Syberia: The World Before

Syberia: The World Before is a single-player adventure about two women whose life stories are decades apart. In 1937, young pianist Dana Roze pursues her musical career in the European city of Vaghen. In 2004, Kate Walker tries to give her life a new direction after a traumatic time in a mine.

The adventure combines exploration, conversations and mechanical puzzles with a story about origins, memory and the consequences of political upheaval. The two timelines come together as the story unfolds.

Syberia: The World Before was released for PC on Mar 18, 2022. Versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S followed on Nov 15, 2022. The PS4 version was released on Oct 18, 2023.

The story is the same on the platforms mentioned. The PC version is available on Steam, among others, while console players use the respective version.

Syberia: The World Before is available for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The Xbox Store version also supports Smart Delivery and Xbox Play Anywhere.

Microids originally also announced a Nintendo Switch version. However, it is not listed among the available versions on the current official platform overview.

The main tasks involve examining places carefully, linking clues together and operating mechanical devices. Kate and Dana experience their chapters in different places and at different times. Conversations and items found gradually reveal how their stories connect.

Unlike in an action game, the focus is not on combat but on observation, reasoning and the story. Solving puzzles opens up more rooms and new perspectives on events.

On Windows, Syberia: The World Before needs at least 8 GB RAM and 22 GB of free storage. Steam lists an Intel Core i5-6600, a GeForce GTX 750 Ti or Radeon HD 7850 or R7 260X, as well as DirectX 11.

Recommended: 16 GB RAM, an Intel Core i7-8700 or better, a GeForce RTX 2070 or Radeon RX 6600 XT, and an SSD. The Steam client now requires Windows 10 or newer.

Kate Walker and Dana Roze experience the same mysterious world at different times. In 1937, Dana is a young musician in Vaghen, whose future is overshadowed by the political threats to Europe. In 2004, Kate searches for answers about her own past after a blow of fate.

Switching between perspectives lets you connect places and clues from different time periods. The personal story of the two characters is the heart of the adventure.

Inon Zur composed the music for Syberia: The World Before. The Budapest Film Symphony Orchestra performed on the recording. The orchestral music accompanies both the quiet exploration phases and the story's emotional turning points.

The music also plays a role within the story: Dana Roze wants to go her own way as a pianist. As a result, the musical motif is closely tied to her character.

Alongside the standard version, there is a 20 Year Edition and a Collector's Edition. The 20 Year Edition also includes a book marking 20 years of Syberia.

The Collector's Edition includes, among other things, a figure of Kate and Dana, an artbook, a music box and a map of Vaghen. These are collectible extras, not additional playable chapters.

The PC version includes German voice-over, German menus and German subtitles. Steam also lists English, French, Polish and Russian, among others, as fully voiced languages.

Syberia: The World Before is a single-player adventure only. The story is told without a multiplayer mode.