Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father®

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Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® is a single player puzzle game with horror and thriller themes. It was developed by Sierra On-Line and was released on August 29, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

In "Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers" , Gabriel Knight, a Shadow Hunter, delves into the world of voodoo to uncover the truth about his family's curse and its connection to a series of gruesome murders in New Orleans. As he navigates the city's dark alleys and supernatural secrets, he must also confront his own nightmares. This stylish and richly written game is a neo-Gothic computer novel that combines elements of detective work, horror, and psychological thriller.

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Single-Player

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® screenshot

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 144 reviews

story48 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features an engaging and well-written story that captivates players with its dark themes and intriguing plot twists.
The voice acting is top-notch, featuring well-known actors like Tim Curry and Mark Hamill, which adds depth and charm to the characters.
The pixel art and atmosphere effectively capture the essence of New Orleans, enhancing the overall immersive experience.

The gameplay can be frustrating due to pixel hunting and convoluted puzzles that often require a guide to navigate.
The interface is clunky, with multiple action icons that can slow down interactions and make gameplay tedious.
Some players find the narrator's voice annoying, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The game's story is widely praised for its engaging and well-crafted narrative, featuring strong characterization and intriguing plot twists, particularly within the supernatural and detective genres. Many players appreciate the depth and charm of the story, enhanced by excellent voice acting from notable actors, although some find the pacing slow and the puzzles frustrating. Overall, the narrative is considered a highlight, making it a memorable experience for fans of classic point-and-click adventure games.
- “Combining superb characterization with detective work and the supernatural, players become hooked on Gabriel Knight's story and impelled to follow his story to the end.”
- “The story is a delight, while being campy and over the top.”
- “The well-researched story, populated by strong characters in a classic New Orleans setting, evokes all human emotions through its course, culminating in a climactic ending with multiple outcomes and setting the stage for a new franchise.”
- “Spent the other half realizing my grandma’s attic has more plot twists than Netflix.”
- “At other times, using items in the game world almost feels random, leaving the player frantically trying anything to get the story to progress.”
- “It wasn't the story, because I didn't get to see much of that.”
graphics
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic charm with their pixel art style, appealing to fans of retro gaming, but they also present significant challenges for modern players, particularly in highlighting interactive objects. While some appreciate the artistic effort and voice acting, many reviewers criticize the outdated visuals for making gameplay frustrating, especially when it comes to locating essential items. Overall, the graphics are a divisive aspect, with a clear divide between those who cherish the retro aesthetic and those who find it detrimental to the gaming experience.
- “The graphics are great for their time, but interactive objects are in no way highlighted and can be easily missed.”
- “I played this game almost 30 years ago; the original voice acting, music, and pixel graphics are entertaining, beautiful, and totally charming.”
- “Charming graphics with well-done pixels, fantastic voice acting, and an easy interface makes this a breeze.”
- “I remember playing it 30 years ago and enjoying it, but now I am too used to games with better visuals and the ease of the cursor changing when it hit something to look at or pick up.”
- “I realize this is almost 30 years old, but the graphics make it really hard to see important items that you need to pick up or objects that you need to interact with.”
- “Yes, you heard right, the graphics are the #1 reason why I cannot recommend this game and no, it’s not because I like to look at pretty graphics.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
24%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with a soundtrack that beautifully captures the essence of New Orleans and enhances the overall atmosphere. Featuring a mix of styles from dixieland to blues, the score is noted for its ability to elevate the game's mood and complement its engaging narrative. Additionally, the inclusion of notable voice actors like Tim Curry and Mark Hamill adds to the immersive experience, making the music a standout element in this classic adventure game.
- “The soundtrack by Robert Holmes is one of the best of its era.”
- “The first time I heard any of the mystic and tribal music, I had to sit for a minute to just appreciate it.”
- “A unique mature script with beautiful art, amazing soundtrack, and nice full voice acting makes this game the best adventure of Sierra and one of the best point-and-click adventure games of all time.”
- “The game seems really proud of its soundtrack because it’s sometimes louder than the voice acting.”
- “It's got an excellent story with an evolving mystery that keeps you guessing, and plenty of optional information for you to read (you can ask anyone about anything if you so desire), and really fitting music straight out of a B movie.”
- “Despite being reliant on subjective taste, it must be said that the background MIDI music often accentuates the mood and heightens the ambiance, further expanding the already exceeding qualities of a game world that is constantly captivating.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The gameplay in this adventure game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the rewarding puzzles and exploration, while others criticize the clunky mechanics and pixel hunting that can lead to frustration. Although the game offers a nostalgic experience with its retro style, the static environments and slow animations may detract from the overall enjoyment. Players are advised to consult the manual for better understanding, as the gameplay often relies on intuition and exploration typical of early 90s point-and-click titles.
- “The gameplay is good; there's a nice mix and ratio of exploration, dialogue, and puzzles.”
- “But overall, this is really a must-have if you're down for that retro style and solid gameplay.”
- “It's a journey of adventure, insight, and the voice acting of Tim Curry, and if you're willing to pull up a strategy guide, you'll have a bloody good time.”
- “Unfortunately, pixel hunting is a major mechanic for making advancements.”
- “But the puzzles, riddles, and gameplay are somewhat clunky and sometimes far off any logical patterns that I cannot recommend this game.”
- “Despite all the nice things I have to say about this game, what really kills the experience is the gameplay and the graphics…”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its ridiculous characters, particularly Gabriel, and the engaging voice acting, especially Tim Curry's performance, which adds a comedic flair. While the game balances macabre themes with lighthearted moments, some players noted that the humor is sometimes overshadowed by frustrating gameplay elements like pixel hunting and obtuse puzzles. Overall, the witty dialogue and character interactions contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The characters are ridiculous and funny, especially Gabriel.”
- “I also loved the voice acting; it's pretty funny at times!”
- “Gabriel and Tim Curry's hilariously suave performance are really what hold this game up.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its exceptional aural qualities and immersive storytelling, creating a rich and engaging experience. Despite some minor frustrations with gameplay mechanics, the dark and compelling atmosphere, along with well-developed characters and themes, contribute to its lasting appeal. Overall, it is regarded as a standout title that effectively captures and maintains a captivating ambiance.
- “Their intonation is also remarkable in creating an aural atmosphere that is exceptional and worthy of the highest praise.”
- “The game does contain a certain degree of pixel hunting and there are one or two frustrating puzzles that you will most likely have to Google, but the story, the atmosphere, the characters, the areas... it's all really good.”
- “The user interface is not as clean as later ones in the category (e.g. Broken Sword), but the dark atmosphere is compensating.”
- “This game drips with atmosphere and oozes personality.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's optimization is characterized by static environments and slow, stiff animations, which do not significantly detract from gameplay or interactions. The unique performances of characters, particularly by Gabriel and Tim Curry, enhance the overall experience despite these limitations.
- “From the playable character to the narrator and all supporting characters, each individual is unique in their performance and exists as their own protagonist in a cast that is rich with diversity.”
- “Gabriel and Tim Curry's hilariously suave performance are really what hold this game up.”
- “Because environments are mostly static, and because animations are slow and stiff, this poor performance does not hinder gameplay or cause any obvious aggravation to the interactions.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly due to pixelated graphics and repetitive interactions with characters, which often require asking the same questions multiple times for varied responses.
- “The pixelated graphics make the grinding feel tedious.”
- “Speaking with characters can be tedious when the same question must be asked multiple times for a chance at distinct answers.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game excels in character development, highlighted by a compelling story and well-crafted character design that enhances the overall experience.
- “The strong point of this game is definitely the story and the excellent character design.”

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32h Median play time

24h Average play time

8-40h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® is a puzzle game with horror and thriller themes.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Ms Dos.

On average players spend around 24 hours playing Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father®.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® was released on August 29, 2016.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® was developed by Sierra On-Line.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father® is a single player game.

Similar games include The Drifter, The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight® Mystery, Kathy Rain, Broken Sword, Sanitarium and others.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father®

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