Syberia II
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2013) |
Syberia II | |
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, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Windows Mobile | |
Release | 30 March 2004
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Graphic adventure | |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Syberia II is a 2004
Syberia II achieved global sales of 600,000 units by early 2006. The game was received favorably by critics.
Gameplay
Like its predecessor, Syberia II is a third-person, mouse-driven adventure game in which the player must solve various puzzles and follow certain procedures in order for the linear storyline to proceed. As a pure graphical adventure game, Syberia follows the guidelines first introduced by
Plot
The game begins following the events of Syberia with the law firm that American lawyer
When she learns that the patriarch believes he cannot be cured and decides he should be given spiritual salvation, Kate opts to find a cure for Hans, learning about a friend of his who uncovered information on Youkol medicine. Finding his notebook hidden in the monastery, Kate recreates the medicine and uses it to treat Hans, before being forced to create an escape route for the pair when the patriarch refuses to let them leave. Returning to Romansburg, Kate agrees to take a mechanical part to a local tavern and repair an automaton device he created there for its owner. Upon completing the task, Kate hears the train leaving the station, and learns that two locals, brothers Ivan and Igor, hijacked with the intention of reaching the fabled island of Syberia (inspired by the real-life location of Wrangel Island in Siberia, the last place on earth where mammoths survived), so as to profit from harvesting mammoth ivory. Forced to pursue them, Kate makes use of a railroad gangcar, used for maintenance, which she powers with a friendly Youki - an animal that is part seal, part bear, with dog-like traits.
Kate manages to catch up with the train, only to see that the two men abandoned it after it got stuck at a collapsed bridge, and fled by snowmobile with Hans. Disconnecting the passenger car from the locomotive, Kate, after restoring Oscar to full functions, continues pursuing them. The pair eventually track the thieves to a large statue in front of the railroad tracks. Kate discovers from Igor, who is having second thoughts and wants to return home, that Hans disappeared shortly after the brothers arrived. Confronting Ivan over her friend's location at the base of the statue, Kate is quickly trapped by him on the belief she intends to steal his ivory. Just before he is about to kill her, the ice beneath the statue they are standing on cracks and breaks up, sending Kate plunging underground.
Upon awaking, she finds herself within a hidden underground Youkol village, in which Hans is being treated by a local shaman who reveals he is on his deathbed. After managing to bring the locomotive into the village, Kate acquires the means for the shaman to transport her into Hans' dreams, which recreate the village of Valadilène, and manages to reach him. Although she convinces him to wake up, she finds herself given cryptic words by him before exiting the dream world. When she asks Oscar what these means, the automaton leaves the locomotive to join his creator, whereupon Kate discovers that he was designed with a primitive exo-skeleton/life-support system to provide Hans the means to stay alive and fulfill his dreams. After witnessing Hans being placed within this, Kate learns that to reach Syberia, she must thaw out a Youkol boat within the village, and does so through using the locomotive, discovering Hans designed it for this purpose.
Boarding the boat, Kate, Hans and their Youki partner, soon become stuck in an ice floe. When Kate works to free them, the boat is hijacked by Ivan, who intends to leave Kate and continue to Syberia, but finds himself unable to operate the craft. Kate manages to return onboard and forces him off, whereupon he attempts to toss a penguin egg (a fictional North Pole species resembling emperor penguins) in defiance at her actions, only to anger the penguins guarding their nest and causing them to kill him. Eventually Kate and Hans arrive at Syberia, whereupon they manage to use ancient Youkol horns to summon a herd of mammoths. Hans, delighted to meet them, is gladly allowed on their backs and rides off with them, as Kate waves him a tearful goodbye. Meanwhile, the law firm learn from their private detective that despite his best efforts following her, he calls it quits on his job, claiming she has vanished without a trace.
Development
Syberia II was announced in October 2002, and was initially set for an October 2003 launch date.
In September 2003, Syberia II was delayed to the following year.
Reception
Sales
In Germany, Syberia II placed 28th in Media Control's computer game sales rankings for June 2004.[16] According to Edouard Lussan of Microïds, the game had achieved sales of 215,000 copies in Europe and the United States combined by that month. Another 100,000 units of its computer version had already been sold in Russia.[17] By late 2005, Syberia II was on track to reach 600,000 sales overall,[18] a number it had reached by March 2006.[19] Total worldwide sales of the Syberia series surpassed 1 million units by 2008,[20] and rose to 3 million by 2016, before the release of Syberia 3.[21]
Reviews and awards
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | 79.38%[22] |
Metacritic | PC: 80/100[23] XBOX: 71/100[24] NS: 68/100[25] |
Publication | Score |
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Adventure Gamers | [26] |
Computer Gaming World | [28] |
GameSpot | 7.8/10[27] |
GameZone | 8/10[30] |
IGN | 8.6/10[31] |
PC Gamer (US) | 71%[29] |
Review aggregation website Metacritic reported Syberia II's critical reception as "generally favorable" for its computer release, but summarized that of its Xbox version as "mixed or average".[23][24]
Syberia II was a nominee for GameSpot's 2004 "Best Adventure Game" award, which ultimately went to Myst IV: Revelation.[32] In 2011, Adventure Gamers named Syberia II the 55th-best adventure game ever released.[33]
Legacy
While Syberia featured a cliffhanger ending, a common complaint among reviewers is that the ending of Syberia II is either too abrupt or too depressing, depending on their understanding of the final scene. Indeed, the game does not provide any clear explanation about what becomes of Kate after she reaches Syberia with Hans. Benoît Sokal had stated in interviews it was at that time unlikely that
On 26 November 2012, Microïds revealed on their
References
- ^ "What's New?". Eurogamer.net. 2004-05-28. Archived from the original on 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ Adams, David (2004-03-30). "Syberia II Ships". IGN. Archived from the original on 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ a b "What's New?". Eurogamer.net. 2004-11-26. Archived from the original on 2023-03-02. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ Adams, David (2004-10-12). "Back in the Cold". IGN. Archived from the original on 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ "Windows Phone Thoughts: Syberia 2 Released". www.windowsphonethoughts.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ Brown, Mark. "Chilly mammoth-hunting adventure game Syberia 2 lands on Android". www.pocketgamer.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ a b "XS Games Signs 'Syberia II' For North America". WorthPlaying. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
- ^ Calvert, Justin (October 14, 2002). "Syberia 2 announced". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 18, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ "Press Releases 2004 - Two years after the release of Syberia, Microïds follows up on its success with the launch of Syberia 2, made once again with Virtools game development tools". Virtools. 2004-03-24. Archived from the original on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
- ^ a b "Syberia II Benoît Sokal interview". Just Adventure. Archived from the original on 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- ^ Staff (September 3, 2003). "Syberia II pushed to 2004". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Staff (March 2, 2004). "Syberia II goes gold". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Thorsen, Tor (March 30, 2004). "Syberia II comes in from the cold". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 22, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Thorsen, Tor (October 12, 2004). "Syberia II ventures onto Xbox". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 12, 2004. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Thorsen, Tor (January 16, 2004). "XS publishing Syberia II, PS2 version in doubt". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ "Zeitraum: Juni 2004". Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland. 2004. Archived from the original on August 6, 2004.
- ^ "Interview with the Developers of Still Life". The Inventory. No. 16. Just Adventure. June 2004. pp. 8–14. Archived from the original on August 13, 2006. Retrieved October 28, 2006.
- ^ Carlot, Marc (October 13, 2005). "Les indiscrétions de Stanley Graphic; Benoît Sokal au Paradis". Auracan. Archived from the original on October 29, 2006.
- La Libre (in French). Archivedfrom the original on February 20, 2019.
- GamesIndustry.biz. July 24, 2008. Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2008.
- Gamasutra. June 9, 2016. Archivedfrom the original on March 23, 2018.
- ^ "Syberia II review". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2013-03-10. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
- ^ a b "Syberia II (pc: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 26, 2007.
- ^ a b "Syberia II (xbox: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 27, 2007.
- CBS Interactive. Archivedfrom the original on 2018-08-19. Retrieved 2018-07-14.
- ^ "Syberia II review". AdventureGamers. Archived from the original on 2013-05-23. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
- ^ "Syberia II review". Gamespot. Archived from the original on 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
- ^ Ardai, Charles (May 2004). "Reviews; Syberia II". Computer Gaming World. No. 238. pp. 90, 91.
- PC Gamer US. Archived from the originalon October 18, 2006.
- ^ "Syberia II review". Gamezone. Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
- ^ "Syberia II review". IGN. 17 March 2004. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
- ^ The GameSpot Editors. "Best and Worst of 2004; Best Adventure Game". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 8, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
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has generic name (help) - ^ AG Staff (December 30, 2011). "Top 100 All-Time Adventure Games". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
- ^ "Microids confirm that production of Syberia III has started". Facebook. 2011-11-26. Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2012-11-26.