Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

  • Summary: Gray Matter is the first adventure game by renowned author Jane Jensen since the release of Gabriel Knight 3: the story mixes eerie goings-on with supernatural events in best Jensen-style. Neurobiologist Dr. David Styles is one of the game's central characters: since losing his wife in a horrible accident some several years ago, he has become a recluse, seldom leaving Dread Hill House, his English country estate. Collapse
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 27
  2. Negative: 1 out of 27
  1. Mar 13, 2011
    91
    Misdirection, manipulation, and an inventory filled with objects are the tools of the stage magician, but they're also the basics of the adventure-game genre. Why it's taken so long for the two to be combined is anyone's guess, but in Gray Matter, the fit is so natural that it seems like it's the way adventure games always should have been.
  2. Feb 12, 2011
    85
    This game would have been an oasis in the desert had it been released four or five years ago, but it still achieved to stand out in a genre with many other great adventures, thanks to its great story and puzzles.
  3. Feb 16, 2011
    74
    A welcome return for one of adventure gaming's patron designers, if not quite a glorious return to form.
  4. Mar 30, 2011
    40
    Beyond the poor dialogue, patchwork visuals and ridiculous interface of the console version, there is an interesting adventure game buried here.

See all 27 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. This is old-fashioned adventure gaming with a 21st century veneer. For the adventure gaming veterans, this is heaven. Gabriel Knight writer/designer Jane Jensen returns to create another paranormal mystery game with challenging puzzles and an intriguing plot. Expand
  2. 8
    Being a huge fan of the Gabriel Knight series, I was looking forward to this for years. And I have to say it... only partly disappointed. Yes, it is not the genius game that I would have hoped for. Not as dark as I had hoped (which I was already afraid of when i saw the age rating for the first time) and sometimes, the production value was disappointing. Not in terms of gameplay graphics though. In my opinion, those are absolutely gorgeous and quite a bit more detailed than I expected! In harsh contrast to back then when I first played Gabriel Knight 3, which was not on par with games released back then. No, what was disappointing in terms of production value to me was the fact that apparently, at least two major characters were dubbed by the same voice actress. Maybe even three. I simply was unable to get over that. The cheap style of the cut scenes was also not something I particularly enjoyed but I was able to get used to that after a while. As far as other things are concerned... I felt that the difficulty was alright, I actually applaud the fact that there were only roughly as much as needed interactive objects in the environment (pretty much like Gabriel Knight 2 & 3, not the confusing mass of details as in "classic" adventure games such as also for instance Gabriel Knight 1) and the story clearly has its Jane Jensen mark (which I consider to be a very good thing). So all in all, I hope that this will generate enough budget for there to be a sequel and hopefully the few issues mentioned above will be taken care of then. I would love nothing more than to have another true Jane Jensen masterpiece in my hands. Expand
  3. We didn't see very often in adventure games the same product quality like Gray matter. The game has bring a fresh air to this kind of games, has a nice lyric story, nice graphics and memorable characters. Nice game for all the adventure fans. Expand
  4. Solid adventure with a nice storyline. Graphics are nice, riddles are okay. Gamelength is ok for adventures.
    Nothing really impressive, but g
    ood enough for adventure fans. Expand

See all 7 User Reviews