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Careful with Windows XP

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: January 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I didn't carefully review the system requirements before ordering this game. I run Windows XP (home edition), and at first I thought I was not going to be able to get it to work at all. The game seemed to install OK, but it would not run after the installation. However, I was able to get it up and running by downloading the patch (available at ubisoft), and by adjusting the compatibilty after right-clicking on the executable file.

If the above tinkering makes no sense to you, it might be better to not order this edition. But it *was* actually easy to do, following instructions available online.

The game speaks for itself. It's another Myst! And that is good.

Board Games?!?!?!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 5
Date: April 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Well, what can I say. THis game has great acting, good graphics, emursive worlds, and overall good gameplay. The only thing I don't like about it is that the buzzles are to descrete. Its almost as if they were meant to look like they were meant to be puzzles. It can't be something like myst where the puzzles are there for a logical reason, and it can't be like Uru where the puzzles were blended in with the enviroment so the game was harmonic, and it can't be like riven where the puzzles are not puzzles, but problems you had to face that required some brain power. THese puzzles, even though they go with the suroundings, they still are too descrite. I mean, its almost like they were ment for you. THings here aren't what they used to be. The puzzles themselves are quite impresive, but the way that they blend in with the age is like sticking srawberries in orange juice. For one thing, yet another puzzle is actually a puzzle age in itself. Its all puzzle and really seems like it was meant for your presance, not like it had any real fuction outside your enjoyment. Even the plant age has that. Lense flowers that focus the sun's light on large bulbs that hold electic fish and power plant machines. Even thier idea of a balaced enviroment is even more descrete. THe lense flower couldn't've just grown there without there being a purpouse. I mean really, how deep do you want me to get.

Wow!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: March 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Exile was wonderful, great puzzles and beautiful worlds. The graphics were great and the puzzles were hard but not too difficult.

can't compare to Riven

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 11
Date: September 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I liked Exile but it cannot compare to Riven. Exile has music that was too much like the Middle East and, I'm sorry, I mean no one any harm, BUT I'm just not in the mood for middle eastern stuff right now. The mechanics of the game -Exile- also were just not up to par with Exile's predacessor Riven. It was simply not as mysterious nor as moody as Riven ( especially the music ). While I was in the tree trunk, I did not know where in the heck I was at most of the time and I don't really find that confusion to be fun. Same for the puzzles. Somehow Riven was great and Exile was just O.K.

Myst III is the BEST YET!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: April 23, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The dramatic sequel to Myst and Riven is a sure-winner with all REAL gamers. Incredible soundtrack created by Jack Wall, amazing sound affects, and, of course, graphics. I love the 360 degree movement system, allowing gamers to look all around in very realistic worlds. The story is fantastic, introducing Saavedro, a bitter exile, who has been awaiting his chance to gain revenge against Atrus for twenty years, waiting on the Age of J'nanin, the "Lesson Age" that Atrus once meant to use to teach his sons the Art of writing links to other worlds through books. Works great with Win ME. With the collector's edition, you get the amazing soundtrack on CD, Prima's strategy guide, a little "Squee" figure, the making of Exile, plus two desktop themes, the game trailer, the TV commercial trailer, and the theatre trailer.

Gamers have been waiting for Myst III for years. They will not be disappointed. Thank you, Presto Studios!

Surpassed my wildest expectations!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: January 14, 2002
Author: Amazon User

For years I have escaped into the magical worlds of Myst and Riven. Riven was my favourite of the two due to its cultural history, lush rainforests and creatures like the beetle and sunners.

So when Myst III: Exile came out I looked at the screenshots with anticipation. I ordered the Collectors Edition to get the added strategy guide, soundtrack CD, pewter squee, and making-of feature. Even though the price was rather high, everything was top-notch quality even though it was produced by a new company (UbiSoft/Presto instead of Cyan).

The new Ages of Exile were seamless continuations in the Myst story and the game stayed true to the characters, visuals, puzzles and even the music. My favourite age was Edanna, the world of plants that takes place inside a tree in the middle of the ocean. The music in this age is ethereal. There are two new creatures: a phoenix-like bird called a grossamery and a small furry rodent called a squee, that you interact with and are crucial to solving some puzzles.

There are three training ages: Amateria, Voltaic, and Edanna, Atrus's new home in Tomhana, the hub world of J'nanin, and the villan Saavedro's homeworld of Narayan to explore. Each of the worlds has a unique visual style and theme. Amateria was the most beautiful of the mechanical ages, with Japanese pagodas and paper lanterns, and menacing storm clouds that touch the ocean, sending forth the occasional bolt of lightning that lights up the water and sky. Thunder ripples menacingly, and the sunset is gorgeous. Voltaic was my least favourite, being very mechanical and alien.

The 360-degree free look system (this is the same company that produced Journeyman Project 3) really brought the worlds to life. Instead of clicking through a series of slideshows, the player can look in any direction. The sounds are direction-sensitive as well. Also, when characters are talking to you or animations are playing you can still look in any direction.

The puzzles were hard (yes, I cheated my way through yet again) and I resorted to the strategy guide after the first two minutes. For me the fun is in exploring and appreciating the beauty of the worlds...if I'm sitting frustrated for hours trying to solve a puzzle, that dampens the fun I'm having. One new feature is that after you correctly solve a part of the puzzle or do something correctly, you immediately see the results of your work.

Of the extras included with the Collectors Edition, the soundtrack was my favourite. It can be purchased separately as well. The music closely followed the musical legacy of Rand Miller's scores for Myst and Riven--the main themes from both are seamlessly interwoven into the new themes. The score to Exile is heavy on world music, featuring dijeridus, flute, percussion, as well as whalesongs, squeaky gates, and windchimes. There are choirs and boy soprano soloists singing in the D'ni and Narayan langauges. This soundtrack is as mystical, magical, and involving as any of John Williams's or Danny Elfman's scores.

It is a worthy investment for fans of Myst and Riven, for anyone who loves to explore and solve puzzles, or for fans of Tolkien as well. This is the best adventure game I've played in the last few years.

An Adventure Masterpiece

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: October 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Before I say any more, let me just lay down the line: this game is simply amazing. From an aesthetic standpoint, the visuals are stunning from beginning to end. There is hardly an inch of Exile which is not visually captivating. Overall, gameplay is great. Controls are very intuitive and easy to handle. Most puzzles are logical and solvable with one's own mind. However, there are a couple that can reduce you to frustrating trial and error. The panoramic technology provides complete 360o viewing from predefined hubs, which some hard-core gamers may look down their nose at, but this slide show technique allows the environments' beauty to remain entact, not reduced by the burdens of real-time rendering. Exile is not a game to be played. It is meant to be explored, to be experienced. The story is engaging, and the character acting is above par for most computer games. Both Rand Miller and Brad Dourif fit their roles like gloves, and the villain is detestable and tragic at the same time.

Pros:
Good story and convincing characters (especially the villain).
Amazing visuals.
Great sounds and soundtrack.
Logical puzzles and solutions.
Focus on non-violent solutions to problems.
Family suitable.

Cons:
Some frustrating puzzles.
Minor bugs in Mac 1.0 version
Can become a time-consuming obsession.

In conclusion, this is a game almost anyone can enjoy. It is a great product appropriate for the whole family to enjoy, and it is a refreshing breath of air in an industry heavy with the smoke of machine gun fire and bomb explosions. Get this game, and enjoy the experience.

AWESOME!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: October 10, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This has to be my favorite game in the series. If you are interested you really should play Myst and Riven first. I have read the 3 books which also helped with understanding the story. The whole series is very deep and engrosing, a must play for Middle Earth fans as well! A+

LOVED IT

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 29, 2001
Author: Amazon User

When I heard cyan wasn't making Exile I was a little worried. But as soon as I started playing I knew I had worried for nothing. The 360 view is cool and the music is amazing. Most of the puzzels arn't as hard as Riven but they are still challenging. This is drffiatly a wonderful game. It definatly lives up to the Myst name.

It isn't Miller time...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: June 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The Millers are sorely missed (in case you didnt know- the creative masterminds behind Myst and Riven).The game is shorter than Riven and much easier- with the possible exception of that infuriating fan room in the Voltaire Age. (It took me 15 minutes to get the knob to work in the 3 different directions) The puzzles seem seperate from the story line- bummer.The 360 rendering is way cool and the graphics are excellent but not nearly as ethereal as Rivens. I never had that true feeling of awe and fantasy I had in Riven. In Exile, the high points for me where riding in the air balloon and riding through the completed maze on Amateria. The ending lacks climax. The Edana age is needlessly tedious. There are far less, creatures and modes of transportaion than in the previous games.Saavedro, played by Brad Dourif, is mis- directed- his acting is so over the top- you just want to laugh at him instead of fear him. On a much much more admittedly shallow note- Katherine ( who we meet in Riven) and arguably the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen in computer game has been replaced by a average looking woman whose character is now boring. It isn't my attention to scare anyone away from playing this game-for if Exile is the first of this series you play you will have a great time. I highly recomend installing the enitre game to your hard rive as to not be bogged down with swapping disks. More importantly, it's essential you hook this up to your stereo or other high end audio system- the music and sound are superb and adds to the whole "experience"

I did encounter a problem with Exile screwing up my desktop every time I quit the game.(G4-500- 9.1) While applaud the Presto team for such an incredible and ambitous effort ( the hard work really shows) it simply doesn't have the enigmatic captivating magic Riven and Myst had.

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