Syberia: The World Before is a paid adventure video game from Microids. In this fourth entry from the Syberia series, you follow two separate timelines, each with its own protagonist. Aside from the beloved heroine Kate Walker, players will also see the world from the eyes of a new character. The role-playing game retains its graphic adventure approach, exploring the larger steampunk world introduced in the previous entries.

If you’re into story-driven puzzle adventures, then Syberia: The World Before is a great entry. You might also want to revisit Syberia, Syberia 2, and Syberia 3 for the full experience.

Immerse in a steampunk epic

The first thing to notice with Syberia: The World Before is its steampunk aesthetic, with design choices and technologies similar to those of Dishonored or Bioshock. Also, the world in this game mirrors a lot of the real world, making certain aspects easily relatable and intuitive to the player. As far as the story goes, it’s up to you to make connections and find real-life references.

Also, as a graphic adventure game, this entry will require you to sit through extended cutscenes. A good part of the game also focuses on puzzle-like elements such as going through magazines or examining maps. If you’re looking for fast-paced action, this might not be for you. With that said, it retains the great script writing that has been the signature of the Syberia franchise.

Lastly, its graphics make use of the technology available to show how far the franchise has come since its first game. However, it retains that particular art style that it has been using. From the player’s perspective, it makes the environment more breathtaking to watch and the gameplay more immersive. It’s as if the art style was specifically chosen to help make the long cutscenes and dialogues bearable.

Elevating the entire franchise

Although a sizable portion of the fanbase believes that the story ended with Syberia 3, Syberia: The World Before comes and breathes new life to the entire franchise. It retains some of the defining traits of the Syberia games, such as its art style and the use of graphic adventure elements all throughout. Picturesque and immersive, this is a must-try.