Platform: PC
Developer: Cyan, Inc
Publisher: Brøderbund
Release Date: September 24, 1993
Genre: Puzzle, Graphic Adventure
Nerd Rating: 7.5/10
Reviewed by Jedite83
(For this review I used the Myst: Masterpiece Edition version, as it is the most compatible with my computer. This review does not cover the realMyst remakes nor the remakes for gaming handhelds / Android as they have a different play style and/or additional content.)

Myst may be one of the most influential video games of all time. This simple game spawned a successful franchise with a number of quality games, several (underrated) novels and almost inspired a Disney theme park. Myst is a graphic adventure puzzle video game designed by Robyn and Rand Miller, the founders of Cyan, Inc. (now Cyan Worlds), and published by Brøderbund. Myst was released in September 1993 for the Macintosh and in 1994 for Windows 3.1.

In Myst the player takes on the role of an unnamed character who finds a book simply titles ‘Myst.’ Touching an image within the book sends the player to the island of Myst, which is described in the book. With no way to escape the player has no choice but to explore the island and uncover its secrets. As you solve the puzzles on Myst, you discover more ‘linking books’ that take you to other worlds, called ‘Ages.’ As you travel you unlock more secrets and learn the history of the world you find yourself trapped in.

There are six ages: The Island of Myst, Mechanical Age, Stoneship Age, Channelwood Age, Selenitic Age, and Dunny (spelled D’Ni in the novels). Each age has its own unique feel and puzzles that go along with the theme of each age.
The Island of Myst is the ‘heart’ of the world. It is here you you start the game, and the puzzles here lead you to the other ages, with you returning to the island between ages. It is a lush island in the middle of a great ocean. As you explore The Island of Myst you discover a library where two additional books can be found, colored red and blue. These books are traps that hold Sirrus and Achenar, the sons of Atrus, who once lived on Myst island with his wife. the brothers implore you to find colored pages and bring them back to them, while ignoring the other brother. This provides your main motivation to explore the ages.
The Mechanical Age is probably the easiest age to access. This age is one of metal and industrial feeling machines. Here you get a feeling for what kind of people the brothers actually are as you explore their bedrooms, filled with torture devices and other horrid implements.

The Channelwood Age is set in a flooded forest. The bulk of your explorations here take place in an abandoned village built in the top of the trees. While in your explorations through the other ages you don’t meet anyone, The Channelwood Age is the one that really makes you feel absolutely alone.
The Selenitic Age may be the hardest age in the game. The puzzles to get you into and out of the Selenitic Age are, in my opinion, the two most difficult in the entire game. The rest of the the puzzles in The Selenitic Age are on par, difficulty wise, with the rest of the game, if not a bit less self-explanatory.

Myst‘s main selling points for many people were its graphics, which were superb for it time. Now, almost 30 years later the graphics have held up very well compared to what is normal for similar puzzle games and still draw the player into the immersive world.

Myst doesn’t have background music, or much of a soundtrack. The audio is whatever background noise is appropriate to the area you’re in (such as waves when your near water). While the game would be a lot less immersive with out such sounds, it can also make parts of the game feel ‘to quite’.

I am giving Myst a score of 7.5/10.

When Myst came out it was a smash hit, and rightfully so. It pushed the bar for PC gaming at the time and continues to inspire puzzle games to this day. If you’re a fan of puzzle games or just of old school games, you should find a way to give Myst a try.

Written by Jedite83

Jedite83 is a professional geek-of-all-trades and founder of Hacker Labs – The Geek and Otaku Blog.
Twitch: Jedite83