Following the release of Myst, however, and the rise of other genres in the West, its appeal began to die out. As more games incorporated the same elements – Valve’s Half-Life, for one – dedicated point-and-click adventures that focused purely on narrative, characterization, and puzzle-solving were in decline.

However, just like their contemporary resurgence, there were a few notable releases in the late 90s and early 2000s that managed to shine. The Longest Journey is one, and 2002’s Syberia from Microïds, directed by the late Benoît Sokal, is another. The latter stood out for its absolutely gorgeous art style and unorthodox narrative, even as its gameplay mechanics felt like a throwback. Whether one enjoyed it or not at the time, it made its mark and would carry on over the years, including with 2022’s Syberia: The World Before.

"Unfortunately, the overall appeal can be hit or miss when it comes to the dialogue. The voice performances are a product of their time, both in cadence and quality, and they’ve seemingly remained untouched, so take that as you will."

Time is a flat circle, and as is often the case in an industry that’s driven by remasters and remakes as much as new IPs, we return to the beginning with Syberia Remastered. But does going back really mean returning home? It’s a complicated question, and time isn’t the most forgiving.

From the outset, the narrative core remains the same. You play as Kate Walker, an American attorney sent to Valadilèn to facilitate the sale of a factory owned by the Voralbergs. Her arrival amid a funeral procession, carried out by automatons no less, is the first hint that things won’t go as smoothly as planned.

Once a bustling town, at least according to its citizens, Valadilèn has fallen by the wayside following the death of Anna Voralberg, the last remaining member of the family. Or so it would seem, as Kate discovers that her brother Hans, previously reported to be deceased, is actually alive, which means getting his approval for the sale. After investigating the factory and assisting the automaton, Oscar, the unlikely duo begin their journey to locate him.

The set-up is delightfully mid-90s. A harried member of the corporate world, Kate finds herself out of her element in this seemingly cold, standoffish world. But her boss is demanding and disrespectful; her husband cares more about social obligations; her mom is in her own world; and so on. So while this task blindsides her beyond belief, it’s also an escape in many ways. A chance to see the world, such as it is, in a greater light and maybe grow in the process.

Unfortunately, the overall appeal can be hit or miss when it comes to the dialogue. The voice performances are a product of their time, both in cadence and quality, and they’ve seemingly remained untouched, so take that as you will. However, the dialogue means that some interactions come off as unnatural and, at times, awkward. That being said, the camaraderie between Kate and Oscar still comes across well, transitioning naturally from curiosity to annoyance in a manner that feels naturally comedic and endearing.

"Speaking of which, while Microïds Paris and Virtuallyz Gaming streamline the UI and revamped the puzzles, you’ll still need to operate on adventure gaming logic to make your way through (at least without a guide)."

Of course, the biggest change with Syberia Remastered is the visuals. Are they competing with today’s fidelity-driven triple-A masterpieces? Well, no, and they don’t have to. The aesthetic is mostly faithful to the original’s vision, but with fully 3D environments instead of pre-rendered backgrounds with baked shadows and the like. Real-time reflections are nearly everywhere, especially when running down the streets, and settings like the factory and the cave where you discover the Mammoth doll are simply brimming with astounding details. That being said, even while the atmosphere feels much in line, some things are seemingly lost in the translation – as bizarre as it sounds, the buildings looking more detailed and natural takes away much of the surrealism of the surroundings and overall set-up.

It honestly boils down to preference, but it’s also interesting how much Syberia Remastered changes the original’s cinematography. Cutscenes with more dramatic angles and cuts are notable, making certain exchanges feel more lively (like Kate checking into the hotel or encountering Oscar for the first time). However, with its emphasis on fixed camera angles during gameplay, it’s surprising to see some sections feel outright different as a result.

It doesn’t cause much gameplay hindrance, though the angle and lighting in the factory when venturing up the stairs and catwalk feel bizarre compared to the original’s clean look. Long story short, I like it in some places but can’t see the reason for doing it in others, outside of making these sequences “look” different despite presenting the same gameplay.

Speaking of which, while Microïds Paris and Virtuallyz Gaming streamline the UI and revamped the puzzles, you’ll still need to operate on adventure gaming logic to make your way through (at least without a guide). Those cogwheels needed to enable the elevator in the cemetery? Why, of course, you need to go back to the hotel and pick them up from the table that Momo was sitting at before he stormed off (or picked them up in the beginning). The release papers required to operate the train? Of course you need to go to the Notary Office to get them stamped with the ink obtained from the attic obtained from the Varlberg family’s attic.

And as inviting as the UI feels now, it was baffling that details like the model number of Oscar’s legs weren’t noted down in Kate’s journal or even reiterated when speaking to him again. Granted, the solutions aren’t too off-kilter like the most devious adventure games could be, but there’s more than a bit of backtracking and re-examination required.

"It feels like the truest experience remains with the original, as unwieldy and archaic as it can be in places. Take Syberia Remastered as an introduction to the series’ world, if not a reminder about everything that makes it compelling, and then revisit the classic."

The controls are noted to be more fluid, “tailored to today’s standards” as the blurb goes, but it’s strange to jog at a moderate pace in the open while being completely restricted to walking in some places, even those lacking people. It also felt awkward trying to perfectly position Kate to interact with certain objects. That console near the train? Turn around to line up with the prompt, which is more bizarre than all the goings-on in the story.

It’s also worth noting some technical nags. On PS5, Performance Mode didn’t really seem to offer any real bump in performance while resulting in worse reflections, so I stuck with Quality Mode. It runs at a solid 30 FPS (barring one strange moment where it clearly dropped) with pretty good image quality. However, there’s some noticeable pop-in and a strange outline around Kate. None of this is really a deal-breaker, and it should be emphasized – when Syberia Remastered looks good, it looks very good – but you’ll struggle to ignore that outline when first noticing it.

The timeliness of Syberia’s narrative and characterisation shines through. Despite some misgivings about certain changes, the overall presentation is a nice bump over the original. Yet it feels like the truest experience remains with the original, as unwieldy and archaic as it can be in places. Take Syberia Remastered as an introduction to the series’ world, if not a reminder about everything that makes it compelling, and then revisit the classic.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

Of Ash and Steel

An open-world third-person action RPG developed on Unreal Engine 4, that too from a relatively unknown studio? That’s Of Ash and Steel, set in the Kingdom of the Seven, and promising an old-school approach to exploration. Essentially, you need to find your own footing in the world with no markers or quest guidance, and there are plenty of secrets to discover alongside enemies to smack around. Of Ash and Steel is available on November 24th, exclusively for PC.

Lumines Arise

Lumines but somehow even trippier, from the team that brought you surrealist and trippy Tetris. Launching on November 11th for PS5 and PC (with VR support for both), Lumines Arise offers its own Journey Mode, complete with a gorgeous soundscape and visuals, before shuffling you into the real game: Survival. And that’s before creating playlists of stages, completing challenges and playing online, all while ascending to a brand new plane.

Possessor(s)

After the underwhelming Hyper Light Breaker, Heart Machine returns to its 2D roots with Possessor(s), a side-scroller with fighting game-like combos. Players venture through the remains of Sanzu City as Luca, possessed by the mysterious Rhem, using anything and everything to fight off monstrosities. With non-linear exploration, other tragic characters to unravel, and a gorgeous art style, it’s one to keep an eye on ahead of its November 11th release on PS5 and PC.

Where Winds Meet

Everstone Studios’ stunning open-world action RPG has made some seriously strong impressions in China. Its global release is slated for November 14th on PS5 and PC, and thus far, the Wuxia fantasy and depiction of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms still looks as stunning as the combat and traversal. With more than 150 hours of gameplay and co-op-exclusive activities, we can’t wait to unpack it all.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road

Announced in 2016, renamed several times, and delayed several times more, Inazuma Eleven is seemingly set to launch, at last, on November 13th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. Level-5 Games boasts more than 5,400 characters in a brand new story with, of all things, time-travelling, and anime cutscenes by none other than MAPPA. Whether it lives up to expectations or not, the sheer scope and spectacle are intriguing enough.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Something something Raul Menendez is alive, and only David Mason and his team can stop the spread of fear, something. The story of Black Ops 7 doesn’t inspire much hope, but the prospect of four-player campaign co-op is intriguing, especially the 32-player end-game. But except for new maps and modes in multiplayer, a new Wall-Bounce mechanic, and a fresh Zombies experience, this is about as Call of Duty as you’d expect in this day and age. It’s out on November 14th for Xbox and PlayStation consoles alongside PC.

Escape from Tarkov

Numerous years and controversies later, Battlestate Games’ Escape from Tarkov Version 1.0 is finally launching on November 15th for PC. As a hardcore extraction shooter experience, it’s received extensive praise for its survival elements (including a realistic injury and treatment system) and realistic gunplay. It’s no Escape From Duckov, but with 11 maps and a PvE mode, its official launch could either be game-changing or grounds for even more controversies.

Syberia Remastered

A full remaster of the title that started it all, Syberia Remastered offers improved visuals, transforming classic locations while retaining their atmosphere. It also offers more refined puzzles, better controls, and an updated UI to make experiencing Kate Walker’s journey through the real and fantastical that much smoother. Syberia Remastered launches on November 6th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Kirby Air Riders

If more than 105 minutes of footage meticulously laying out features across two Directs wasn’t enough to sell you on Kirby Air Riders before its November 20th release, then nothing will. Between a new Story Mode featuring the Fountain of Dreams and Nova, the return of Top Ride, all the classic tracks from the original, and everything in between, Kirby could once again be a dark horse among Switch 2 releases this year.

Project Motor Racing

It’s not quite Project CARS 4, but with some of the talent from Slightly Made and the backing of Giants Software, Project Motor Racing could be the next best thing. It packs more than 70 cars and 27 meticulously recreated tracks with dynamic weather, a day/night cycle, a Career Mode, multiplayer and events. All this, complete with realistic physics and sound design. What more could you want? We’ll find out when Motor Racing launches on November 25th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Terminator 2D: No Fate

Bitmap Bureau revisits the legendary action film, but through the lens of a retro-style 2D side-scrolling shooter. After several delays, Terminator 2D: No Fate is finally launching on November 26th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, and if its visuals and action weren’t enough, you can also explore alternate scenarios based on decisions, resulting in completely different endings.

Football Manager 26

After cancelling last year’s edition, Sports Interactive is set to deliver Football Manager 26 on November 4th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. While numerous leagues and tons of players are a given, it’s all the other changes that have us excited, including an overhauled manager creation system, extensively reworked UI, and – for the first time – a partnership with FIFA.

Rennsport

What if RoboCop: Rogue City developer Teyon offered a racing sim? You get Rennsport, which releases out of early access on November 13th for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. Developed alongside Competition Company, it offers a range of different vehicle classes, iconic tracks like Daytona and Spa-Francorchamps, and multiplayer. Early access impressions aren’t the most positive, but maybe Version 1.0 will turn things around.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (PS5)

Exactly one year later, GSC Game World’s survival sandbox has grown a lot, not to mention improved by leaps and bounds on a technical level. On PS5, it offers even more, from DualSense support to gyroscope aiming on top of PS5 Pro support. And while it may sound gimmicky, hearing the radio through the microphone or playing the guitar with the touchpad feels right. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl arrives on PS5 just in time to celebrate its first anniversary – November 20th.

Constance

Looking for a less strenuous side-scroller after Silksong? Constance could very well be it with a beautiful hand-drawn style and surreal mindscape created by its protagonist. Even if several of the basics look familiar, combat offers unique mechanics, from dispelling darkness to transforming into paint to climb up walls. Launching on November 24th, Constance will be available on PC, with console releases to follow in 2026.

Along with coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, Microids has also confirmed that a VR version of the title is also coming out this year. Available exclusively on the Meta Quest 3, Syberia Remastered will be coming to the VR headset on November 13.

The original Syberia, created by Benoît Sokal, was released all the way back in 2002 and saw a great critical response. The title puts players in the shoes of New York lawyer Kate Walker who has to set out on a journey in search of Hans Voralberg. The remastered release will feature new visuals, revamped animations, and a more modern interface that will feel more intuitive to players. At the same time, the remaster does not bring any changes to the game’s story.

Syberia Remastered was first announced earlier this year with a host of screenshots. In its announcements, the developers had stated that, while the game’s story will remain unchanged, some gameplay elements, including the environmental puzzles, will be changed in an effort to offer “a smoother and more intuitive experience” to players.

The remaster got its first official trailer back in May, showcasing its classic-styled point-and-click adventure gameplay. The trailer confirmed that, like the original Syberia, Syberia Remastered will also make use of high-resolution pre-rendered backgrounds where players can then move their character around and interact with various objects.

While Syberia Remastered will take players all the way back to where the series first began, the last major game in the franchise was 2022’s Syberia: The World Before. The game puts players in the shoes of two distinct protagonists, with a story spanning almost an entire century. It features two distinct time periods: 1937 and 2004. In the parts of the game taking place in 1937, players will experience the story of Dana Roze. The 2004 parts, on the other hand, see players returning to pick up the story of Kate Walker as she investigates a salt mine while also discovering her connections with Roze.

Syberia: The World Before is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. For more details about the game, you can check out the trailer released to celebrate its PS5 launch that showcased both Roze and Walker as they dealt with intense circumstances around them.

For a quick history lesson, you can also check out our review of Syberia 3, which was released all the way back in 2017. In our review, we gave the adventure game a score of 6 out of 10, praising its world and characters, while criticising its bad lip-sync, stilted dialogue, and overall lacklustre voice acting.

Like several point-and-click adventure titles before it, the original Syberia featured pre-rendered environments for players to explore. Syberia Remastered’s environments are fully real-time, allowing for dynamic lighting and shadows.

Light fog is also visible in places alongside reflective surfaces (though it’s unknown if ray tracing is supported). The remade textures also look delightfully detailed, benefitting characters like Oscar, the automaton, who looks as dapper as ever. Of course, the animations for protagonist Kate Walker look fluid as well.

The remaster also offers many gameplay-focused changes, like improved controls, UI updates, and more intuitive puzzles. Though more extensive footage is required to see the difference, it’s looking like a faithful reimagining of Benoît Sokal’s classic.

Syberia Remastered launches in Q4 2025 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Stay tuned for more details en route to release.

Created by Benoît Sokal, Syberia released in May 2002 and received critical praise. It stars Kate Walker, who teams with Oscar, an automaton, on a point-and-click adventure to discover the titular island. The remaster modernizes the visuals with fully redesigned characters and rebuilt environments.

The puzzles have also been revamped to offer “a smoother and more intuitive experience.” Other notable changes include an updated UI and improved controls and navigation. Of course, Microids says that the game’s “contemplative and narrative soul” remains untouched.

Stay tuned for more details and updates on Syberia Remastered, including its first gameplay, in the coming months. In the meantime, check out Syberia: The World Before, the latest title in the series. Launched in 2022, it spans two periods and features a new protagonist, Dana Roze, alongside a returning Kate Walker.