This game has come under some criticism due to the “interesting” 3D graphics and one infamous puzzle amongst other things.

Also the control mechanism is not to everybody’s taste. It was brave to try something new here but it was quite hard to get used to and I don’t think I was really comfortable with it by the end.

Personally it was great to see the “real” Gabe and Moseley back and whilst Tim Curry has come under fire for his performance here I thought it was fine, or at the least I was so pleased to see him back I didn’t care!

The other big change in this game is the feeling of space and time. It is set in a sleepy French village and the pace of the game really reflects that with time seeming to stand still throughout most of the game. However, this is not a bad thing. The story, and at least one of the puzzles, are probably the most complicated in any game, there is a lot to get your head round and the relaxed pace helps with this. That said, there is not the same sense of urgency, moving around and getting things done that the first two had. In short, the game is different from the first two in many ways.

It is, however, still a really good game. The characters are not quite as dynamic this time but are still interesting and the slight loss of personality really comes from the blocky 3D rather than less good writing on Jane’s part.

The feel of the game verges more on an “experience” in some ways than a game, but it is a good one and one in which you need to immerse yourself in to really get the most of this game. Having said that, there are no lack of puzzles, characters and everything you would expect from a traditional AG. Casual players may well give up on this within minutes, but if you enjoy a challenging and involved AG then this is a must.

Despite the criticism above, this is a very good game by Jane Jensen, and that really tells us all we need to know.

The best puzzle ever to finds its way into an Adventure game, with great dialogue and story. The 3D provides for unlimited exploration even though there could be more detail and dynamics in the artistic direction.

That’s how Gabriel Knight 3 is sometimes called. And I see where it comes from. In terms of complexity, interactivity and storytelling it is far ahead of other adventure titles of the past decade. Not to mention the fully 3D world with a free roam camera, 30+ hours of pure gameplay, fantastic music score and a great mix of themes and genres.

Gabriel Knight combines religion, mystery, thriller, drama and espionage into one solid story. While the game is pretty linear, you can still miss a lot of events on your first playthrough. Every character you meet has something on his mind, every place has its own history.

As with all Jensen’s games, the writing is very good. You can argue whether Gabe’s comments are tasteful or not, but you can’t argue that he has A LOT to say and to research, along with Grace. The variety of things to do is amazing. The Le Serpent Rouge puzzle alone is a masterpiece of game design.

Of course, some might not enjoy a puzzle or two, find the ending a bit over the top and even be offended by religious themes, but it’s only natural with a complex game like this. All others will be too immersed to search for flaws.

it’s a complex, intelligent and immersive story that is expertly told and structured by the amazing Jane Jensen. The very beginning was just a touch slow, but thereafter just kept getting better and better until the amazing climax.

Thankfully, Tim Curry is back as Gabriel Knight in this 3rd game of the series (he wasn’t in the 2nd one). but i’m even more glad they didn’t do another full-motion-video game (like the 2nd one was). I would’ve been happiest if they’d returned to an updated version of the 2D style of Gabriel Knight 1, but instead they opted for full 3D environments and characters—and this was the only thing I didn’t appreciate about the game.

I’m not totally opposed to 3D games, but the technology of the time this was released (1999) had not progressed to the point where it was possible to make an attractive looking 3D game. There is nothing visually in this game that I could call even remotely beautiful. The characters have a distinct lack of polygons and therefore look very blocky. The environments are also very blocky and the textures are sometimes downright ugly. They’ve done the best they could I guess, but I would’ve preferred a 2D experience.

The interface controls are great tho and the puzzle design—especially the ‘le serpent rouge’ geometric stuff—was outstanding!