Myst

"Complexed Game, Simple Play"

The term, Myst is actually the name of the sequence of games that includes Myst, Riven and Exile. Myst, being the first of the series, is simple, but at the same time, complexed. Because of this, many players have grown to love and hate this game; some even go as far as to saying that this is not even a game. Not even a game? How can that be when Myst is categorized under the computer games section of a London Drugs store? People say it is not a game because there is no action at all. They think it is just a virtual tour of some sort. Well, think again. Just because it has no action, it does not mean it does not have excitement. If anyone thinks Myst is just a virtual tour, he probably does not know what a puzzle is. And yes, this game can be exciting, not necessarily visually, but with intense puzzles and sound effects. Now, to get on to the real meat.

The graphics are amazing. While not as smooth as its sequels, Riven or Exile, it is still crisp and beautiful, with lush scenes and creative worlds. The lighting effects, the machines, and the settings effectively create an exquisite world as realistic as ever. Of course, all that you see in Myst are just simple jpegs, but they are so creative you would not even notice that you were looking at jpegs. The sound effects are cool. Turn a wheel and it squeaks. Press a button, and not only does it click, but you hear the sound of pulleys groaning to pull the weight of an elevator. Not only do the sound effects come in at the right time, they sound so real, you would not even need super high-fi quality speakers for your complete and undivided entertainment. There is little or no music, which contributes to the loneliness, but in nature, there is no background music, so it only seems natural to exclude music. There are some parts that have music, but it is quiet and do not affect much of the gameplay. And no one is going to say graphics and sound deserve less than 10. (And if you do, I ought to give you a good solid whack in the head.)
Graphics and Sound: 10

The gameplay of Myst is quite simple to perform and takes only seconds to learn, so much of it is simple. This is what you call a ''point and click'' adventure, where you click where you want to go, and click on objects to manipulate them. There is nothing wrong with the game being simple, it makes it easier for anyone to learn and harder for people to get too frustrated. But here is the real complexed chunk; the puzzles. The puzzles are not all that simple, but not so difficult so that you have no clue as to what to do next. Keeping gameplay simple makes solving the complexed puzzles easier.
Gameplay: 10

Now here is where everything gets tied together; the storyline. Face it, without a decent storyline, players will not get easily hooked to games. However, revealing too much storyline will not hook players. In Myst, very little plot is introduced at the beginning, but just enough to hook the mediocre player. You find an interesting book entitled, ''Myst'' and for no reason whatsoever, place your hand on a page and get transported to a new world. You can explore it and find a library, where the storyline is revealed. Then you will find, that this mysterious (hence ''Myst'', not ''mist'') world you have found is not quite right (I will try not to spoil it too much). The conflict is not apparent, but rather an internal one, that you managed to get sucked into (as all heroes do).
Storyline: 10

Since the majority of this game is puzzles, players would not find it interesting to resolve the same puzzles again, since doing it once proves the point. You may do it again to write a game guide, or perhaps to see different endings, but while it may take up to a year (depending on the player's skill), playing it the second time takes only a matter of minutes. Even so, that does not mean you should not buy it.
Replay Value: 5

Overall, this is a great starter to a series of games that are almost identical in style and gameplay. Though not much of the plot is apparent, the graphics and puzzles are great, and even if you cannot play it again and have as much fun playing it the first time, you should try it and buy (not rent) it because it would take some time to finish it (without a game guide. If you do play it with a game guide, it is like playing it the second time.).
Overall: 10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/29/03, Updated 03/29/03