User Reviews (1 - 11 of 34)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Trouble in Tomahna

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 16
Date: May 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User

On a recent visit to the store I discovered a new computer game whose packaging may hold the record for size. The game was "Myst 3: The Exile." Being an old Myst fan I snapped it up, despite its high price. Once home I found that this is a limited numbered edition (70500 copies) which contains the four CD's of the game itself, the Prima Strategy Guide, a CD of the game soundtrack, and a CD of the making of the game. Last, but not least is a pewter miniature of a `Squee.' There seems to be enough to sooth almost anyone's collecting greed.

The basic premise of the game is quite straightforward (if you are familiar with Myst). Atrus has invited you to come over to talk about Releeshahn, the new world he has created. He has gathered together the surviving D'ni so that they might move to this new world to start their civilization over. Just as he's about to show you the book that acts as the transfer station to Releeshahn a strange character with a severe case of bad hair appears out of nowhere, snatches the book and vanishes after setting Atrus' study on fire. All he leaves behind is a transfer book to J'nanin, the training world built for Atrus' two insane sons. Being a natural hero, you grab the book and hare out after the thief.

In short order you discover that Saavedro, the thief, is seeking revenge for the destruction of his world by Sirrus and Achenar, Atrus's sons and the villains of the original "Myst." A tragic figure who has lost his home, his family and a good bit of his sanity, Saavedro is bent on vengeance. Unable to track down the sons, he has focused on the father, and turned J'nanin into a huge trap. Travelling though the worlds of this game, it is up to you to solve the mysteries and find a resolution for this grim tale of horror and revenge.

Typical of all the "Myst" games, the plot is pretty minimal. It serves primary to provide the player with continuity while solving the many ingenious puzzles. As always, the puzzles are of a Rube Goldberg nature, made up of strange contraptions and countless smaller puzzles. "The Exile" exercises some restraint, so most of these challenges can be solved by a great deal of wandering around, careful observation and some good guesses.

To make up for what is essential a very calm, non-violent game, the designers have outdone themselves in creating the five worlds of "Myst 3." The artwork and scale are magnificent. The animation is equally incredible. This is the first time that I felt my 19-inch monitor was just too small. Hopefully they will make some game posters. I was continually being astonished by the imagination used in creating these worlds and their workings. This is the best pure puzzle game I've seen in a long time and is well worth purchasing.

The best chapter in the series yet, worth every penny

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 14
Date: May 18, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I've been a Myst fan since the first one came out years ago. I've read all the books, have all the soundtracks and have replayed both Myst and Riven at least once since buying them. Needless to say, I had high expectations for this game.

It has blown my expectations away.

First, let me cover the goodies included with the collector's edition. The soundtrack is incredible. I've listened to it half a dozen times already (and I only got the game three days ago!). It's a wonderful mix of classical and new age, with clear influences from Orff's Carmina Burana and Peter Gabriel's soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ. For hardcore fans of the series like me, there are also several nicely blended hints and pieces of the previous soundtracks, a clear homage to the original games.

The bonus "making of" CD not only includes the 22 minute video of how the game was made, but all of the trailers (theatrical, teaser and television) and several wallpaper images as well.

The squee figurine is cute, and solid. But that's about it.

Finally, the strategy guide. Unless you like having your fun spoiled, leave it in the box and treat it like a deadly viper. I haven't even TOUCHED my guide, and honestly if you think through the puzzles you'll never need it.

Now, on to the game. To put it simply, it is un-be-freaking-LIEVE-able!! The graphics are easily twice as good as those in Riven, and the free-look system is utterly amazing. Textures look very realistic (for a computer game), and you'll be dazzled in several places by how good it all looks.

The animated sequences are very well done, and blend seamlessly with the scenery. Even better, on many of the animations you can still move the camera around while they play, letting you see what's going on around you.

The puzzles are in between Myst and Riven in difficulty. Presto made a smart move getting rid of the "solve a puzzle, then travel all over the planet to actually make it work" routine of Riven. The first age you enter has several very clever but still fairly simple puzzles to get your brain stretched out and make you think in odd angles and directions (which you need to do for any Myst game). As with the previous Myst games, the key to solving the puzzles is to explore carefully and observe everything -- nothing is irrelevant or meaningless (one puzzle in particular was quite subtle and required a bit of an intuitive leap).

Basically, I can't recommend this game enough. If you don't want the collector's edition, then buy the regular one, but absolutely buy it!

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.

Exile

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 33
Date: April 02, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Exile has not been release yet, but i have played both Myst and Riven, which Exile is based on. I think the original Myst was and is the greatest game I have ever played. Riven was, also, very interesting, although not on par with the original Myst. If Exile is anywhere close to the level of either Myst or Riven it will be a great game. I am giving Exile five stars in advance because both Myst and Riven deserved six stars. I am ordering Exile and will be playing it the very first day it is realeased.

Way above my expectations! ...and that's high.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: May 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I played Myst and Riven when they first came out. Since then I've played nothing but FPS like CounterStrike, UnrealTornament, anything with guns... Anything that doesn't include the word Multiplayer bores me in about 2 seconds.

I had no idea there was a Myst 3... So I bought tha big charcoal looking box over the smaller wimpy one (because pinching pennies ain't my style, I leave my regrets for later). So I'm glad I did... the soundtrack is dope and well worth it, the making is cool, the pewter figure makes for a cool paperweight (like a Mac!), and the game... the game... uh, well let's just say that I did't think that I'd be wanting more! AND I DO!

I hooked up with my friend and we solved it in two days! I was also blown away at that crazy roller coaster ride! All tha hardwork pays off, so don't use the strategy guide. Er, ok I used it once... at the last puzzle. I only used the softcore hint, hehe (I earned it, I was spending more than 4 hours on that one). Read the book after. It's got some cool tibits on Atrus and friends. Heck, I just ordered realMyst and RivenDVD cause wanted "that old feeling" again. :)

So in the immortal words of my good 'ol stock broker, "BUY! BUY! BUY! BUY! BUY!"

The Game to Buy!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 10
Date: April 25, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have always loved the Myst games. With so many games out there that seem so rushed and shoved out the door just to make some money or a deadline it's refreshing to see a game done right. By the looks of it, Presto Studios has done a great job of continuing the Myst saga. They took the time to do the job right and spend enough time on the game to make it worth while for all the fans. Presto definitely knows what they are doing and have a lot of experience in the gaming industry. I remember sitting down to play The Journey Project for the first time. It was really an excellent game. I truly enjoyed it and could relate it to Myst because of its good quality. I'm sure we will find that Myst III will also have a high level of quality and will be fun for everyone. The one thing that has drawn me to these types of games is the originality and great storyline. When I play these games is just makes me wonder how someone could come up with such a great idea for a puzzle, story plot, sound, music, or graphic that fits in just so to make the game that much better. Myst and Riven were truly ingenius. And with a new creator, new plot, and awesome graphics, Exile has a lot going for it and is gearing up to be a totally immersive experience. I have always been a fan of the Myst series and can't wait for the newest installment to come out. I am definitely pre-ordering this game and would recommend anyone else to do the same. The story lives on!

Simply Amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 10, 2001
Author: Amazon User

THE GAME- This game has a satisfaction level like no other game out there; I think that this is the best thing ever to come out of the imagination of Rand Miller. The graphics are amazing, Right down to the Photo-Realistic textures, so in graphics this game definitely gets a 100%. In my personal opinion, I think that this is the best (And I mean best) value for the amount of interactivity and this game offers. They really put together an awesome game, and the story line is amazing.

THE EXTRAS- I would really buy the "collectors edition" because it has all the neat little things in it that just make this game more spectacular, I think that the sound track is composed very well, ant it's neat to have it incase you have a song stuck in your head. I also think that the strategy guide is good for the one's out there that are pulling your hair out over the puzzles in this game.

Amazed in Disbelief

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 17, 2001
Author: Amazon User

What to say... After Riven, I thought it was not possible to get any better. The puzzles in Riven were very challenging, yet very logical when solved. The graphics were amazing.

I got Exile the day after it was released, having been shipped next day air by Amazon. My friend and I started playing it on the 9th. We're both students, so aside from having class during the day, and meals, we played this game every waking hour until we beat it on the 12th.

What an amazing game. The graphics were stunning. The puzzles were yet again challenging, yet logical. After solving a puzzle, you weren't annoyed by the fact that the answer lay in some obscure clue. You were excited by the fact that you figured out what to do based on what you knew.

I don't know what else to say except, buy this game. Buy it now. The soundtrack and making of CD are cool, so I would say that this Collector's Edition is worth it. But, if you don't think you'd listen to the soundtrack, then you're probably better of just getting the regular version of the game.

The only thing left that I have to say, is I hope this style of game continues somehow. Whether it be a Myst IV, or a game similar to the Myst style. I want it. I will definitely buy any new game that comes out in this series. The Myst game series has brought much joy to me! :)

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+

Myst III lives up to its heritage

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 11, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Myst III is truly an amazing extension to personal computer games. Its 3D views and smooth game play are incredible. Coupled with immersive sound effects and great music, you have the best ever computer game of its genre!

Make sure you have the hardware required and you will be rewarded.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 Next 

Actions