Jane Jensen. The name evokes a sense of nostalgia, taking us back to the 90s and Sierra Online. Jensen wrote and designed one of our favorite adventure games, Gabriel Knight: The Sins of the Fathers, which evolved into a trilogy featuring both FMV sequences and thematic parallels to the Da Vinci Code. A 20th-anniversary remake of the first Gabriel Knight is on the horizon (as we previously reported). In the interim, Jensen presents another adventure: Moebius: Empire Rising, a “metaphysical thriller”.
Similar to GK, Moebius opens with a short graphic novel, setting the stage, albeit less impactfully than its predecessor. The narrative introduces Malachi Rector, who is traumatized by witnessing his mother’s death by a lion. As an adult, he thrives as an art dealer with a unique talent for perceiving minute details and an almost extrasensory ability to discern authenticity. This talent, however, frequently leads to complications when he evaluates objects for clients. At the game’s outset, Malachi receives a commission from the wealthy and secretive Amble Dexter to investigate the murder of a socialite in Venice, whose life bears striking resemblances to a figure from history. Malachi is soon drawn into a complex plot involving suspense, danger, and supernatural elements.
As a concept and narrative framework, Moebius demonstrates promise. Jane Jensen’s writing is skillful, and her inclination towards dark, mysterious, and supernatural themes positions her as a compelling figure in the point-and-click adventure genre. However, the execution of Moebius falls short of its potential.
Originating as a Kickstarter project, the game is now available on Steam for Mac and PC. Priced at $24, it is marketed as a full-price title, but the experience does not entirely reflect this. While the press version was a beta, several aspects of the game feel unfinished, suggesting that the release version may not differ significantly.
The graphics are… adequate at best. While some backgrounds and effects are visually appealing, the stiff and simplistic character models are distracting. Although presented in high resolution, they fall into the uncanny valley. Furthermore, graphical anomalies, such as head movements within the neck and distorted facial models, detract from the visual experience. The graphics of Moebius are more reminiscent of early 2000s games than contemporary 2014 releases.
The audio consists of a satisfactory musical score, evocative of 90s Sierra games, and sampled speech. The voice acting is competent, although Malachi’s exaggerated British accent can be slightly grating. In conjunction with the simplified graphics and character models, the overall audio-visual presentation lacks polish. A cel-shaded, comic book-style aesthetic, similar to Broken Sword 5, which explores similar genre themes, could have been a fitting alternative.
However, the primary issue with Moebius is not its graphics or audio, but rather its pacing. The game feels remarkably sluggish. The character’s movement speed across the screen is often slow, and while double-clicking allows for quicker transitions, the game’s momentum is hampered by slow animations and unnecessarily lengthy scene changes. As a classic point-and-click adventure, the game relies on thorough exploration (fortunately, a highlight button identifies points of interest). However, the implementation is awkward, requiring Malachi to first acknowledge the need for an item, such as an oil can, before it can be acquired. The analysis component of the game incorporates mechanics reminiscent of Myst, requiring players to research alternatives and combine them. While this concept has potential, its execution is uninspired and technically underwhelming, further contributing to the slow pace.
Despite these shortcomings, we were motivated to continue playing Moebius to experience the full narrative. However, we encountered at least two instances where the game glitched, preventing further progress. While these issues may be resolved in the release version, releasing an unfinished product at full price would be unacceptable.
In conclusion, Moebius represents a missed opportunity for Jane Jensen’s storytelling abilities. A graphic novel adaptation of the story might have been a more compelling medium than this sluggish point-and-click adventure. While Moebius contains promising elements and innovative approaches, the risk is that players will lose patience before experiencing them. It is a missed opportunity and, in its current state and at its current price, we cannot recommend it. We will instead look forward to the Gabriel Knight remake.
Så här sätter vi betyg på Senses
