Syberia: The World Before - Limited Edition for PlayStation 5

Product Information

I fell in love with this game right away. That's important to note, because when The World Before was first announced, I was skeptical, as I suspect many Syberia fans were. That’s because the ill-fated third game in the series had left such a poor taste in my mouth, to the point where I almost wished the franchise would end there. Then Microids released the playable prologue for Kate's fourth adventure, and while it was still rough around the edges at that point, it hinted at enough possibilities that I became cautiously optimistic. Having now completed the full game, I feel confident in saying this is the game fans have been waiting for since the Syberia series began. As a poignant reflection on Kate's growth as a character, however, it will best be appreciated by longtime fans. A full 100% walkthrough of Syberia: The World Before, showing solutions to every puzzle and code in the game. The Budapest Film Symphony, led by the internationally acclaimed composer Inon Zur (Prince of Persia, Dragon Age, Fallout…) created a sublime score, and interpreted meaningful themes for the characters and locations throughout the game As ever, you accompany perennial protagonist Kate Walker, now an investigative drifter who stumbles into intrigue and turns it into obsession. In this case, in the process of escaping enslavement in a Russian salt mine (where she ended up after the events of Syberia 3) and learning of the death of her mother, she finds an old painting of a girl who looks quite a lot like her. For our anchorless hero that poses a question which can’t be left hanging.

Despite being set in 1937, it’s a story that, at times, feels especially relevant in 2022, a year in which it has felt as though we are inhabiting a world that at times has felt like it’s edging closer to war on a scale the likes of which haven’t been seen since World War II. I was genuinely moved on a regular basis, especially when the story casts a light on how damaging blind hatred can really be. Syberia: The World Before is more of an emotional journey than a physical one for its two heroines. It primarily explores who Kate is as a person, but the link between the two women, separated by time, is satisfying when ultimately revealed. As with the first Syberia game, this one ends with a moment that feels like both an appropriate ending and an excellent launching point for further adventures to come, though sadly any new tales will have to be told without the oversight of Benoît Sokal, who passed away before this game was complete. In fact, one of the qualities I like most in The World Before is that it doesn’t feel a need to hurry to hold your attention. It’s willing to linger on views, expressions, thoughts as Kate zig-zags across the postcard town on quietly efficient automated trams, pondering her life and Dana’s. Moments set aside for optional ‘introspection’, meanwhile, aren’t merely a convenience to recap events with internal monologue, but punctuation points that create space for events to breathe. I’m also not sure why the lore needs to offer up an alternate version of the World War 2, where Hitler and the Nazis are replaced by a fascist organisation called the Brown Shadow, which sounds like an unpleasant Marvel supervillain, and the main victims of their persecution are referred to as Vagerans instead of Jews (although one note explains that the Vagerans are Jewish). It all feels a little too vague, as you hear talk of “nasty times” and “people like us” rather than historical specifics.At a technical level, Syberia: The World Before is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s a title that is dripping with detail at every turn and looks absolutely stunning. While it should, theoretically, only take you around twelve to fifteen hours to roll credits, my playtime became wildly inflated as I couldn’t help myself poking around the intricately designed environments and soaking in the atmosphere. This was especially true of Roze’s chapters, with the 1930s setting and the slight steampunk leanings, the series is known for creating a truly spellbinding look. This has always been a series that oozes style and originality, and it feels like, with the current generation of hardware, the developers are finally realizing their vision in full. Syberia: The World Before Collector’s Edition will be available in November 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions will be released in 2023. Vaghen, 1937: Dana Roze is a 17-year-old girl, who is beginning a brilliant career as a pianist. However, shadows begin to appear over her future as the fascist threat of the Brown Shadow hangs over Europe, at the dawn of the Second World War.

Another miss with Oscar comes in his utility throughout the game. As events begin, the only thing Kate has left of Oscar is his automaton heart, which also contains his memories and personality. One of her early goals is to find a new host automaton to put the heart into. I had anticipated this would be a source for some interesting puzzles involving swapping the heart into different mechanical bodies. Regrettably, this potential goes largely unrealized, though this a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things. With the story focused on Kate's internal struggle, more shenanigans with Oscar likely would have gotten in the way.

Cons

The list of items for the completion of the "Find Out About the Region and Its History Before You Open Junta's Coffer" secondary objective in "Silberspiegel Refuge (Part 1)" is incomplete. It's missing at least one more item, which is the "Official notice" outside, after going down the stairs north of the telescope.