Gabriel Knight is one of those hipster characters in adventure games, dealing with werewolves, vampires and stuff way before it was cool. In addition to that, it is a weird series of adventure games, that has gone through many transformations. We will see all of them in time in this blog, but first I want to present my favorite, the second one. So, today (spoiler alert) we will be dealing with werewolves.
Before we get started, a few words on the character. Gabriel Knight is a stereotypical adventure game hero: bright, intriguing, arrogant-ish, bohem bookstore owner and mystery books author/journalist. He goes around in areas of "supernatural" interest in search of whatever he is in search of at that time. Alongside him, the player can also control Grace Nakamura. Grace, his all-so-trusting assistant, always gives the feeling that she literally does not believe even one of the things that are happening in the chapters, yet continues her quest to save Gabriel's ass. One more spoiler: she is so in love with him. Seriously though, Sierra and Jane Jensen (the designer of the series) went the extra mile to create an extremely annoying (to men) and impossibly attractive (to women) character, much like the guy Ryan Gosling plays in the Notebook. Minus the love story. And the notebook. Anyway, I hope you get a picture.
As you can see from the screenshot, we are discussing about one more FMV adventure game. It is a third person view, point-and-click adventure game which adds to the difficulty of designing, since the character needs to move in the area's video shot seamlessly (most FMV-based games are first person). And the game designers succeeded in this. However, at the heart of every adventure game, there needs to be a plot and, albeit, a good one. In this chapter of Gabriel Knight's adventures, the hero inherits a castle in Bavaria. When the murder of a young girl shocks the small village, Gabriel Knight finds himself trying to solve a mystery, that includes him going to Munich and the Neuschwanstein castle in search of the culprits. Of course, everything is not at seems (ok, from now on I will stop saying that everything is not as it seems. If an adventure game has a plot where everything is as it seems, I will let you know then) and Gabriel and Grace find themselves trapped in an area where werewolves have been secretly lurking. On the way to solving the murder(s), you will also come across the truth about King Ludwig and discover a lost Wagner opera.
By the way, the opera scene is simply magical. Even if you hate werewolves, the game is worth it just to reach this amazing finale!
Why is it on this list?
Weren't you reading? FMV-based adventure game that is also third person, point-and-click? Werewolves with one of the most annoying characters ever written? The music and the "lost opera" part? Or maybe a chance to see Bavaria under a whole new light? If the answers to the above are No, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, then I am really sad you didn't read the post, but do yourselves a favor and play the game. If the answers are Yes, Yes, No, Yes, Yes, then still go ahead and play the game: nobody ever liked Gabriel Knight!
PS: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT! The opera scene near the finale of the game. Enjoy!
Before we get started, a few words on the character. Gabriel Knight is a stereotypical adventure game hero: bright, intriguing, arrogant-ish, bohem bookstore owner and mystery books author/journalist. He goes around in areas of "supernatural" interest in search of whatever he is in search of at that time. Alongside him, the player can also control Grace Nakamura. Grace, his all-so-trusting assistant, always gives the feeling that she literally does not believe even one of the things that are happening in the chapters, yet continues her quest to save Gabriel's ass. One more spoiler: she is so in love with him. Seriously though, Sierra and Jane Jensen (the designer of the series) went the extra mile to create an extremely annoying (to men) and impossibly attractive (to women) character, much like the guy Ryan Gosling plays in the Notebook. Minus the love story. And the notebook. Anyway, I hope you get a picture.
As you can see from the screenshot, we are discussing about one more FMV adventure game. It is a third person view, point-and-click adventure game which adds to the difficulty of designing, since the character needs to move in the area's video shot seamlessly (most FMV-based games are first person). And the game designers succeeded in this. However, at the heart of every adventure game, there needs to be a plot and, albeit, a good one. In this chapter of Gabriel Knight's adventures, the hero inherits a castle in Bavaria. When the murder of a young girl shocks the small village, Gabriel Knight finds himself trying to solve a mystery, that includes him going to Munich and the Neuschwanstein castle in search of the culprits. Of course, everything is not at seems (ok, from now on I will stop saying that everything is not as it seems. If an adventure game has a plot where everything is as it seems, I will let you know then) and Gabriel and Grace find themselves trapped in an area where werewolves have been secretly lurking. On the way to solving the murder(s), you will also come across the truth about King Ludwig and discover a lost Wagner opera.
By the way, the opera scene is simply magical. Even if you hate werewolves, the game is worth it just to reach this amazing finale!
Why is it on this list?
Weren't you reading? FMV-based adventure game that is also third person, point-and-click? Werewolves with one of the most annoying characters ever written? The music and the "lost opera" part? Or maybe a chance to see Bavaria under a whole new light? If the answers to the above are No, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, then I am really sad you didn't read the post, but do yourselves a favor and play the game. If the answers are Yes, Yes, No, Yes, Yes, then still go ahead and play the game: nobody ever liked Gabriel Knight!
PS: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT! The opera scene near the finale of the game. Enjoy!
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