The 1993 release of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers was something of a departure for Sierra, which was, and is, better known for light-hearted fare like King's Quest , Space Quest and Leisure Suit Larry . Even so, the supernatural horror adventure about a New Orleans bookstore owner was a hit, spawning two sequels and, soon, a 20th Anniversary Edition remake.
The remake is being developed by Phoenix Online Studios of Moebius and Cognition: An Erica Reed Thrille fame, while original Gabriel Knight creator Jane Jensen, whose Pinkerton Road studio licensed the property from Activision, is serving as the game designer and creative director.
This is relevant, because the 20th Anniversary Edition won't be a straight-up re-release of the 1993 game. It will add more puzzles, scenes and "New Orleans flavor" to the story, along with new, high-resolution artwork, a remastered soundtrack, and all-new voices recorded under Jensen's direction. That last part may be disappointing for long-time fans but as the FAQ at GabrielKnight20th.com explains, the original recordings were lost and the quality of the audio stripped from the 1993 release was too poor to use in the new game.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition will also include behind-the-scenes content like concept art, magazine articles, and interviews with Jensen and other members of the original Gabriel Knight development team. It launches on October 15, but preorders can be placed now at Steam , GOG and the Phoenix Online Store .
