I downloaded and played a bit of the demo today and thought it was good. Good, but not great. I haven't fully experienced the game yet to give my final verdict, nor did I finish the demo all the way through.

I'm undecided and have mixed feelings about the cutscenes, characters do animate mechanically, the character's faces look a bit robotic when talking, there aren't many hotspots to interact with, the music is very good but short and reloops too much; and I'm not sure where I sit with Samantha's voice. However, I didn't fully play with her character, so I haven't had much chance to warm up to her.

The guy who does David's voice is good, though, and I like the backgrounds/artwork and the little animations for trees/bushes blowing in the wind etc.

The demo hasn't quite convinced me that the game is 'classic' material, but I'll just have to see what my opinion is once I've bought and played the full version.

Really? Lace mamba confuses me to no end. I cant imagine why they are waiting till february when the game is already out there in all these languages.

Is there a way to save in the demo?

Check out the newly published review on Adventure Classic Gaming:

"An obvious question about the game that may be posed is this: is Gray Matter Jensen's magnum opus? I submit that this is not the correct question to ask. Rather, the correct question about the game that needs to be posed is this: is Gray Matter a great game? The answer to this question is, of course, a resounding and an irrefutable yes! It is inevitable that a few gamers will be compelled to dismiss this game because it has not matched up against some misguided expectations of what it must be after years of hype and anticipation. However, for the rest of gamers who opt to evaluate this game on its own merits, Gray Matter is a game that can easily measure up against the best of what the genre can offer. This claim is not an empty endorsement. Gray Matter succeeds not because of its pedigree but because of what it can deliver."

http://www.adventureclassicgaming.co...e/reviews/620/

Yes. I also don't understand the reason of the delay. The fact is that I didn't expect to find it so soon.

Agree 100%. I said this in the other thread before.

Don't think so, sorry.

I admit that I have not played the game yet. Will not play a pirated version. And, I find the exchange rate a little steep for purchasing an imported version of the game. So I am patiently waiting for a North America release.

That said, I have been following this thread closely, as I did the other GM thread, and I find the above quote to be misguided. While the game itself may be "loved" by many, I don't recall it being called "great" by many. Great implies taking story, graphics, music et al to a whole new level. This game, while being extraordinarily entertaing, does not seem to have done any of these things.

As for there being misguided expectations after (many, many) years of hype....Well, Uh....Yeah! Of course there were expectations. Given the amount of time the game was in development, albeit in several different iterations, and given the quality we "expect" from Jane Jensen, there were expectations that a superior product would be delivered. From most comments, a thoroughly acceptable product has been delivered. But nothing great.

Don't think that anyone would deny that, despite the excellent story, the 3D graphics in GK3 were borderline horrible. Comments suggest that there hasn't been substantial improvement.

I will play the game when it becomes legitimately available to me, and at a price I want to pay. Whether the publisher discovers the folly of its ways and makes that happen remains to be seen.

Finally, and I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but the fans of Jane Jensen and the adventure media have all but portrayed Jane Jensen as the "idiot savant" of adventure game design. That is unfair to her.

She has apparently delivered an acceptable game, loved by many. Great, it is not! But still a victory of sorts.

JJ portrayed by media and fans as an idiot savant?
What, why, who, where, when... please explain.

the bad news is... there is no planned north american release.

My enthusiasm for this game has been completely derailed. I want to play it, but I'll conjure up some of the patience waiting for this game has forced me to exercise and continue to wait until it is available in North America. No rush. It'll be years before there's another episode (if at all) anyway, so I intend to savor the game and let the experience last. That is, if anybody cares to release it in this part of the world.

I thought the release date Feb 2011 was worldwide? I don't know if I want to play the game, the story doesn't look too impressive to me but I'll probably give the game the chance to prove me wrong. (Isn't that sweet of me?)

well its been described as a EU release, with a bunch of language packs. Its being sold through amazon.uk, but not amazon.com, and last i heard on their forums they were still thinking a US release over.

Gray Matter at this point should already be available worldwide in services like Steam, Impulse, etc. Thats the way to go when you dont have a worldwide publisher. It's like they want GM to bomb... i mean even super niche independent games know how to do this.

On a side note:Yes I would.

(I've never had an issue with them. They weren't great, but they weren't that bad either. Mediocre perhaps, but I'd never call them even borderline horrible)

"I'd never call them even borderline horrible."


Well, I would. The 3D graphics in GK3 were wretched.

I just finished it and the ending was so childish!! It was horrible! The rest of the game was ok, but nothing special... Gabriel Knight 2 and 3 was so more mature games..

If I didn't know GM is a Jane Jansen's adventure I would never suspect that just by playing the game.

I simply can't understand how someone who made Gabriel Knight series can make something like Gray Matter.

I am really disapointed because I consider Gray Matter not above adventures like Art of Murder series or even Alter Ego.

I did wait for a long time to play Gray Matter imagining that it could be something like Gabriel Knight IV would have been...

I completely agree pizzo...

Ouch, no wonder you were disappointed then. Haven't played the game yet (not that it matters here), but it's not a very fair comparison from the start - to expect GK4 from GM.