Adventure Gamers - Forums

@Intense Degree: I understand your view, but I don’t have the same feeling (also subjective), for I cared as well for the other characters (Hans and Oscar) and what would happen to them. For me the story isn’t only about Kate, and not even only about these characters.

I think though that Kate isn’t only interested in Hans because of his “automatons and machinery.” (It would be a bit teasing to mention that Kate only speaks with her mother in the game ...  there’s no - “other” - father character.) I guess it is Hans’ dream that’s inspiring her, though it is correct of course that it is - originally - Hans’ private dream. But for me her mission has changed from getting Hans’ signature into helping Hans and Oscar, to join them as “new” friends, and so to become an adventurer herself (Hans: “Too bad! Silly really… You don’t like adventure, do you?”), with her own - internal - journey. And her “enlightenment” isn’t complete yet, as will be shown in the sequel.

Of course it can be pointed out that this (the adventurer part) has already become obvious, and that the suggestion at the end of the first game is enough (not to choose to deliver the signed contract, but to join Hans and Oscar). But that would turn the game into a game about Kate, and for me it’s much more than that.

Like you, some (also in this thread) said there was no need for a sequel, and I can agree to that to some extent (by neglecting some of the themes and motifs in the game, and the clues for a sequel). I am curious though if the sequel will change your view. It might be even more unsatisfactory (the ending). But in that case who knows, perhaps the third game will surprise us all.

Like you and some others I would also like to see an unofficial continuation (a UCP, or “In search for the mammoths thread,” or whatever)

Mikekelly - 02 October 2014 09:09 PM

HOWEVER, there is even going to be a third one….......what’s that all about?

I’m so very curious…......

 

Me too. Now the other protagonist and major character are gone or “dead,” and Kate has - at least partially - completed her new “mission,” she is completely left on her own, in a physical and mental sense. It was a nice cliffhanger (though no third part was intended), but with regard to the Kate part of the story it was quite unsatisfactory. She will certainly get a new mission (the new shots show that the Youkols are involved), but I wonder how Sokal will continue her - internal - journey and what part of the story isn’t shown yet. For it seems that the voyage from the new world to the - decaying - old world, to the “primitive” world and to the lost world has been completed, so it’s hard to imagine what that - post-Syberia? - part will be (unless…). It will be a hard job - story wise - to succeed here, but I am confident Sokal will manage to tie all things together. I regret though that the third part will be full 3D (but I hope I will be wrong).

After the hint: was the CP voting for Syberia or for Syberia 1?

I don’t understand the view (above) that in S2 Kate has no purpose of her own, that there is no adventure etc. Of course she has one, only her purpose has changed.

Marson mission (S1): getting a contract signed for a bossy boss;
Voralberg mission (S2): helping a fragile old man to realize his dream.

The second mission isn’t about money or promotion, and is a noble one. (I don’t see why getting a contract signed would be more important that helping Hans to realize his dream). There’s also another difference: Kate’s first adventure is involuntary (and she has hardly a “purpose of her own”), her second one is her own decision. And it is an adventure of course; the obstacles she has to overcome are harder than in the first game.

Last post: well, like you said before the story is (also) “about the Voralbergs, though it gradually changes as the story progresses and it becomes more about Kate.” I don’t think that it was the main - Kate’s - story that drove the plot forward. The events in the second story (though it may be considered as the secondary story), drive the plot (or sub plots) forward as well, in both games. I also don’t agree that “it was story-wise not as interesting because Kate’s story has pretty much reached its conclusion at the end of S1.” Her second mission is - at least - as dynamic as the first one. And in the sequel the second story has its own impressive moments and closure (the dream sequence in the Voralberg mansion, the “Oscar incident” as Sefir called it, and its culmination when Hans meets the mammoths.) 
I agree of course that it seems inevitable that in the third game Kate has to find her own way in life (perhaps the Youkol shaman will point the way), though she has already taken the road “less travelled by”.

Just another opinion.

Iznogood - 04 October 2014 07:45 PM

Admittedly a bad choice of words on my side.
What I really meant with my last post, is that S2 has pretty much everything S1 has except Kate’s personal story, and it is her story that gives S1 that extra thing that the story in S2 really lacks.

To me S2 has always felt more like simply having to wrap up everything started in S1, instead of having a story of it’s own to tell. But I don’t want to go too deep into this, just in case S2 gets chosen for the next CP.

Liked your beginning, disliked your ending (;-)), though both sections are related. To start with the last section: of course as you know there’s no need that S2 tells its own story (as S1 and S2 were conceived as one game), and it adds beautiful new parts to the story that was partially told in S1. The (main) missing part in S1, about Hans realizing his dream, is now shown with impressive scenes, as was already pointed out with various examples. It’s a very intense story, and as we know it was far from completed. That - carefully prepared in the first game - part of the story isn’t primarily about Kate (I hope there’s no need to sum up all the events and details). However, after her decision in Aralbad, the plot changes as far as Kate is concerned (her new mission), and from that moment both stories are beautifully merged. And while Hans is getting weaker and weaker, our “poor munchkin” demonstrates how she is getting stronger and stronger (loved the part with the ejection seat).

There are two factors that influence the plot change and Kate’s character development: one is the disintegration of the old relations, the other one is the influence of Hans and his dream (leaving the factory to pursue his dream) on Kate, which partly explains her reaction to these New York characters, and which has become her inspiration. A side note: perhaps like Oscar, she has “to open her heart” - though in figurative way - to find her own way in life. That turn started on the pier in Aralbad; as it is said somewhere in S2 “the old Kate is dead”.

The first section: that’s true; the personal story (that is if you mean the relation with Dan and Olivia) seems to be over. But even that isn’t completely true, as we take “personal story” in a broader sense (I take it that you use the expression in a strict sense). For the old relations are replaced by new ones; a deeper relation with Oscar and Hans, creating a new personal story. Sadly, as far as we know at this moment, it doesn’t last long. For me, these relations and the way they were depicted in various scenes were - emotionally - more impressive than the phone calls, though the latter were very effective storywise.

I’ve been re-reading the comments in this thread and enjoying all the various insights. I’ve also gone back over the screenshots I took, and thought I’d add a few more for old time’s sake:

Here’s an overhead view of Helena’s performance. It’s amazing what lighting can do to a backdrop. Maybe factory owners should hire lighting designers to make factory interiors more interesting for the workers.

Which sign points to the future?

Another sample of what alt-tabbing does to the visuals in this game.

Another screenshot from the final race. Gorgeous reflections in the water.

Kate getting up close to a mammoth. Subtle, almost monochromatic color palette, intriguing shapes and curves.

Further comments—mart’s observation that the locked garden was disappointing. VERY disappointing. And odd that they’d plant grapevines in amongst trees. Never seen that before. Either the university has terrible gardeners, or they’re trying to hide the vines from anyone looking down from the air.

Fulfilled dreams vs. personal sacrifices. Anna spent her life sacrificing for her brother and her employess and the townspeople. Maybe her dream was to rejoin Hans. If so, that journey and dream was denied her. Other people fulfilled their dreams—the astronaut, for instance. But did that benefit anyone except himself?

Izno (I believe it was) mentions that the automatons are more passionate than the humans. But they’re also programmed to perform their functions. That’s different than passion. Maybe they’re just a lot less flexible than the humans.

Seeing the mammoth toy in the cave was the start of Hans’ lifetime journey. Is the mammoth automaton toy left at the desk in Aralbad also somehow the start of a journey?

Didn’t get that (the toy on the desk as the start of a new journey). Great observation.
There’s another nice example of repetition/connection in the game (though it involves part 2), or perhaps better labelled as image rhyme. When we meet Oscar in S1, he is hanging on ropes; and in S2 it is Hans hanging on ropes.
Nice thought too about Anna, that the journey and dream was denied to her (the “automate pleureur” gets another meaning in this way.) Your view fits undertones in the game (of melancholy, nostalgia, and longing).

And there’s more sadness, poor Oscar! I am boring enough to compare some of the dates in the game. As Kate arrives in Aralbad in 2002 (last entry in the hotel register), Hans must be 82 years old (according to Anna’s diary Hans became 11 on Feb 9th 1931).
Hans, the creator of Oscar, has left Valadilene shortly after his 18th birthday, 64 years ago. So Oscar has been hanging above that workbench for over 60 years, waiting to get (on) his feet? That’s quite an ordeal (but at least Anna has visited him ;-))

Recently I watched a Sokal interview with members of a Russian fanclub (good interview, in spite of the - non-verbal - rudeness of the interviewer).
Perhaps the good news for some is that Sokal mentioned that it is a possibility that Oscar will return in part 3. If so, I wonder how this will be “fixed” (we know that Oscar has a “twin brother” in Aralbad - easy “to grab” after Helena has died -  but he has his own additional soul auxiliary, so I guess he can’t be used to resurrect Oscar).

mart - 10 October 2014 07:27 AM

As Kate arrives in Aralbad in 2002 (last entry in the hotel register), Hans must be 82 years old (according to Anna’s diary Hans became 11 on Feb 9th 1931).
Hans, the creator of Oscar, has left Valadilene shortly after his 18th birthday, 64 years ago. So Oscar has been hanging above that workbench for over 60 years, waiting to get (on) his feet? That’s quite an ordeal (but at least Anna has visited him ;-))

OMG!!! Haven’t noticed that!!
This is much funnier than it should be!!