Myst Masterpiece Edition

I have no nostalgic memories of this game, but I give it 5 stars because what it does it does pretty well, despite the now dated graphics and mildly annoying navigation--you can basically only go forward, back, left and right, and sometimes there are more than one forward target so you have to guess where to click to go in the right direction. What the game does well is pretty much everything else, because it's unique in that it is an adventure game and you get to piece together a story whilst exploring the island, but there is no enemy to defeat and no threat to your life. All the puzzles have solid logic behind them, the only times when I needed any hint was if I'd overlooked some detail (I am not patient enough to keep searching forever), but generally the hints the environment provides are enough to keep going if you're observant enough. There is a variety of puzzles using sequences of symbols, sounds or switches and the like, and it's useful to write down hints because you never know exactly when you will need which one, especially when you start exploring the island. However despite the game being peaceful overall, it's the absence of enemies and creatures that sometimes makes it creepy--you'll still feel apprehensive about going down into a dark basement full of strange contraptions, even if you know rationally that you can't die in the game (especially if you play in the dead of the night). Bonus points for having books as integral part of the story.

I copied the files from the Windows 10 GOG installation on the tablet and played this classic game on Android using ScummVM. A very relaxing experience, to just lay back and navigate with the tap of one finger. Admittedly, no matter what platform, the rotation is, at times, a bit disorienting (it's not always clear how many degrees you're turning, sometimes 180, sometimes 90... 45...) but manageable. For the rest, I enjoyed the concise story and I loved the puzzles. It is extremely satisfying, when the seemingly jumble of switches and levers gradually starts to make complete sense. I did seek out single hints just a couple of times. I wonder if I hadn't though, as the solutions were logical and after that, the times I chose to bite through, it clicked eventually - even for the rail section... eventually. Very useful: the option to make the Selenitic Age puzzle more forgiving -- I'm good with sounds but pretty tone deaf.

I bought this in a Carboot sale for 50 pence in the 2018. I was surprised i had no pc to play it on but gog did a good job by supporting it on new OS platforms. Thank you gog.

Seriously, I too dismissed it as a fancy visual novel with point and click logic, it's not. While the game only gives you a note to go off of, it is designed to be intuitive and easy to figure out the logic just by clicking randomly. Best analogy I can think of is fiddling with an old toy that has secret compartments, you experiment with the buttons until something happens, and if you get stuck you can find the manuel inside the messy drawer that's nearby. I will give this tip for free though, try holding down the lever.

I remember when my parents got Myst several years ago, or at least my mom did. She didn't want me to play it without her at first, so I just watched the making and I was so intrigued, even at only 6 years old, that I couldn't help but start a new game without her. Over the next several months my parents and I worked at that game through, since we were new to the genre, and kept the original paperback journal full of our notes, sketches of maps, notes of where things were.. It was amazing. I don't think I've ever gotten so into a game until I got Riven. Both games are truly a must-have and encourage critical thinking -- something we really lack in modern games. 5/5 from me!