History VideoGame / GabrielKnight

* DarkerAndEdgier: Part of the reason these games stood out? They were Sierra entertainment games that not only had a serious plot, but complemented it with a DarkerAndEdgier setting to fit. Not to mention, they were for older players, but weren't enforcing strict adherence to code like ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest'' or were adult like ''LeisureSuitLarry''.

The first game was ''Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers''. Gabriel Knight is an author and owner of a bookstore in NewOrleans, as well as an investigator who uses his work as the basis for his novels. However, afflicted with [[NightmareDreams freaky dreams]] nightly, he comes to learn that he shares a family history with a local Voodoo sect within the city, one that hinges upon being able to free his bloodline from a curse that befell them years earlier. With the help of his assistant, Grace Nakamura, and local police Detective Franklin Mosely, Gabriel discovers his roots, learning that he is [[InTheBlood descended from a German family]], the Ritters, whose men were all ''[[TheHunter Schattenjägers]]'', tasked with taking out the supernatural {{Big Bad}}s of the world, which he accomplishes in this game by healing the [[WomanScorned bad blood]] between his bloodline and that of Malia Gedde, a N'Awlins resident who hides a [[AristocratsAreEvil dark secret]].

The first game was ''Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers''. Gabriel Knight is an author and owner of a bookstore in NewOrleans, as well as an investigator who uses his work as the basis for his novels. However, afflicted with [[NightmareDreams freaky dreams]] nightly, he comes to learn that he shares a family history with a local Voodoo sect within the city, one that hinges upon being able to free his bloodline from a curse that befell them years earlier. With the help of his assistant, Grace Nakimura, and local police Detective Franklin Mosely, Gabriel discovers his roots, learning that he is [[InTheBlood descended from a German family]], the Ritters, whose men were all ''[[TheHunter Schattenjägers]]'', tasked with taking out the supernatural {{Big Bad}}s of the world, which he accomplishes in this game by healing the [[WomanScorned bad blood]] between his bloodline and that of Malia Gedde, a N'Awlins resident who hides a [[AristocratsAreEvil dark secret]].

Finally comes ''[[LongTitle Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned]]''. Gabe and Grace are asked to protect a prince's son from [[OurVampiresAreDifferent a new supernatural threat]], and while they pursue the kidnappers, links to the [[KnightTemplar Knights Templar]] and even [[JesusSaves more incredible things]] are discovered the deeper they delve.

[[http://www.gog.com/en/frontpage/ The entire series is available for digital purchase from GOG.com.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: Part of the reason these games stood out? They were Sierra entertainment games that not only had a serious plot, but complemented it with a DarkerAndEdgier setting to fit. Not to mention, they were for older players, but weren't enforcing strict adherence to code like ''PoliceQuest'' or were adult like ''LeisureSuitLarry''.

* HyperspaceArsenal: Lampshaded at one point in ''Beast Within'', when Grace comes upon a quite large "PRIVAT" sign, about as long as someone's torso. To show that she's taking it with her, the actress -- the camera's POV being from the neckline up -- holds it upright and slides it down... [[VictoriasSecretCompartment somewhere]]... and then turns back around and walks back towards the camera. There's no noticable bulge in her clothing, and she's not wearing her large coat at the time. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxY8bBEQC78&t=4m18s It's actually rather amusing.]]

* PowerThroughPossession: [[spoiler: Malia Gedde. Justified as this is how Vodoun works.]]

* ButNotTooBlack: Malia Gedde has a bronze skin color, especially compared to Dr. John. This is {{Justified}} owever as Tetelo is "black-black" and Malia is implied to be the descendant of her and the German Gunter.

* ButNotTooBlack: Malia Gedde has a bronze skin color, especially compared to Dr. John.
** True, but Tetelo is "black-black" and Malia is implied to be the descendant of her and the German Gunter, thus [[JustifiedTrope justifying]] it.

** True, but Tetelo is "black-black" and Malia is implied to be the descendant of her and the German Gunter.

* SpeakingSimlish: Gabriel's cringe-worthy botching of German in ''The Beast Within definitely'' qualifies.

* HollywoodVoodoo: Zig-zagged, they make mentions to Vodoun, Hoodoo, and Gris-Gris, as well as mention that [[spoiler: a human sacrifice is very rarely demanded.]] It's also somewhat clever - the nickname "Voodoo Murders" is actually dubbed by the media; who is probably just as unaware of Voodoo as a lot of people might be at the time.

* HumanSacrifice: Features heavily in ''Sins of The Father''.

* MostWritersAreWriters: Gabriel, of course.

A series of PC [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] AdventureGame titles, created by Jane Jensen (who had worked on ''KingsQuestVI'') and published by {{Sierra}}, as well as [[CharacterTitle the name of their primary hero]].

Both a series of PC [[PointAndClickGame point-and-click]] AdventureGame titles, created by Jane Jensen (who had worked on ''KingsQuestVI'') and published by {{Sierra}}, as well as [[CharacterTitle the name of their primary hero]].

Next came ''The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery'', a FullMotionVideo entry which managed to buck the well-known trend of FMV games. This time, Gabriel has returned to his family home, Schloß Ritter, to [[WhoYouGonnaCall assist the local citizens]] with what they believe to be a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf attack]]. Grace, feeling snubbed back in New Orleans, books a flight out to join him, and the pair take their respective lines of research, resulting in the revelation that the werewolf in question has a history with KingLudwigII of Bavaria, one which nearly [[DeliverUsFromEvil takes Gabriel's very soul]].

* ThisIsSPARTA: [[spoiler:When werewolf-Gabriel is fleeing the scene of Von Glower's death and Leber has his gun trained on him.]]
-->'''Grace:''' "Let. Him. Go!"

* HeyItsThatVoice: TimCurry as Gabriel in the first and third installments. Also [[StarTrek Michael Dorn]] as Dr. John, and MarkHamill as Mosely! Iconic, veteran voice actors JeffBennett and JimCummings also had minor roles.

** Mild subversion: [[spoiler: von Glower can't kill von Zell because of their werewolf bond, and it's entirely possible the whole hunting trip was just a XanatosGambit to get Gabriel to do the job for him.]]

* FoeYay: [[spoiler:Gabriel and Von Glower]] -- very intentionally too.

* HoYay: plenty in ''The Beast Within''. Specifically, [[spoiler: von Glower's past lovers include Ludwig and von Zell, and he's [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Us4_nKLd1g&t=3m44s clearly]] interested in Gabriel as well.]]

* SpecialEffectFailure: The Beast Within, when it comes to the Werewolves. They are completely computer generated and looked awful(but not in the intended way) when the game was released. The fact that the Normal wolves are depicted via video footage of actual wolves makes the werewolves look even worse by comparison. The damage is limited by the fact the wolf-form werewolves get relatively little screen time until the end.

* PolygonCeiling: Part of the problem most people have with ''[=GK3=]''.

* [[AsYouKnowBob As You Know Gabriel]]: Some of the dialogue trees in the first game run into this.

Next came ''The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery'', a FullMotionVideo entry which managed to buck the well-known trend of FMV games. This time, Gabriel has returned to his family home, Schloß Ritter, to [[WhoYouGonnaCall assist the local citizens]] with what they believe to be a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf attack]]. Grace, feeling snubbed back in New Orleans, books a flight out to join him, and the pair take their respective lines of research, resulting in the revelation that the werewolf in question has a history with King Ludwig II of Bavaria, one which nearly [[DeliverUsFromEvil takes Gabriel's very soul]].

Finally comes ''[[LongTitle Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned]]'', which may or [[ContestedSequel may not be canon]], [[YourMileageMayVary depending on whom you ask]]. Gabe and Grace are asked to protect a prince's son from [[OurVampiresAreDifferent a new supernatural threat]], and while they pursue the kidnappers, links to the [[KnightTemplar Knights Templar]] and even [[JesusSaves more incredible things]] are discovered the deeper they delve.

* TheOtherDarrin: Dean Erickson replaces Tim Curry as Gabriel in ''The Beast Within''. Luckily (YourMileageMayVary) Curry returned for the 3rd game.

* TheDragon: Dr John.
* TheOtherDarrin: Dean Erickson replaces Tim Curry as Gabriel in ''The Beast Within''. Luckily (YourMileageMayVary) Curry returned for the 3rd game.

* BadassBookworm: Grace. [[IKnowKungFu She studied tai chi, too.]]