Let's Play KGB!

[rpgcodexusername]

so what happens if you kill the impersonator?

 

[Tintin]

The game doesn't let you do that. There aren't multiple endings or anything.

 

[Wyrmlord]

I just used Google to search "Cryo KGB" and this thread is third or fourth thing to pop up, coming only after the Wikipedia entry and a download on an abandonware site.

This is an extremely obscure and unknown game. The kind that you can only stumble upon by sheer luck.

God, I wish some more publicity was given to such a fine game.

 

[Guillaume777]

Any other game similar to KGB?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Any other game similar to KGB?

If there is, it's even more obscure than this game already is.

Cryo did some fantastic stuff back in the day, before they made Atlantis and eventually fucked off. I'm actually replaying Dune right now. Goddamn, what a nice adventure/strategy hybrid it is!

edit: Check out Dune. I command you.

 

[Guillaume777]

Any other game similar to KGB?

If there is, it's even more obscure than this game already is.

Cryo did some fantastic stuff back in the day, before they made Atlantis and eventually fucked off. I'm actually replaying Dune right now. Goddamn, what a nice adventure/strategy hybrid it is!

edit: Check out Dune. I command you.

Actually, Dune is the game I played right before getting into KGB....

Agreed, great game.

 

[Guillaume777]

Another game I found quite cool: Frederik Pohl's Gateway.

 

[shihonage]

In fact being a former commie I can say that they were in good contact with ex-soviet guys. Because the game is a good criminal parody of USSR of that period and nicely laughs at its stereotypical views of the West. Thus not only for ex-soviets but rather it is a game that nicely fits its time and for the people who remember it.

Being a former commie, I concur with above evaluation. The game looks surprisingly authentic.

 

[redd]

Hi !

I'm french and my english is probably not very good, but I'll do my best to explain my thoughts.

KGB is one of my favorite adventure games, maybe the first actually. I've played it for the first time when I was 12 years old (I'm 29 now) and I frequently still play. Another french guy has even wrote a fantastic novel based on the adventure of Rukov. Really wonderful.

By the way, I've registered to this forum because it's the only one I found talking about KGB (congratulation for this thread !). And despite I played and finished the game hundreds of times, I've got some unanswered questions about it. Actually, I've made a powerpoint schema to represent all the factions and interactions, and I want to complete it I really hope you'll help me.

Sorry, but it will be long


1) RENKO
I'll begin by the less interesting question. I dunno the US version, but in the French version, there is a mention about a "Renko" character. More precisely, when we meet Savinkov for the first time, he says : "You're not Renko, are you ? I come in, rukov."

Renko ? I tought it was a kind of "password" but if it was, it would have been written in the orders mission. And by the way, Savinkov shows us his papers. It seems really strange. And I'm quite certain that the "renko" name is used in other part of the game (but a non important part, like a possible answer to a multiple choice replies).



2) GOLITSIN

Now, let's talk about Golitsin.First, if I'm right, the only official reason to investigate about him is because he was a former KGB agent. Right ? Ok, but he's a detective now. So it's quite normal he's doing some investigation. When Rukov discovered the tape, talking about a appointment with "hollywood", why the KGB has deciced to investigate more ?

Of course, the real hidden reason is that Dept P wanted to bring Rukov to Leningrad in order to investigate about Kusnetsov. Ok, what about the offical reason ? A guy (Golitsin) wants to investigate about Hollywood... So what ? At this moment of the game, Rukov has'nt seen the video. So nobody saw the false KGB agent in the snuff movies. So, what is the relation with "corruption in KGB", which is the official reason for existence of Dept P ?

Maybe there is a thing I didn't understood in the tape. Actually, there is. Golitsin talks about a "jealous husband" ("mari jaloux", in French). Who the hell is he ? Is there a relation with KGB ? With Verto ? Or just another Golitsin's investigation ?


Other question about Golitsin. Who killed him ? I assume he was murdered by Dept P guys (Savinkov, Vovlov or Galushkin) in order to "force" Rukov to investigate and be sent to Leningrad. Am I right ?


3) RUKOV'S FATHER

Offically, he was murdered by a terrorist. If I remember, an Afhgan Terrorist. And this guy was killed by Galushkin. Ok.
Why ?
Verto was an Afghan fighters, as Yakuchev was. Verto has a photography of the murder. But why ?
- why Verto has this photo ? what's the purpose of this photo ? why does it keep it years after the murder ?
- why murderering Rukov's father ?

The only think I can figure is that our father was (simply) investigating on the Verto's Snuff Videos and get killed by Verto's friends. But i t would be a bit disappointed, if we consider the global and complexe scenario. If that's so, why Vanya or Galuskin didn't use this reason to put Rukov on this investigation ? And does'nt it strange that a KGB colonel (our father) investigate on this ?



4) PROTOPOPOV AND TSIBULENKO

This poor Protopopov was captured and modified in order to look like Gorbatchev. Thanks to the wonrderful works of Tsibulenko, his personnality would have been erased and replaced by a "programmed dialog", exactly what he says at the end of the game.

But we know that Protopopov has been "stolen" by Yakuchef BEFORE he could see Tsibulenko (Tsibulenko has never seen Protopopov). So, why does Protopopov says the "programmed dialog" at the end of the game, thanks to the vocal password "New Birth" ?

It seems that he has been programmed before entering into Russia (maybe in Helsinki or USA ?). It seems that Tsibulenko's job was useless. I know that Savinko says something like "to complete and accurate the programming", but when we see Tsibulenko, we get the feeling that his works are revolutionnary. So I wonder why Protopopov has been already programmed...



5) VOVLOV
Now, the most important point. We know that he was supposed to work for Vanya. His mission was to "infilter" (good word ?) the New Birdh organization (Savinkov, Galushkin, Agabekov) to make their plan fail.

And, by the way, he was working on it ! He tried to convince Galushkin (and killed him ^^), he killed Savinkov and he wanted to kill Protopopov (which is needed for the New Birth Conspiracy). If there wasn't his last sentence, everything would have been clear for me : he wanted to take all glory for him (he saves Gorbatchev and ruins the Conspiracy), therefore he wanted to kill Rukov and Vanya (to be the only one Hero).

But... But... But... he says a strange sentence before dying : "too late, our communist heroes have arrested the president [...] Gorbatchev's finished".

??!! This sentence is a typical "New Birth Guy's sentence". "Communist Heroes" implies that Vovlov wanted a return of Communist Terror like in Staline times. That is exactly what New Birth Guys wanted. But Vovlov wanted to KILL protopopov, and make the conspiracy fail. So, why did he say that ?



6) Little and last (and least) question : Were the Paymat guys at the beach ? I know Yakuchev was killed, but why nobody from Pamyat was protecting Protopopov ? Really unexpected.




It would be nice if your eventual answers do mention of the numero I put before my questions ^^ Thanks in advance.

 

[Renko]

1) RENKO
I'll begin by the less interesting question. I dunno the US version, but in the French version, there is a mention about a "Renko" character. More precisely, when we meet Savinkov for the first time, he says : "You're not Renko, are you ? I come in, rukov."

Renko ? I tought it was a kind of "password" but if it was, it would have been written in the orders mission. And by the way, Savinkov shows us his papers. It seems really strange. And I'm quite certain that the "renko" name is used in other part of the game (but a non important part, like a possible answer to a multiple choice replies).

Either it's a password Rukov was told about orally, or Savinkov is talking to the guy he's wrestling... unless he already killed him by that point?

On a sidenote, the name could be a reference to fictional Russian detective Arkady Renko (featured in six novels by Martin Cruz Smith and a couple of films, IIRC).

2) GOLITSIN
(...)Actually, there is. Golitsin talks about a "jealous husband" ("mari jaloux", in French). Who the hell is he ? Is there a relation with KGB ? With Verto ? Or just another Golitsin's investigation ?

Other question about Golitsin. Who killed him ? I assume he was murdered by Dept P guys (Savinkov, Vovlov or Galushkin) in order to "force" Rukov to investigate and be sent to Leningrad. Am I right ?

Jealous Husband is most definitely KGB, and he got Golitsin killed. He's probably Vovlov or Galushkin? Savinkov less likely, since he's in Leningrad. I got the same feeling you did about the reason for his murder.

3) RUKOV'S FATHER

Offically, he was murdered by a terrorist. If I remember, an Afhgan Terrorist. And this guy was killed by Galushkin. Ok.
Why ?
Verto was an Afghan fighters, as Yakuchev was. Verto has a photography of the murder. But why ?
- why Verto has this photo ? what's the purpose of this photo ? why does it keep it years after the murder ?
- why murderering Rukov's father ?

The only think I can figure is that our father was (simply) investigating on the Verto's Snuff Videos and get killed by Verto's friends. But i t would be a bit disappointed, if we consider the global and complexe scenario. If that's so, why Vanya or Galuskin didn't use this reason to put Rukov on this investigation ? And does'nt it strange that a KGB colonel (our father) investigate on this ?

Didn't this murder happen years ago? Rukov's father was very likely working on something else. I assume it's a coincidence that Rukov met his father's murderers while investigating.

4) PROTOPOPOV AND TSIBULENKO

5) VOVLOV

6) Little and last (and least) question : Were the Paymat guys at the beach ? I know Yakuchev was killed, but why nobody from Pamyat was protecting Protopopov ? Really unexpected.

4 and 5 are problematic. I don't know. It could be explained but I don't think we'll ever know the truth (unless we get hold of the game's programmers).

6: Seems like a plot hole. Keeping Protopopov unguarded in some art gallery (horrible idea for a secret hideout to begin with) is hard to believe. Pragmatically I think the programmers just needed a way for Rukov to reach Protopopov without having to go through yet another complicated section... The game was long and hard enough as it was. Right?

 

[Wyrmlord]

No, it still doesn't make sense.

The coincidence of 'Hollywood' Verto having the very photos of Maksimovich's father and uncle stepping into a car and that car exploding - the very same person that Maksimovich was investigating in smut film scandal and KGB corruption.

And when you consider that Maksimovich's uncle ultimately turns out to be the one who orchestrated having him pushed into this case clearly shows that there must have been something going on.

 

[Renko]

Either way I don't think we have any reason to believe Rukov's father was working on the same case (especially since it happened years ago). Perhaps Uncle Vanya investigated that murder himself and found out about New Birth that way. Yakuchev might very well be the killer, and he's involved in New Birth.

 

[Gondolin]

Hey, this is an awesome thread! I just started reading it out of idle interest, but soon found myself glued to the screen! Brilliant job, Tintin, and thanks for starting it, Wyrmlord!

What he said.

 

[Luzur]

haha Kuk-ov.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

RenzoKUKEN.

 

[Luzur]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlRmTybP1eQ

 

[Andyman Messiah]

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Match made in heaven or the two first horsemen of the apocalypse?

DISCUSS!!

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Match made in heaven or the two first horsemen of the apocalypse?

DISCUSS!!

Fixed.

 

[Luzur]

but which ones? War and Plague?

now that is the question.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Final Faggotry and Socialism.

(Spoiler: The other two are Sodomy and Inane.)

 

[Ozrat]

Yeah, see... it's serious... but it's also funny! Get it?

"Well. we have to have a sense of humor about things. It's just too serious, we have to be serious enough." ~ Rev. Billy

 

[Guillaume777]

Any other game similar to KGB?

If there is, it's even more obscure than this game already is.

Cryo did some fantastic stuff back in the day, before they made Atlantis and eventually fucked off. I'm actually replaying Dune right now. Goddamn, what a nice adventure/strategy hybrid it is!

edit: Check out Dune. I command you.

I heard the game Maupiti Island, and to a lesser extend the game It Came from the Desert, are both somewhat similar to KGB. Anyone has an opinion on this?

 

[Quilty]

The Dune hybrid is absolutely amazing. Another game KGB reminded me of is Hidden Agenda, a great (and pretty grim) simulator of governing a chaotic banana republic.

 

[Luzur]

Final Faggotry and Socialism.

(Spoiler: The other two are Sodomy and Inane.)

SOCIALISM?!?!

D:<

i would prefer paganism instead.

also, isnt this game also available as the Nazi Paradox?