Episode 55: Syberia

Retro Spectives

Released in 2002, Syberia saw critical acclaim on release for its wistful and surrealist atmosphere. You play as Kate Walker, an American lawyer sent to finalise the purchase of a clockwork toy factory. But things are never quite that simple, and you end up having to journey across Europe via windup train, following in the footsteps of mechanical genius Hans and interacting with the brilliant devices he has created. Along the way you meet a strange bunch of people, and do a lot of pointing and clicking to solve puzzles and otherwise overcome obstacles in your way.

But can Syberia still possibly hold up all these years later? Is the point and click genre dead and buried for a reason, or can Syberia’s charming and atmospheric world prove otherwise?

On this episode, we discuss:

• How does Syberia build its world and make you believe in it? Can a world so similar to our own with just a minor twist really capture our imaginations?
• What is Syberia trying to say thematically? Are there inconsistencies across its main thread and the one you follow from the past, or does it coherently resonate across the entire game?
• Is the point and click adventure genre fundamentally flawed, a relic of the past? Or does it still have something significant and meaningful to offer? And how good is Syberia as a case study for what the genre represents?

We answer these questions, and many more, on the 55th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

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Guide showing how to get French language with English subtitles

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Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Syberia OST: Nicholas Varley, Dimitri Bodiansky and Inon Zur