The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery

"Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within" is not only the best computer game ever made, it's also one of my favorite horror movies. I guess you could say it's half-game, half-movie...although, in truth, it's so well-researched and cleverly written that it reminds me more of a novel. Who cares what it is? It's just awesome.

Like other games of its type, "The Beast Within" is very linear. If you're looking to wander freely through a huge 3D environment, wasting polygon creatures with a shotgun, you'll be disappointed. Your job in this game is basically to solve brain teasers and push the plot ahead to the next mini-movie segment. I suppose there is a passive aspect to the gameplay, and I do get frustrated when I can't solve a particularly obscure puzzle and my progress grinds to a halt. But the rich storyline and sharp dialogue - courtesy of Jane Jensen, clearly a talented writer - more than compensate for any shortcomings with the game's format.

The movie segments feature several strong actors, particularly Peter Lucas, who makes for a very suave villain indeed. The underrated Dean Erickson is extremely likable as Gabriel Knight; in fact, I prefer his interpretation of the character to the oily purrings of Tim Curry in the series' first and third games. Too bad he seems to be doing real estate deals these days! Oh, and come on, hands up - who else recognizes Clabe "Preiss" Hartley as the evil Caliban from Trancers 4 and 5? Oh...nobody? I guess it's just me, then.

I won't summarize the plot much; suffice to say, it involves German history, werewolves, and homo-erotic tendencies. When I played the game as a teenager, I was a little impatient with all the background information on Ludwig II, but when I replayed the game recently I found it all pretty fascinating.

It's a shame that this type of game - that is, the cerebral type - has all but died out over the years. Hopefully, at some point, the computer game industry will climb out of its rut and start taking an interest in good storytelling again.

I do not think A Gabriel Knight Mystery is as good as Sins of the Fathers and Blood of the Sacred, but as a game it is a lot of fun. The story is great, quite complicated but it is a lot of fun to see unfolded and resolved, with a number of interesting sequences. The look of the game impresses too, it looks colourful and sophisticated and all the characters are impressively rendered. The score is very good, with plenty of energy.

The dialogue is witty and smart, and I liked the characters. For the first time, I thought Gabriel was overshadowed by the villain of the piece a suave, mysterious and charismatic one by the name of Baron Frederich Von Glower, brilliantly voiced by Peter Lucas. Dean Erickson does do an above average job as Gabriel, he is funny and clever not to mention both likable and oily, but there are one or two times when his line delivery falls a little flat. Although I much prefer Tim Curry, who actually IS Gabriel, Erickson does do a good enough job to not make me feel I missed him too much.

All in all, a surprisingly good game and definitely worth playing. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Ah, my friend Gabriel, come in, its so good to see you.

These are the words politely uttered by Gabriels lawyer in Munich. German politness, but the local police chief sneers at him like a rabid schaefer. The mysterious Baron von Glover is the coolest caracter in the game. He hangs around in an expensive hunting club, and he is just beyond coolness. All in all a great game. Forget that is is a few years old, its still good fun.

I loved playing this game... It was really great... And thanx Peter for the best Von Glower we could have... You are the best character of the game!!!

Not many Full Motion Video games being put out now, but The

Beast Within is the best of them all, hands down. The second in

the Gabriel Knight series, Gabe is now in Germany trying to

solve murders involving a werewolf. But what does a lost opera

by Wagner have to do with it? Incredible storylines, fine acting

by all involved, and wonderfully rendered backgrounds.