Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers

Until Gog i never heard of GB series although i played great classics of adventure like Broken Sword, Sanitarium,Myst etc. This game was awesome- cool storytelling and great character voices made a thrilling atmoshere totally imersive.

I played this game as a young man, at the height of popularity for point and click Sierra adventure games. They were some of my favorite titles, and I actually picked this one up on a whim without knowing anything about it (this was back when the internet as we know it didn't really exist, at least not even remotely in the same capacity) simply because it was made by Sierra. I never regretted that purchase. I actually got so engaged in this game and wrapped up in the story, I used to have dreams about it at night, finding myself at different locations within the game and wondering how to get to the next chapter. I figured it out through trial and error, so it took me several weeks to complete. But I was not disappointed with the climactic finish which leads beautifully into the sequel. The voice acting was incredible, and I didn't know until recently the level of professional talent which was cast as the characters in the game (Tim Curry, Leah Remini, etc). It was equally interesting and eerie at the same time. There is lots of information about the Voodoo religion and the ghosts of New Orleans' past within, and the branches of the story unfold more like a great novel rather than a PC game. I felt immersed in Gabriel's universe, as he became more immersed in solving the Voodoo murders while experiencing strange dreams and trying to figure out what it all means. I found myself admiring his charisma, hopeless romanticism, his intellect, and often humorous friendship with Detective Mosley. If you enjoy classic storytelling with characters and a plot that keep you engaged, this is a great game to play. Well worth the purchase.

This review will be completely subjective and chock full of nostalgia, but hear me out. In 1994, I purchased my first PC. The vast majority of my 40 MB hard drive was filled with Sierra adventure games. About a year later I upgraded to a 486 processor capable of VESA (640x480) graphics and a CD-rom Drive. While everyone else in the world was drooling over MYST, I was playing GK. To this day, I would list it as the cream of the Sierra crop, and every time a games magazine or website posts a "Top 100 of all time" type of article I scroll through to see where GK:SotF lands. It it is not somewhere near the top, that publication loses a little credibility in my eyes. If you have not played this game, you are missing out on one of life's great pleasures. The voice acting in this game still has not been surpassed and it's been more than 15 years since release. Look at that cast: Tim Curry, Michael Dorn (Warf from Star Trek: TNG) Leah Ramini (king of Queens) Mark Hamil (LUKE FREAKING SKYWALKER and accomplished voice actor). The story is simply phenomenal. A bookstore in waaaay pre-Katrina New Orleans is looking into a series of murders to use the grisly details in the novel he is writing, of course it helps to have a buddy on the force to get access to the crime scenes. Without giving too much away (and to keep this short) the plot will take our hero to Germany, Africa, and back into the troubled history of his ancestors. Time is running short (I have to get to work) but in case you don't believe how great this game is, the little bit I've written here, was all from memory. I didn't have to look up anything and I have not played the game in probably 7 or 8 years! That's the kind of impact it had on me. The sequels vary in quality, but the original should be placed on a golden pedestal in the Video Game Hall of Fame. Oh, and Jane Jensen, if you're out there, it's time to return Gabriel to New Orleans. Either pre- or post-Hurricane Katrina, so a new generation of gamers can learn what a true adventure game is all about!

I would like to start off by saying that I did not grow up during the golden age of Point and Click Adventures. That said, this game has not aged too much and I had almost no problem at all adjusting to the interface and the way in which the game wants you to think. I have played many point and clicks growing up, though, so I can tell you that Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is one of the most naturally progressing games in that genre. What I mean by that is that puzzles don't feel like roadblocks most of the time, but fit well into the confines of the story. There were very few parts that frustrated me, but most of the time the game simply expected you to be rational. There is still a bit of a routine that you will work out after the first two in-game days (as in, there are certain things you need to check out at the start of every day) but you'll figure it out in no time, don't worry. That's not to say the game is easy though, the game is still challenging in some ways. I had to consult a walk-through three times throughout the duration of the game, and I feel like most will simply because there are three puzzles that felt unreasonable to me, but maybe I am just dense, it's hard to tell. As for the story and overall atmosphere: Genius. It deals with Voodoo cults, murder and a holy order, and it mostly takes place in New Orleans. The progression and tone reminded me of Broken Sword which I played a few years ago, in the sense that both games had this ability to convey very distinct atmospheres through the environments alone. I have never been to New Orleans, but I really feel like I have after playing this game. The game does have some humor sprinkled throughout, but for the most part it takes itself serious, which is not to say that it is terribly melodramatic or anything. I really liked that balance of dark mystery and adventure, because it doesn't ever feel emotionally overwhelming like other games like Black Mirror. Anyway, totally recommend this one

One of the Greatest Point and Click Games made by Sierra in the late 90's. Such a classic and a good game as well. I bought the bundle with the 3 games. I can't wait to have a little more time to play it and the others as well.