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This is not an improvement!

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: January 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The little action figure that you create is irritaing to move. I never did get the hang of it and spent lots of time spinning around and bumping into things. The game itself seems to have a marketing strategy geared toward the online game. I found the problems difficult, actually impossible, to solve. Much frustration here. Lots of side tracks that have nothing to do with solveing the game puzzles which lead to hours of boredom and frustration. Much better to play previous games of Riven and Exile. Even the original Myst has a charm and satisfaction that this game lacks.

Check Your Video Card Before Buying

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: February 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The specs that appear on Amazon require: "Video Card: 32 MB NVIDIA GeForce 1, 2, 3, 4, or FX; ATI Radeon 7000-9800 or better." I don't know what they mean by "or better" if you don't have one of those specified video cards the game will not run. It took us one week of chasing down their support team to get that simple answer.

And, if you think unraveling Myst, Exile, and Riven are tough, wait until you need to get hold of UbiSoft Tech Support. They put you through days of trying to find them, contact them, send them files (which they never receive...or claim to not receive) and in the end when you don't give up and go away quietly, they tell you what they knew all along. "You must have one of the specified video cards. So go buy one and leave us alone." It's almost like playing one of their games except that their website and the techs that man it entirely lack the charm and interesting nature of the previous game worlds. Entirely.

Some people will say you should run out and buy the right video card without complaint. That's okay. A geek's solution is always that everyone else is a dummy for not sharing his narrow priorities. The truth is that UbiSoft should have designed a product to meet the requirements of the market and not require the market to meet their product's requirements. They know they blew it and they are trying to weather the storm. Well, they might and they might not. I can only tell you one thing for certain. They lost one family of steady and previously devoted customers by this strategy. And you know what? That's all right too because I don't really think they had anything more to show us.

If you don't take my experience to heart. I can still help you. Check Ebay. There will be at least one copy for sale and probably a whole lot more...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: May 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I must say this was quite a step down from the previous Myst games. The avatar (why do we need an avatar in the first place?) was clunky and unmanageable, and could not use or carry inventory. In several places, one has to make the avatar move items *by kicking them.* Hello??? Don't people have opposable thumbs? That's just ridiculous. Also, in several other places, one is required to make the avatar jump ridiculous distances and do other such things that would normally result in immediate death. That, too, is illogical. I can't say I'm at all surprised that Uru Live tanked. Furthermore, the puzzles often made no sense as a way to move on, to open something, whatever...it was just "here's the next puzzle." And they weren't particularly imaginative; mostly, they required good reflexes to put the avatar through the exact motions required. The former Myst games were about using your mind to solve puzzles; this one is not. Oh...and there's Yeesha. Let me not forget her; she's a real gem with her red dreadlocks, her animal-print pareo and her tattooed face. We're forced to spend an inordinate amount of time listening to this woman drone repetitively on and on about the fall of D'ni. However, in the Myst tradition, the scenery is of course lovely; and that's really the only reason to buy the game. Buy it used, though!

ATI users can update drivers for free

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: January 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game requires, among other things, an ATI Radeon 7000-9800 video card. My new computer with a 9700 video card wouldn't run this game. However, I went to ATI.com and updated my drivers for free. Runs great now! This might be a possible solution for those of you having trouble running the game.

I haven't completed the game, but here are my initial impressions: terrific graphics, great sound. The usual Myst type puzzles, and if you've played the previous games, you probably know what you're in for. I know this game is supposed to go online at some point (supposedly), but the weakest part of the game for me is the 3rd person point of view. Typically, I avoid games with a 3rd person point of view because of exactly the problems this game has: the camera viewpoint can be very annoying. Half of the time you're walking toward something on a path you can't even see. I don't want to see my avatar; for me that adds nothing to the game. I would rather be able to see where I'm moving to. I'm enjoying the game, but would probably be loving it if it weren't for that one factor.

Also annoying: I've encountered bugs where you're walking along, clearly on the path, but the game reads you as having fallen off the ledge, and you get sent back to the level start. By the way, you don't have any save game option, which is also annoying. Your game saves when you quit, and you restart each game from a central point (often inconvenient) and then have to continue on from there.

I'm having fun with this game, but have definitely encountered a few flaws.

Incredible game... assuming your PC can handle it...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: January 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I've looked at a lot of the other reviews here on Amazon.com and I'm beginning to feel that Uru has been unfairly rated. A large amount of them have given it 3 stars or less simply because they weren't able to play it on their system.

This is because of two different reasons, by the way:

1. Uru only runs on Windows, it does not run on Macintosh
2. Uru has very critical requirements on what video card you need to have in order to play the game

While both of these are disappointments to many people, I do not think they constitute an accurate review of the game itself. Perhaps they've released Uru a bit too far ahead of its time. Looking at the actual CONTENT of Uru, once you're able to play it, it proves itself to be one of the best games of 2003.

It starts out much the same way as Myst did. You have no clue what you are supposed to do, and are simply left to figure EVERYTHING out on your own. Without really understanding the significance of your actions, you'll embark on a journey... and pieces of the story are slowly leaked out. The game really puts an emphasis on our natural curiosity. It starts to make sense the deeper you explore.

Regarding the tricky gameplay, it is important to point out that you can switch between 1st and 3rd person views. First person is far easier to use, but third person gives you a better sense of scale.

The graphics and sound are adjustable before you start up the game, so if your PC is on the low end, you can adjust everything so it runs smoother. The ultra-high quality mode looks brilliant, and even medium quality is still VERY nice.

The sound effects are some of the best I've heard. They pan from speaker to speaker, based on where you are in the world. They also reverberate when you enter caves. Very realistic worlds. I should also point out that the music really lends to the atmosphere much like the previous Myst games did.

I've also been able to take part in the online portion of the game a few months early, and it is even better than the offline game. You have more clothing to personalize your avatar to look more like YOU. You can explore other places, and with friends, too! New worlds are going to be continually added, so the replay value is nothing short of insane. Most importantly, Uru's online counterpart has an ACTUAL STORYLINE! It involves real people, like you, within the Myst universe. It's a lot like real life. Things change.

Can you give negative stars?

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 10 / 15
Date: December 31, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game doesn't deserve even zero stars. The 3-D controls are the worst I've ever seen. It's impossible to move around easily and like a previous reviewer said, you are now more worried about falling off ledges than solving puzzles. Also, the great mood music in earlier games in the series is now gone. It's been replaced by, well pretty much nothing. What were they thinking when they designed this clunker? I'm so p*ss*d I spent the money on this game and now it's gone for good. All they needed to do was continue the Myst-Riven-Exile format and people would have been happy as clams, but instead they went for the greed hoping people will someday pay to play this piece of crap online. Man what a bomb.

Pretty but tedious

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 10 / 15
Date: January 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The game installed just fine and my PC (1.7 gHz Athlon w/GeForce 4 video) runs it without issue.

The graphics are lovely and imaginative, though often so dark that I had to play the game at night with the lights off. (Yes, I went through the video calibration and I have the gamma correction at max.)

But that's where the fun ends. I agree with others that puzzles are tedious and made very difficult by the interface. The previous Myst games required lots of thinking, putting clues together to solve the puzzles. This latest addition requires less thinking and more "Mario Brothers" type moves.

I think I'm about half-way through the game and I'm tempted to stop there. I won't even consider the online version of the game (which is what I think UBISOFT and CYAN really designed this game for).

If you liked the previous versions of Myst, don't bother with this one. If you don't mind half the game being "how do I time this jump just right", give it a try.

Frustrating and disappointing, not up to Myst caliber

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 9 / 13
Date: January 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I loved Myst, had a lot of fun with Riven, and thought Exile's rollercoaster was the best game payoff ever. Sadly, Uru was nothing but a huge disappointment. Oh, there's a new avatar you can control in 3D and make run and jump, plenty of eye candy, and generally pretty good camera work (although a bit quirky in spots, when I could look through my avatar's body to her ankles disappearing in her shoes).

Uru lacks a good story. The puzzles are almost non-existent, and what few there are don't really make much sense, and they're not well integrated into what little story there is. One whole age consists of mostly of just wandering around, trying to figure out which eye candy you can actually interact with. And you have to run and jump. This is cool, at first. It becomes a bit frustrating as jumps you think should work don't, then disconcerting in some of the more vertigo-inducing sequences, then downright gratuitous when you're forced to do the same annoying sequences at least twice. (And that's only if you actually make the jump each time.)

I only finished the game because I was hoping for at least a decent payoff at the end. It's not there, unless a Peter Gabriel song does it for you.

And yes, the other reviewers are correct: you MUST have a system that meets all the technical requirements. My brand-new Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz, 512MB Dell, couldn't run Uru until I gave it a new video card. Deciphering video card terminology, along with the capabilities and slot requirements of different brands and models, is not for the faint of heart.

If you enjoy gratuitous frustration, this game's for you. If, like me, you were looking for a good game that you can't pull yourself away from, expect to be severely disappointed.

Difficult to run, and not what I expect from a Myst game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: January 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

First off, the dang thing keeps crashing. Eventhough I'm well within their system requirements the game still struggles. Now, this may not be too bad if you could save a game in a location. Nope, everytime you crash, you are back to where you started - yes, the work you've done is saved, but it would nice if they character was where you left it. I mean, it's getting really old running across that desert.

I also believe this game lacks the charm and otherworldness of the other MYST games. Although the other MYST games didn't have the true 3d motion I thought the graphics were much better and more captivating. Much was given up to gain the 3d motion, and I think it was a bad deal. This game reminds me more of a MYST knock off than a true MYST game (more on that later). Another thing - this game is really really dark - hard to play at anytime other than night - my monitor is at it's lightest and brightest and I still can't see stuff.

I also found out later that this really isn't really part of the MYST series - but rather an offshoot - I guess that explains the poor quality. I'm hoping that MYST IV is more worthy of being a MYST game

Adjust. Adapt. Overcome. Then play.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 23
Date: January 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Wow...as I read these reviews, I'm amazed at the level of technical declination among the reviewers, and at the intolerance of modern gaming platforms among Myst players.

Get over yourselves, and read the box, people!

System requirements are NOT established to be misleading, or to be a guideline - they are REQUIREMENTS. They're not different from doctor's recommendations, really...if you DON'T follow the instructions, you WILL suffer adverse effects. Like not being able to play the game because your hardware will not support it. Or like crashing because your system is struggling to run the software properly. You may even suffer problems you -won't- see unless you know how to look for them...like if you don't follow the doctor's orders.

Several reviewers have stated that your brand-new computer won't play it because your computer manufacturer cut corners on the graphics card. They're RIGHT. When you look at custom building a computer, you can choose to throw another $50-100 at it for a quality 3rd party (NVIDIA or ATI) graphics card, or you can skimp and run with the motherboard graphics chipset. While it's not bad for home office use, it will never run a video game or photo/video editing software worth a crap.

Uru's requirements call for a relatively high-powered processor and significant RAM; if your computer is 3 years or younger, it can handle it, roughly. That has NO bearing on what kind of video card you can use - most modern games draw their processing power, and memory, from the video card, not your CPU. Oh, and NVIDIA and ATI are manufacturers, with a RANGE of video cards available - and as I read the requirements, I saw that many CARDS are supported, though only two MANUFACTURERS are supported. So, you either go with a card from one of those two manufacturers, or you take your chances with your money and your time. The same story applies to your processor and RAM - the requirements are much looser than what you need for the video card, but if you're running a PIII 600MHz with 512 MB RAM, or a P4 3.28GHz with 192 MB RAM,...you don't meet the system requirements, so you won't get good (or any) performance.

Bottom line: Read the directions. Then follow them. I haven't even bought the game yet and I'll give Uru credit cause I agree with the positive reviewers, and am looking forward to it.

Lastly, for Macintrash users, and those with other OS'es...if software is not available on your platform, be patient. It will be. In the meantime, try it on one of your friends' machines. Until then, DON'T REVIEW IT.

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