In side objectives, too, which prompt you to interview characters or rummage around more thoroughly, the aim is purely to learn more and add context. It’s refreshing for a game of this type, particularly one with so many mechanical parts, to not present the world merely as a series of useful things, or problems with discrete solutions, but as a place to observe and comprehend for its own sake. Unravel the intertwined fates of Kate Walker, a New-York attorney whose life was turned around by the call to adventure, and Dana Roze, a young and promising pianist in Vaghen whose career is threatened by the shadow of the Second World War. Escape prison, visit abandoned cemeteries, explore high mountains and feel the thrill of adventure. The opening of Syberia: The World Before feels slow, and it takes some time before you start to take an interest in what is going on. Much of the gameplay also feels sluggish, especially in walking and jogging around the streets, with certain conversations chugging along rather than offering anything of interest. As Kate arrives in Vaghen and visits a nearby refuge, it started to become a lot more interesting, and it helps that the visuals are stunning. The way you switch between the timelines is done well, and as the story progresses, both characters are given enough depth for you to care deeply about both of them. The game follows two timeframes with two characters: Dana Roze, a young pianist in the small fictional Central European country of Osterthal (resembling a mix of Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland) in the 1930s and Kate Walker, the protagonist of Syberia series, who is now imprisoned in a salt mine in the fictional Eastern European region of Taiga in early 2000s. Dana graduates from her conservatory by performing the local anthem dedicated to the city of Vaghen, where the fascist Brown Shadow faction (an analogue to National Socialists) have begun to persecute the ethnic minorities and force them into ghettoes.

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. Indeed, when it comes to Dana’s sections, many ‘puzzles’ are really daily routines in disguise, such as serving the right drinks in a bar. This is a smart way, I think, for The World Before to spend quality time with its characters and story, as opposed to directing everything towards advancing a wild adventure. As such, I would almost call it a kind of visual novel, not in the sense that there’s loads of reading to do, but that it develops the kind of epic saga that would suit a book.

Syberia The World Before: Disk space

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. As soon as Kate arrives the owner of the factory dies and Kate is sent across Eastern Europe searching for clues and the sole heir of the factory. A world filled out with exceptional story-telling, imagined and drawn by Benoit Sokal, with music by Inon Zur

The plot of The World Before is split across two timelines, with Kate in 2005 attempting to figure out what happened to this young woman, Dana Roze, and segments where you play Dana herself, starting in pre-war central Europe. Much of the story for both characters takes place in and around Vaghen, a fictional city in a fictional country somewhere between Germany and Switzerland. Kate visits locations frequented by Dana over 60 years before, seeking clues in any remnants and memories that endure. Syberia features gorgeous graphics and an interesting story line that will keep you engrossed until the very end.

Syberia The World Before: List of all chapters

The attention to detail in both the wider environments and enclosed spaces are wonderful. The scenic locations resemble Bob Ross paintings, building depth to the world around you. In closer environments like the town of Vaghen, the steampunk-like setting is both captivating and engaging, offering an alternate world to the one we’re familiar with. Some of the facial animations are a bit wooden, but the surroundings are gorgeous, and I couldn’t help but soak it all in.

But that’s the nature of the beast, and won’t deter genre fans, while any dropped story beats are made up for by the overall rhythm of a compelling plot. And ultimately, the game’s heart is there, not in its machines but in those human stories, in Dana and especially in Kate. It’s her curiosity and longing for meaning that drives this series, and precisely what we need for a good adventure. The World Before allows her to shine, and long may she continue. Syberia is an adventure game with stunning visuals and a very expansive feel. It was published by Microids in 2002 and the sequel, Syberia 2, was released in 2004. The third Syberia game is expected to be released later in 2015 or 2016. Hey GoldenSun, thank you so much for this amazing guide! While following it, I noticed a few things:

The game's story does touch on issues surrounding WWII, specifically the rise of the National Socialist Party (Nazi) (although not mentioned in game but are known as The Brown Shadow). I say this because if you are sensitive to historical themes of Nazi/Jewish (Vaghens) occupation and the persecution, then I am letting you know now so please bear this in mind. There is no graphic or insensitive content in the game or walkthrough but the references are clearly obvious. Syberia: The World Before from Microids and the late Benoît Sokal is the latest entry in the long-running adventure game series, now out on PlayStation 5. Belgian comic book artist and video game developer Benoît Sokal spent the last two decades of his life working on the Syberia series, which includes Syberia, sequels Syberia II and Syberia 3 and was preceded by Amerzone, which does not share the franchise’s name but does take place in the same setting as the Syberia games. He, unfortunately, passed away last year, with Syberia: The World Before being his first posthumous release. What surprised me the most was just how heartbreaking Dana Roze’s story was. It’s delicately handled and beautifully told, and throughout Syberia: The World Before, you switch between 2005 and 1937, getting to play through memories of Roze’s story as Kate tried to find out more about her. She was dealing with the threat of the Brown Shadow, essentially the Nazis, and the impending Second World War. There’re seldom references to Dana being Jewish, but rather Vageran, yet it’s basically the same thing. It’s baffling just why this blatant omission exists, especially as the Brown Shadow sounds more like a nasty mess left in your underpants than a fascist and dangerous power.