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regular version is a better deal

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 7 / 14
Date: May 07, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Let me start by saying that I love Myst and its series and cannot wait to get my hands on this game. I am sure that Presto has done a great job with this game and if you disagree then you have yet to see the screen shots and theatrical trailer. The question to ask though is which version of the game to buy: this collectors edition, or the regular version. The collectors edition is the exact same game as the regular version with some value added extras like the strategy guide and the soundtrack. Now these are nice extras but is it really worth it?

I was leaning towards purchasing the collectors edition until Amazon cut the price on the regular edition and is giving free shipping on that version, which they aren't doing yet on this one. Now hopefully that will change, but if it doesn't we are talking about a nearly $30 difference between the two. Now some might say that the extras in the collectors edition make that difference worthwhile, and if you think so then go ahead and buy the collectors edition. But from my vast computer game playing experience I can tell you that while the game guide is nice as a reference in case you get badly stuck, every gaming website on the net will have the same information on it within days of the release of the game.

Unless Amazon cuts the price and offers free shipping on this game I reccomend you buy the regular version instead (which Amazon.com has the best price I've seen for it, so far) as long as you can live without the extras and are web-savvy enough to look up game play hints on the web (but if you are reading this you probably are).

Beware of the known bugs

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 19, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I haven't played the game yet. Not because I don't have time (which if I were quite honest I don't) or because I'm not interested. I CAN'T play the game.

I pre-ordered the game and picked it up on May 9th. I installed the game and tried starting it, only to have it crash just after choosing the graphics mode. I checked out Myst3.com and found out that this is a known bug. For many video cards you will not be able to play the game at all until the patch is finally released.

I am truly upset that I payed good money for a game I cannot play and may not be able to play for a while. I can't even return the game because (a) I waited because the message I got said it would be out soon, and now it's past the return date and (b) the publisher has sent messages to the retailers telling them to send people to the website if the game doesn't work, so the retailer won't take the game back.

From the website it appears the particular bug I have is not the only bug. There has been one patch released that fixes some of the other (in my opinion less important) bugs. I'm sorry, but if I can't even start the game it is a much more serious problem than a few video glitches the other patch promises to fix.

can't compare to Riven

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 11
Date: September 18, 2002
Author: Amazon User

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, BUT I'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 predacessor Riven. 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.

Beautiful but Too Easy

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I am a huge fan of the world of the D'Ni. Read the books, played the games, blah blah blah. I had high hopes and expectations for Exile.

The graphics were beautiful, even on my 400 mHz G3 PowerBook. The VR landscapes rotated smoothly and the video was good except for the well-documented audio sync problem. Good stuff.

My only problem (and the reason for the low rating) is the fact that I finished the game in only a few days of not-very-intense playing. Riven took two or three times as long. Granted that some of the difference may be because navigation is easier in Exile than it was in Riven, so it didn't take as long to look around. But overall the puzzles seemed easier or just less complex.

In any case, if you are a fan, the game is worth it just for the background - it fills in some holes in the overall story of Atrus. We finally know what his sons were up to.

It isn't Miller time...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: June 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The Millers are sorely missed (in case you didnt know- the creative masterminds behind Myst and Riven).The game is shorter than Riven and much easier- with the possible exception of that infuriating fan room in the Voltaire Age. (It took me 15 minutes to get the knob to work in the 3 different directions) The puzzles seem seperate from the story line- bummer.The 360 rendering is way cool and the graphics are excellent but not nearly as ethereal as Rivens. I never had that true feeling of awe and fantasy I had in Riven. In Exile, the high points for me where riding in the air balloon and riding through the completed maze on Amateria. The ending lacks climax. The Edana age is needlessly tedious. There are far less, creatures and modes of transportaion than in the previous games.Saavedro, played by Brad Dourif, is mis- directed- his acting is so over the top- you just want to laugh at him instead of fear him. On a much much more admittedly shallow note- Katherine ( who we meet in Riven) and arguably the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen in computer game has been replaced by a average looking woman whose character is now boring. It isn't my attention to scare anyone away from playing this game-for if Exile is the first of this series you play you will have a great time. I highly recomend installing the enitre game to your hard rive as to not be bogged down with swapping disks. More importantly, it's essential you hook this up to your stereo or other high end audio system- the music and sound are superb and adds to the whole "experience"

I did encounter a problem with Exile screwing up my desktop every time I quit the game.(G4-500- 9.1) While applaud the Presto team for such an incredible and ambitous effort ( the hard work really shows) it simply doesn't have the enigmatic captivating magic Riven and Myst had.

Appealing Gift

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 20
Date: April 12, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This edition would make the perfect gift for any die-hard fan of the game. The bits and pieces that you get in this package are worth the money. You get he offical strategy guide, journal of Atrus, and a cdrom containing trailers for the game and footage for the making of the game. This is a must have and the price isnt that bad considering what you get. ( I'll be buying this for a friend for his birthday)

Beautiful and fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: June 09, 2001
Author: Amazon User

The installation and running on my iMac DV was fine, and the program operates well with no errors. I recommend the full install, which takes up nearly 3 gig of space. The full install is not automatic and requires dragging of info from CDs to the HD.

I've been a fan of Cyan and the Myst series since its inception. I think Exile carries on the tradition of engrossing, beautifully crafted places and intriging puzzles. These puzzles are a bit easier than Riven, although I'm only partway through the game. Who knows what's in store.

The environment is wonderful, with the ability to look around you in real-time motion, not static frames. The environment moves and continues to move as you change your view. Movies where things are operated or occur are integrated nearly seamlessly.

The story, thus far, is a bit one-track, and only seems somewhat tertiary to the puzzles. In Riven and Myst, understanding the underlying story was crucial to solving a good number of the puzzles. So far, in Exile, I'm only vaguely aware of the storyline but have still managed to get through 3 levels.

A good sound sytem is crucial to the full experience. There is lots of environmental sounds and the sound track, while not as good in my opinion as Riven's, is still quite good.

Turn down the lights, turn up the sound and be prepared for new and amazing sights.

Great game, but buyer beware

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: May 14, 2001
Author: Amazon User

First, I'll say I really liked the game, and like many other fans, was VERY eager to get my hands on it. BUT (isn't there always a "BUT") after installing it, my system constantly crashed while trying to start the game. My problem, was three fold, so here are some things to think about before you buy.

1. Aparently, Myst3 in NOT compatible with hardware rendering by Voodoo 2 & 3 chipset video cards. (I have a Voodoo 3500) So to run the game in software mode, you must hold the "Ctrl" key while starting the game. (I was able to run the game well enough but, not to brag, I have a pretty good machine that made up for the lack of hardware acceleration)

2. The game has some kind of issue with the Kenwood 72X CD-Rom drives. Of witch I'm a (usually) proud owner. So running it from one of these drives isn't possible at least in my case. I was able to install from it but it won't run. If all you have is one of these drives, try installing the FULL program to your hard drive, (aprox 2GB needed)

3. The game MUST have the disk in the drive to run, even if you install to the hard drive. However, if you have multiple hard drives, or partitions, causing your CD-Rom drive letter to be HIGHER than H: (I-Z) it will not recognize that the CD is presant to verify the security key.

Well, there you have it. For the record, my machine is a P3 800Mhz system with 256MB Ram. This seems to make up for the problem with the Voodoo cards. Over all I liked the game, and look forward to more installments (let's all keep our fingers crossed) there are some HARD parts so the collectors edition is a better buy in my opinion, since the Prima guide alone is $... so it's a wash to buy the regular game and then the guide, plus you get some great extras ("Making of" CD, soundtrack, and pewter statuetof a squee). I hope this was of help to some of you.

Have fun!

A smaller, yet still impressive, step up from Riven

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: May 31, 2001
Author: Amazon User

In the least, Myst3 has excellent graphics, sound, and acting. I also loved the 360 panorama viewing. But in the most, that's also what it has... merely those impressive features. I was excited when I heard that Myst3 was going to be developed, for before Rand and Robyn Miller had announced Riven was the end to the series. But I was disappointed when I learned that Cyan Inc wasn't doing it... Presto was. Cyan, I believe, was founded with Myst by the two Millers, and grew to accomplish unimaginable things with the sequel, Riven. Unfortunately, they should have kept the rights to Myst3 instead of selling to Presto, for although the Presto team did marvelous work, it doesn't seem like as big a step from Riven as Riven did from Myst. One can only wonder what Myst3 would have struck the world with had Cyan produced it themselves.

The puzzles in Myst3 certainly do seem a little more mundane... less interesting, less tied in with the storyline, and a few almost a little boring. Although it's still a wonderful game, and I would recommend playing it (but with a copy of the hint guide so you don't get frustrated with the mundane tasks), I was not struck with the awe that I once felt when I set my eyes and ears upon Riven.

Collector's Edition: Excellent game, excellent story, but...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: May 17, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Well, here we go again! Another Myst game that may take some flak from hardcore gamers who just don't understand why Myst is so popular.

If interactivity (or lack of) is a concern, the interface of Myst III resembles somewhat that of another Presto Studio game, Journeyman Project III (hum... both are THIRD version games... Coincidence?!?) So it is NOT a slide show!

Graphics are amazing. Details are sharp, even better than Riven, which is still superb, even to this day. And the thing that makes this game bite is that the movies are integrated into the scenery, which makes watching a cutscene or looking at an event while panning around possible! You still have full control over you point of view, even when an event is playing! (Please download a video clip from somewhere like at Gamespot.com for better understanding) And this without any detail degradation! (Of course, some cutscenes inevitably remove "control" of your panning...)

Music and sound effects are, as usual, top notch. However, the music in Myst III suffers from an identity crisis, much like Riven. In the first game, you would be able to hum the opening them, as well as the theme of different places and characters. In Myst III, except for the Main Theme, there is not much in ways of "personalities". It does, however, convey emotion to a scenery very well.

Then, there are the puzzles. Here however, I feel they are more implemented as "prop" then as part of the world. The puzzles seem... out of place, as if puzzles were part of the inhabitants' daily routine... Oh well...

Another thing that may be frustrating is the lack of sense of navigation. The game does not cue the player when it is possible to go in a particular direction. Unless there is a path visible, this may become very challenging, especially in a very organic world (and yes, there is one in this game...)

The box came with a Prima Game Hint book (20$ US value), which should only be used as a last resort, since spoilers will be very apparent! The "making of" movie was cool! And the different trailers were a nice bonus (but they are already available on the Net). The soundtrack is very well done, but as I said before, lack personality. The Bonus Pewter "Squee" (hey! I did not come up with that name!) is cute, but not "Collector" level quality.

Basically, it is a good kit. And you even save money if you intend to use the hint book or listen to the soundtrack!

Oh! And the game is very good. Flawed, but fun!

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