hearing what he does not, adjusting your investigative skills with his wit and charm, and solving mysteries piece by piece. As much as it seemed hard to master at the moment, it all became real easy to handle.

Now, the story starts as you arrive with a train at some God forsaken place called Rennes-le-Chateau in France, carrying a bump on your head alongside. You were following the kidnappers of a Prince James' child, but being hectic and unpredictable as you always are, Grace decided not to follow you at the moment. Hmm, now this place looks really strange, and more you visit it, more mysteries you'll reveal, and more then you'll want to for sure. Guess you better phone Grace and let her know where to come.

The story really becomes tense and suspensseful at many points, and brings you practically to unimaginable point when unraveling. You'll have many ways to play, many opportunities to meet someone, but only you choose when and where to do so. You will control both Gabriel and Grace characters, with Gabe being more a man of an action, and with Gracie being more a woman with a brain. The dialogues between them and the other characters are simply brillians, every accent, every word, it's amazing. And Tim Curry, who was voice-actor or original Gabe in "Sins of the Fathers" is back now playing Gabriel again, and even better. As for Grace Nakimura, I must admit Charity James was the best voice I have ever heard in my life. She was is also voice-actress of Elaine in "Escape From Monkey Island". LucasArts was always leading when it comes to voice acting, and still is, but it's really nice to find something amazing in Sierra or other companies form time to time, no? :)

The music, as in prequel, is divided into segments that are like 5 to 30 seconds each, so they change to create atmosphere and ambient accordingly. But hey, there are many longer songs and great ones, they should've make a soundtrack from this game for sure. Robert Holmes sure knows his work when it comes to piano songs. Yup, piano is my fav, so go figure why I like the music so much :) Plus, it's really great.

The Bad
A-a, no way! This game is amazing. If they never make a sequel to it, then that will be the biggest failure and injustice they'll make to loyal players and fans of this amazingly great mystery adventure series.

The Bottom Line
Well, the game is simply great. And if you don't have it already, then you're wasting your time reading this... go get it! C'mon, go for it. Don't wait 'til it runs outta stocks.

This game has absolutely nothing to disappoint you with, it has deep and very unique story, nicely drawn characters and animations are very very much okay, hehe. The music at its best, suspense active as always, adventuring spirit always aside, never know who to blaim 'til the very end, solving ancient mysteries with a class, speech and humour at the high level for certain, and interface cannot be easier then it is with all it complicity at first sight.

Okay, if you're trying to find a game that will scare you a lot, or give you too chilling moments and are a fan of horror games, then this is a wrong bet. The great games like this are usually based on the story, atmosphere and practically everything, so scarring player may not be included at its best. Well, it did work for me though, I remember my expectations when I was playing with a Grace in that vine cellar not knowing to whom I approached (still don't, though, hehe), or when playing with Gabriel in the dank dark always expecting for someone to pop-up behind some tree or a rock. Well, the suspense is at its best, and twist are more then you will expect. Trust me on this one, 'cos if you're reading this review, and are doing that just because you're bored and don't intend to get this game, then I can only say 'wrong direction kid, go play Wolfenstein', but if you're considering getting this game, trust me and get it. You won't have anything to complain about. You'll get all you wish for, and more to throw around.

Frankly, I dunno how Sierra became popular with games like "King's Quest", but if Jane Jensen worked on those, I sure wouldn't think twice before getting them, hehe. I just hope this game will be getting sequel so much "Final Fantasy" series will seem like a humble collection aside this. I'm guessing making a great game sucks time bigtime, and there are too many people on this globe to realize the greatness of such games. Just check "Deus Ex" and you'll see what I'm pointing at. ON the other side, if this game sold on millions and became hit, Sierra would definitely made another one, but guess what... they would make it to achieve another profit of masses, and the game's quality would go down. So I guess, it's better three but breathtaking three, then ten games but nothing much.

Are you still reading this?? 'nock it off and go buy it!

Windows · by MAT (240759) · 2012

A flawed classic

The Good
A game can't go wrong with Jane Jensen at the helm. This third, and likely final, installment of the classic adventure series is once again endowed with a rich plot, fascinating characters, and mind-boggling puzzles. The new interface and free-form approach to the mystery (puzzles have multiple solutions, and you can miss a good 30% percent of the game if you're not on top of it) provide an added level of depth. Fingerprint kits and a functioning laptop computer bring Gabriel's archaic and intuitive techniques a modern flare. This time, Gabriel fully shares the bill with Grace as co-protagonists.

The Bad
While the previous two games were practically honed to perfection, this one retains some significant, if excusable, flaws. Infighting meant the development was rushed, and you can feel this at the end, when the game abruptly shifts into climax mode without provocation, leaving a significant puzzle introduced only a short time before unaddressed (Lady Howard's fang picture). The polygonal models are awkwardly shaped, and Curry's voice acting, while familiar, sometimes falls ridiculously flat. The atmosphere is distinctly lacking in this game -- the environments are almost cheerfully colorful and bright, and the free-roaming camera ability eliminates suspense in key elements of the game. Unlike the previous two entries, Robert Holmes' powerful and pervasive score is missing, a key element of the series success, replaced with David Henry's sometimes-obnoxious lounge jazz ambiance. The final puzzle of the game is a bit Tomb Raider-ish, but that's not necessarily a negative.

The Bottom Line
All in all, this is a fantastic game, and a good note for the series, and indeed the genre as a whole, to go out on. While not as timeless as its predecessors, it's replayability factor gives it added value. The plot is deep and interesting enough to be a novel (and was indeed portentous of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code), and its an essential play for any fan of the series or the genre. Unfortunately, it spelled the death of intellectual gameplay. Play it once through for the experience, and again with a walkthrough to cover the things you inevitably missed.

Windows · by jTrippy (58) · 2007

"I didn't sleep for four days playing this game....."

The Good
I have been a Sierra adventure game fan for 15 years, since the release of the original Kings Quest. I have purchased and played every game they have put out. In recent years I had moved out to other companies due to Sierra's (uh-hum) lack of quality. But with the third release in the GK series Sierra has reclaimed the crown (or at least showed that it still remembers how to put out a good game when it wants too).

Gabriel Knight 3 is a revolution for adventure games. While modern machines have far surpassed the traditional adventure game layout the genre has stagnated, urging many to claim that the end was finally near for adventure games (I think this argument started about the time that Kings Quest 2 came out). The game has taken what was best about adventure games, added in the brilliant writing of series creator Jane Jensen, and mixed with a new graphics engine that is close to the one used in Kings Quest 8 but moved beyong just killing everything that moved.

The world is fully 3D and the control of the game is based on a camera system. While I have seen this approach fail miserably in other games Gabriel Knight finally uses it not only well but exceptionally. The puzzles reqire intelligent use of the camera and rethinking of the traditional adventure game approach (pick up everything that is sharper in the background, indicating that it is important). The interface is quick to learn and once learned is very easy to navigate and use.

The graphics are also wonderful. Scaled to adjust to your machine automatically upon startup, the game graphics played beautifully on my Pentium 233 with a voodoo 2 card. On a higher end machine they are even more stunning (Pentium 2, 450 at work).

But even with the graphic and interface this game would be nothing without gameplay. It has that in abundance. The Gabriel Knight series has been the thinking man's adventure game for years and this installment only reinforces that. In addition, Jensen appears to have really had her time to develop the story as it is more detailed and rewarding than the first two games (which is saying a lot).

The Bad
Nothing. Not a thing. Other than it eventually ended.

The Bottom Line
Sierra seems set on recasting their image. With the release of both HalfLife and Homeworld they have demonstrated that they can still make games worth playing. This game is Sierra's demonstration that they can still make adventure games. If you ever were an adventure game fan, this is worth your time. If you ever wondered what the fuss was about, this is your game. If you played Mist (God help you) and wanted more, this is your game. Basically, if you are a computer game player you should check this game out. You will be seeing more just like it over the next few years and will probably hear enough about it to justify a good play through.

Windows · by Andy Roark (263) · 2003

[ View all 7 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
Best adventure series ever. chirinea (47504) Nov 8, 2011
Still The Greatest St. Martyne (3648) Feb 23, 2009
And that f'ing puzzle is not only stupid ... Slug Camargo (583) Oct 3, 2007

Trivia

Bugs

Gabriel and Grace both give humorous comments at most objects you see in the game. Though there is a little bug in this - being Grace and looking in the museum of rennes-le-chateau and looking at one of the paintings on the wall in the big museum-hall will give you Gabriel's comment on it.

Development

Dean Erickson, who played Gabriel in GK2, was briefly considered to play the role of Gabriel again. But Sierra wanted a more professional actor to play the role and so Tim Curry was chosen to return to the series.

Inspiration

The plot around the San Greal Secrets book is partially based on the real 1983 novel Holy Blood, Holy Grail. A controversial work on its own, it returned to the spotlights once again amid plagiarism speculations in the 2003 bestseller The Da Vinci Code.

Legacy

Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned was the last adventure game published by Sierra.

References

  • Grace now has a computer that keeps all the shadow hunter's data and is called SIDNEY. The thing is, that when you enter "Gabriel Knight 4" as a topic of research, you get a ghost story. Jane Jensen affirmed that if GK4 ever gets out, as a book or a game, it will be about ghosts.
  • When you look at the chicken who's walking outside the hotel, Gabriel will say something about the voodoo murders from the first Gabriel Knight adventure.

Wal-Mart

The game's subtitle "Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned" was removed from the cover of boxes sold at Wal-Mart locations, as per their request.

Information also contributed by Crawly, Ju, just Ju..., Luis Silva, MAT, Picard, Tom Murphy and WildKard

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Andy Roark.

Additional contributors: Andrew Hartnett, Zovni, Erwin Bergervoet, Adam Baratz, Unicorn Lynx, Jeanne, JRK, chirinea, Gonchi, Aubustou, Klaster_1, Paulus18950, Cantillon, Rodrigo Steinmann, Patrick Bregger, Bart Smith.

Game added November 28, 1999. Last modified March 14, 2024.