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realMYST- some caveats

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 37 / 60
Date: November 14, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Though I'm impressed with the amount of care and love that has gone into this redux of MYST, there are some negative things worth mentioning. All these points are based on my own observations from the free demo of the Stoneship Age that was released just prior to the actual game:

a) The system requirements are prohibitively high. Also, even patched, there were a lot of crashes and freeze-ups in the game. This might get fixed by the release date.

b) For all the excitement about the new graphics, the 3-D environment here is still just textures over polygons. If there is groundbreaking new technology at work here, I cannot perceive it. Anyone familiar with Quake II is going to recognise the engine style of this game. The graphics are on a par with current games such as Everquest and the like, but they are a far cry from the stunning visuals of the original.

c) Original MYSTies may find the new interface awkward - it is difficult to steer yourself around.

The original game was a true quantum leap forward in the Gaming industry, and perhaps that's why my own expectations were so high, but I cannot help but feel that Cyan took a big step backwards with this one. They have taken a product that was groundbreakingly original and made it merely ordinary. Sorry folks, only three stars today.

Fi

Demo is everything I expected

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: November 19, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I was surfing the net when I came across a demo for realMYST. I was shocked and excited at the same time... out of nowhere, the game I've been looking forward to ever since it was announced is finally in a playable form. I instantly downloaded it, and was both impressed and disappointed, mainly because of some spots being incredibly choppy, and the demo would freeze up quite often. However, after downloading the 1.2 Patch-up and changing some of the options in the setup, the demo worked perfectly and was everything I was hoping for when I first saw the demo online. One of the stand-out spots in the demo was walking up to the telescope; I don't know why, but it just gave me a haunting feeling I had when I first played the original Myst when it came out back in 1993. I can't wait to get this game... whether it's walking through all of the redesigned ages or experiencing the new ending and new Rime Age, I know this game is going to be one of my favorites.

A pleasant surprise

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: November 19, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I haven't played the retail version yet, so my commentary is based on the Stoneship Age demo. Years ago I played the original Myst and was captivated. Recently some friends and I downloaded the demo with low expectations. Three hours later we were still playing, all captivated. Freedom of movement is something I always wanted in a game like this; it dramatically quicken and sustains your suspension of disbelief. Graphically the demo was simpler than I would have liked, but I compared the environment to screenshots of the original game and found the texturing to be more realistic and the architecture basically the same. The slight simplifying of geometry is compensated for by dynamic weather and lighting, and moving scenery. The feeling of exploring underground, only to submurge in the middle of a pitch black thunderstorm is unlike any other game I have played. I actually felt unsafe outside, and lingered in the doorway until it became light again. The sound is very well done too. I am not completely pleased however. I think that the engine could have been pushed further, and it seems like laziness on Cyan's part to simply recreat Myst. It would have been nice to see another Myst game designed from the ground up to work with this engine, and perhaps this is in the works already.

Realistic !

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 26 / 27
Date: November 20, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Myst, the game that sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is still considered one of the most popular games around. Imagine yourself stranded on a deserted island and in order to get out of the island, you have no choice but to explore the island. In the process of doing that, you discover the dark secret of the island...

In the original Myst game, in order to get around the beautiful surrealistic landscape, it was just a simple mouse click on the static 2D image. To move left, you click on the left of the screen, to move right, you click to the right of the screen and so on. It was like watching a slideshow. In RealMyst, the new version of Myst, all this has changed.

Myst was just like real life. You will never die and you have to solve many cleverly designed puzzles that are scattered all over the island. The puzzles are fun, but can be frustrating at times. And the fact that you can never die is actually a plus point, it takes out the frustration of solving the puzzles.

In RealMyst, the storyline is the same however, there is a new ending, which is actually a bonus stage that was not included in the original Myst. Everything in RealMyst is in 3D and real time. Unlike most 3D games, the textures of RealMyst are strikingly realistic. RealMyst also features real time, that means that night will turn into day and there will be weather changes. All these new features and the freedom to move around and look in any direction that you wish,will fully immerse you into the rich and surrealistic world of Myst.

RealMyst could have been better if not for the steep system requiremnts. Even on the the fastest computers, it runs slow.

Overall, RealMyst is a game worth playing but if you are looking for something fast and exciting, this is not the game for you.

Max knows where it's at.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: November 23, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Word. This game rules all humanity. Buy it. The graphics rule and I think the puzzles are very cool. They are very realistic. They require common sense. Or at least the lack of utter stupidity. Just buy it. You will love it more than life itself. On second thought, if you buy it, it will become your life. It is that realistic. You will find yourself trying to click to walk forward in the real world. I am actually addicted to realMYST.

Good Graphics But Slow...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 13
Date: November 26, 2000
Author: Amazon User

realMYST is an update to the original Myst back in the early to mid 90's. This time, you get a full screen of graphics that you can freely move in. No keyboard commands are needed; everything is mouse driven. This is a big plus in the days of mastering several keys to play a good game. The graphics have been updated and they are gorgeous. You can now look at the side of a building or behind something you never got to see. The sounds have also been updated to an extent. Much of the music is updated, but many sounds remain, which is OK. The videos inside the books with the missing pages are the same and the message to Catherine is really not as good (graphics wise) as the original. My only complaint is that all of the free movement is very slow. Now, I have a Celeron 400, but I also have a Voodoo4 32MB graphics card, and it screams on games like Elite Force. But realMYST is choppy and slow. However, this can be overlooked, because revisiting the sites of MYST in real 3D is a joy.

Real Myst or Real Boring?

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 11
Date: November 26, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Captivating the audience with graphics is about all this game is worth. Waste your time figuring out trite puzzles that are about as challenging as learning to count to 10. It gets two stars for graphics. If your looking for eye candy and to throw away 30 dollars, Real Myst is for you.

Not everyone wants an adrenaline rush...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 17 / 18
Date: November 27, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I take exception to the professional reviewers comments about Myst in general, though it is true that to run realMyst you DO have to have a monster system...fortunately, I just bought one recently.

If Myst were such a dog of a game, as the reviewer says, why has it been a top seller for SEVEN YEARS??!! Obviously, he is one of those blood-n-guts, X-treme violence, action-oriented, adrenaline pumping game fans. I do not feel that all computer games have to be of this genre, and obviously I am in good company.

Yes, I'm a Myst junkie, but my first experience at gaming was a gentle game called Loom, by Lucas. The puzzles, though simple, sometimes took a long time to figure out, but I appreciated not dying during the game, and being able to try and try again. Myst is a much better game, of course, but some of us just like our gaming to be cerebral and slow-paced, rather than having to keep shooting and try to figure out how to survive on the run.

Oh, yes, I am eagerly awaiting Myst III: Exile...

Delightful!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: November 27, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I bought Real Myst a few days ago and have been thoroughly enjoying it. Myst island is a delight. Standing on the beach watching the sunset over the heaving waves is a perfect stress-buster. I enjoyed the ambiance of night and the crickets chirping among the trees. I also chased the pair of butterflies all over the island (who's there to see me =) ). SPOILER- for those who've read the books there's an extra treat. Among the trees behind the cabin is the grave of Atrus' grandmother, accented with those little blue flowers that mean so much to him. I'm looking forward to exploring all the ages. Of course, the game isn't perfect. Moving about is jerky, rather like being drunk! The save/reload screen is difficult to use a mouse in though that might just be my computer. Despite these and other faults, those that loved the original Myst will enjoy this - if they're willing to burn the money needed to bring them up to the game's steep system requirements.

Almost Perfect...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 17 / 18
Date: November 28, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I like the Myst Universe. While it is arguably more visual flourish than a deep story, the Myst universe has the abiltiy to pull you in. This suspension of disbelief is intensified by removing the jarring still frames of a slide show and opening up to full 4-D freedom. Graphically, RealMyst is gorgeous: real-time lighting effects, atmospheric shifts from night to day, birds and frogs moving about. While the geometry is slightly simplified from the original, the retexturing with more realistic materials more than makes up for it. Sound is more well done than the graphics. In the Channelwood Age, there are three distinct levels of ambient sound. On the ground, water gurgles and frogs croak. As you ascend to the trees, wind begins to blow, leaves rustle, and birds chirp. Music fades in at appropriate moments to accentuate discoveries and set the mood. Graphics and sound almost are the gameplay, but those two aspects are supplemented by intuitive puzzles. If you have never played Myst, this is a definite buy. If you have played Myst before, even years ago, you may find yourself finishing too quickly. By today's standards, RealMyst is a short game. If you are quick-witted or have some recollection of the original game, you can finish this is a few hours. Once the game has been played through, there is nothing left to brig you back.

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