Syberia 3 launch trailer flaunts snow ostriches and death-defying adventure

It's been 13 years since Microïds released Syberia 2—the second instalment of its flagship adventure series. Kate Walker's third outing, Syberia 3, was first announced back in 2012, expected in 2014, and pushed back to December 2016. It then slipped again to this year, however is now on the precipice of release: due on April 20 in Europe and April 25 in the US.

Those familiar with the series will spot number three is in full-3D, which is a shift away from the series' past tendency towards pre-rendered backgrounds. Speaking to this very point, here's an excerpt from Andy's recent hands-on time with the game:

"This kind of seamless interaction with the environment is a benefit of the shift to 3D, and there are even rudimentary physics. Later I find a drawer and a key item is hidden beneath a pile of books and papers, which I have to brush aside. It makes the world feel nicely tactile. I press the call button and someone lets me out into a large communal area with a murky water fountain in the middle, and other patients roaming around it. Whatever this asylum is for, it’s pretty run down. I see flaking paint, cracked tiles, and vines crawling up the walls, as well as a few intimidating looking orderlies."

Elsewhere, Andy relays his time tackling some genre typical puzzles and negotiating some expectedly shady characters. My own fondest memories of the Syberia games are centred around the ways in which they capture essence of traditional adventure games, and while Microïds will be keen to capture a new audience as well as a returning one this time round, I do hope this remains the case here.

Syberia 3 is due April 20 in Europe and April 25 in the US.