Myst 3: Exile
by Ubisoft

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Product Summary

• Free-look movement system allows players to pan a full 360 at any location, fully immersing them in the world.
• 5 entirely new ages to explore.
• Dramatic storyline extends the Myst mythology by focusing on a pivotal new character.
• Puzzle solving, revealing mystery & intrigue.
• Original soundtrack.

• PC Gamer [with CD] (1-year)

Video Game Reviews of Myst 3: Exile

Customer Review: Exile - a good buy
Summary: 4 Stars

Interested? Read more.

I purchased Exile on Amazon on October 26, 2001. I beat it a couple of days ago. I don't get to play that often, but it is not so easy that you can breeze right through it. If you play it straight through (assuming you sleep and eat a little), you could get done in about a day, but I recommend pacing yourself, and enjoy the new world you have been thrown into.

How does it compare with Myst and Riven? First off, play them in order. Myst was amazing, the first or second time, but after that, no. It was challenging, but not to the point that I was smashing my head against the wall. Riven was by far the best game, and the hardest. If it stumps me, it must be tricky. After Riven, there were dents in the wall. I finally gave in and bought a "hint book" which actually gave everything away, and I was quite disappointed, being just a couple hours away from the end. Exile was a nice combination of the two. Some puzzles insulted my intelligence, and others strained it. There were multiple endings, a nice addition to Exile, which I won't go into, only to say that they were more fulfilling (much better!) than Riven's end. I didn't have to buy the hint-book for Exile, which means it wasn't that frustrating. I'm glad they didn't stop with Riven.

Tell me more about the gameplay of Exile!

Okay, the linking books are back. In Riven, they're gone for quite a while, but not so in Exile. No fun rides to get to the next world. Although you do get to go on a couple of rides (the best one is in Amateria) when you beat a world. The worlds can be done in any order. You start on J'nanin (after your meeting with Catherine and Atrus), and from there you can go to Voltaic, Amateria, or Edanna, but you will eventually get to them all. The free view mode was a nice commodity, but you were still moving in frames. You can't go everywhere, like I wanted to think. Depending on your computer, the video clips and scenery are amazing. The graphics did not look real, but they did look like I was in a fantasy world, and it was believable. If you have the choice of using Direct X or Software for the graphics, choose Direct X. This will make most of the game graphics amazingly clear, but the video clips may not be so great. On Software, it's the other way around. The music was spooky at times, and well-placed. Without it, the game would lose the effect of a mystery. The music makes it "cool". After the ending, the music stays in your head, so much that my older brother played it on his trombone (this is a good sign). The badguy, do I even know his name? Is not present basically until the end. Unlike Gehn in Riven, who was eternally watching you (don't play that game alone at night!), this guy was gone for most of the game. I didn't see him throughout Voltaic (except one message he left), Amateria (I can't remember if he left one here), and Edanna (he left another message here). In the end, I think I saw a bit too much of him (no not like that!).

The story is not as exciting as Myst or Riven. There is a storyline, but it is not well put together. If you have played Myst and Riven, it will be easier to understand. The whole point of the game is to save Releeshan from this guy that takes it from Atrus. He leaves messages to annoy you and then, up until the end, you don't see him or anyone else! I forgot what I was trying to do, and I just focused on figuring out the puzzles. When I got to the end (ah multiple endings are great), I remembered that the whole point of me solving everything was for a book. I was doing Atrus' dirty work, and my life was threatened to get this book back. I love books, but that is ridiculous. The acting was okay. The only one who really convinced me that he was a good actor was the bad-guy, because I thought that he needed to go to a mental institution in the end. On a redeeming note, the music makes up for the act of story and acting.

My suggestions:

Only play this game if you have a lot of patience. This is not for rpg shooter fanatics, or anxious parents. You need to have puzzle solving skills, but you can learn that from Myst and Riven. Play them in order, of course. Have someone around who doesn't get lost (my little brother), someone who will explore everything and never give up (me), and someone who knows physics (my older brother in Amateria, it helps). Also, read the books!!! They have good stories, as well as other uses (I won't go there).

Bottom line at the bottom : Get it, beat it, relax, repeat.

Description of Myst 3: Exile

Myst's ongoing story line is as convoluted as it is fantastic. Central to the story is the mysterious civilization of the D'ni, which creates entire worlds by writing books. Other books are used to link the D'ni worlds together. Myst trapped the player in a series of interconnected worlds, and challenged the player to puzzle through the ramblings of two mad brothers in order to free Atrus, their imprisoned father. Riven revealed more of the history of the D'ni, and sent the player to the unstable world of Riven in order to rescue Atrus's wife.

Myst III: Exile concerns Atrus's earnest attempt at creating a new world. He hopes this world will mark the rebirth of the D'ni, but before he finishes his book, a thief (portrayed in the game by actor Brad Dourif) breaks into his laboratory and mucks things up. You have to track this thief through worlds written by Atrus in his earlier years. Within each world you must right the wrongs the thief has created, all the while uncovering a deeper mystery surrounding his relationship to Atrus and his troublesome children. Prior experience with Myst and Riven isn't necessary for this third excursion, but familiarity with Myst's point-and-click gameplay and its often infuriating puzzle logic helps.

New to the game is a full 3-D landscape, which replaces the static prerendered artwork of the previous games. The gorgeous new graphics allow you to quickly pan and scan your way through an area, looking for puzzles and action spots with the hand cursor. The puzzles have been improved so that you can now see changes to the environment immediately after you solve one, rather than simply moving on to the next picture. Still, the puzzles are often wickedly difficult and may prove frustrating to new players.

The environment is the true star of the game, and is sure to enchant players of all stripes. As before, the music and artwork are topnotch and immersing, and the experience is not easily forgotten. Myst fans of old will be delighted with this new installment, and those new to the series will be enchanted, provided they are willing to spend time on the puzzles, enjoy the scenery, and let the game carry them away. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• A strong continuation of the series
• Brilliant new artwork and music

• Puzzles can be confusing
• Not for impatient gamers

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