[AndreaDraco83]

I tried to wait a week to see if someone showed up to discuss the game, but practically no one did. I tried my best to give the players many starting points for discussion, but since the interest in this playthrough seems to have reached the bottom, I reckon it's best for us to end it as soon as we possibly can, thus making space for other playthroughs and enthusiasms. With this spirit, here are the last three segments:

Day 3, 03 PM - 06 PM
We believe that there is something buried, near Rennes-le-Chateau


Day 3, 06 PM - 09 PM
We are holding the ecumenical conference of spies


Day 3, 09 PM - MIDNIGHT
I am sorry...

[AndreaDraco83]

Here are the final points for the last three segments of the game:

3 PM - 6 PM

Spoiler:

771 2 Answer Mosely for Gabriel's first question.
773 2 Answer Madeline for Gabriel's second question.
775 2 Answer Buchelli for Gabriel's third question.
777 2 Answer Burying it for Gabriel's fourth question.
787 10 Wait for Grace to show the fingerprints.
797 10 Wait for Buchelli and Madeline to see the fingerprints.
799 2 Talk to Arnaud about Excavations.
801 2 Talk to Arnaud about Montreaux.
803 2 Talk to Arnaud about the Throne.
805 2 Talk to Arnaud about the Treasure.
807 2 Enter Villa Bethania to give the manuscript to Prince James.
809 2 Ask Prince James about the Bloodline.
811 2 Ask Prince James about the Manuscript.
813 2 Ask Prince James about the Negoations.
815 2 Ask Prince James about the Viticulture.
817 2 Get the fingerprint from the bottle in Estelle's bike.
818 1 Add Estelle's fingerprint to SIDNEY.
819 1 Link Estelle's fingerprint to suspect.
824 5 Climb the gate at Chateau de Serres.
826 2 Open the garage door at Chateau de Serres.
828 2 Look at the bats in the garage.

6 PM - 9 PM

Spoiler:

833 5 Read the Hermetical Symbols e-mail on SIDNEY.
837 4 Match Analysis on the LSRPrnt.
847 10 Follow Emilio to the church cemetary.
849 2 Ask Estelle about Le Serpent Rouge.
851 2 Ask Estelle about Egyptian Artifacts.
856 5 Get the Egyptian artifact photo from Estelle.
861 5 Talk to Emilo in his room.

9 PM - MIDNIGHT

Spoiler:

871 10 Solve the chess puzzle in the Templar porch.
876 5 Climb onto the pendulum.
881 5 Land on the pillar in the middle of the pendulum room.
891 10 Put the apple, the egg and the number eight on the scale.
893 2 Radio Grace in the hexagram room.
895 2 Get the black glove from the panel.
900 5 Get the stone in the pot of fire.
905 5 Use the stone with the statue of the devil.
910 5 Turn the switch near the mirrors to the left.
915 5 Press the Ying Yang button on the panel.
920 5 Enter the bridge area of the temple.
930 10 Cross over the disappearing bridge.
935 5 Jump up on the tomb in the room with the guardian.
940 5 Radio Grace in the room with the guardian.
965 25 Use the dagger with the guardian's throat.

In three days, I'll post my final comments and then we can declare this playthrough officially over.

[UPtimist]

Oh, come on Andrea, don't fall into self-pity! Last segment didn't apparently have much to discuss, as you didn't really have one of your usual, awesome, mega-speculations either. Of course, people do have also problems getting to the game as you can probably understand (everyone being away and all) but that's a problem with any playthrough, people tend to get lost towards the end (and of course it's summer too). And this segment, ending the game and all, should be worth much discuss. Don't lose faith now!

Anyways, on to my initial thoughts, based on my memory as usual. (so this is obviously just spoiler if you haven't played... I'll put it in tags just in case)

Spoiler:

Love the kind of... Poirot-style gathering in the first of these segments. And when it all starts unraveling... The feeling's and the mood and all is just incredible

Also, what I always also loved about this part that even though the things are clearly escalating and the end is closing, there's still some basic detective-work to be done, as in getting Estelle's fingerprints and such. It shows that Jane isn't your average writer, who always have the usual stuff just forgotten with only epic happenings towards the end. (if you know what I mean)

Of course I can't remember much of the discussions, but maybe I should take a look at the GK3 "movie" on Youtube to refresh my memory. Emilio's story though, beautiful, and what I also love (storytelling-wise) is how the images complement what's said (for example the car accident part).

However, here comes the necessary GK "action" sequence (obviously not action in the usual sense, but still..). Quite a few times I've actually played until this part and at some point just not really felt like finishing (since I had already done it once or twice). So, the chessboard is OK, I kinda even like it. However, the pendulum... ugh, especially the part where you have to drop. I just hate that something as sophisticated as GK can suddenly depend on you clicking at just the right moment, which you can't even be certain of. The pillar puzzle... I can't actually say anything as I can't remember how logical it is. Last time I played I had trouble (but that's a long time ago) but I'm not sure if I got it the time before that. Anyways, I guess it kinda depends on what kind of help Grace gives. The next room is quite allright, if a little odd.

Probably my least favorite is the bridge though. You have to jump all the way and if you make a mistake, you have to start all over again. I just don't like that you can't stop to think. To me, that's one of the most important features in AGs. And the thing is, if I do stop to think, then I die immediately, instead of just losing health or something like in most action games. And so cometh the final part. Now, I have no idea what Grace says here, because whenever I've tried that, the Guardian kinda snaps me. So, any help there? Of course, usually I just do what is required and go through to the wonderful end sequence, but I'd really like to know what she says. Also, again I dislike the fact that you can't stop to look around, think, or just do calmly what you need to do, but you need to be quick. Oh well, this one usually goes quite smoothly, and off, as I said, to the end videos and that stuff...

... The story and such of the Schattenjäger are to me always great and fascinating, even if some don't like it (I think). Of course, Emilio just walks in like he owns the place (is that entrance inside the Chateau de Serres? Also, the Rennes-area tourist bureau should really do something about these extra entrances into unescabable death-traps)...

...

And it ends.

In a cliffhanger of sort (if a beautiful one though).

So hey, at least we're all excited for GK4, right?

I hear the story's already been sent to Vivendi long time ago...

Well, GK4ever, here I come (again)...

[Intense Degree]

Hey, just to say (as a newcomer to the forums) I found this playthrough over the weekend and had to join in! GK is my all time favourite series of games, it's been a while since I played GK3 and I certainly didn't get a full score on it!

I've only managed the first two segments yet but fully intend to complete the playthrough (admittedly well after most of you will have finished!) and enjoy the interesting comments and speculations provided by Andrea. It's really helped me to get even more out of this great game.

I wanted to say how well this playthrough has been hosted and done, I'm really gutted I wasn't in from the ground floor and able to experience it in real time, so to speak, and definitely looking forward to the next one! Any chance of another GK or a Broken Sword?

[DustyShinigami]

Originally Posted by Intense Degree

Any chance of another GK or a Broken Sword?

Well, Gabriel Knight 1 has already been done in the past and hopefully a Broken Sword playthrough will crop up in the future, but i think the next playthrough will be Blackstone Chronicles.

Welcome to the forums by the way.

[Intense Degree]

Thanks!

Looking forward to the next one...

[DustyShinigami]

Andrea? In the 3pm - 6pm timeblock, i only seem to get 813 points at the end of the conversation with Prince James. I had 805 before i went in to speak to him and i followed the order of topics according to the guide you posted. Is this an issue with the guide or am i missing something (again)?

[AndreaDraco83]

Tomorrow I have my exam and at the moment I'm really busy finishing my study. First thing tomorrow, I'll check the score in the scene you mentioned, Gazzoid, and then I'll post my final thoughts.

Sorry for the delay

PS: Welcome Intense Degree! A pleasure to meet another GK fan!

[DustyShinigami]

No problem.

Good luck with the exam.

[KasiaD]

Certainly there are few people who play computer games right now, in the holiday season... A pity perhaps but I have fun all the same with you guys

I played GK yesterday but after I have been killed like a thousand times by the demon I got so discouraged - it is terrible terribleee

Spoiler:

The plot in the game thickens and I love it the way certain suspects are eliminated and the guilty one is therefore exposed...There are several issues which return as time passes - the political subject of reign over the EU, which I found I must admit rather humorous. Monarchy put in charge, even if its nominal, of the union, is so science fiction. Existence of vamires is more believable in comparison

The other thing sre the blood of Christ - related ideas. Emilio's story in which the history of the Jew's messiah is only a political by-effect of Jesus's upbringing somehow fits into a notion of Shattenyeagers defending the world. Gabe is only one of the many, as there is a shool for training them in India.

On the whole this game brilliantly joins the various topics - political conspiracy, investigation of kidnapping and murder and the dark occult theme to bring a perfect entertainment.

One question I have been thinking - what happened to dr Wen, I mean did the vampires have anything to do with the "accident"?

As to the points I will check on that later, because I am missing two points somewhere unfortunately and need some time to get over being killed 100 times already. I hope that Andrea will post the summary as always - I missed it a lot in the previous timeblock - btw good luck with the exam

[AndreaDraco83]

Since I’ve been carried away by my exam, I didn’t get a chance to express my point of view of the third day of Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. Now, I’m free and I can safely post my commentary about the whole day, minus the last two time blocks, which I will postpone till I’m sure that everyone has finished playing.

Day Three, 02 AM - 09 PM

Let’s start with the night. After retrieving Larry Chester’s recently buried manuscript, and after hearing what is, without a doubt, one of my favorite piece of music of the entire game, there is the cutscene I’ve been waiting for since Sins of the Fathers. I won’t discuss my happiness in seeing Gabriel and Grace finally together, because I rather discuss the consequences of that single night of intimacy, somewhere near the Pirenees.

Spoiler:

If you extract the files of the game, using the in-game consolle, you can find an hint of what really happened that night. In fact, toward the end of the game, when Emilio tells Grace to take good care of her, the text file refers to a child she’s carrying. I can’t recall specifically the sentence, and I can’t remember the exact name of the file (I’m awaiting for my Sierra gurus to answer), but it was something like «Gently, because he knows she’s pregnant» or something to that effect.

Now, isn’t it even more dreadful that we might never see a fourth chapter? The possibilities, particularly if the spoiler above is true, would have been wondrous. Anyway, enough with the sadness (and a little hope: could the episodic Monkey Island 5 help in bringing back even our beloved Schattenjager?), and let’s move on to the next four time blocks, which are amongst my very favorite, both because this is where the Agatha Christie, whodunit type of setting finally pays off with major revelations and because the esoteric storyline gets the spotlight it deserves. Let’s see what happens:

First of all, Grace finds the secret entrance to the Temple of Solomon and discovers that someone has already been there to leave her notes. Now, if you paid attention to Emilio’s movements throughout the game, you can easily see that whenever he was spotted alone, supposedly thinking or meditating, he was in the very proximity of an hexagram’s point, not to mention the center of the circle. Even before Le Serpent Rouge, and certainly afterwards, Emilio’s movements drew in front of our eyes the exact geometry the Grace unveiled by solving the riddle’s stanzas, but we were too blinded by the whodunit storyline to see the truth .

Then, I must spend some words for one of my favorite characters, John Wilkes, that was brutally murdered by the vampires. He was too close to discover the truth about the Temple or they needed his discovery to find the entrance themselves? If I’m not mistaken, this is one of the most obscure points of the game: I used to think that he was too close to the truth, but if that was the case, then the Freemasonry and the Priory could have easily silenced him. On the contrary, if the Vampires needed him to find the entrance, why kidnap the baby when they weren’t sure about their actual capability to find the Temple? Upon many reflections, I’m now inclined to think that the Vampires killed Wilkes because, while he was searching for the entrance, he stumbled upon them, preparing their ritual. In fact, during the 02 AM block, Wilkes wasn’t in his room and he wasn’t at L’Homme Mort yet, so I think that he went off to see if he could find the entrance that very night.

Finally, I have to say that the segment where Gabriel and Grace must figure out who stole the manuscript, in which order and why was one of the most rewarding sequence I’ve ever played. It required actual thinking, lots of investigation in the previous chapters, a good eye for supposed coincidences and a good deal of logic. Upon saying this, remember that early I mentioned something about major revelations? Well, it’s time to discuss one of them.

Spoiler:

Mosely is working for the CIA! The most clumsy NOPD detective working for the intelligence! Way to go, Mose! I’m really happy for you… even if this raises interesting questions. The CIA is involved, and so is the French intelligence; the Vatican wanted a faithful man on the spot and – as we already know – Freemasonry and Priory were active in the territory of Rennes-le-Chateau since a long time. The conspiracy is wide and its political undertones – the European Union, the monarchy of the continent, the game of thrones and crowns – are unprecedented in a game and nothing has equalled them after Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned

This also means, once again, that an hypothetical GK4 would have dealt with all these strings, these plots and twists and maybe answered some lingering questions about the political, economic and social future of our world. As I said before, everytime I reach the end of GK3 - which I will discuss tomorrow - I get a distinct apocalyptic feeling to it: Gabriel discovered his heritage, delved into the depth of his very soul, unearthed a thousand-year lie and unveiled the secret of his own bloodline. And the world seems to be on the verge of a capital turning point... Everyone sensed it, even in the Hotel, even the stubborn and snobbish Lady Howard... Surely, even something more sinister sensed it and, given the direction Jane Jensen chose to explore with her subsequent novels, I could see the Apocalypse at the horizon... But this will have to wait until tomorrow, when I will share with my opinion on Asmodeus and my view on what may come next!

[AndreaDraco83]

I couldn't wait till tomorrow So I decided to proceed right away and post my final thoughts on the game. After this, I'm ready to answer any technical question (about the points or the last block) will eventually rise. As always, forgive me the length and I hope that you may find these speculations and thoughts entertaining and interesting.

WARNING: the following post as a whole is a major spoiler about the ending of Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. I simply can’t use the spoiler tags, because otherwise I’d have to cover the entire post, and that would be pointless. But, please, if you haven’t finished the game at least once, do not read the following post, or it will ruin your full enjoyment of the adventure.

Epic. Beautiful. Controversial. Melancholic. Mysterious. Sad.

Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned ending is many things, and I simply couldn’t start to describe how much I love it. I really think that it is the perfect ending for this single adventure and – if we won’t see another chapter in the chronicles of our Schattenjager – an awe-inspiring, bittersweet finale to the entire series.

Before proceeding, though, I must touch a point I’ve been avoiding since the beginning. Amongst the other adjectives I used, I defined the ending «controversial», and this is true for the whole game. I’ve tried to stay out of any religious diatribe simply because – from my atheistic perspective – I found them rather childish and sanctimonious. We are discussing a work of art, here, and we ought to examine it from an aesthetic point of view, rather than a bigoted one. Even if I were a staunch Catholic, I will still think that let my own personal belief influence my judgment of an artistic creation is extremely unfair, not to mention completely pointless. Some may argue that this easier for me, since Jane Jensen’s take on Christ, Christianity and the Holy Grail is more akin to my atheistic vision, but this won’t change the fact that I prefer to discuss the game in its own rights, leaving any dogmatic debate outside. Open-mindness is really a quality a treasure above everything else, and I’m glad that, during this playthrough, no one raised a burning stake or started a witch hunt, like unfortunately happened back then, when the game was released.

With that being said, I want to warn you that I’m also a convinced optimist, thus I truly believe that someday we will see a Gabriel Knight 4. Therefore, rather than examine the ending of the game – which, I remark, I found simply mesmerizing and utterly fascinating – from a factual perspective (what happened), I will instead try to answer three questions. I hope that the questions and the answers, which are personal, though, will help to shed a light on what we might expect from the hypothetical fourth and fifth chapter of the series – as Jane always said to have other two stories already in mind –, while delving a bit in the mysterious finale itself, which, while resolving many doubts, left many doors ajar.

First Question – Who is Gabriel’s ancestor?

The first, simple answer is that he is an unnamed soldier whose sole relevance is to be the starter of the Ritter family tree. I always found this answer, while possible, a bit unsatisfactory. So, let’s assume for a moment that this soldier is someone. Who he might be? We are in a wildly speculative field, I know, but let’s say that he is the most famous soldier present at the Crucifixion, the one that acknowledged his error and asked for mercy. Let’s say he is Longinus. A quick research on Wikipedia tells us that

Longinus is the name given in medieval and some modern Christian traditions to the Roman soldier who pierced Jesus in his side with a lance while he was on the Cross. The Longinus legend further identifies this soldier as the centurion present at the Crucifixion, who testified: «In truth this man was son of God»

This isn’t enough to support a theory, though, so we must dig a little deeper. In the myth, who really is Longinus?

No name for this soldier is given in the Gospels; the name Longinus is found in the pseudepigraphal Gospel of Nicodemus that was appended to the apocryphal Acts of Pilate. Sabine Baring-Gould observed: «The name of Longinus was not known to the Greeks previous to the patriarch Germanus, in 715. It was introduced amongst the Westerns from the Apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus» […] The name is probably Latinized from Greek longche (λόγχη), a spear. It first appears lettered on an illumination of the Crucifixion beside the figure of the soldier holding a spear, written, perhaps contemporaneously, in horizontal Greek letters, Loginos, in the Syriac gospel manuscript illuminated by a certain Rabulas in the year 586, in the Laurentian Library, Florence. […] As the "Lance of Longinus", his spear figures in the legends of the Holy Grail.

In the last cutscene, we see that the soldier’s sword raises to the lips of Jesus and thus, after his kiss, becomes gilded. Now, both Vatican and the heirs of the Holy Roman Empire claim to have the spear that transfixed Jesus’ ribs but these pretentions aren’t that much interesting, so let’s meander further into the speculation. Many legends held the Spear of Longinus as an evil artifact, an antithesis to the goodness and divinity of the Grail. But if we take for granted that Longinus repented himself and if we really want to identify Gabriel’s ancestor as Longinus, we know that Jesus rectified with his kiss the evil committed by the sword and made the soldier swore his loyalty to the Progeny. I always assumed that the Ritter’s knife was made out of the original iron of the blade and the Talisman out of the gold of the hilt. We know that both the Talisman and the Knife have powers, but why? What is the exact purpose of the Schattenjager Ritter’s bloodline?

[AndreaDraco83]

Question Two – Why Asmodeus is relevant?

Let’s take a look, for a moment, at the legend of the spear without considering the end of Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. There is a conspiracy theory for everything and of course also for Longinus’ spear. In 1973, a theory about the lance surfaced thanks to Trevor Ravenscroft. I always quote from Wikipedia:

Trevor Ravenscroft’s 1973 The Spear of Destiny claims that Adolf Hitler started World War II in order to capture the spear, with which he was obsessed. […] Ravenscroft repeatedly attempted to define the mysterious “powers” that the legend says the spear serves. He found it to be a hostile and evil spirit, which he sometimes referred to as the Antichrist, though that is open to interpretation. He never actually referred to the spear as spiritually controlled, but rather as intertwined with all of mankind's ambitions.

If we get rid of all the rather ridiculous nazi paraphernalia, we have an evil spear that may serve the Antichrist. Now, back to the Gabriel Knight canon, if we assume this version, we have to tip this theory over and we will end up having a weapon (the Talisman and/or the Knife) imbued with the power to vanquish the evil, and perhaps even the Antichrist. But since Jane Jensen diverted from the Christian mythology in regard to Jesus – making a poignant remark at how the religion always serves as an “instrumentum regni” to quote Machiavelli rather than Marx –, it is quite safe to assume that there is no such thing as the Antichrist in the Gabriel Knight universe. Then what? We already fought voodoo cults and Loas, werewolves and vampires. What about demons? Demons exist for sure, in the Gabriel universe of course, as Asmodeus testifies.

Who is Asmodeus? Once again, Wikipedia is our friend:

Asmodeus or Asmodai (Hebrew: אשמדאי‎) is a king of demons mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. The demon is also mentioned in some Talmudic legends, for instance, in the story of the construction of the Temple of Solomon. He was supposed by some Renaissance Christians to be the King of the Nine Hells. Asmodeus also is referred to as one of the seven princes of hell. In Binsfeld's classification of demons, each one of these princes represents one of the seven deadly sins (Pride, Lust, Envy, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Wrath).

Amongst the various legends that sorrounds Asmodeus, two are particularly interesting:

In the Testament of Solomon, a 1st-3rd century text, the king invokes Asmodeus to aid in the construction of the Temple. The demon appears and predicts Solomon's kingdom will one day be divided. When Solomon interrogates Asmodeus further, the king learns that Asmodeus is thwarted by the angel Raphael, as well as by sheatfish found in the rivers of Assyria. He also admits to hating water and birds because both remind him of God.

In the Malleus Maleficarum, Asmodeus. appears to have seventy-two legions of demons under his command. He is one of the Kings of Hell under Lucifer the emperor. Some Catholic theologians compared him with Abaddon.

The first legend help explain why Asmodeus was bounded to the Temple, at least in one of his incarnation (according to the Lesser Key of Solomon), while the second one draws an interesting parallel between Asmodeus and Abaddon, which some bible scholars identify with the aformentioned Antichrist. Why all this talk about Asmodeus and the Antichrist? Well, after voodoo and werewolves and vampires why not demons? But wasn’t GK4 supposedly about ghosts?

Question Three – What about ghosts?

I already pointed out (here and here) my thoughts about the William Butler Yeats-Madame Blavatsky asset, and I stand by my point: this theory has a distinct apocalyptic feeling to it. But what has it to do with ghosts? Maybe it's time to see who the mysterious Madame Blavatsky was, because it's not by a total fluke, I reckon, that she is well mentioned in SIDney. From Wikipedia:

Madame Blavatsky wrote that all religions were both true in their inner teachings and problematic or imperfect in their external conventional manifestations. Her writings connecting esoteric spiritual knowledge with new science may be considered to be the first instance of what is now called New Age thinking.[...] Madame lived in Philadelphia for part of 1875, where she resided at 3420 Sansom Street [...] While living on Sansom Street, Madame Blavatsky became ill with an infected leg. She claimed to have undergone a transformation during her illness which inspired her to found the Theosophical Society. In a letter dated June 12, 1875, she described her recovery, explaining that she dismissed the doctors and surgeons who threatened amputation. She is quoted as saying "Fancy my leg going to the spirit land before me!," and had a white dog sleep across her leg by night. [...] She then moved to India and sometime around December 1880, while at a dinner party with a group including A.O. Hume and his wife, she is claimed to have been instrumental in causing the materialization of Mrs. Hume's lost brooch. [...] By 1882 the Theosophical Society became an international organization, and it was at this time that she moved the headquarters to Adyar near Chennai, India (then known as Madras).

Madame Blavatsky was the founder of the Theosophical Society, whose beliefs are so wide and complex that is almost impossible to recount them here. I will point out three concepts:

1) Borrowing the idea from Paganism and Shamanism, Theosophists believed in the existence of spiritual planes, where spiritual entities and energies dwell. Depending on the person's belief system, these range from the souls of the dead to Gods, Demons and Noumena.

2) In these realm, there is a hierarchy, atop of which seat the Masters of Wisdom, incorporeal beings whose purpose is to help Humanity achieving a superior consciousness.

3) The theory of the Seven Rays: Blavatsky wrote in the first book of The Secret Doctrine of an "analogy between the Brahmanical and the Egyptian esotericism" and that the "seven rays of the Chaldean Heptakis or Iao, on the Gnostic stones" represent the seven large stars of the Egyptian "Great Bear" constellation, the seven elemental powers, and the Hindu "seven Rishis." She stated that the seven rays of the Vedic sun deity Vishnu represent the same concept as the "astral fluid or 'Light' of the Kabalists," and that the seven emanations of the lower seven sephiroth are the "primeval seven rays," and "will be found and recognized in every religion." In Theosophy, the Seven Rays are said to be seven major types of Light-Substance (spirit/matter) (waves/particles) that compose the created universes. These are also believed to convey "Divine Qualities".

Obviously, We are not talking about Conan Doyle or Edith Warthon or even Henry James’ ghosts, but about a metaphysical belief in a spiritual plane of existence, a plane inhabited by powerful entities that the theosophic societies of the XIX century believe to be able to use to communicate with greater powers or to predict what was next to come (see, in the second post I linked, the «gyre» theory). Given that Jane has never chosen the easy way to approach her supernatural subject, I think that Madame Blavatsky (whose presence on SIDney I see as an hint) and her theosophical beliefs would have been central in Gabriel Knight 4. And maybe they will.

[AndreaDraco83]

These are only speculations, of course, and I’d be perfectly satisfied even if the direction taken will (or would) be another one, but what is really amazing is how rich the game is and how many theories can flourish from its subtext. And this – apart from Jane’s masterful writing and from her splendid characters – is a testament to Gabriel Knight's depth and wonder.

I'm eager to hear your comments!

[inm8#2]

Great playthrough and guidance by Andrea! Although I didn't actually replay GK3, I followed along on here and watched some playthrough videos on youtube.

This game gets criticized for technical flaws, but to me those don't detract from what is an outstanding experience. Maybe the best GK story of the three.

[DustyShinigami]

Thanks Andrea for hosting this playthrough. This playthrough has helped make this game a much more enjoyable experience for me. And thanks for your very insightful posts. They were a very interesting read. You've certainly done your homework. All these facts, theories, speculations etc. just make me wish and hope, that one day, Gabriel Knight 4 will see the light of day. There are soooo many fantastic, in-depth stories waiting to be told in the world of Gabriel Knight.

[Kazmajik]

Well done, Andrea. Though I've played through the game about 8 times already, I've been following this thread from time to time. I think it belongs in a permanent Gabriel Knight archives, as it's a brilliant collection of all the details that make the game so unforgettable. All the expounding and background on the art and history is impressively researched and well-presented.

Count me in as one of those who always holds a bit of hope that a 4th Gabriel Knight game may yet happen.

[DaveyB]

Great stuff Andrea. Afraid I didn't have time to actually take part in the playthrough, but I was very interested in following the comments (especially your own theories and insights) on here on a regular basis. In terms of the depth and complexity of story, I don't think there's anything I know of which reaches the level of GK3, even though GK2 remains my (narrow) favourite. As others have commented, it'd be great if one day we managed a GK4, but as things stand, I'll be happy if we manage to see "Grey Matter" reach the light of day within the next year.

And as there's obviously been a previous GK1 playthrough, it'd also be cool if Andrea managed to do a GK2 walkthrough at some point in the future. Narrowly wins my overall favourite, partly I'm sure to do with the fact that I live in Munich. But also whilst GK3 did suffer a bit with the 3D technology, GK2 was an extremely successful use of the FMV technology.

[AndreaDraco83]

For Your Consideration

Throughout this playthrough, I was greatly helped by other fans of the Gabriel Knight trilogy, and I must publicly thank them. Believe me, this is not a subtle form of advertising and if you are interested in Gabriel Knight I’m sure you will find these sites as interesting as I do.

The Gabriel Knight 4 Campaign is the home for every fan of Gabe and Grace who isn’t ready to give up the hope to see a fourth chapter. Less focused on the campaign and more on the universe of the three games, with articles about the real-life locations, the myths behind Jane’s stories and the historical figures, the site is a really valuable source of information. The forum is a nice place to visit and it hosts the archives of the old official board now defunct, which is literally filled with info and speculations.

The Sierra Help Pages offer a priceless help to anyone who, like me, has often problems running the old games. The pages dedicated to Gabriel Knight are very rich, with links to the official demos, walkthroughs, UHS hint files and plenty of other goodies.

The Pendulum of Life is perhaps the most comprehensive and complete catalog of pictures, artworks, sketches, videos and unreleased beta material one can find about Gabriel Knight. Its administrator, Belbor, is a great artist and here you can admire his gorgeous and visually stunning fan art material.

Last but no least, Bonny's Site is a wonderful fan-site devoted not only to Gabriel Knight, but its section about the game is extremely rich in Easter eggs, fun stuff and it contains a detailed action playthrough. Furthermore, Bonny is an incredible art researcher and she has collected every work of art one can find in Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. She is the one responsible for finding the answer to the Woman with Red Umbrella obsession.

Finally, as in the glorious Sierra tradition, the manual of the game includes a nice bibliography, but I'd like to add a couple of more resources for those of you who might be interested:

On Rennes-le-Chateau:

• Bill Putnam & John Edwin Wood, The Treasure of Rennes-le-Chateau, A Mystery Solved, Sutton, 2003.
• Jean-Jacques Bedu, Rennes-Le-Château: Autopsie d'un mythe, Loubatières, 2003.

On the legends of the Graal:

• Richard Barber,The Holy Grail: Imagination and Belief, Harvard University Press, 2003
• Andrew Sinclair, The Discovery of the Grail, Carrol & Graf, 1998

On Vampires:

• Alan Dundes, The Vampire - A Casebook, University of Winsconsin Press, 2007
• Montague Summers, Vampires and Vampirism, Dover, 2005 (unabridged republication of The Vampire: His Kith and Kin, Dutton & Co., 1929)

With this being said and done, if no one has questions, I shall consider this playthrough finished. It has been a real pleasure, for me. And thanks for joining me and Gabriel!

[DustyShinigami]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

With this being said and done, if no one has questions, I shall consider this playthrough finished.

Did you manage to find anything out about those points i asked you about?