Game: Myst
Genre: Adventure/Puzzle
Platform: Nintendo DS



If you are old enough to have played computer games in the mid-90s, there’s an overwhelming chance that you owned, or at least played, the classic game Myst. When this game came out in 1993, it was visually ahead of its time. A so-called adventure game loaded with obscure puzzles, Myst was praised by critics and was ridiculously successful. Until The Sims finally beat its sales in 2002, Myst was the best-selling computer game of all time. In the history of video games, Myst is undeniably an important landmark. Unfortunately, the DS port has made it painfully obvious that Myst’s time in the sun is definitely over.

It’s not often that I say that an old classic hasn’t aged well, especially to the point of being unplayable (in fact, I think this is the first time I’ve ever said that). After all, I devote one day a week to reviewing an old-school game, and it’s no secret that I love collecting dusty old cartridges and reliving the glory of past gaming generations. However, as soon as I started playing Myst on the DS, I immediately remembered why I never got anywhere in the game the first time around. I had a copy, as did everyone else back in those days, and I remember being completely captivated by the way the game looked. Scratch beneath the surface, though, and all I could find was weak “adventure” gameplay that mostly consisted of moving from screen to screen and clicking on random things in frustration.

As the player, you take the role of a nameless, faceless protagonist on the island of Myst. Once there, you must wander the island and find some missing pages from several books that imprison two brothers and their father, who all seem to be against each other. However, it is up to you to decide whether the father or the sons have the bad intentions, because whoever you choose to help will determine whether you get a good or bad ending. Other books link to different worlds, called “ages”, where more searching and puzzle-solving occurs. This all sounds well and good on paper, and I love a good puzzle adventure as much as anyone. However, actually trying to do any of this is much more difficult and boring than it needs to be.



Part of the problem is definitely the way that this game was shoved onto the DS. The mystical world that once seemed so big now just seems cramped and awkward. It’s hard to believe that at one time, Myst was known for its amazing graphics, because on the DS, they’re grainy and unpleasant. There are a few “added features”, but none of them really utilize the DS’s unique features in any way, and some merely show off the game’s shortcomings. For example, a magnifying glass tool was added to the game, because trying to read anything without it is nearly impossible. Everything is so small and blurry that it’s almost headache-inducing. On the other hand, note taking, which should be a breeze on the system with its handy stylus, could not be more inconvenient. Why? Because Myst uses the same old typewriter system, which on the DS means that you need to tap each key individually to make a note. It’s unnecessarily tedious, but then again, so is the entire game.

If you’re wondering why I haven’t brought up the actual gameplay yet, it’s because there is barely anything to talk about. The world of Myst is presented in a first-person view. You move by touching various directions on the screen. Yes, all movement, which used to be done by pointing and clicking, is now done by stylus. Sometimes you’ll end up on a different screen, or a different part of the same area. You’ll occasionally find yourself in buildings, climbing ladders that go nowhere, and making things happen without really knowing why. Myst does come with a map function, which allows you to view a tiny map of the entire island on the top screen and is essentially useless.



If only the puzzles in this game had actually been interesting, I would have at least gotten a little bit of fun out of it. Not surprisingly, the brainteasers are just as mediocre as the rest of the game. You don’t even actually know that you’re in the midst of a puzzle half the time, and none of them have the charm and challenging addictiveness of the puzzles in games like Professor Layton or even the old point-and-click adventures of the same generation as the original Myst. Overall, there’s no motivation for completing anything or advancing any further, because each minute spent playing this game feels more like a punishment than anything else.

The original Myst deserves its place in video game history as being one of the most graphically advanced and innovative games of its time. However, the game simply does not hold up fifteen years later. Taking an obsolete game and giving it a second-rate DS port only makes the experience more painful. Not only did the developers of this game not fix any of the outdated issues the original Myst brought to the table, it added a few new problems. Had this game been given some kind of update (maybe one where the developers added, I don’t know, fun), things could have gone a lot better. As it stands, I’ll be happy if I never have to play this game again.

 

 

 

 

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