Does Myst Hold Up After All These Years?

Magic books, creepy twin brothers, challenging puzzles and 4 different endings. Let's be honest, that's a lot to offer from a CD-rom PC game published in 1993. Let's take a look at this game from a small studio that became a legend in PC gaming. Welcome to Myst!
#retrogaming #pcgaming #puzzlegame #myst
Platforms reviewed: Macintosh / Windows / PC
Release Date: September 1993
Developer: Cyan
Video Details:
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Say It Isn't Joe Reviews
01:23 - Myst PC Overview
02:15 - Myst PC Plot
04:48 - Myst PC Gameplay
07:28 - Myst PC Music and Graphics
09:51 - Myst PC Conclusion & Score

[@OriginalMasters]

As usual, great production values and a masterful overview of the game at hand. We experienced Myst on the 3DO, and it leaves an indelible mark on a person. I don’t think it holds up well for the modern ADD audience, but for us, the awesome guys and gals out there, the screen by screen presentation is somehow more like how we perceive things in real life versus the 3D engine of the remake, realMyst. It’s actually a fascinating topic for discussion in itself. Keep rockin’, Joe. This was an important game for us, and you did it justice.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Thanks guys, that means a lot to me!

[@davef21370]

I remember playing this when it came out. Before then the last adventure games I'd played were early '80s text adventures. Was blown away.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Oh yeah, it was a huge leap from the point and click games I had played before it. And I like that even now it's still a challenging, engaging and fun experience

[@nicholaswoollhead6830]

Really good video, took me wayyy back haha. I remember I never figured out how to leave the first room.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Thank you! Way easier now since you can look up hints, I have to say that.

[@marcbennett9232]

I still remember that Aha moment when I figured out the tower. the entire game just opened up, it was glorious

[@SayItIsntJoe]

I loved every one of those little discovery moments. For me, the big one was the constellations, but the game was full of hard-earned victories!

[@whtiequillBj]

The first time I played Myst was at a friend's house. They were guiding me through and already knew the endings. So they told me what to do. I was at least 13 at that time. I don't remember if I got the bad Atrus ending, but the red and blue book endings I was guided to. That was my first experience of Myst.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Yeah I feel like most people weren't so impetuous by that point in the game that they'd just click into a new book blindly like I did lol

[@brainstormsurge154]

Not sure if you've watched any "The Making Of Myst" video but there's also the technical achievements they were able to pull off with this game. Completely new technologies when it came to rendering graphics with minimal resources which is the only way they could pull off what they wanted to achieve. It was actually very groundbreaking but it was on every count too such as visual, audio and gameplay.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

I did! I even ripped the making of video from the cd-rom in anticipation of using it in this video, but I try not to make my reviews super long. I might consider making some Addendum follow ups on some of these that go more into the technology behind the games, because I find it fascinating - I just don't know if others would

[@kri249]

Oh I definitely would. Sometimes I find learning how a magician does his tricks more entertaining than the trick itself.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

@kri249 that's good to hear. Some games have a little more public detail on the development process, but a lot don't- I've even reached out to many of the smaller dev companies and gotten no response (seems they don't like doing interviews). But I'll keep trying!

[@epicfox567]

The Myst universe will be coming back this decade, beginning with the new RIVEN. Cyan has stated they will be experimenting with different types of games within the Myst universe going forward.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

I saw some rumors about that and even some movie and tv options being floated around, which would honestly be pretty rad. As long as they don't sully the originals I'm all for it - the myst universe has a lot of potential for world building.

[@Azzabajam]

Great video, just wish it was a couple hours long ^^

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Aww thanks! Believe me, I could have done that. Maybe someday I'll make a super cut version 🤔

[@soundertillidie]

Great video. I do however feel I would chuck my pc after failing a puzzle a million times

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Haha there were definitely moments.. thankfully when I played it the first time, my insanely smart uncle was playing it too so he helped me with some parts

[@shanerooney7288]

I had that game. Never got past the starting area.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

It's hard to explain, but that's actually what kept me wanting to go back. Something alluring about the challenge, I know it COULD be beaten, I just didn't know HOW yet, so I kept trying. Over and over.

[@cyndanetierney6449]

Yeah, as much as I like Myst, I don't really ever go back to play it again. Riven, on the other hand, I go back to every now and again. I can't wait for the remake. Also, yay, another video. After the last video, I went through and watched most if not all of your videos. They were a fun time, so I subscribed.

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Thanks!! I generally post once every other week, but sometimes work gets in the way. I'll try to keep the community tab updated tho

[@mattalan6618]

yeah Myst isnt a game i go back to either. its a good game but its one of those games once you go through it you dont want to play it again

[@SayItIsntJoe]

@mattalan6618 that's definitely what I thought when I went back to it for this video. I was surprised at how little I remembered but yeah, it probably wouldn't be as fun if I was only playing it for fun the second time around.

[@mattalan6618]

@@SayItIsntJoe i felt the same way about the first few Monkey Island games as well

[@mattalan6618]

Myst was a good game. the puzzles really made you think. what i hated though were the endings. "SPOILERS" the game has 3 different endings. the Red Book ending leaves you trapped in the Red Book. The Blue Ending leaves you trapped in the Blue Book. the 3rd ending which is the true ending the guy you save basically gives you Myst Island to fully explore at your leisure. the problem with that ending is you ended up exploring the island and the books just to get to that ending

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Yeah that's what I covered in the video, but there's also technically a fourth option - if you get to Dunny but don't bring the final page, you're just stuck there forever. That would also suck lol

[@mattalan6618]

@@SayItIsntJoe ive beaten my fair share of games. the Myst endings are by far the worst ive seen

[@SayItIsntJoe]

@mattalan6618 oh I can agree, they were a total letdown, especially considering the time you have to put in to get there. Insanely anticlimactic.

[@JappaWakka]

Good review! Oh and by the way, you're one gorgeous dude, not gonna lie. Don't mean anything by that, just wanted you to know XD Have a good day :)

[@SayItIsntJoe]

Haha thank you!