Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within help

[Lambonius]

I enjoy the juxtaposition of your conflicting diplomatic strategies.

Hahaha...me too.

On topic (sort of), I just watched the first part of a GK2 longplay, and I found the acting to be utterly gag-inducing.  Why do you guys like this game again?

[wilco64256]

Yeah admittedly some of the acting is awful, the tricky part with all the conversations is that it looks really odd when you try to make live actors do a "root" pose to start their speaking from, which is why they all start with the same facial expression every time.

The story itself is quite good in my opinion.

[Lambonius]

I just couldn't help but laugh at the intro when the villagers came to Gabriel's door, and the two parents who had just seen [spoiler]their daughter ripped to pieces (literally) by a werewolf [/spoiler]were just kind of standing there calmly, as the older guy told the story.

[dark-daventry]

I have now completed Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within with a perfect score. My impressions? Good lord, this game was phenomenal! Jane Jensen knows how to write and design games, that's for sure. If I ever do write/design anything of my own, I'm most certainly going to be taking tips from her! She knows her stuff. I liked the FMV too. I went into the game not having high expectations for the FMV. I liked the graphical style of the first game. But the FMV grew on me really quickly; I came to love it. I've always believed, especially with Myst, that if FMV was done now-a-days (and done right, mind you), it could result fantastically. HD video, almost seamless merging of graphics and video... Myst 4 I think really shows the power of modern FMV. Admittedly the picture quality in GK2 isn't great, but this was the 90's, so I can't complain much. The plot, overall, was spot on. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy, but I'm sure Jane did her research and morphed it as necessary to fit her game. Overall though, The Best Within was absolutely fantastic. I actually have to thank Cez for turning me onto the series; with all of his praise for both Jane and this particular series, I just had to see what all the rage was about. Had I never joined this forum, or interacted with Cez through skype and what not, I may never have played this series. Now I'm hitting myself for not playing this masterpiece earlier. I'll be playing Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned when time and money open up. Being in college (and nearing the end of the semester in a couple of weeks), money and time are eaten up pretty easily. But rest assured that I most certainly will be playing the third game in this magnificent series! Jane Jensen, if you're reading this, you've brought inspiration to a young, aspiring writer/game designer. I thank you for creating this magnificent game. I'll be playing Gray Matter too, but, again, time and money must be present.

[Cez]

I enjoy the juxtaposition of your conflicting diplomatic strategies.

Hahaha...me too.

On topic (sort of), I just watched the first part of a GK2 longplay, and I found the acting to be utterly gag-inducing.  Why do you guys like this game again?

Because it's the best game ever made. As simple as that.

[dark-daventry]

I enjoy the juxtaposition of your conflicting diplomatic strategies.

Hahaha...me too.

On topic (sort of), I just watched the first part of a GK2 longplay, and I found the acting to be utterly gag-inducing.  Why do you guys like this game again?

Because it's the best game ever made. As simple as that.

Cez, I think I have to agree with you on this. This game is simply fantastic. The plot is amazing, and the FMV just works. Plus, if I'm not mistaken, Grace is played by the same actress who played Keiko O-Brian in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. At least, I think it's the same actress. It looks and sounds like her to me...

[Lambonius]

Plus, if I'm not mistaken, Grace is played by the same actress who played Keiko O-Brian in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. At least, I think it's the same actress. It looks and sounds like her to me...

Nope, not the same actress.  But hey, they all look alike right?

[dark-daventry]

Plus, if I'm not mistaken, Grace is played by the same actress who played Keiko O-Brian in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. At least, I think it's the same actress. It looks and sounds like her to me...

Nope, not the same actress.  But hey, they all look alike right?

The two actresses really do look alike to me. I swear, at certain scenes, she looked and sounded almost EXACTLY like her. It was weird. Still a great game regardless.

[KatieHal]

But hey, they all look alike right?

Oh thank goodness you said that, Lamb, now I don't feel so bad--I can never tell you IA guys apart!

[kindofdoon]

Plus, if I'm not mistaken, Grace is played by the same actress who played Keiko O-Brian in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. At least, I think it's the same actress. It looks and sounds like her to me...

Nope, not the same actress.  But hey, they all look alike right?

[Lambonius]

I wish Gabriel would actually walk across the screen in this game.  I hate how he constantly takes just one or two steps and then it changes angles really awkwardly.  Sigh...and MAN is that actor terrible.  What were they THINKING?? 

Still, I can't help but be intrigued by this game...

[dark-daventry]

I wish Gabriel would actually walk across the screen in this game.  I hate how he constantly takes just one or two steps and then it changes angles really awkwardly.  Sigh...and MAN is that actor terrible.  What were they THINKING?? 

Still, I can't help but be intrigued by this game...

Yeah, I wish he walked across the screen too, but that's really one of the only gripes I have with this game. Almost everything else, in my opinion, works fairly well. I'd refine the interface a bit; getting rid of some of the unused space in the HUD, moving the options menu around, stuff like that. Basically, I'd change the overall interface, but not much of the game itself.

[kindofdoon]

I don't think I could ever like an FMV game. And from what I've seen, the acting seems subpar on top of that.

[Lambonius]

Gabriel is the worst offender so far that I've seen (I've only watched a few clips from a longplay.  It literally sounds like the actor is talking in his sleep.  His delivery completely lacks any punch whatsoever.  Maybe it gets better as the game goes on, I dunno.  But those first few scenes are a SNORE.

[dark-daventry]

I don't think I could ever like an FMV game. And from what I've seen, the acting seems subpar on top of that.

I never thought I could like an FMV game either. Until I played Gabriel Knight 2. There's also Myst, but I'm tempted to say it's a different type of FMV from the kind Sierra used, if it is even FMV at all. Regardless, the Myst series and Gabriel Knight 2 are the only FMV games I've liked. Yes, the acting sucks, but I'm willing to forgive the bad acting on account of how amazing the plot is.

[wilco64256]

Keep in mind that acting in front of a green screen was still a relatively new concept, a lot of actors on the leading edge of that type of work struggled with it.

[kindofdoon]

Actually green-screening was already several decades old by the time GK2 came out.

[wilco64256]

Sorry, to clarify it was a newer process in the gaming industry to have the actors do actual real acting with a green screen rather than just voice work.  I didn't phrase that very well at all

[Cez]

BEST. GAME. EVER.

[dark-daventry]

BEST. GAME. EVER.

Yes, Cez, we understand that you love this game. I love it too. But I still think there are things that can be improved on. Nothing is truly perfect. Gabriel Knight comes as close to it as a video game can though, in my opinion.