Name – Myst (Masterpiece Edition)
Genre – Point’n’Click, Adventure
Release date – Original Game March 1994 Masterpiece Edition May 2000
Developer – Cyan Worlds Inc.
Publisher – Cyan Worlds Inc.
Platform – Windows PC
Price – £4.99 (Steam)
Disclaimer: I was unable to track down a version of the original release of Myst, so I’ve had to settle for reviewing the Masterpiece Edition. This version is a remaster of the original with updated visuals and sounds, so the fundamental gameplay of the original remains the same.
Intro
If adventure, a deep story, well written characters and an incredible fantasy is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to take a trip to the island of Myst. Released by Cyan Worlds Inc. on the Mac in 1993 and PCs the following year, Myst is a Point’n’Click adventure you won’t soon forget.
Plot/Story/Aim of the Game
After listening to the opening monologue, you find yourself in a star filled room with only a mysterious book on the ground in front of you. After a few clicks, you’ll open the book and be treated to a brief flyover of the island that will become your base of operations.
Your goal in Myst is to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the island by exploring and solving puzzles. This will result in you being transported to other worlds and hopefully finding out more about Atrus & Catherine. As well as their sons; Sirrus and Achenar.
Gameplay
It’s Point’n’Click, so to get around the island and the other worlds, you simply point and click. There are many puzzles to get your teeth into and they range from pretty simple to occasionally baffling. However, there is an opportunity to do plenty of reading and this may help to clear up any confusion.
In my experience, some of the puzzles you encounter in Myst are unique compared to any other games I’ve played. While most of them are visual in nature, there are those that also contain audio cues, so you really need to listen carefully in order to not miss a clue.
When dealing with certain puzzles, you may pick up clues or codes that need to be implemented elsewhere, so I strongly encourage the player to take notes in order to avoid too much backtracking.
Depending on whether you want to explore all of the games possibilities or not, the aforementioned backtracking will be inevitable due to the player only being able to carry one item at a time.
Controls
The controls are simple enough. You point and click to move from place to place. The ‘hand’ cursor on screen will change depending on context, so you know whether you need to turn around, move forward or backward, or interact with an object.
Graphics
The graphics in Myst still look quite good, although they are showing their age somewhat. While objects and the interactive elements can still be identified easily enough, they’re inevitably looking a little rough by today’s standards. Hence the remakes and remasters using more updated tech.
Despite this, the graphics still evoke the nostalgia of playing this game way back in the 90s and the vast stylistic differences in the Ages still capture the imagination. The transitions between the screens are quite smooth and all objects still respond as they should. As a child of the 80s and 90s, I also enjoy the occasional FMV sequences that pop up every now and then.
Sound/Music
The music in Myst is amazing! Suitably dramatic and full of synthesized kettle drums to increase the suspense of whichever scene or puzzle or world that you’re currently in. At the same time, it doesn’t dominate. It complements. This is a very difficult balance to achieve in a game, so it’s very impressive when it succeeds.
The sounds are crisp and clear, which is necessary considering the earlier mentioned puzzles which involve audio cues. My only negative on the sound side is the FMV sequences where the voices can sometimes be a little quiet or unclear. Subtitles would have been welcome for the older versions of Myst.
Bugs/Glitches
Thankfully in the Masterpiece Edition of Myst, I never encountered any bugs or issues from start to finish.
Still Recommended Even Now!
Despite its age, MYST holds up extremely well. Graphically there are certainly better looking games, but the fantastical backdrops still evoke a sense of adventure. The story, the world, the characters are deep and immersive, and it's no surprise that it spawned many sequels. On the downside, the ability to carry only one item at a time may result in backtracking numerous times in order to achieve all endings, but the save facility does help with that.