We have already talked extensively about the PC version of Syberia: The World Before, the fourth chapter of the saga born from the genius of Benoît Falcon, but we got to try it too his version for PlayStation 5. When games that seem apparently suitable for the computer land on consoles, there is always someone who trembles with fear due to any graphic downgrades or poor playability. In this case there is very little to fear, albeit with some reservations, because this new chapter of the adventures of Kate Walker continue some small satisfaction.
A declaration of love to its creator
More cynical gamers tend to see the point and click genre as dead and buried, a kind of relic of the 90s. But in recent times this genre seems to want to redeem itself, above all thanks to old glories like Monkey Island and the new releases related to the indie world, which however always arouse a lot of curiosity. The first chapter of Syberia saw the light in 2002, when graphic adventures were already showing the first signs of slowing down; yet this wonderful story has managed to stand out and have a more than deserved success, thanks to its fascinating story and its far from obvious puzzles.
This fourth chapter is a true declaration of love to its deceased creator Benoît Sokal, who managed to create his latest work, which only saw the light after his death, which took place in 2021. His genius is present in every corner of the game and the graphic design is perhaps the best in the saga (certainly better than Syberia 3). A great tribute to an author and an artist who died too soon for fans of the genre.
As already mentioned in the review for the PC version, in this chapter the story of Kate Walker is hand in glove with that of Dana Roze, a talented pianist who lived during the Second World War, who will have to endure the horror of the persecution of the Brown Shadow, a nationalist movement that explicitly refers to the Nazi party. The engine of the story will be a painting found by Kate Walker, during her escape from the Russian prison, in which Dana is depicted, who resembles her in an incredible way. Why does Kate seem to be so attached to Dana? What was hidden from her?
On PlayStation 5 there is little to fear, but…
On the horizon, we're seeing the end of cross-gen as developers try to best build their titles for the next-gen version. If until recently too many things were taken for granted, now no one can afford to land a game on PlayStation 5 in a sloppy way. In this case, there isn't much bad news for the Playstation 5 version of Syberia: The World Before. It is clear that the landing on the console was not made in a botched way and, albeit with some defects already present in the PC version, the graphic quality of the game does not differ much from the PC title.
There's a slight graphical upgrade over the PC version, but nothing too noticeable or disabling for those who are yelling “PC Master Race!”. The movements have a slight woodiness at times, especially when we have to make Kate (or Dana) turn left or right. This small inconvenience could make the way the characters walk unnatural and realistic, but nothing that could create major impediments or annoyances. Textures are slightly more detailed on console, especially the traits and clothing of the characters. The facial expressions are rather static and change just enough to make us understand broadly what the protagonists are feeling.
Albeit with some technical flaws, Syberia: The World Before is a good title and is a great tribute to fans of the saga and the late Sokal. The plot is complex enough to appeal to even those who are new to this game series and the puzzles are complicated but not overly so. Some may regret the impossible puzzles of the previous chapters, but for others this could be good news.
Graphically we are not faced with a next-gen miracle, but despite the technical defects this fourth chapter can be played without too many impediments.
Review
- Syberia: The World Before (Tested on PS5)7.5 Final Vote
In the PlayStation 5 version of Syberia: The World Before the technical flaws are there, but there is a slight improvement in the details of the environments and characters. Woodiness has not yet been eliminated, especially when our Kate Walker has to turn left or right, but we are far from the frustration caused by other unplayable titles. This sweet homage to Sokal should definitely be played for its plot, well-written characters and difficult puzzles but far from the complexity of those present in the previous chapters.
