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GAMES Syberia: The World Before (Series)
Syberia: The World Before (Series) Review
Posted: 9 weeks ago, last updated 3 weeks ago.
Author: Ben Kendall, @GeekDadGamer and Jo Robertson.
Overview
Kate Walker is a present-day New York attorney who discovers a mysterious link to a troubled young pianist from the Second World War, Dana Roze. You play both of these characters for different parts of the story; exploring, solving complex environmental puzzles, and talking with people you meet to advance the plot. As you progress through the story, you learn of the rise of fascism, led by the Brown Shadows -- a plot that mirrors the real world's Nazi party, and the troubles and horror that spread across the continent during the lead-up to the war.
Although you experience both time periods, the majority of play is as Kate in the modern day. Here you explore bustling cities, long-abandoned buildings, and eerie mineshafts. You progress by locating key items and solving puzzles, like opening locks, repairing instruments, and reactivating old and forgotten technology. By talking with the people you meet, you make choices that can impact how the story advances. Sometimes you switch to play as Dana in the past, where you encounter the Brown Shadows and witness their evil firsthand.
The result is a unique and engaging game that gives you the freedom to explore and interact with the people and objects you encounter while still telling a powerful and crucially important story that makes for a thought-provoking and emotional experience.
There have been several previous games in the series, which all offer a similar gameplay experience but with varying stories:
- Amerzone (1999) PC, Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation.
- Syberia (2002) PC, Mac, Android, iOS, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch.
- Syberia II (2004) PC, Mac, Android, iOS, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch.
- Syberia 3 (2017) PC, Mac, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch.
- Syberia: The World Before (2022) PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch.
Game Details
Release Date: 18/03/1999, updated in 2022
Price: 90% off
Platforms: Android, DS, Mac, PC, PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and iOS
Content Rating: PEGI 16
Skill Rating: 12+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Adventure, Narrative, Point-and-Click and Puzzle
Accessibility: 17 features
Developer: Microids Off (@Microids_Off)
Lists
View our choice of games like Syberia: The World Before. This game is good if you want to:
Duration
Play Style
Age Ratings
Content Rating
Rated for younger players in the US. Rated ESRB TEEN for Mild Blood, Mild Language, Violence, Use of Alcohol And Tobacco.
Skill Rating
12+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Still, it's important for parents and guardians to consider the maturity required to process the game content. There isn't any timing or demanding button presses here, but some of the puzzles are quite difficult and the story is appreciated by teens and adults.
Costs
Syberia
 | Xbox One | £7.99 | – | – |
 SALE | PC | £9.99 | £0.99 until 30/01/2023 | – |
 | Switch | £13.40 | – | – |
| SALE | Mac | £9.99 | £0.99 until 30/01/2023 | – |
Syberia 2
Syberia 3
Syberia: The World Before
There are no additional in-game purchases, loot boxes, adverts or subscription costs.
Accessibility
This report is based on the latest game in the series, Syberia: The World Before. Earlier games may have different accessibility options available.
To solve some of the puzzles and perform certain actions, you do need to hold down buttons. There are no time limits, nor is there ever the necessity for quick reactions or the need to complete things within a certain time.
There is lots of text in the game, and sometimes you need to read from a journal, where the text is handwritten and can be difficult to read. In addition, much of the text in menus and throughout the game is quite small and sometimes low contrast.
There is no map, and although many of the spaces you visit are quite small, navigating through them can still sometimes be a challenge. The objects you can interact with all have an indicator showing this, but they can be quite small and can sometimes be difficult to see due to their low contrast to the background. Some of the puzzles can have parts which are very small, low contrast, or both.
Diversity and Inclusion
Gender and Sexuality:
Gender Representation: The gender representation of the pre-defined characters you can play in the game.
- Play as Stereotype-Free Woman: The game's protagonist is a woman who doesn't conform to common gender stereotypes. Leading the narrative and not conforming to common objectification.
Hand-Picked Games Like Syberia: The World Before
Our experts have hand-picked the following similar games. These are similar to Syberia: The World Before in how they play or their theme. These are good alternative games to Syberia: The World Before, or are a younger rated alternative for players not ready for PEGI 16 or ESRB TEEN games.
