User Reviews (11 - 21 of 72)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Disappointing as a series ender

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: January 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'll start off by saying I'm only halfway done this game as of writing this review. I have been a HUGE Myst fan since the beginning with the original Myst game. Over the years I've enjoyed where the games have gone, exploring the darker sides of Sirrus and Achenar, trapsing back into Atrus' past and so on. Myst 5 just seems to take a big step away from the core foundation of this series. The general story line and plot of this game are understandable (if you've played Uru and its expansions, otherwise you'll be lost). However, the actual code itself behind the graphics and essential gaming structure is seriously flawed. My main frustration lies with the slates and how the player draws symbols on them to get the Bahro to do things necessary to move the plot along and solve the various puzzles. Obviously, interfacing user input with a puzzle game setting is challenging and my fears were confirmed after I played the game for a little while. There are too many variations that can be input onto the slates for the computer to handle. Twice so far I've been allowed access to areas I shouldn't have just because my symbols were read wrong. I got through Todelmer because the Bahro thought I had entered the final symbol, but in actuality I had just explored the first area of the game and was just getting used to the method of using the slate. In Tagira, I managed to get out of the entry ice cave by writing symbols from other Ages onto the slate. The computer got confused and essentially gave me a link out of the cave. Also, the guidelines for solving the puzzles are near-to-non existent. Esher doesn't provide much help and Yeesha's journal entries have nothing to do with the main gameplay itself. The "motion" scenes, primarily with Esher, are also flawed. The sound will sometimes cut-out, leaving you clueless as to how Esher is feeling or emphasizing the words he is speaking (which may be important to the next puzzle). Also, the camera jerks rapidly when transitioning from "play-mode" to "movie-mode". Overall, Myst V just feels slipshod and poorly made. Its almost as if they didn't go through all of the product testing before selling the game. Its unfortunate because the game truly suffers because of this.

Despite all of this, I will try to finish the game on my own steam. However, the experience itself has already been marred. If you are looking for a truly entertaining and in-depth experience with the Myst universe, I would recommend Myst, Riven, Exile and Revelation. All of these follow the same tried and true formula for excellent puzzle gaming. Uru was a failed experiment by Cyan that they tried to save by selling as an expansion set game. In general, its not that great either; but that's another review.

Best Adventure Game in Years!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 18
Date: September 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is perhaps the most immersive, well, constructed adventure game I've played in a very long time. It's rather on par with Riven, and easily surpasses Uru, Myst 3 and Myst IV in gameplay, sound design, graphics, and music. Graphics are different. All previous myst games (with the exception of the online MMU "Uru") have been point and click basically, but in this installment, you can either point and click in one mode, or alternatively move around like a 3D realtime game allows you, and in an improvement over Uru, you can use different keyboard combinations that players of games like quake will feel natural at. UNLIKE Quake however, the games graphics are nearly photorealistic! the water effects in particular are currently unmatched by any other game I've ever seen. Other characters in the game are like people who walk around in 3D, and they look remarkably real for being in 3D. The slate system is really fun to use once you get the hang of it. Only in a couple of instances did I have trouble with it. sometimes you just have to be really careful in drawing the symbols very neatly. Other than that, the puzzles are not too hard, and you can do a lot of exploring right off the bat.
Anyway, The game ties things up beautifully for the saga, (assuming you make the right decisions!!) and as one who was a bit skeptical of the last two Myst titles, (i didn't even get past the first level on Myst IV) and therefore not knowing its storyline, Myst V still makes sense. Don't worry if you haven't played some earlier episodes, its stands very solidly on its own.
in summary, This game is not just a game, its a work of art. I highly reccomend it.

Such an anti-climactic end...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 11 / 13
Date: September 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I was SO looking forward to this game, after Myst IV : Revelation brought the series back in focus after the absolutely DISMAL release of URU (what WERE they thinking?). Unfotunately, after just a day and a half, I've already finished this afterthought of a game! It's more of an epilogue of Myst IV(what happened to Yeesha, etc.), than a full game on it's own. I'd say that the biggest beef I have is that the ages were WAY too short! I finished more than 3/4 of the whole game the first night! The puzzles weren't that hard, for even a remotely experienced adventure gamer; for those familiar with the series, very predictable. I still have to say that as an overall game, Exile: Myst III is by far the best. My advice to you is wait until it drops in price to play...or find a friend with it and borrow it...

This is the big ending??

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: January 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

First of all- I am a casual gamer. I do not know about technical things with graphics, so my comments are based purely on how a middle-aged woman (who enjoys mildly difficult games and marvels at stunning graphics) found Myst V.

The graphics were disappointing, to say the least. There wasn't enough color and detail- most scenes were tones of gray, browns, etc. I played the game using a Radeon x800 on a brand new tower, so it was not a matter of hardware. After Uru and Riven, I expected much better, especially since came with several discs to download.

There were no views giving us tantalizing glimpses of other worlds, no animals (except for a bird and a couple of stray butterflies), no people, no intricate details either static or moving. Esher's costume moving was nice, as was the grass and palm trees.

The first time I saw the Bahro (the creature who does your bidding), I thought something was wrong with the program- chunky body pieces and jerky movements. Pitiful considering it was from the company that set the standard.

Yeesha is still weird. Esher is about the only active, living thing in the whole game and I found myself liking him simply for that reason. I don't know how he and Yeesha were made, but surely there are better programs for animating people. A video clip would have been much preferable.

I do not like very hard puzzles and make good use of internet hints, so my opinion of the puzzles will not be helpful to most serious gamers. Sorry. A few made sense, but many did not. If you like difficult puzzles, you will be happily entertained for the most part.

I thoroughly enjoyed Myst, Riven, and Uru and will go back and play them again, just for the lovely graphics...but not this one.

Bottom line: there was no "WOW!"

Awful just awful

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: December 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have been an avid follower of the Myst series since being blown away by Riven at the time of its release. Exploring the complex realistic worlds with their beautiful graphics and textures was one of the major things that put these games in a league of their own. When URU was released I was shocked to find that the makers had decided to abandon this aspect of the game replacing it with the same old boring cartoon looking graphical style that is found in so many games these days. Despite this I persevered and was relieved to find Myst 4 returning close to the original graphical style. Having just purchased Myst 5 I am completely shocked and bemused but mostly very disapointed that Cyan have decided to apply the same awful graphical style of URU to the final game in the series. Nothing about this game has the flair and beautiful graphical style of its predecessors. The makers have completely missed the point. They simply do not appear to have any idea what was special about these games. Myst V is simply awful and a great disapointment at the end of what was a classic and landmark series of computer games.

Eh...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: April 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game was both disappointing and fun...

Disappointing because I bought the game yesterday and beat it today. Granted, I used a walkthrough when I got stuck so I didn't do a lot of retracing my steps or trying everything like a hardcore gamer would do. But still, that I beat the game in about 6 hours is kind of pathetic. Also a lot of the stuff I did seemed very random. It seemed like a lot of the puzzles were just guess and hope you were right. There seemed to be no patterns to let you know you were on the right track. Maybe I just missed stuff...

The big reason I felt this game was fun was because you get to explore the lush Myst worlds without the point and click interface. I loved being able to just run around and look at stuff. I have to give this game credit for the little creepy chicken things in the island place as well. I suppose the real reason I'm giving this game 4 stars in fun is just the little stuff I appreciated. A huge part of this rating is from how much I appreciated the ability to explore the ruined Myst island. (my favorite part of the game)

I guess this review itself is kind of random but basically this is an okay game. If you aren't a fan of the Myst series I really doubt you'd appreciate it, except for maybe the beautiful scenery. As a Myst fan, I enjoyed the various aspects of this game although I was slightly disappointed as this is the last game in the series... I had hoped they would have a more spectacular finale.

Worst Game Ever

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: December 31, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I am a huge fan of Myst, having played and loved all of the games in the series. However, this chapter of the Myst series sucks! There is no logic to the puzzles and you have to rely on drawing on a stone tablet in the game to do anything. Plus, Escher is the most annoying character in the world. Every time you think you are getting somewhere in the game, he pops up and talks about pretty much nothing, except to give away what the next puzzle is. He completely breaks up the flow of the game. The whole concept of having to draw on the stone slate so that the animals help you is idiotic. Half the time, the computer thought I was drawing a different symbol than the one I was trying to draw and it allowed me access to parts of the game I shouldn't have been in at that time. Since I was not actually using logic to complete any of the puzzles, I didn't feel like I was accomplishing anything. Also, I kept reading that the ending was supposed to be spectacular, but it was a huge let down and the same ending basically used before in the series. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!

An important journey

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: January 02, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Myst V isn't as large or as long as Myst IV or Uru, but it is definitely worth playing. The Ages are gorgeous, and the 3-D setup offers amazing views of everything, including K'veer.

It may help to read the Myst novels, especially The Book of Ti'ana, before playing in order to fully understand and appreciate the story that is coming to a close in this game. Also, having played Uru first will probably make it easier to move around the game and appreciate the 3-D look.

The game itself is fun. Esher, brilliantly played by David Ogden Stiers, gives insight into the fall of D'ni from a D'ni native's perspective. A journal belonging to Yeesha gives history on her life between Myst IV and Myst V. The facial mapping makes for amazing characters, and the realtime 3-D allows you to experience the ages in amazing ways.

In Laki'ahn, there are trees that move in the wind. It snows in Tahgira. There are shooting stars in Toldemer. And in Noloben, not only does it rain, but the water is so realistic that you may find yourself checking your shoes after wading through it.

There are ample opportunities to poke around every corner of every age, especially with the ability to switch between the Classic, Classic Plus, and Free Move modes with relative ease.

There aren't as many in-depth puzzles in this game as in past Myst games, but you may find that you're able to solve the ones you encounter without hours of frustration or wanting to throw your computer out the window. The slates and the player's ability to interact with the Bahro are an interesting and entertaining new addition to the Myst universe. The in-game journal was a great way to record the thoughts I had regarding Esher and Yeesha. The ability to take pictures that also served as individual "save" points in the game was very helpful.

I gave it four stars instead of five because I think the game could have been longer, and I didn't always like Esher telling me what to do and where to go. Overall, though, I enjoyed playing this game. Esher's monologues were fun to listen to, and the ages were beautiful. Throughout the game, I felt as though I had a very important decision to make when the ending came, and that built suspense as I traveled from age to age.

This game is worth the money and the time. I'm only sad that there won't be any more chapters in this, one of the best video game series ever.

Who would have thought that the Millers would let their masterpiece crash.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: March 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've been a fan from day one: I've followed the books and games, tracked development online, eagerly awaited releases. I've read and played and replayed and explored. I've Easter Egged and written reviews. I was upset when I missed the beta on Uru online too. Each game I've really enjoyed, some more so than others. But after Revelations, I was a bit worried about the story. The game play was atleast quite fun in that one, easy in parts, challenging in others.

And even for someone who's watched the Millers go from a basement group of 4 to an entire company... cannot give this game a good review.

The story was alright at best, but the change from filmed character to animation was horrid. The puzzles were way too simple, especially for the target audience: People who have played through 5 games already! There wasn't really that much substance. I felt limited and railroaded (something I rarely ever felt in the last five games) and felt lost in the reasoning behind my actions (rather than lost in a world and culture- an aspect that made me fall in love with Myst and the D'ni quickly). And just when I thought the story was about to turn, perhaps salvage the game, it ended. Predictable and a let down.

*sigh*

The only real "heir" to Myst I

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 20
Date: September 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I must admit that i'm halfway through the game, but i feel impelled to write something about what is a truly great game.
I won't be talking about puzzles or difficulty; as always with the Myst games, the point is entirely atmosphere, exploration and, in the end, PURE MARVEL.
I was a huge admirer of the first Myst; then, Riven was an extremely classy game, but its atmosphere (rocks, sun, sand) was so unlike the first game that i couldn't help thinking it was, in a sense, a "betraying" of the original vision; Myst Exile (created by Presto Studios) was a solid, decent, but prosaic game, which lacked the sheer grandiosity and (may i say it?) "nobleness" of the first Myst; Uru was to me a total failure, but i admit it's a merely personal opinion; and, contrarily to most, i think that Ubisoft's in-house developed Myst Revelations is a bad game, confusing, with impenetrable puzzles, with at least an age (Spire) totally out of tune with the Myst vision and a general "new-ageish" feel that simply is not the point of the complexive "Myst philosophy"

Then, arrives this Myst V, whose release, sadly, coincides with Cyan's shutting down.
But what a game!
Since the beginning, you only have to see the mellow, multihued reflections of light on the glazed tiles of the first hall to realize you're again THERE: you see not only a game a VISION. All is elegant, wondrously conceived, with just a tad of "noble dilapidation" in the interiors which i, for one, found very effective and moving. It's clear you're witnessing an ending - maybe Cyan's undergoing demise was partly responsible for this feeling? I don't know, but Myst V is again, like the first, an aesthetic experience, an immersion, a world of calm and almost melanchonic meditation, a country to roam at leisure only inspired by marvel and personal whim.
You will excuse me for the rapsodic tone of this review - if it is a review - but i feel that, probably for the last time, we're visiting Myst country like we visited it twelve years ago. It feels only right that this ending is so compelling and so stilishly conceived an achievement.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next 

Actions