Uru: Complete Chronicles

I feel that the Myst games leading up to Uru were trying to become it, and then following its success a steep decline into oblivion as it couldn't be topped. There's a sense of place here, which is important to me. Some will wax poetic about point & click purity, ordaining us from on high with their perspective of what is or is not a true Myst game. I can't agree, as I don't share that priority. Quite to the contrary, I felt the freedom of movement in Uru (along with the ability to jump) only added to a truly immersive experience. It was really a place, and you were in it. Journals portraying rounded characters with very real motivations and their opinions on the brave new worlds they'd found themselves in. Alien fauna and flora that demanded attention, from peculiar barrel-shaped trees which seemingly breathe of their own accord to an insectoid whale creature which one of the humans had woven a mythology around. Here's the thing. You're not just Some Guy in Uru. You are you. And you're not the only one who's been there. So you'll read other people marvelling at things as you certainly will, of their efforts and challenges with fixing up the alien worlds they found themselves in. And to be sure, this is all about the alien worlds called ages, it's not about just one place but myriad and diverse places which inspire awe. There are so many touches and so much attention to detail that amounts to believable worlds, which become real to you, of which you'll have fond memories of forever if you've but an ounce of childlike wonder. It's truly marvellous, it's more like walking around in the imaginations of others than most games have even come close to being, and it certainly achieves it far, far better than any other Cyan title to date. I'd say even more so than the recent Obduction. At times, you'll feel like a tourist on a lonely journey, visiting alien locales without a guide, casting your wide-eyed gaze over unfamiliar vistas. It's really an incredible feeling.

I absolutely love this game, and I was devastated when my hard copy stopped working on newer computers... And then this! This game is very immersive and atmospheric. Great to play with headphones and all the lights out. This was the first Myst game that strayed from the first person only gameplay format. It was way ahead of it's time. If you like solving puzzles while viewing truly epic and artistic scenery then this game is for you.

Really disappointed buying this. I had it as a kid, but had no memory of it so decided to buy it after really enjoying myst, riven and exile all over again. Uru does have some pleasing aesthetics, but the game shows you touching wall hangings (there is a pointless explanation at the start) in every age to open a master door is the order of proceedings. It's not that bad of an idea, but the game controls are horrible and awkward. Your avatar is wooden and clunky. Early on there are things you have to push around with your feet which you have no ability to pick up. The camera will randomly take you on a cinematic adventure as you are forced to watch your avatar do something even when you ticked the option to stay in first person. I guess this wasn't as bad at launch and the graphics probably smoothed out some of the games other issues, but moving your character around is not a pleasant experience. The other node based games in the series make you feel excited, ready for adventure and relaxed. Uru makes you tear your hair out as your avatar pings over a box or while having to use third person mode because trying to jump in first person is impossible the camera will deceive you and your avatar will jump gaily into a random patch of thin air. I'm so glad obduction exists and the team came back on form because uru was a real miss step for the genre. The final kick in the teeth I discovered you can get uru live still - essentially the same game for free. Wasted money.

Even though this is an older game I like to play to relax.

My first ever video game experience was a free game bundled with some hardware I bought to build my first computer. That was Myst. With Uru, it was fun to do an animated version. Puzzles are quite the challenge even now. I discovered trying to take advantage of my much higher end machine that the old graphics has holes in it. To solve some problems I had to set the graphics lower.