Myst
SCORE: 80
Myst has been around for quite some time now. It started on the Macintosh in the year of our Lord 1993. It has been released on the PC, plenty of home consoles, and of course the Nintendo DS. A magical book puts the player into a strange world where not so obvious puzzles are found. The player must find clues, solve the puzzles, and visit other ages. This gives the player the background to the different characters. The player can then decide who to help, and which of the different endings to receive. There are two brothers who both want to be freed from books they are trapped in. Late in the game the player also finds the father. A certain kind of a person is needed to play Myst. If you like open ended, little direction, exploration then Myst may be of interest. A lot of gamers do not like Myst because they are used to being told what to do.
I am amazed that such realistic looking graphics can appear on a hand held like the Nintendo DS. The main problem is a lot of these graphics are dark, and grainy. There are also some images that may trouble younger minds. Most of the ‘Ages’ in Myst look very run down (unkept). There are no animations, but some video clips in different areas. Attention to detail in the visual department is needed as many secret switches are hidden in a variety of places.
Myst on the Nintendo DS has some great sound bytes. In fact certain parts of the game have audio puzzles. Listening intently is one of the lessons players can and will learn in Myst. I did not find any offensive language while listening to Myst on the DS.
The puzzles found within Myst are not easy to solve. If you have played through another version, then the solutions are exactly the same. Hoplite Research LLC included a brand new age for the hardcore Myst fan. This age is The Rime Age, and will appeal to those who need all things Myst. If no walk-through is used then the player can receive around forty hours of gameplay. If the exact solutions are known then Myst can be solved in under fifteen minutes. I think this is worth the money for those who like to solve unique, and certainly obscure puzzles.
I love the touch controls in Myst. This fits the Nintendo DS in the controls department. There is however a drawback. At times I would be trying to interact with an item, and wind up moving away from the screen. The additional mini tools of the camera, map, and notebook are very handy in a game like this one. I would not describe Myst as fun, but an accomplishment like graduating.
I am going to drop some spoilers
here. Both brothers are sadistic, evil, and twisted. Saving them only
gives the player a bad ending. Helping their father gives the best
ending, but also ends the brothers. I would like to see Myst sequels on
the DS.
- Luke
Graphics: 69%
Sound: 86%
Replay/Extras: 81%
Gameplay: 78%
Family Friendly Factor: 85%
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Empire Interactive
ESRB Rating: 'E' for Everyone
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