Amazon.com Product Description

Revisit the world of Myst like you've never seen it before. For the first time, the surreal world of Myst can be experienced in full 3-D. Swaying trees and independently roaming animals add life to the formerly static Myst worlds. The realMYST game includes the complete original Myst game, along with an all-new fifth age, called the Rime Age, which provides a complete ending to the original mystery.

For those unfamiliar with Myst, it is one of the primary reasons your computer has a CD-ROM drive. CD-ROM drives didn't really catch on as must-have components until Myst debuted in 1993. Since then, the game has sold more than 9 million copies and still appears on bestseller charts.

The realMYST game takes place in a beautiful, interactive virtual world. The player must solve puzzles and roam magical realms filled with archaic technology in order to solve an ancient mystery. ... Read more

Reviews (61)

BUYING TIP!!!
This game was a lot of fun but a little short compared to the other Myst games. Riven is perhaps the best of the Myst series but I have yet to play Revelation. You can buy this game new and cheaper just about anywhere. And if you still have no luck, try Ebay. This game also works for Windows XP!!! Some people have had a little trouble with it but just make sure you download the patch which can be found at ubisoft.com. I played RealMyst on XP with no trouble. Good luck and ENJOY!

Very cool game!
I think this version of Myst was awesome! The graphics rock!

realMyst
Not as good as the other two, but definitely worth playing. The Rime age is AMAZING. It makes the whole thing worth playing. The Selenetic Age is another of my favorites. I was also a little disappointed because almost nothing happens at the end, but, thank goodness, there's a sequel. VERY nice graphics.

A nice way to revisit MYST.
You can see all of the other reviews for the details. What I'll tell you is that if you didn't like MYST, there is no reason realMYST will change your mind. Despite a SERIOUS makeover, it's the same game.
realMYST is for those of us who liked the original and want to revisit the game in a new way. The original Myst runs terribly on my newer machine. So even when I feel like playing it, even if to only walk around on the islands, it becoms a pain.
This new version runs great. So if you have a machine that can handle it (by now you prob. do)and liked MYST, I would suggest you get this game .

Good, but not as good as the other 2
I started the Myst games with Exile, and worked my way down to Myst, Real Myst.
I won't tell you the story, (you've probably heard it from all the other reviews anyway) because discovering the story, and whats going on is half the fun!
But i have to tell you that i love, and i mean love Riven and Exile, and i thought that RealMyst would be awesome, but i couldn't help but be dissapointed. Its not the full 3d format, some people would call that annoying, but i don't think its that bad, but its just that the ages aren't half as incredible as in Riven and Exile, and the game in general is just not as good as the sequels. Maybe its just because i basicaly knew the storyline before i played it. But whatever it was i just didn't find it as good as the others.
And by the way to returning Myst fans, the new Rime age is a big dissapointment, its so small!
Anyway, its worth the price, but just letting you know that its not all that.
And if you haven't played a myst game DON'T READ THE STORYLINE! Discovering the story detective like is half the fun. And that goes for all myst games. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Plunge into a world unlike any dreamt possible before. From the makers of the original Myst and Riven, this groundbreaking adventure beckons players to uncover the elusive secrets of the ancient D'ni civilization. Follow Yeesha, eccentric daughter of Atrus, to discover Linking Books, encounter descendants, and solve puzzles as you venture through visually stunning environments.

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Uru: Ages Beyond Myst is the next chapter of the Myst franchise and the most immersive and ambitious Myst experience ever created. The game is bigger, better, and more innovative than any of the previous Myst adventures. Players can move at their own pace, spending hours discovering visually stunning, real-time 3D worlds, solving a large variety of mind-challenging puzzles, and following an epic storyline. Players can continue to discover new areas of D'ni by downloading new maps, worlds, and puzzles.

The Story of Uru

The story of the D'ni civilization began when they established their underground empire on Earth some 10,000 years ago. While living beneath the Earth's surface, the D'ni practiced what they called the "Art of Writing," which enabled them to create links to incredible, alternate worlds of fantastic variety called "Ages," to which they could travel through "Linking Books."

The D'ni people thrived for thousands of years, but later met with a great catastrophe that all but ended their civilization. Their vast cavern was left uninhabited, and their Linking Books and Ages seemed lost forever.

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Then, in the late 1980s, a few humans from the surface discovered that cavern. One of these humans was Elias Zandi. He devoted the rest of his life to exploring and, eventually, restoring that ancient city in the D'ni cavern, preparing to one day reveal their discovery to those who were suddenly feeling irresistibly drawn to the cavern.

When he passed away in 1996, his legacy was divided between a foundation that he set up and his only son, Jeff Zandi. The foundation came to be known as the DRC (D'ni Restoration Council). As their name implies, they took on the task of physically restoring the ruins of the D'ni cavern. If you choose to visit the cavern at some point, you're sure to run into them.

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Jeff Zandi, on the other hand, was interested in learning why the D'ni civilization fell in the first place. He continued studying the teachings of Yeesha, by far the most talented of all the D'ni writers, and daughter of Atrus and Catherine. After years of learning, the younger Zandi is finally comfortable bringing others to an uru (a D'ni word meaning "large gathering" or "grand community").

On your way to the cavern, if you decide to join us, it might be a good idea for you to learn some of the great teachings of Yeesha. Experience the adventure of a lifetime, Uru: Ages Beyond Myst.

Game Features

• Experience a new freedom of movement, a first for the Myst franchise: Explore each unique age in real-time 3D, moving your character effortlessly through the world without pointing and clicking.
• Create a realistic character: Choosing from a wide variety of facial and clothing features, you will be able to create a male or female avatar that you will use to explore the world. The range of character options allows you to appear the way you look, or the way you want to look.
• Explore the mysterious and graphically intense world of Uru. Uru's work-of-art style graphics will immerse and captivate you like never before.

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• Follow an epic storyline: At the request of Yeesha, the eccentric daughter of Atrus, you'll journey through a variety of different ages, and discover the lost civilization of the D'ni people. As the story unfolds, you'll be drawn deeper into the D'ni civilization, and if you choose to download new content, the journey expands even further. You can explore new ages and areas of the D'ni civilization, unravel new mysteries, and adventure in a world that continually changes and expands. Exciting new content will be downloaded regularly, providing an adventure experience that is fresh and ever-changing.

Features

• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Adventure/Puzzle
• Mission:?Single-players?move at their own pace, spending hours discovering visually stunning, real-time 3D worlds, solving a large variety of mind-challenging puzzles, and following an epic storyline.
• Platform:?Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP

Reviews (237)

A major disappointment
When I heard that the makers of Myst had created yet another adventure game, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Taking into account that I had thoroughly enjoyed all of the other Myst games, I expected that Uru would be no letdown. Wrong!!! As it turned out, Uru did not even work on my computer; the game merely allowed me to view the introduction before requiring some advanced graphics card and stopping dead in its tracks. This game was such a disappointment! I had been so fond of the Myst series until this little party pooper came around. I had basically exchanged 50 dollars for Uru's cover art and a fruitless 30-minute installation! Anyway, if you plan on buying this game, be aware that it requires a computer that was probably invented seconds before the game's completion.

Brilliant & Appreciated
i felt this game had enough challenge & atmosphere to credit the team that worked so hard to build it..(!) i dont understand why this game was knit-picked so badly. i thought the moving objects were really interesting especially with the way they mimicked actual objects. i've played games with stick-figues for graphics that took *hours & dozens of tries* to position. Having a little effigy of yourself running around on the screen is adorable. All the different camera features with total surround was brilliant. The only reason this game didnt get 5 stars was because it does need a patch to run on XP.

It doesn't stand out
When I first heard that Uru would allow the user to make their own character and place him/her into this world, I was very excited. However, once I got my hands on the game itself and learned how troublesome it was to simply move this person around the worlds, I was very disappointed. My father and I have been playing these games since Riven and have loved them immensely. Every year, right after Christmas we begin to play them and usually continue nonstop till we have beat it. However, it has been about a year since Uru has first come out and it is just now that we are actually beginning to go through it again and finish.

The past games had problems that could have been solved by using clues spread throughout the world. But I find with Uru that you just have to play guess and check a lot which I have never found to be the way when it came to Myst.

Now I am usually a patient person but the loading time between worlds is unbelievable. This game requires a lot of linking I have found and some of the problems are timed (I am thinking of the Paths of the Shell expansion pack on this comment), so you really start panicking when your computer takes a good 5 minutes before something actually shows up. And then to actually get the player moving without being all jolty, it takes another minute to load. Sigh. Very disheartening.

I have found that with Uru and even Exile the quality has come down. Riven seems to be their own real achievement currently but hopefully Myst IV will redeem them... if only I could get it to load on my computer. Sigh. These games have it in for me and my computer, I tell you.

SO disappointed...
I was a bit suspicious of this game at first.Wasn't the Myst Trilogy supposed to stop with three games?I was rightfully cautious.It's been about a year since I've had this game, and I finally figured out that I don't play it because it is no fun!I had the problems with system requirements too, but after updating my graphics driver, things finally started working.I had been stuck in the desert you get dumped into first because whenever I approached a certain journey cloth, the game crashed.The driver update solved that.However, once I could go to any of the worlds in the game, I noticed how bad the game was.

My first complaint is that MYST DOES NOT NEED AVATARS!I enjoyed being able to click and proceed to the next screen.I DON'T NEED TO WATCH SOMEONE WALK AROUND.If I wanted to do that, I would be a stalker!Like other reviewers have said, the slideshow was so much better.

Second, the controls of the other games were SO MUCH EASIER!Clicking, moving mouse, clicking again.There is elegance in simplicity.None of this <insert bad language here> that is thrown into Uru.If it can't be done by clicking the mouse and using your head (Ubisoft - please don't take that literally - I've heard the horror stories of kicking rocks), it shouldn't be in a Myst game.

Third, I am not interested in a Myst online game.Games like Myst, Riven, and Exile do not belong in an online environment.I admit that I haven't tried Uru online, but I have no desire to do so.If the game comes out, it should be GOOD ENOUGH to make me want to play it online.

In short, this game is not well developed.I prefer DOS games to this!It overworks my computer and it is NO FUN TO PLAY.Cyan and Ubisoft, please do not try anything like this again.Myst fans, stick with Myst, Riven, and Exile, the real Myst trilogy.

URU:Too much hype
This age of myst was one the really dissappointed me. Upon getting the game, it wouldnt play on my system because of the video card, so i had to buy a new card to play it. But the game itself is really boring, you spend all your time searching every inch of the screen to find things. All the other myst series had it alot easier to see when you had something to look at or click on, but not this game. If you are not in the exact right spot, you will miss something that you need to continue the game. I never finished playing URU because you are not sure what you are looking for, also you almost need a PHd to solve a few of the puzzles. This game was a big waste of my money, and i hope that they go back to the drawing board on the next installment they make. Get back to some of the old myst, newer isnt always better! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Beautiful scenery, haunting sounds, clever puzzles, and a dramatic story secured Myst's place in the top-seller charts for years. Myst was a real phenomenon, the Pok&eacute;mon of its day, and Myst spinoffs such as books, calendars, and T-shirts popped up everywhere. There were even rumors of a movie. Riven: The Sequel to Myst was also a success and expanded the story of the world-writing D'ni and the convoluted family history of Atrus, the old man from Myst. However, aside from a 3-D remake, the years since Riven have been Mystless. That's about to change.

Myst III: Exile is almost complete and is ready to challenge the sales records of its forebears. The story takes place 10 years after the events in Riven. Atrus and Catherine, the danger-prone victims in the first two games, are now living in their new home called Tomahna. They have a baby daughter named Yeesha, and all seems well until the appearance of a new villain, played by actor Brad Dourif. Dourif's as-yet-unnamed character is seeking revenge. Atrus's mad sons destroyed his world and now it's payback time. The game will feature five new ages to explore, and they will be filled with beautiful graphics and mind-numbing puzzles. A new interface and more up-to-date technology round out the advances you'll see when you next enter the enchanting world of Myst.

The limited, individually numbered Collector's Edition copies contain Prima's official strategy guide, the journal of Atrus, a pewter Myst III animal, and a CD-ROM with the game's trailers and a "Making of Myst III" feature. --Andrew S. Bub

Check out our Myst Store,which has more info on Myst III, the complete line of Mystgames, and a selection of Myst clothing, soundtracks, andbooks. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Careful with Windows XP
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?!?!?!
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!
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
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,BUTI'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 predacessorRiven. 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!!!
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! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

With more than 10 million copies sold throughout the world, the Myst series has become the benchmark for all adventures to come. Now, for the first time, the three volumes of this mythic saga are assembled in one astounding collection. Gather your cunning and summon your imagination--for every enigma you unravel binds you closer to the unforgettable realm of Myst. Myst Trilogy includes Myst Masterpiece, Riven, and Myst III: Exile.

Myst Trilogy includes:
Myst Masterpiece The remastered version of Myst. In this acclaimed first adventure, embark on an intrepid journey into a strange world and its mysteries--a world wracked by intrigue, betrayal, and inexplicable distortions of time and space. Join Atrus as you discover the secrets of the D'ni civilization, where books are portals into other worlds, and lessons of the past shape your future.
Riven: The Sequel to Myst Riven plunges you deeper into a world cursed by bewildering rifts in time. Every shadow hides a secret, and appearances are never what they seem. Atrus needs you once again; help him free his wife, Catherine, and untangle the daunting mysteries of Riven.
Myst III: Exile A decade has transpired since Riven. Now Atrus and Catherine's efforts to rebuild the D'ni civilization are jeopardized by a new enemy. Saavedro, bent on avenging his ruined existence, has emerged from exile to claim vengeance upon Atrus's two sons. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

XP Compatibility
I have all three Myst Trilogy games working perfectly under Windows XP Pro (SP2) OS on my PC.It has an Nvidia GeForce FX 5600 video card with 256 mb RAM, which is recommended by Ubisoft for this product.

Captivating Time Waster
If you have the time to immerse yourself in a 40-60 hour puzzle, these are the games for you. Great graphics, wonderful puzzles. Not for the dim-witted....

This game is really cool!!
Myst is a wonderful game full of puzzles, fun, and it takes a LOT of brain power.I enjoyed playing Myst, although for children, I would recommend adult help (some puzzles are REALLY tricky)I would say though, that this game probably shouldn't be played by children under 12.Again, very tricky.There is a little bit of a kind of spooky atmosphere (not terribly spooky), but kids might not like it.Myst is a big puzzle.There are no directions, you're just dropped on an island, all alone.You have to find special books that take you to different islands, and at every island, lies more and more puzzles.I think this game is best played in a group or with a friend.Together you can use your different skills to solve the puzzles.
I would recommend this Myst Trilogy pack to anyone that enjoyed the game, or is interested.Also, the price is wonderful.If you like puzzles, thinking, and teamwork, buy this Myst Trilogy pack!

???Help Me???
I've read some reviews from people that say they got it to run on XP. How? I have run the compatibility wizard--more like a compatibility trickster--and it still doesn't work. What I've SEEN of it is excellent (artistry is stunning; plot, so far, is great), but it quits when I get to the part where the player goes to another age. I loaded it onto the dinosaur of a computer that has Windows 98 on it, and it worked, except the computer is so ancient it's too slow to keep the graphics up with the sound and it gets stuck.
Somebody help me? If you've got a suggestion (a solution would be nice), pleeeeease e-mail me at: sindar_gloriel@mailpuppy.com And this is the new version of the original Myst, if that makes any sense. I looked for patches--couldn't find any. I've heard some horror stories about tech support from UBI software, too.

Noooo....puede ser...
No puede ser semejante juego tan malo....No soy aficionado a los juegos de aventura pero Syberia y Grim Fandango me parecen geniales...Pero este....en trilogia si dejenme decirle que es una farsa...Ni se les ocurra comprar este juego... Necesita quicktime...y consiste en hacer click sobre imagenes y estan van cambiando...acercandose, no hay sensación de movimiento...aunque dice que tiene vision 360 grados...pero esto no es un juego. Las imagenes son buenas pero es simplemente la superposicion de imagenen al hacer click....noooo que desilución tan gigante. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Myst arrived just in time to take advantage of brand-newCD-ROM technology, and quickly became the number-one reason to buy anew computer. Myst and its sequel, Riven, featuredbeautiful and lonely landscapes, a strong and fascinating sense ofpervading mystery, and puzzles both fiendish and clever. Playersnavigated through the games by clicking on points of interest, andsolved puzzles by paying careful attention to the lush graphics andhaunting sounds of the environment. Myst III: Exile proudlycontinues and even advances that tradition.

Myst's ongoing story line is as convoluted as it is fantastic.Central to the story is the mysterious civilization of the D'ni, whichcreates entire worlds by writing books. Other books are used to linkthe D'ni worlds together. Myst trapped the player in a series ofinterconnected worlds, and challenged the player to puzzle through theramblings of two mad brothers in order to free Atrus, their imprisonedfather. Riven revealed more of the history of the D'ni, and sentthe player to the unstable world of Riven in order to rescue Atrus'swife.

Myst III: Exile concerns Atrus's earnest attempt at creating anew world. He hopes this world will mark the rebirth of the D'ni, butbefore he finishes his book, a thief (portrayed in the game by actorBrad Dourif) breaks into his laboratory and mucks things up. You haveto track this thief through worlds written by Atrus in his earlieryears. Within each world you must right the wrongs the thief hascreated, all the while uncovering a deeper mystery surrounding hisrelationship to Atrus and his troublesome children. Prior experiencewith Myst and Riven isn't necessary for this thirdexcursion, but familiarity with Myst's point-and-click gameplayand its often infuriating puzzle logic helps.

New to the game is a full 3-D landscape, which replaces the staticprerendered artwork of the previous games. The gorgeous new graphicsallow you to quickly pan and scan your way through an area, looking forpuzzles and action spots with the hand cursor. The puzzles have beenimproved so that you can now see changes to the environment immediatelyafter you solve one, rather than simply moving on to the next picture.Still, the puzzles are often wickedly difficult and may provefrustrating to new players.

The environment is the true star of the game, and is sure to enchantplayers of all stripes. As before, the music and artwork are topnotchand immersing, and the experience is not easily forgotten. Mystfans of old will be delighted with this new installment, and those newto the series will be enchanted, provided they are willing to spendtime on the puzzles, enjoy the scenery, and let the game carry themaway. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• A strong continuation of the series
• Brilliant new artwork and music

• Puzzles can be confusing
• Not for impatient gamers

Features

• Free-look movement system allows players to pan a full 360 at any location, fully immersing them in the world.
• 5 entirely new ages to explore.
• Dramatic storyline extends the Myst mythology by focusing on a pivotal new character.
• Puzzle solving, revealing mystery & intrigue.
• Original soundtrack.

Reviews (336)

Visions of this will follow you while youfall asleep...
I leave it to the other posters for the specifics. Just an emotional response here.
A must for anyone who can use a computer and find a walkthrough or 4 to finish this game. It isn't the easiest game but one of the most beautiful and memorable!
It has such beauty, you'd regret not having played it.
Schizm I, and the Beyond Atlantis series also show such beauty.
All can be found here.
Please, please, play this game! The visions you will encounter will fill your mind and blot away life's problems as you fall asleep. Hey! This is a series. There's more! Yep!
Check them out!

Wonderful and challanging third installment in the MYST saga
If I was able to be personally with Catherine, I'd probably be spending much more time complimenting her hair (because it's so long, almost as long as Crystal Gayle's), than talking of the Releeshan.

OK, so Catherine is just a fictitional character, but of course I'm sure they needed a real person to do the acting.

I am new to Myst, already trying the Masterpiece Edition (which was basically the original MYST with some improvements), and Riven. With Myst III, one huge improvement found here you can't find on the previous two is you can look around 360 degrees so you can see if there's anything missing on your journey. The drawback is, if you're not familiar with the game, you can easily get dizzy.

In this game, you're supposed to retrieve a book called the Releeshan, which was stolen. On the way, you get to solve lots of puzzles, collect pages, and visit different worlds. There is lot of trippy music, some of it sounding pretty sinister sounding, as you go through some very dreamy landscapes. Admittedly this isn't an easy game to win, but like on the previous MYST installments, you must be sure to write things on paper to solve the puzzles. Many of these puzzles give you access to new passages you need to make to reach the end of each world. The animation is great as well. I can't believe how advanced in graphics games have became, I've been playing games since the old days of Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, and it never fails me how newer games have stunningly realistic graphics, as demonstrated on MYST III.

A truly wonderful game for those enjoy adventure games!

The Very Best Myst of All!!!
I wasn't so sure about buying this game, because i was so disappointed by Riven, but i was amazed by the new 360° freelook interface in Exile, the quality of the video and rendering of the worlds is incredible, even the storyline is very exciting.

A must have for every Myst fan out there!

The best Myst
Myst III: Exile isn't as dark as Myst or Riven. I think it's better that way, actually. This game has some of the best visuals and scenery in the series so far. The new 360 degree free-look is awesome. The story is the deepest I've seen in the series so far. The puzzles are a little silly and out of place, but they are still fun and challenging. Myst III: Exile is certainly, so far the best in the series.

Beautiful, immersive, scary, and even a little moving...
I loved Myst, but found Riven a little flat despite the beauty of its environments.

I was therefore pleasantly surprised to love Myst 3: Exile best of all.The game is a perfect combination of the dreamlike world of Myst, with the attention to detail offered by Riven, and with a really exciting storyline, gorgeously rendered environments, and a lush immersive world to boot.

Add to all this some superb acting from Brad Dourif as a villain who's as sympathetic as he is frightening, and you have the makings of a great game. While I'd always liked him as a character actor, Dourif really impressed me here -- the drama of the game really lives or dies on his shoulders, and he brings terror and poignance to the game in equal measure.

I reveled in almost all the worlds Myst 3 presented (the first and last best of all), and the puzzles are seamless and beautifully integrated into the game. (Like some others, I did find the plant world to be a bit tedious and confusing to navigate through, but it was also a lot of fun to conquer in the end.)

I recommend Myst 3 for Myst and Riven lovers both -- but it's also just as much fun for gamers new to the Myst worlds, and may be the perfect introduction.The game even offers the possibility of several different endings, depending on how you solve the final quandaries of the game.A superb game -- one of the best I've ever played.

Note: I'm running on the XP platform and after updating with the latest patch, the game performed flawlessly for me. ... Read more

Features

• 3 hours of astonishing animation
• Unprecedented graphic depth and detail
• For 1 player
• Graphic puzzle/adventure sequel to the hit game Myst
• 4,000 breathtaking images

Reviews (8)

An experience
The Playstation version of Riven is definantly not as good as the PC version, but it still adds up to be a great experience. Solid gameplay, crips graphics, and top-notch sound. But still falls short in some areas. Disc changing can get very tedious. That's one reason why I recommend the DVD version for the pc. But it's no doubt this game will suck you in and keep you sucked for a long time. Get ready to experience a whole new world.

Myst lover's answered prayers
We were really looking forward to this sequil, after having so thoroughly enjoyed Myst.We were not disappointed.The kids are enjoying it now.

so awesome!
this game was a giant step up from myst.myst was great and all but riven was 5 times harder and more complex.it took my sister and i a while to beat.but it was worth it.we did it all using only 2 small hints from the book and one, at the very end, made me feel really stupid that i hadnt thought of it before.the graphics are great and the story relates back to myst a little bit.some things like journals and such are still here and even though its a bit of a pain to read it all, its worth it.there were actually a few people and that was cool.the puzzles were great.not impossible but some were close.it kept me busy for a while.but it was hard not to keep playing all night.it was frustratingand intriging at the same time.i highly recommend it.switching disks got annoying after a while but the rides were cool the first time through.id just turn out the lights and end up swaying with the movements.it just sort of took me into its world, even more so than myst.this was my favorite after playing all three.though exile was good too, it was a lot easier than riven and a lot shorter, dealing more with the graphics and story and video than the actual puzzles and fun.not to sayy that riven didnt do that.the puzzles just seemed to be better.and if you ever got stuck on one place, you could take a break from it and try to solve the puzzles on a different island.overall, a great game.id buy it again.replay value isnt that great since you remember exactly what to do the 2nd time through because it took you so long the first time.but im keeping it and ill replay it in another year or so when ive forgotten it.it keeps the mind sharp and the senses acute.watch out for those little subtle clues!

Riven...Let your dream begin..!
This is the game you M (Y) S Ttry!I can tell you one thing,if you like beatiful landscapes and mystiqe music,this game will
N O Tlet you down!!! I haven`t Counted all the hours I`ve played this game,and I`m still not finished..!So,do I need to say more..?

Myst-Riven-Exile
First if you are a myst fan then Riven is a must-have. Riven the sequel to myst easily lives up to its name. The graphics are magnificiant for playstation although it may be sticky at times.

Riven is a thinking puzzling game if you like to be confused to the point you dont know what to do then it hits you and you know what you have to do this was made for you. Riven is a five disk game and its length mainly depends on how fast you can put things together, so dont be intimidated by the 5 disks. Althought Riven is the sequel to myst you can play it without playin myst first. I would suggest playing Myst first thought to learn the storyline. But if you havent played Myst, Riven is still a game that is worth having.

See if you can solve the puzzle...... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Prepare to enter a world "torn asunder" by timeless, unresolved conflicts--a world of incomparable beauty, intrigue, and betrayal. Prepare to go to Riven. Journey through vast, awe-inspiring landscapes, where clouds sit nestled in a deep blue sky and the rolling sea waters shimmer from bright morning sunlight. But be forewarned: nothing is quite as it seems. Reclusive beings and mysterious creatures populate the land. Deep, dark secrets lay hidden at every turn.Your utmost powers of observation and reason are required to complete a most elusive task. You must let Riven become your world. Only then may the truth be discovered and a world be saved. Riven stands as a story for all time, a story that evokes a sense of awe, wonder, and profound purpose. Prepare to go to Riven --a world unlike any you've ever known. ... Read more

Reviews (175)

RIVEN is wonderful
The differing joy continues as you again see Atrus fighting evil.He sends you through a wunderous mystic land of puzzlic adventure.
You need this game!

RIVEN is wonderful
The differing joy continues as you again see Atrus fighting evil.He sends you through a wunderous mystic land of puzzlic adventure.
You need this game!

Well, it's better than Myst
I enjoy playing the Myst games once through, they are fun and challenging. However my computer would not allow me to hit a certain switch for some reason, and I was therefore never able to get to the location on the cover. Even if I had, I would never play the game again, I would know how to do everything, and therefore, what would be the point? At least it is better then Myst in which you can win within about 15 minutes of starting the game, but still... Any 60 dollar game (as it was when it was released) should last longer than this. With the detail put in, the game itself is rather short, with puzzle solving accounting for much of your time. Also some puzzles can be so frustrating when you know what to do, but can't (the stopping the scopes thing, the puzzle at the top of the dome on the first island). I thought it was a beautiful game, but I wouldn't get it unless it is below 20 dollars, otherwise I don't really think it's worth it.

Breathtaking and mesmerizing
It goes without saying that the world of Riven is beautiful, all inclusive and fun to walk through. However, this game is based soley on its beauty. If you love walking through beautiful environments while investigating clues to the book of D'ni, then get this. You find clues, but you don't always know what they mean.This game is utterly confusing and can get VERY boring for most people. I bought a guide to help me and I got very far in the game but still didn't know what I was doing. The guide at least helped me to explore more places that I probably would never have seen.

Honestly, if you can get this game cheap -- any of the Myst series games cheap, do so if you wanted to buy it. I mean cheap like under three dollars if possible, because there isn't much to do in the game and you'll probably play a while, put it away and never look at it again.Not for impatient gamers, non gamers and not for anyone with a short attention span.The puzzles are for naught, they are hard, confusing and don't make any sense. The complete 3D world is really what you're paying for.That's why I say if you can find it cheap, buy it because it's really a waste of money otherwise, despite how beautiful it looks and sounds, there's just not much you can do besides walk around and look -- some interactions, and you may get giddy when you solve a few puzzles, but over all it's just for the fantastic visuals and music.

Too opened-ended for most.
Riven looks like Myst. Riven sounds like Myst. Riven plays like Myst...sort of. The producers emulated Myst in almost every way but they decided to change one important thing: they made it more open-ended. In Myst, you start on a small island, told what to do (collect pages) and have unlock other areas to proceed. In Riven, you are dropped in large area of five interconnected islands with only the vaguest idea of what to do. To find your way on your own requires a meticulous manner and loads of free time. My advice is spend a reasonable amount of time then use a walkthough as needed.

A technical note: I could not this running in Windows 2000. Riven requires Apple Quicktime 2 to run and after installing that I could get the sound to work. It may have a conflict between Quicktime 2 and Quicktime 6/iTunes also installed. The game ran fine on Windows 98. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Experience the music of Myst III: Exile! Composed and conducted by Jack Wall, this CD features more than 30 music selections from the game performed by the Northwest Sinfonia Orchestra in Seattle. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Don't be fooled, it's classic stuff.
Composer Jack Wall took over scoring duties from Robyn Miller for Myst III, and although he takes the music in an entirely new direction, the main Myst jingle is still in there. But it's now evolved into something a whole lot more involving and effective.

Replacing the eerie, isolated atmosphere of Riven are a huge orchestra, angelic children's choirs, seductive string solos and the ever intriguing duduk, probably the coolest sounding musical instrument ever. Listening to the score to Myst III is like being taken thru dozens of different moods and feelings. It's an experience on its own. You'll feel power, sadness, loneliness and love.

It's not just limited to the game either. Myst III is strong enough to stand on its own and will surely one day be performed as an opera. The CD went out of print pretty quickly but I implore you to find a copy pronto. It lasts for 57 minutes and contains 30 tracks. Tho it's a shame that the unused tracks and the awesome music for the Myst III trailer are not featured, tho they are available from Jack Wall's website.

A perfect accompaniment to a great game
This is a beautiful and colorful soundtrack to go with the beautiful and colorful worlds of Exile. I love the addition of wind and strings to the usual synthesizer music, which was great by itself but better with real instruments. It always fits the mood of the environment perfectly, and is noticeable without being obtrusive. It's one of the things that I love most about the game itself, and I love having the soundtrack to listen do while I draw. It's quite inspiratinal.

The soundtrack is pretty mellow but Dope!
Incorporates some mellow music and some gothic tracks. I put it in for some mellow but dark background music while writing or whatever. I thought it was a pretty sweet overall and I haven't even played the game.

A Masterpiece of Mystery
The music of Myst III perfectly captures the mysterious essence of the game.Some pieces are a slowly flowing vision of dark beauty while others are metallic and ominous.Jack Wall, the composer, masterfully mixes Arab, African, Chinese, and Western themes and then adds the final cavernous echo with synthesizers and other sound effects in the background.The result is an impressive collection of atmospheres that gives life to the meticulously crafted worlds of Myst.Jack Wall's score is complex and intriguing. Its use of multiple instruments and styles makes it difficult to classify into any one genre.The music simply is Myst; haunting, serene, silken, and lonely.

Is it good?
I'm going to get this CD soon and I wonder how good it is? ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Myst for Mac will both haunt and tantalize you. (How many other things do that?) The game's 3-D photo-realistic graphics, compelling story line, and mind-bending puzzles combine to offer a game that lets players go anywhere, at any time. Better yet, players never die. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

One of the best games ever
This game may have been first released in 1993, but it's quite good for such an early game. Unlike in realMYST, you don't see many straight lines, and the shadows make it seem like it's actually real compared to recent 3D games. For those who've played realMYST but not this, extra features include:
*Robyn Miller's music in it's original version (also for those who have the soundtrack)
*Frequent tints of gray, which makes it seem way more real
*Rand Miller playing Atrus the original way (notice that he doesn't rush through his lines and makes the way he puts the emotion seem like it's actually happening)
The CD also features the Making to Myst.
In conclusion, this game is highly recommended for those who don't like violence and prefer to explore, and it also has features that make it better than the other versions.

Needs alot of work
I thought this game was the real pits. No instructions and graphs are bad. Don't waste your money on it.

A Classic
Myst is such an adventure without any violence or bad language.

Here's the storyline: "You have stumbld upon a book that you have no idea where it came from or who wrote it. The book is Myst.After you finish reading it, you fall into the island described in the book..."

Navigation is point-and-click style. Click on something to turn it on, pick it up, or something else.

Instead of levels, there are ages. To get to an age, you need to find a book. Each age is a certain part of the island that you need to complete by solving puzzles. You know an age is completed when you find the Myst book. There is nothing but clues that you need to pick up in ages.

The scenery is SO beautiful! The graphics are so realistic, you will feel like you are on Myst Island yourself.

The thing that I really like about Myst is you get into a game that you can play at your own pace. Your world disappears.

Myst cannot be matched by anything else but its sequels!

One of the best mind games of all time!
Over a period of six years this game has boggled many people and has taken a long time to figure out by the average person. I played many mind type strategy games and this one has given me the challange of them all. I would recommend this game to just about anybody.

Excellent for many Reasons
If you are like me -- if you are someone who really does not get into computer games much because they rarely engage you beyond the first couple of hours -- Myst is a very pleasant surprise.Like many people, I amdisgusted by the grotesque or mind-numbing nature of most of the games yousee for computers and in arcades.Myst is a game that I think isattractive to readers and gamers who like more contemplative entertainment,and (this is just a guess) it probably attracts those of us who enjoyplaying games like chess or Scrabble on a computer.This game takes morepatience, it requires you to really use your reasoning abilities, even toget out a pad and pencil to sketch courses of action.It is not aboutinstant gratification (blowing away your enemy) but rather, it is aboutentering a sort of fantasy world and trying to figure out why things lookand act the way they do, then acting on your hypotheses.Each time you douncover one of the answers (and I don't want to give any of them away here)you are rewarded by gaining access to a whole new realm of mysteries thatis more complex than the previous one.Along the way, the music and theimages border on the edge of mystery, and sometimes even horror.But it isan implied horror, something you sense rather than something thrown at you,and the game never crosses the line into tastelessness.It's one of thevery few games I have ever tried where, hours after I shut down thecomputer, Igot an insight into how to go about a particular strategy, andthen I wanted to get back into it and see if my idea worked.How often dovideo games cause that reaction in players?

Once you have "won"the game, there is nothing new to experience.However, it will take you agood while to get there.If you compare this to other entertainments, forexample, going out tomovies, you realize that the hours you'll spend onthe game, even if it does have an "ending," are well worth theprice.Even after "winning," it is interesting once in a whileto go back into the game just to take a look at the images again. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Now, get two of the most popular CD-ROM games ever and the secrets behind their creation. Ages of Myst comes complete with Myst, Riven, and the never-before released The Making of Riven CD-ROM movie. A limited-edition, special personal journal to chronicle your adventures in the written worlds is also included.

For five years, the worlds of Myst and Riven have enthralled millions. They've created beauty and mystery, where one visit can last a lifetime. But it's no tourist spot--these lands are dying. And it will take all your wits and imagination to save them. This is your passage to ages beyond time. It's surreal, fascinating, and unlike anything you've experienced before. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautiful...
...but very, very hard.

I got this for my 19th birthday and only just got around to finishing them now. I don't know why it has taken me so long as I have always loved the Myst franchise.

Myst is a kind of cute game that is easy to get to grips with thanks to the simple gameplay. The puzzles may seem difficult at first but the soon become clear enough. Especially when compared to Riven. I mean, that game is sooo hard. Don't expect to rush through this one. It takes an enormous amount of time and patience to figure out the multiple clues and work out what everything means.

And why not? As you take your time to consider everything use this to soak up the gorgeous landscape and immerse yourself in the lonely, abandoned atmosphere the game creates.

What did bug me though is the fact that Riven is spread across 5 CDs (yes...five!!!) and you have to eject and change frequently through-out the game. It did really get on my nerves but Riven is over 6 years old now and Myst is 11 years old. So this is the reason the programming seems rather basic in comparison to today's more sophisticated games. Newer editions of Riven come on a single CD but this old box set is multi-disc.

The box set also comes with a 'Making of' featuring interviews with Robyn and Rand Miller on how Riven was created. A large notebook in the style of ancient D'ni literature is also included. I have yet to find a use for mine.

I own this one and I like it
great value, both games for one price plus some other reall cool stuff comes with the games.

Wow! The best buy for Myst and Riven!
There is enough review of Myst and Riven scattered around in Amazon, or in magazines. By now, you should have been told: GET THE GAME AND PLAY! Westarted with Riven, and then played Myst, which was a little morechallenging because less natural. With Riven, it felt like we were livingthe game and that helped a lot. But regardless, you'll enjoy it (even ifyou have to ask for help because the puzzles are SOOOO CHALLENGING!). Rivenhas more of a unity (and such beauty!), while Myst is more of a patch. Butthey are both thoroughly enjoyable.

But among all the possible packaging,why this one?

What makes this edition special, in my humble opinion thebest buy, is the cd ``The making of Riven'' that explains a few thingsabout the making: it's awesome and very interesting. Also, you get a littlebooklet to take notes: we filled it up with our notes, read everything,wrote all the drawings, and that helped. We would never have done it (orreluctantly) had we not had the booklet provided in the package. Finally,the price is less than that of Myst and Riven combined, boughtseparately.

I relish my memory of playing the game and discovering theworld of the Traveling Books. I wish I could forget it and play it again.Unfortunately, the experience is sooo vivid I probably will remember everydetail in ten years. Since then, we've picked up a few great games of thesame kind (Beyond Atlantis being the best so far), but the first time isalways very special. And we are very happy we didn't use a walkthrough buttook the time (one month!) to do it. It really enhanced our experience.

2 great games with spectacular graphics
When I first played Myst was when my brother bought it at Wal-Mart.I wasamazed.Shortly after I wanted to buy Riven and my father suggested i justbuy the "Ages Of Myst" pack for the same amount of money.Riven isjust as good as Myst and has better graphics.Riven will take you longer tocomplete but you still need to think a lot in Myst.Overall,both games aretwo of the most spectacular games in the world and will keep you up allnight playing them.

One of the most visually spectacular series available
Myst and Riven together are two of the most visually spectacular computer games on the market. Both are puzzle games, which can sometimes be quite frustrating. With Myst though, it is just plain entertaining, even if youcan't figure some parts out. Right now its at a great price to, so why notpick it up. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Disappointing
How I wish I'd read "St. Chris" review here before buying Myst ME! I agree with him/her completely. My big disappointment was the sound, too.I played the original Myst on Macintosh a few years ago -- I just finished Myst ME on my new Mac G4. The sound isn't as good as the original -- it's always at the same level and blasting. But most disappointing of all is the shortened music!Half of Myst's orginal haunting appeal was the soundtrack! If you've got a high-powered Mac, pass on Myst ME -- and pray that Disney doesn't screw up Myst III: Exile for Mac players.

Sadly, not even as good as the original.
I'm one of the most dedicated Myst fans anywhere. I fell in love with the original Myst even before there was a PC version, I've got the soundtrack CD and t-shirts and posters and all the books, I've won trivia contests, I'm friends with one of the programmers...and I just can't recommend Myst Masterpiece Edition for the Mac. I'm sorry to have to say it. Its one arguable strength is the higher-quality images, but that's all it has over the original -- and, surprisingly, sometimes it's not an improvement. All told, it's a jarring step backward.

A brief history: Myst was originally created by Cyan Inc. on Macintosh systems using Macintosh programming tools. It masterfully exploited the Mac multimedia capabilities of 1993, squeezing the highest possible quality out of 8-bit sound (akin to a good AM radio) and 256-color video.

It was later adapted for Windows -- not by Cyan but by Broderbund, who gave their best shot at porting the program but ran into technical limitations: The full-length soundtrack songs were cut short, the scene-to-scene transitions became rougher, the sound effects lost some atmospheric subtlety, and the images weren't quite as good as on the Mac.

When Mattel (then the owner of what-had-been-Broderbund, in the middle of a dizzying series of corporate buyouts) created the Masterpiece Edition for Windows, they based it on the previous Windows version. They used almost none of the master full-length songs and sounds available from Cyan. Nonetheless, Myst Masterpiece for Windows *is* much better than the "original" Myst for Windows, because it has clearer graphics, smoother animation, and the online help system.

Myst Masterpiece for the Mac is a straightforward transfer of Myst Masterpiece for Windows -- a port of an update of a port. The end product does have more-detailed pictures than the original Mac version, using full 24-bit color images. Ironically, these often look *worse* than the original's 8-bit images! In technical terms: Because they didn't have high-end graphics workstations when they created Myst, Cyan had to render the scenes from simplified, relatively low-resolution 3D models -- fewer polygons and lower-resolution texture images. To fit all the pictures on one CD, they downsampled the 24-bit master renderings to 8-bit dithered images, and the dithering added just enough noise to mask the lack of design detail (with the approximate effect of photographic film grain, not at all offensive to the eye). Conversely, the 24-bit images show every little technical and artistic shortcut in stark detail, giving many scenes a pronouncedly less realistic appearance.

Even if you do prefer the greater picture detail, nothing else about this version is an improvement. Some players may appreciate the added help system; in my opinion, it gives away hints too easily. But Mattel STILL didn't go back to the audio source material: The songs are the same clipped Windows versions, so you don't get the whole musical experience. (Until I played Myst Masterpiece for the Mac, I never realized what the PC users had been missing all these years! The songs truly lose their character when cut so short. It's a shocking difference.) The soundtrack audio was cleaned up to remove noise, but it became muffled in the process. And a particularly effective subtlety of the original -- sounds are quiet at a distance and grow gradually louder as you approach the source -- is gone: Now the music or sound effect just comes on full blast, as if someone suddenly cranked up the dial. The wind on Myst Island, for instance, sounds as if it's always about to knock you over, even when you're standing inside a building.

I've played this and the original side-by-side, and I can't believe they call this one the "Masterpiece." The original still looks and sounds superior.

And yes, I've played realMYST as well. The 3D rendering is interesting, but it adds nothing to the game play and substitutes motion (often too rapid, as if you're running all the time) for the carefully-composed, gallery-like still images of previous versions. I still prefer the original.

[Edited 11 April 2005]

Welcome Home Myst!
Once upon a time I owned a copy of the original Myst, but I eventually had to replace it. Myst ME was available for Windows at the time, so I committed Macintosh sacralidge and purchased the Windows version. (Thoughany hardcore Myst fan would support this decision.) Myst ME offers improvedgraphics and sounds, and the movies are much clearer in QT4. Theseenhancements promise to only be more evident in Myst ME for Mac, theoriginal OS for this game. If you don't own a copy of Myst or if you justwant to visit again, this is a wonderful enhancement of the classic game,and I highly reccomend it. Anyway, it might be nice to get reacquaintedwith the Myst and Riven mythos before Exile comes out next Spring.(However, if you own a high performance system, you might want to save yournickles and dimes for realMyst due out Q4 this year, featuring real-timerenderings of the Myst Islands and a whole new Age to explore!) ... Read more

Features

• In this amazing game, you must journey to an unreal isalnd world, full of mysteries and puzzles you must unravel
• Using only your observation skills and logic, and guided by the diaries you find, you must unlock the many secrets of Myst
• Travel through stunningly gorgeous and eerie landscape, photorealistically rendered in 3D
• Incredible animation and Video will amaze you -- and provide you with vital clues
• Enter the Age Of Myst, and uncover a world of betrayal and imagination!

Reviews (3)

great, if you're running Windows 95...
... otherwise, forget it - the golf game, Asteroids, and this edition of Myst are all incompatible with Windows 98 (despite what the box says). I remember buying this soon after getting my first PC back in 2000 - by the time I'd figured out it was the software and not the machine, the company was out of business/not responding/changed its phone #.

BEST COLLECTION OF GAMES EVER!
I was a little bit doutfull when I first bought these games because I only new about SimCity2000. But now I am totally addicted to this great value pack! Espessially Monopoly and SimCity2000. But don't get me wrong, theother games are absolutely wonderfull too. I definatly recomend these gamesto anyone with a sense of adventure.

Good games
most of these games are great(sim city,monoply, and myst)the rest are not so great. I would sugust thinking if you need all five of these games. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Show off your adventuring spirit in this classic white pure-cotton T-shirt by Hanes. The shirt features the charming Squee creature on the back and the Myst III: Exile logo on the front. Available in XL size only. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Phat Shirt
This is a really cool shirt if your a fan of the series . Hardcore Myst Gamers , this is a must have!!!!

One heck of a swell shirt
Hey as far as video game shirts go this one is really nice, you can't really see it in the picture but the "squee" character on the back is kind of sketchy and hand drawnish, and yet very lively and colorful...any how this is a nice shirt.....I would'nt wear it on a date or anything but if you are a MYST fan (and you must be if you took the time to read all this gobbly gook) it is an absolute must have, I must also recomend the sound tracks and of course the games.....oh and the books kick butt also. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Show off your adventuring spirit in this long-sleeve black denim shirt by Lee. Features a two-color embroidered logo over the breast pocket. Available in XL size only. ... Read more