This is a masterful rebuttal to the cheap shovelware of the adult game genre. A well-told story that hits all the feels, interesting and likeable characters, and none of that creepy dubcon. I should qualify that last one with "as far as I know", because despite being a relatively long game, I'd only seen half the scenes by the time I reached the end. But I'd wager the other half is just as wholesome. It's still just a straight male hero fantasy though, which is why I only give it 5/5.
The visuals are good, and the voice acting is decent. But unfortunately, the writing is just awful. The main character constantly switches between embarassingly awkward, total creep, and pathological liar. The game gives you options, but more often than not, if you don't do the creepy thing, your storyline just won't progress, so it might as well not be a choice at all. The rest is just guessing what to tell people over and over until you manipulate them to do what you want, negging included. Even if you disregard manipulation, there's plenty of dubious consent to go around. If you like your games to respect its women, or even just the main character, steer clear.
This game is far more dystopian than its colorful and loving art gives it any right to be. It sinks like a knot of unease into your stomach and festers there as you shovel regrets upon semi-hollow victories to moody electronic music. It never rains. In the end it crushes you in unempathetic pragmatism that will leave you satisfyingly unsatisfied and depressed. This cyberpunk is the real deal, and I hate it, but I also love it.
This game is the last in the Myst series which uses pre-rendered graphics, and Cyan did not disappoint in that regard. It has the same panoramic view as Myst III, but with better resolution, more and better animations and effects, and the ability to tap on any nearby surface. The sound track is excellent as always. All put together, Myst IV offers the most satisfying exploration experience yet. The story and puzzles are a bit underwhelming, which is why I don't give it a 6 out of 5, but the game has something unique to offer, and is well worth your time.
