Back in 1993 the game charts were dominated by classics such as The legend of Zelda: Links Awakening, MegaMan x and of course that behemoth of a shooter, Doom. But for many 1993 was a year inextricably linked to just one game and one game alone. Myst. Released at a time when CompuServe was the dominant tech company of the age, Myst was hailed by critics as nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. Shifting over 6 million copies, Myst immersed players in a fictional world where travel is through a magical book. The game offered five worlds to explore (known as Ages) and bucket loads of puzzles to solve. As well as its incredibly lush and detailed graphics, Myst also differentiated itself by just how tough it was. Now when we say tough, we’re not talking hard like a diamond. Think of a grizzly bear armed with a flick knife and you’re half way there. Many of the puzzles in the original Myst were so obtuse and esoteric that we would often had Myst parties (when we got together with mates just to try and solve the puzzles together).
Flash forward to 2021 and developers Cyan have released Myst for the Oculus Quest VR system.
For many already familiar with Myst this VR offering will be instantly familiar. Designed from the ground up to accommodate the VR experience, this new version of Myst features the same hauntingly beautiful island shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
There are five main ages to explore; Channelwood Age (Age with lots of trees), Mechanical Age (Age with gears/bridges theme) Selenitic Age (Age with rocketship and dark blue fog)
and Stoneship Age (Age with wrecked ship and lighthouse). Cyan has also taken the time to include the option to play the game with randomized puzzles. This in effect means that, even if you’ve played through the game before, you can’t simply rely on your memory to solve the puzzles. Excellent. For VR newbies there are also a wealth of comfort settings ranging from being able to skip certain transitions to teleporting or snap rotate. This was perfect for me as I often suffer from nausea when playing VR games that require me to spin around too often.
Graphically Myst is nothing short of outstanding. Playing the game on a flat screen nearly 30 years ago was an experience. Seeing it come to life while I’m actually ‘in’ the game is something every gamer should experience at least once in their lifetime. Despite the Quest’s limited processing power, Myst offers gorgeous environments lovingly and painstakingly created for the VR system. Almost without exception, every world or Age looks like something you could photograph and hang on your wall.
The first time I arrived on the island and looked around, I finally realised that we are living in the future of gaming.
Although the story in Myst has never been the games strongest point, each puzzle represents a vital clue. Here’s the skinny: As the game starts you are cast in the role of an unnamed person who discovers a mysterious book called ‘Myst.’ By placing your hand on the book’s last page you are teleported to the world described in the book and left to wander and explore. The first island contains two books – blue and red – which are cages holding Sirrus and Achenar, the sons of the wealthy Altrus family who once lived on the island. As you travel through the ages you slowly begin to find more books and gradually piece together the shocking events that befell the Altrus family.
As we mentioned earlier Myst is a tough puzzle game. And that fact alone is both its strength and weakness. If I had any gripes with Myst it would be the lack of any help or hint system. Video games have always been unique entertainment models in that, even after you’ve paid for the game, if you can’t solve a particular puzzle, or get past a certain level, you can be locked out of the rest of the game and be forced to put it aside. Myst is a perfect example of this. The lack of a hint system or any way of skipping a puzzle meant I often had to take the VR screen off my face and consult a walkthrough just to help me make progress. This is by no means a deal breaker but it does break the immersion of the game.
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This minor niggle aside, Myst is probably the most immersive, challenging and rewarding VR experience available today. The fact that you can’t die and there are no time limits means you are encouraged to explore, try out different solutions and just step back and think. Something very rare and wonderful in age dominated by mind numbing shooters. For diehard fans of Myst and its sequel Riven, Myst on the Quest is a fantastic way to re-experience the joy of visiting that magical island once more. For newcomers, this is probably the best introduction to Myst you’ll ever have. Go buy.
9 out of 10
