Its hard to not recommend a return to the imaginitive world of Syberia. I very much relished the opportunity. This sequel does have a very restricted scope, and it might be considered relatively more straight forward in comparison to the original. Regardless, I think it is a story worth experiencing. It has wonder, intruige, and bittersweet moments. Exploring this universe is never boring. If you loved the first, don't sleep on it.
I am sure the GOG version is faithful. However, this game might give you cancer if you play it for extended periods. Sure, granted, the Pre-rendered CG has a 1990's retro charm. The nostalgic visuals however will not make up for just how infuriating this game can be. Mind you, I was never a fan of the Dragon's Lair school of decision making. This game will expect you to know what to do at a moments notice, and if you don't clue in to the games questionable logic... you die. For instance, you can easily and hilariously send your character off the edge of a platform... once you press the direction your character goes in he is pre-animated to walk in that direction. So you will helplessly watch your idiotic character do all kinds of idiotic things that you would assume any human with half a brain would avoid, like just walking off the edge of a platform and plummeting to ones death. There are countless examples of your characters stupidity, unless of course you know exactly what to do to make the story continue. Occasionally you get treated with the games puzzle elements, which are nothing special, or an occasional GOD AWFUL arcade sequence in which you might be struggling with the games controls to infuriatingly ill effect. So as a whole I can't recommend spending money on this game, however... if it is tucked away in someones closet under a box of old hats, then you might be able to laugh at how ridiculously bad it is. Id say that laughter is the one and only good thing to come from this game.
Shock 2 is the cult classic that has long been spoken of in gamer's top 10 lists. The game is distinct, a blend of FPS and RPG elements, but is also at times quite unsettling - as many twisted, unforgiving enemies hunt you down. In this way it is a Science Fiction horror game that feels completely unique with its balance of character development, item and weapon management, and first person action. Beyond this it is distinct in its consistent presentation ie. Its stylized electro drum and bass soundtrack, its disturbing and gloomy designs, its use of dead characters as plot progression, and indeed the presentation of the AI character SHODAN are all things that make System Shock 2 stand out. Even though this game is from 1999, I think its vision still holds strong even in the face of aging graphics. It is an experience that gives the right balance of adrenaline, reward, and terror. So many years later this game still has left an impression, and I hope, now that it is widely available, more gamers will be able to experience this game. We need more games like it.
The Witcher 2 features an elegance in its design that features both subtlety and intelligence, while simultaneously feeling modern. The original game featured many rich and interesting mechanics, and was a spectacular game in its own right. However, the sequel has completely reworked the presentation of these mechanics into a tight user friendly interface that has really aided the flow of gameplay. The pacing this time around is quicker, and the combat is more grandiose, but the core brilliance of the witcher series remains intact, and in-fact shines even more brightly. Due to advances in the technology, this time around we see a new cinematic vigor to the games characters which now appear much more natural and can provide very engaging movie-like performances. This complements the complex and interesting story elements that are presented in the games storyline. Through the course of the game we are tasked with understanding these characters motivations and making judgements based on character. The story itself is quite nuanced and well imagined, definitely playing to the strengths of the books in which it is inspired. If I had any complaints about the game, it would be about the trial and error process that takes place in some of the boss encounters. There are points where a lack of direction is damning, and there are even a couple of notable bugs that popped up during boss encounters further confusing matters. None of the issues managed to tear me away from the game however. It satisfied an itch for a smart RPG, one that doesn't pull punches, and offers a deep experience. I would say that this game stacks up well to others in its genre, in my opinion going toe to toe with Canadian RPG maker Bioware, in some cases even surpassing them. I can't wait to see the next one.
You might think you know what you are getting with this game. Its Dungeons and Dragons, with a traditional fantasy setting, and its got all the RPG trappings with the loot and the stats. To simplify this game in such a way undermines its incredible perspective on a genre. What might initially seem familiar and perhaps bland visually, hides with it an incredible depth. It comes through in the writing, with its well realized characters and dialogue. It comes through in its excellent interface, which presents a way of playing RPG's that is unique to games of the Baldur's Gate family. It comes through in the music, and the sheer amount of detail brought into every scenario you encounter. The world is rich with subtext as well. You will get a feeling that you are stepping into a well established world, with all its politics, and all of its character. This was Bioware's vision on the Forgotten Realms campaign of D&D, and it has stood the test of time as an absolute classic. There are characters who's personality consists of nothing but incredible writing, a hilarious sound-bite of a catchphrase, and a beautifully painted 'portrait' of them. Even so, prepare to be attached to them. Your comrades will throw in colorful commentary throughout your adventure, and will fight and die by your will. You can bump into many such friends and foes, each with their own perspective on right and wrong, and the comrades you choose will follow you to the end god willing. The journey is epic, and the minute you finish the story you be satisfied.
