I recently replayed the first 3 of these games, and I happily found that they still held up quite well. They are somewhat different from many of the other Sierra adventures (or adventure games in general) in that they feature very few actual puzzles, and the gameplay is much more about following the police procedures correctly. The storylines around which the games are designed are quite enjoyable, with a likable lead character and a good villian who appears in some form or another throughout the first 3 games (okay, it's a relative of the bad guy in the 3rd one). The typical overuse of sudden death applies here as in almost everything Sierra released, and yes it's annoying but it is forgivable since all thieir games are so charming. Just save a lot. The 2nd game will be the odd one out here, since it is the only one that still used the text parser for input. It can take some getting used to at first, and it does make the game feel a bit overwhelming at times. Fortunately, the plot of the 2nd game is probably the best of the series, but it's not an easy game to complete. Reading the manuals for all these is essential, as you need to follow exact procedures at points. I have to admit that I never got to play the 4th one, and I am looking forward to it. It is of a different style to the first 3, featuring a different player character and setting (since Jim Walls was not involved - he went on to make another police adventure called Blue Force).
There are only a few games that used FMV well, and this game certainly qualifies as one of them. The actors are pretty decent in their roles - some of them are great - and the story is an intriguing one which kept me coming back to find out more. Unfortunately, the game is not able to keep the momentum going all the way though. Up until chapter 4 I was loving it, but suddenly you find yourself literally walking around a bunch of museums. It brings the whole game to a screeching halt and I found my interest waning considerably. I'm not interested in a museum simulator! Fortunately, the next chapter was right back on track, but the very end of the game is really no fun and not the best design. Some puzzles here are just daft and it left me just wanting to get the game over and done with. As an FMV adventure game, the interface is great and the execution of the whole thing very well done. It's very immersive and if you enjoyed the first Gabriel Knight game (I did) you'll certainly want to continue with this, probably better, game. One thing I did like was the language barriers. A large number of characters speak German and it's not often translated for you. It requires you to concentrate and listen, and I thought it was a really nice, daring touch which I doubt many other games have even attempted.
This is quite a different style of adventure game than usually got made. It stands out visually and has it's own look, but it is one that takes a bit of getting used to if you are used a more cartoony style. The story is fairly interesting; confusing at first but pieces fit together as you play through. The whole thing is unfortunately ruined by a terrible control interface and horrendous voice acting. The puzzles remain pleasantly logical throghout, and in that respect is quite refreshing. What stumped me many times was the fact that objects blend into the background too much, and there are times when you are required to click on an exact part of a piece of scenery/object - you really have no idea that you are meant to do this and it is so easy to miss things. The worst one was a room with a furnace in: there's a level panel on the side of it but every time I clicked it I would get a "I can't do that" message. I thought I had missed something, but as it turns out, I needed to click on a very specific part of the tiny level panel - things like that were poorly thought out. Overall, a refreshing change of adventure game with some disturbing story elements. It really doesn't measure up to most other point-&-clicks released in the 90's, but I'm glad I experienced it.
