Myst III Exile
It's back - in time for summer. Guaranteed to keep you from getting sunburned as you sit
transfixed in front of your computer. A cross between Myst and Riven - keeping the best
of both and subtly rectifying the frustration factors found in the other two games. There
are five new unique ages to explore J'nanin - The Lesson Age, the jumping off point for
the other ages; Voltaic - The Age of Energy; Amateria - The Age of Dynamic Forces;
Edanna - The Nature Age and Narayan - The Age of Balance. As you can tell from the
names, you will explore everything from wild and exuberant nature to mechanical
systems and universal forces.
In each age puzzles must be solved to advance to other puzzles and the final engagement
but the player is free to move between the various ages without completing all of the
puzzles in any one age. It is a good solution to the frustration in Myst where you couldn't
get back from a age until you solved all the puzzles and found the linking book to take
you back.
There are about five major puzzles in each of the ages which gives you plenty to do
besides wander about. The puzzles are well designed but tricky enough so that you might
want to take advantage of the strategy guide by Prima (see review below). The navigation
is a huge improvement over the original games. While not real time 3D, the 360 degree
rendering of scenes gives you the feeling that you are free to explore in any direction you
might want to - up, down and sideways. The graphics are extraordinary and the
contrivances ingenious. The lands that you visited stay in your mind long after the game
is over.
Prima's strategy guide does more than give hints. By giving background information on
the characters and Atrius' journal it fleshes out the story and makes it more meaningful.
Hints are provided in two different formats - the complete walkthrough with all the
solutions and an incremental parsing out of hints and suggestions to guide you to solving
the puzzles yourself. The screen shots are in black and white and are a disappointment
after the brilliant color of the game.
Special Note:
We believe that as women get into the game field - games will reflect more of what
women want in games. In Myst III, two women have been involved in the creation of the
game in significant ways. Mary De Marle was game designer and writer and Kelly
Standard was the computer artist for the Age of Edanna,. Edanna, the organic plant age is
the most graphic and beautiful age in the game. Read how these women got into the field
in the interviews in Women in the Game Game on this site.
Editor Review 6/01
Ages Everyone