I love this kind of games, the Myst style game. We don't get often this kind of adventures, it's a shame.
The devellopers did a very good job, beautiful graphics and sounds. The voices are well done as well, good atmosphere.
This game is huge and I have to admit, some puzzles are hard, I needed some help from a walkthrough. But that's me, maybe you think it's easy and that's fine. We are all different.... are we?
Again, if you like Obduction, Myst etc., buy it!
Just finished this game -- wow! Others are correct that it's very Myst-like, but that isn't a bad thing at all. The graphics, puzzles, environments, and especially SOUNDTRACK are top notch. Recommend!
If you like puzzle adventures in general (or Myst specifically), try Quern. It's one of the better games in the genre. Nice distinct world and art style, packed with puzzles, a story that unfolds nicely, many small surprises, and a good soundtrack. Biggest downside is that some specific puzzles are weak in the sense that their clues are too obscured, or that they require too many inventory objects. But overall, it's an experience I can easily recommend.
This Myst-inspired game is well-made, enjoyable, but it's on the easy side. I'm a veteran of Myst games (and so are many who will play this game), and Quern posed very little challenge to me at all. All the tropes, the puzzle style and design are instantly recognizable to Myst players. This game is perhaps too much homage to Myst games and too few original ideas. Room rotation, check. Audio puzzle, check. Exotic runes of an alien civilization, check. Recipes for potions, locks and keys, and on and on. Quern's designers copied the style, but not the difficulty and innovativeness of the Myst games. Add a star if the lack of difficulty doesn't bother you.
When previous reviewers declared this game as a 'Rive/Myst' clone, the expectations were of course already extremely high, but then after two run through's of this game, I can safely say that they have been greatly surpassed, and then some!
This game is truly up there with the most highly regarded immersive puzzle games. Frankly to simply describe it as a clone of former classics grossly undersells this unique experience. Quern stands well and truly on it's own two feet, and it is very hard to find fault!
Firstly, the music. The soundtrack is outstanding. The music fits the mood of the scenes perfectly, as the game changes and develops. It is a pleasure to listen to!
You really get a sense of place in this strange, obscure surrealistic world you are drawn into. The puzzles are diverse and you have a little bit of everything in this game to suit all the puzzle lovers! Mechanical, logical, auditory, even some alchemy!
And although the graphics are good without being mindblowing, they really don't need to be. The way in which this odd and rather curious place is designed and presented is everything that Quern should be. It is very much it's own world, away from the ages you may have seen in Myst, Riven, Uru etc!
The story itself may lack the inciting feeling that others similar games may be superior with, but that's ok! Ultimately the end game has a multiple choice ending, and as things build up you re left with a genuine and somewhat difficult choice, but it all comes down in the end to, who do you trust?
Great game, highly recommended!