Microids has gone all-in on the Syberia franchise this month. Not only have flatscreen gamers been treated to Syberia Remastered, but Meta Quest 3 owners can jump into the shows of Kate Walker – virtually – in Syberia VR. But can the VR exclusive edition offer more than just a nostalgic trip? Our friends at 131XR have delivered a Syberia VR review to answer exactly that.
Syberia VR vs. Syberia Remastered
Syberia Remastered launched for consoles and PC earlier this month. The game promised a “respectful and ambitious revival”, and by most accounts has been generally well received. Syberia VR is different, however. This is not simply adding a VR mode to Syberia Remastered. Instead, Syberia VR is a complete reimagining of the original game built specifically for VR headsets.
Co-developed by Virtuallyz Gaming and Microids Studio Paris, Syberia VR invites players to relive the unforgettable journey of Kate Walker, a New York lawyer embarking on an initiatory quest in search of Hans Voralberg. The game presents reimagined graphics, revamped animations, and a modernised interface to enrich the experience, while preserving the narrative and emotional depth at the heart of Benoît Sokal’s work.
Syberia VR Review
According to 131XR, Syberia VR is a decent adaptation of the original game. Some of the puzzle elements have been adapted to better suit the immersive nature of the medium, and many of the environments and characters look and sound fantastic. However, it’s certainly not without issue.
The game move’s at a snail’s pace. This is intentional in terms of the core puzzling gameplay loop; Syberia VR is a game you’re meant to take your time with. However, the movement of the player character is slow beyond any reasoning, even when sprinting. Many of the environments – while looking good in terms of art style – suffer from an inordinate amount of jaggies. So, visually, Syberia VR is a mixed bag.
You can find out more about the game in 131XR’s Syberia VR review embedded below.
Microids and VR
Microids have been upping their VR game in recent times. This year alone we’ve had the woefully underappreciated The Smurfs – Flower Defense and now Syberia VR. Hopefully the publisher is finding success in the medium, and will look to bring more titles to VR headsets in the future.
Are you a fan of the original Syberia? How do you feel about the VR adaptation of the classic game? Let us know in the comments below!
