Myst Masterpiece Edition

Myst was my introduction to the world of adventure gaming and I immediately fell head over heels in love with it. I'm still in love with it, having bought its various incarnations over the years and none of those statements is particularly apt for me as I don't fall in love with games. I like some a lot and repeatedly play them, others I play once or twice then forget all about them. But Myst was the one that started me off on the adventure genre and I've stuck with it ever since. There are many, many other later games that are flashier, better looking and more complex, but the simplicity and beauty of Myst ticks all the boxes for me. If you are thinking of trying one out for the first time, then look no further. Myst is a fabulous introduction to the genre and there really aren't enough superlatives to describe this game. Go on, do yourself a favour and get it. You won't be sorry.

I'm a little surprised to see how many reviews mention problems with Windows 7. I ran it on Windows 7 64-bit and it worked flawlessly, saving and loading included. Anyway, I played this game back when it first came out, so I may be somewhat biased, but I think it's still fun. The graphics aren't as impressive anymore- they used to have a sort of haunting beauty back when this sort of computer-generated landscape was brand new and nobody had ever seen it before, but by today's standards they look a bit plain. However, some areas, particularly Sirrus and Achenar's rooms in the various Ages, are still very atmospheric and highly-detailed, and the graphics are still far superior to many other games on GoG. The acting is a bit cheesier than I remembered, but not outright bad, and the sound and music are still excellent, though the music seems to change rather abruptly and often. Most importantly, the puzzles are excellent. They seem much easier now- I only remembered the tiniest fragments of their solutions as it's been well over a decade since I played Myst, but it still only took two or three hours to beat the game. However, the solutions always make sense without being too obvious and spoiling the feeling of being rather clever when you do discover the answer. I'm not sure modern gamers can appreciate Myst as well as those who played it in its original context, but I think there's still enough good design and atmosphere there for a fun experience, if a rather short one. Definitely a highly-recommended classic- at the very least, pick it up if it's on sale sometime.

Myst is quite possibly the very first game I played in my life. Seventeen years later, I finally acquired and finished it. The story and art of the game are really its strongest points, and the puzzles are (mostly) interesting. Even without rose-tinted glasses, the game's pre-rendered backgrounds still look fantastic. It has a couple of issues that really stood out for me, though. First, of course, the interface could be better. At times, finding your way around the screen can be quite hard, although understanding the scenario and recognising what is important, a common issue in adventure games, is not present here. All important items are clearly visible, just hard to click sometimes. The exception is Channelwood, the forest age, which is horrendous to navigate. Second is the ending. Myst could really have done with a clear ending, rather than a forced sequel hook. It makes it feel as though you just haven't finished the game yet, but got taken away from it halfway through. Some people don't mind this, but it is a personal issue of mine that stories should have a clear ending. Overall, it's still an excellent game, and its puzzles do keep you entertained if you like thinking about what you're doing, but not having played Riven or any of the other games in the Myst series, I would say it was lacking in the respects I mentioned.

Myst is an immersion experience like no other. It will challenge you and test your patience on so many levels. The game is designed so well (and not every part of that design was intentional as the creators have freely admitted) that it is simply un-repeatable in any other attempt. If you have never played Myst (you must be very young, or have lived under a rock for twenty years) please don't bother speculating on whether to spend your time playing the game, just play it.

Back when Myst was all the hype I didn't really like it all. I also didn't make it very far. I think, I only managed to visit one of the other ages and got stuck there. This time around I did far better, although I'm not quite sure why. Experience with dozens of other adventures and puzzle games I've played in the meantime, perhaps. Surprisingly, I've been able to solve all puzzles, I just had to consult a walkthrough at one point because I had overlooked a door - I blame the pixelated graphics for that! The 'story', though, is just as bad as it was the first time. The amateurish video snippets are painful to watch. And the ending was very, very disappointing. The game is also much shorter than I thought. It only took me about 8 hours to complete. Still, I don't regret to give it another go. This time around I felt almost all of the puzzles actually made sense. Only two times I had to resort to a bit of try and error. You really need patience, though. Especially in the maze... (paying attention to the sounds makes it slightly less annoying). You're also expected to make notes. Mapping is thankfully not required since the Masterpiece addition comes with maps (although I did some mapping anyway). Oh and one final tip: Moving around feels quite erratic in this game. At times it can be really hard to tell where you have to click and where you end up after clicking. I've found it really helps to turn around in a circle after every move. This way you won't miss any pathways and get a much better idea where you currently are.