this shall be the first...

...of many entries about gaming, one part of the eclectic hobbies in which I spend my free time (which is all the time at the moment. HAH! Well, maybe just a small hah.). Adventure Gamers just did a new feature on Gabriel Knight, an adventure game series published by Sierra. I happen to own all three games in the series and lament the fact that there likely wouldn't be a fourth. The series is notable for its deep, engaging storytelling that revolves around a historical mystery or legend (Voodoo [who do?], werewolves, and the descendents of Jesus). The third game, Gabriel Knight: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned, was the first I played, and it made the biggest impact on me. It had a strong story and smooth gameplay, but what got me the most was the character interactions between Gabriel, Grace, and Mosely. Although only Gabriel's name is in the title, Grace is the other playable character and becomes controllable every other "chapter." She was also a playable character in the second game, though to be honest I only played the first few hours of it because of the crashes and bugs (one of which rendered my saved game unloadable, which really sucked). The third game, however, was perfect in my eyes. Despite some flaws, the emotions the game evoked in me was none I've experienced before or after. The dialogue, characterization, and excellent voice-acting combined to give the emotional intensity normally seen in novels or films. Perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit, but that's what it felt like my first time playing through it.

Some notable voice-actors include: Tim Curry as Gabriel (in game 1 and 3), Charity James as Grace (also in Monkey Island 4 as Elaine Threepwood), Rene Auberjonois and John de Lancie (for you Trekkers out there) as minor characters, Jennifer Hale (Ms. Keane in PowerPuff Girls), and Mark Hamill as Mosely in the first game. A number of these voices can also be found in Knights of the Old Republic, oddly enough (ah, the wonders of IMDB). So in conclusion, if you're dying to hear Tim Curry talk in a southern accent, GK 1 and 3 are a must. Those of you who know me (and don't live on the other side of the globe. Or in another state.), I still have the games in my room somewhere (emphasis on "somewhere") if you'd like to give them a shot.