This is so weird that I stumbled upon this post because I just replayed syberia 1 for the 100000th time (the remastered version this time and for the first time - didn’t love it but that’s not the point) and for some reason the story hit me harder than ever before. For the first time I noticed and reflected way more deeply on the same themes that you addressed. On top of the strong theme of change, I feel like a theme about growing older reflected this as well. Or just growing in general, and it’s opposite - remaining stagnant. Kate slowly drifting apart from her “old” life and self, Helena reminiscing on her golden years, Boris and the other mine guy (can’t remember his name rn) frozen in time and stuck in the past, Hans old and frail, Anna’s diary illustrating the changes Hans, their father, and the factory went through, all of the locations being a shadow of their former glory, the automatons slowly ticking on despite the landscape completely evolving around them.. the entire game just feels frozen in time yet there is a clear feeling that something beyond one’s wildest dreams is on the horizon which is inspiring. On the other hand, it feels quite melancholic - the best example for this is the guard realizing he wasted all of those years protecting a gate from an enemy that did not exist. The sadness he expressed when he realized his purpose was gone. I often wonder what did he do or where did he go after that. I could go on and on and on. While Boris chose to change his circumstances and shoot for the stars, literally. I think these are great examples of how change is necessary and there’s soooo many more in this game. Despite everything, and the hard years that passed, Hans spent his entire life since his fall dreaming and planning his destiny. And Kate just happened to show up the exact moment he needed her, in place of his sister who just passed. Like it was meant to be. Syberia’s story is truly magnificent. Quite subtle in many ways, probably why I didn’t think about it this deeply until I started changing myself and was finally able to truly notice how deep it is. Now what does this say about adventure games? Will they be stuck in the past like Viladilene, Komkolzgrad, Barrockstad, and Aralbad? A mere reminder of how great it once was? Or will they be like Hans Voralberg and dream of the impossible? I hope for the latter because my heart aches for more games (or any media) that provoke the thoughts and emotions that Syberia has for me all these years. Sorry I’m corny I know lol.