Syberia for PC

Penned by graphic novelist Benoit Sokal, Syberia -- a third-person point-and-click adventure -- tells the tale of Kate Walker, an attorney sent to Europe to finalize the buyout of an old toy factory. Upon arriving in the French village of Valadilene, she bears witness to the funeral procession of none other than Anna Voralberg, the owner of the toy company. Leaving her with but one option: to track down the only surviving heir, Hans Voralberg, in order to complete the deal and return to New York. Throughout the adventure, players will need to utilize acquired objects and knowledge gleaned from conversations with NPCs to solve the many puzzles that hinder their progress. Typical of the genre, these include so-called \'fetch-quests,\' and more. Interaction with the environment is accomplished through the use of a context-sensitive mouse cursor, facilitating movement and closer inspection of vital items, among other actions.<br><br>As Kate\'s journey spans four decrepit locales, from Barrockstadt to Aralbad, she\'ll encounter a diverse selection of humans and automatons, whose lives have all been touched in some way by the reclusive Hans Voralberg. When conversing with these characters, the player is able to select from various conversation topics in the hopes of obtaining important information, or simply to learn about the life of Hans Voralberg. In addition to communicating with the various non-playable characters she meets, Kate will also interact, via cellphone, with her boss, mother, best friend and boyfriend from back home, all of whom help provide insight into Kate\'s character and personality.<47>