It's got an interesting story line.

TLDR: *UNFINISHED GAME ALARM BLARING*


General Thoughts/Overview:


It is rare that a game has the testicular fortitude to drop its shorts and ♥♥♥♥ on my plate directly in front of me, then smile and point at it and say “now eat it!”

Yet here we are.

Syberia is an unfinished point and click adventure. We are Kate Walker, the world’s meekest, yet somehow catty, lawyer. We’ve been sent to acquire the signature of a contract that could have been faxed and posted months ago, but that would be voiding the point of the game entirely, so to ensure the plot happens we’re now arriving just in time to find out the woman is dead and we need to find her heir for the signature.

Riddled with plot holes, stupid decisions made by supposedly intelligent people, nonsensical events, and an absurd amount of running around. Syberia should probably have been aborted.


Pros:

• An interesting and enriched lore and environment. The factory, the family, the use of the automatons, the mysterious tribe. Syberia has a lot going for its world building, and I really enjoy a game primarily set in the real world, but with slight, fantastical, additions. The blending here is expertly done.
  
• The world is beautifully crafted. All the scenes are evocative and fit their respective themes well. They contribute massively to the immersion and give that feeling of a glorious past decaying away superbly.
  
• Kate has a character arc, and you can see it happening. It’s quite nice to see someone changing as they overcome the challenges posed to them. I don’t like the way they try to rub it in and point it out, as it robs the subtlety of the changes, but the increasing confidence and certainty are clearly marked through conversations, the desire to know more just for one’s self, and the growth of a person subdued by life are clearly signposted through Kate throughout the progression of the game. If the game were actually finished it could have been great.

Cons:

• The music suddenly blasting into my ears randomly for a jumpscare is one of the worst additions to this game. Given that it’s usually peaceful and good at setting the tone, it’s even worse when that discordant ‘serial killer behind you’ periodically scares the bejesus out of you.
  
• The game randomly crashes. This is infuriating, as once you get into a flow it’s very easy to forget to save, and being an older title it has no autosave function.
  
• The steaming plot holes and terrible writing almost everywhere just ruins the experience. I genuinely don’t know how someone can write a world and a character arc so well, but fail so spectacularly in the plot and actual interactions.

Suggested improvements:

• Modern QoL improvements – hotspot highlight, double click to move, AutoSaving, and the likes.
  
• Animation skip button, so I don’t have to drum my fingers on the desk every time one of the bajillion staircases appears.
  
• Fix the plot holes, fix the character interactions, fix just… all the interpersonal writing.
  
• FIX. THE. BUGS.

Overall Recommendation:

No.

Knowingly buying unfinished games makes you part of the industry wide problem. If I had known the game was unfinished, I wouldn’t have bought it. And I’m sorely disappointed I’m outside of the refund window. Usually, even if I don’t like a game, I don’t feel like I’ve been scammed. Games that suddenly finish stupidly are annoying. Games where the ending is just plain bad are disappointing.
But games where they just say ‘♥♥♥♥ you, buy the next instalment to finish the story’ are unacceptable. I even take umbrage with episodic games in this regard, but at least they have the decency to tell you in advance not to buy it until they’re finished and you can get the full pack.

Syberia should not be purchased under any circumstances, and I’d hesitate to suggest playing it even if it’s free, purely out of principle.

Syberia is a unique Adventure game. The game world is interesting and the story really pulls you in and is compelling. It feels like It is pulled straight out of a book. I did have trouble with not being able to go back to previous dialogue in this version which would have helped with some tricky puzzles. I can recommend Syberia to Adventure game fans who don't mind dated titles and who want a challenge.