MYST 1993-2021 Comparison: Original vs Remaster & Remakes

[@GameIntrosFinales]

Here is my comparison for the new Riven remake: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH2meJidrdaoabM

[@Dilligff]

Much as I like to see realistic graphics, I feel the 2021 version loses something in translation when it uses that grundgy brown color shading and fog. One of the appeals of Myst for me was the surreal vibrance of the world, like exploring a dreamscape. The newest one feels more like a Fallout NV mod than Myst.

[@generfeld]

agree definitely

[@muttiilpomodoro4354]

as it always will be, the unreal bad engine 4 remake gutters the original art style and changes it for a more generic modern look whit cheap effects and tacked on post processing effecs, completely killing the original graphics intent. Even just looking at the ship sink, where you can't even fuking see the ship inside makes it clear that something went really wrong whit the remake process

[@casedistorted]

also the loss of the real time actors/video def pulls you out too

[@TizerisT.]

@@ARC_VR I was gonna say the same. Reshade with the Technicolor 2 filter

[@ikeyasector]

I was just about to post the same thing, I kept thinking "Where is the beautiful green landscape? Why so much brown?". I'm downloading the 2021 version right now on Steam (very slow connection I'm on) and see what the rest of the game looks like. I'm going to give it a try. We'll see if I can remember any of the puzzles since it's been a decade or more since I last played Myst.

[@ianmitchell5979]

While the latest remake has better graphics, I think the other remake from 2014 does the best job of bringing the original to modern graphics while still retaining the art/atmosphere of the original. Plus, it's much cheaper than MYST 2020/21, so I think I'll go with the 2014 version for my first time ever to play Myst. Thanks for the excellent and in-depth comparison video!

[@ghostwolves666]

so glad you took the tim e to research! you made the correct choice. as a diehard myst fan, the 2021 version took wayyyy too many liberties from the original. not to say it's bad, as i haven't played it all the way through yet, but very disappointing. i hate to say it, but realmyst is looking like the definitive version.

[@Johnnybomb1]

@@ghostwolves666 That Unity Engine tho. It runs like dogshit even on superior hardware. 😭

[@AKU-hs2rj]

@@ghostwolves666 I thought it was faithful like the previous ones, so I got it only to request refund after quarter hour... it doesn't feel like Myst anymore. That brown filter is painful and seeing the brothers being CGI was just too much to take

[@ra226gaming]

Good choice! I'd never played any Myst until finishing realMyst: ME just today--you'll love it, that day/night cycle looks amazing.

[@arturboy777]

I would play MPE 1999 for your first time, otherwise you won't be able to enjoy the subsequent games being spoiled by the graphics and fps movement.

[@guybrushmonkey97]

For those talking about the FMV sequences not being in the new Myst, they just added the option to enable them in a new update!

[@cikame]

That's probably for the best :P, i think the rest of the updates look good, but it could use an update or a fan mod to adjust the colours and effects.

[@troublewithweebles]

NO WAY!!! 🥳

[@Scuuurbs]

Thank goodness. I was thinking maybe there were some licensing issues or idk... _something._ I can't imagine why they'd have such weird-looking 3D renders.

[@fredbeels9347]

@@Scuuurbs The videos are of the owners of the company so there weren't any licensing issues, The main issue was the videos were made in the early 90s so there is no high definition version available cause HD didn't exist back then. so they thought it would look weird to have a high res 4K game using low res 320 x 240 videos and they can't just reshoot the videos cause it's been 28 years the brothers are old men now

[@edrift3d]

Thank goodness! I realize they’re lower Res and wondered if that might have been part of the reason, but they take up so little screen real estate, plus the noise and pixelation IMO would only add to the story.

[@EnzoRacer1]

2021 version is too warm in colors - all is orange and yellow. First iterations were spooky and mysterious because of gray, silver, metal colors

[@arjujannaka9807]

true, the VR version is too welcoming and makes the ambience not scary anymore

[@storm8216]

@@arjujannaka9807 Borderlands 4 LOL

[@nobsterlobster4840]

It seems to be the case with a lot of remakes; the newer engines seem to have a bias for brighter and hazier visuals. I actually think the 2014 edition looks pretty good, that one passed me by unfortunately. I remember being very unimpressed with the predecessor realMYST. At that time anything not pre-rendered just looked like a downgrade to me. It just needed more time for technology to catch up and be able to provide the same fidelity in real time 3D.

[@nobsterlobster4840]

I must say its disappointing to see that in the new release they appear to have replaced the real recording of actors with a new 3d render. I can understand the resolution of the old recordings would not be great but it would have still worked just fine in the small window. Especially when its expected that the image be fuzzy in accordance with the lore.

[@kurtdewittphoto]

Totally agree. Too bad they didn't match the colors better. I think thats enough for me not to get it.

[@mythic_snake]

I just remember everyone being so blown away by how real the original game looked, and it was a literal game changer for years. Everyone compared every other game to Myst. Like, "oh wow it has graphics like Myst!" Now, seeing it again for the first time in almost 30 years, I can't believe we ever found it so hyper-realistic. Makes me wonder how much better graphics will be 30 years from now.

[@donkeystyle3200]

Wow, no replies?! I guess the geeks on here are just as good at talking to girls now as they were when this game was originally released. Good comment, by the way.

[@hederahelix4600]

Same here, I couldn't even remember until I saw it here that you had to click to move. Doesn't seem to have bothered me at the time. It was the first game of its kind I had played and it was on my first own PC so it always had a special place in my heart. This and playing Rebel Assault with a joystick are great gaming memories.

[@arandompasserby7940]

I'm not gonna lie, even though they're not "hyper-realistic" like they were back in the day, the look of those pre-rendered 3D graphics forever hold a special place in my heart, and no amount of polygons or volumetric lighting that modern graphics can produce can really capture the feeling the original game had. I honestly wish it was still possible to render lighting and graphics like in the original games - which, while it is possible with time, effort and research, the look of those pre-rendered "Silicon Graphics Workstation" visuals really get me in a way nothing else can.

[@Lindaatje88]

same here! couldnt believe it really was that 'bad' of quality, in my mind its 10 times better :)

[@waffling0]

The new 2021 version looks lovely, but the change to 3d models for the cutscenes is pretty disappointing. My choice would be to play the 2014 version, it's a really nice balance of decent graphics and live-action FMV edit: it's great to hear that they patched in the option to choose what cutscene style you prefer! that's a very nice change!

[@bazahaza]

All the FMV sequences are all horrible. Hurts my ears. No need for all that static. The real actors were best.

[@pilouuuu]

Or mod the 2021 version.

[@BanjoKazooie0]

It's just too bad the 2014 edition runs like shit.

[@BeierFilms]

@@BanjoKazooie0 Worse than the new one though? I haven't tried the 2021 versions but it's sounding like it's a lot more demanding on your computer largely because we've had 6+ years of hardware updates.

[@diamond_dynamo2214]

Good news! As of today, they've patched it so you can toggle between the CGI models and the original FMV!

[@matso815]

I feel like every time they remake Myst they tried to go more and more toward photorealism as much as was technically possible at the time - this time however they seem to go for a more "Pixar" or animated movie look. It's taking the game in a very different direction and as many have pointed out it makes it lose the atmosphere.

[@au313]

It feels like some hi-res gmod map.

[@derpasaurusrex2993]

I think one of the main things that I dislike is the orange filter it has, I think something to turn that off would add back a lot of the atmosphere that the older games had, also the removal of the live action cutscenes.

[@TheCrippledWerewolf]

Thanks for this video. The 2014 version seems faithful and amplifies that elusive "early CG feel" that is both otherworldly, lush, and a little too clean. The 2021 version is confusingly bare and instagram-filtery with some really terrible 3D animations when all it needed to be was a higher-poly, smoother update of 2014. Not ugly, but just a string of poor art direction choices for the Myst series.

[@laZOETje]

I do prefer the original book cutscenes, they were so creepy and like spoiled brats.

[@FPJDK]

I love the details in the newest version, but the 3D faces and the yellow light on the island are not true to the original game. If they fixed those two things, we would have a winner in the graphics department. However, the 1993 version holds a special place in my heart as I remember playing this game with my dad back then. Great memories. Edit: also, there was something really great about the old way of moving around, the lower res graphics, and only seeing one picture at a time. You kind of had to use your imagination a lot more to fill out the “blanks” whereas the new 3D versions with free movements makes the whole setting less interesting and less mysterious to me and not much imagination is required from the player.

[@brentgreeff1115]

Agree with all those points. - some of the mystery is gone, - but that clicky motion makes my brain hurt, - even a few seconds & I had to close my eyes, - I found it quite easy to lose my bearings playing the original. - There is supposedly a mod that replaces the new videos with the original - another mod that fixes the colour would be great. - I would much prefer a pre-rendered point & click game, with smooth transitions between frames. - but imagine what level of detail could be rendered these days.

[@danyg4063]

I believe the new one has a day/night cycle, so the yellow lighting on the island in this video could just be the result of filming "at sunset" as it were.

[@jensgur]

@@danyg4063 this is right

[@brianwolters7560]

I kind of agree on how we needed FMV for the characters/videos...the 3D faces take a lot of the nostalgia away...

[@HliarusProd]

@Fitzy oh well, that is because you haven't played in VR : I was almost terrorized at some points and even had to stop

[@musicvideoenhancer]

Here's the thing, the 2021 has come to Gamepass, and I had no Idea that there's other versions after the 1993 original version. I downloaded the 2021 version expecting to be the original with higher resolution images, and I was blown away to see the game being rendered in real time with free movement! I always felt fascinated by the original, but at same time, the way you move, it was always off putting to me, so I never really played until the end, but it was always on my radar to play it and finish for good. And I was blown away again with your video, never imagined the real time 3d was already achieved in a 2000 version, woah! And at same time, is very strange that so many real time 3d remakes were made, 2000, 2014, 2021...! I feel like I have to finish all the versions just to know each one and drawn comparisons! For now, I'm loving the 2021 version, it has updated graphics, but still feel a product of it's time (which is a good thing on my book!). Congrats for the video, very well produced to compare the same environments and moments in the game.

[@GameIntrosFinales]

Thanks for your nice comment!

[@Enders]

This comment, by someone who played 2021 Myst for 3 hours. Big review. lol

[@Feldingor]

Now if only they did the same with Riven, Exile and the last two episodes. I loved this series, I think I never played Revelation nor End of Ages.

[@erikwestrheim804]

Cool.

[@troublewithweebles]

Hey. So. RealMyst MPE has easter eggs.

[@themarvelousjoe1501]

I kinda like the 2014 version better.

[@diogenes7050]

2020/2021 has such an ugly yellowish tint that makes everything look like fallout new vegas

[@PetrikNZ]

Seems to be the general consensus.

[@UncleUncleRj]

I still prefer the original...

[@ImTheMan0fSteel]

@@diogenes7050 you mean, realistic lighting? Lol.

[@___xyz___]

@@ImTheMan0fSteel Last time I checked, real light was white, not yellow.

[@valuemastery]

While the 2021 version is technically the most advanced, I like the presentation and atmosphere of 2014 much better - except for the day/night cycle that can't be turned off. I'd stick to 2014 if it wasn't for the possibility to play the 2021 in VR.

[@SwordShape]

i like 2014 Unity engine the best; modern but faithful to the original. the 2021 unreal version has a yellow haze lighting. and those 3D book talking heads are awful

[@turinhorse]

my thoughts exactly!

[@r4zi3lgintoro65]

@@turinhorse mine too

[@FernandoDCDuarte]

And what about the absurd idea of removing FMV and replace with awful CGI?!

[@Rhodochrone]

@@FernandoDCDuarte luckily they released a patch that allows you to restore the fmvs.

[@Devo_gx]

Same here. I knew something just seemed "off" when I saw the announcement videos for this new version, and personally think it just ruins the look.

[@aletheion]

I just finished Myst 2021 and thought I'd look up some reviews to see what others are saying. As someone who has played through every game in the series (staring with the original upon release) as well as every iteration of the original multiple times, I thoroughly enjoyed 2021 for what it was. Cyan said it's been "reimagined". I think people need to take that into account for the changes in lighting and other aspects of the game that deviated from the original. I would agree with others that my favorite re-release was the 2014 realMyst Masterpiece Edition.

[@itstimmyramisu]

Gee i will always stick by the original. Its the true experience :) also check out riven

[@richards3648]

I think the only part of the previous versions I liked better are the use of live actors for the people. The CGI versions loses a lot of their character.

[@RuffianSoldier]

ooof i thought the same thing. that was a bad decision

[@sudilos1172]

I get it now, I truly do.

[@DuelingDexperts]

Yeah would have been cool to have Rand Miller rerecord for the new game since he is still ceo of cyan and now adays looks like he did with the age makeup back then lol he has really grown into the character

[@troublewithweebles]

@@DuelingDexperts He definitely re-recorded dialogue for the game, specifically Achenars dialogue nearly entirely. But no new video acting, for sure.

[@Zealant]

Damn, that’s a big deal. it sounds like my best bet is to live with my memories of the original realMYST version I played when I was a kid.

[@RetroGameStream]

I love that Myst is available to new people with all the bells and whistles expected these days. My heart will always still be with the 90s Mac classic version I played ages ago.

[@johnblackham3552]

I haven't had a chance to play the 2020/2021 version yet, and it does look beautiful (3d human models aside), but my nostalgia goggles are firmly in place for the original 1993 version. Remembering the family gathered around the computer in the early 90s while my dad figured out that you had to STRIKE the match and we all gave out a collective groan.

[@islanduniverse.3D]

The original pre rendered is still my all time favorite, though VR support is cool. The original images or more like surrealist pieces of art. The primitive 3D has a real magical and strange vibe to it that loses its quality when converted to realtime 3D

[@nickwallette6201]

I have a Macintosh Quadra 700. After using it for a bit, the realization that somebody suffered through rendering all the stills and movies for Myst '93 on that box... which feels almost as fast as a Game Boy running Windows 95... hit like a ton of bricks.

[@espy0008]

Yes yes yes

[@Heartbeatzofficial]

I agree. Retrospectively the appeal and the eeriness came from it‘s surrealist style. The fact that it was somewhere between realistic and dream like. And yes, the bad graphics sort of make it iconic.

[@phaethon00]

Thanks for this! As others have said, looking at this vid, I prefer the 2014 version. Mostly because of the atmosperic effects shown here. That brownish haze really destroys the original atmosphere I felt in the original. (my first or second game I actually bought myself!)

[@JosephDavies]

I agree. The atmosphere of the place is completely wrong. It's no longer a cool, foggy mysterious place. Now it's an oppressively hot, smoggy location in which I would be running for the shade at every opportunity.

[@raingram]

I think that might have been down to the weather cycle.

[@nickwallette6201]

@@JosephDavies Agree. WHY is there haze in the stairway down to the generators??? Is somebody running a fog machine down there? C'mon.... 😖

[@eren4885]

So I recently bought the 2014 RealMyst MPE as it was on special offer and thoroughly enjoyed playing it with the updated graphics. I never completed the original back in 1993 as my older brother was the owner of the game and console so I as the little brother was demoted to "watching" status. I heard of the 2020/21 version and felt upset that maybe I should have waited for this but now after seeing this very informative video I know I made the right choice! I think the 2014 version is how the game was imagined back in 93 but back then they didn't have the capabilities to pull it off.. It's an absolute classic game and with the improved visuals and sounds its perfect! Thanks for the review it is much appreciated!

[@troublewithweebles]

Having played nearly every version, I really love realMyst MPE, and I agree with you that it is most likely what the devs would have tried to make if they could have in '93. That being said, nearly every tweak, change, alteration, change of movement and even improvisation made in Myst 2021 feels like the right choices. It's a weird sensation. Somehow they made a different game that still feels exactly like Myst '93 in what it does to my soul. Theres only a few things I didn't like, and they all were forgiveable. Totally recommend it.

[@stevetech1949]

I only played the 1993 version. Looking at this comparison, the 2014 version looked more colorful, but the 2021 version look more real, esp. with RTX effects. Kudos to the remake team. I hope Riven is next. 🧡

[@cleetusvonbehren8847]

Yea I really hope they do riven. I’ve beaten myst so many times at this point I don’t think I’ll forget how to solve any of the puzzles. I haven’t played riven since it came out!

[@TheAstronomyDude]

@@cleetusvonbehren8847 I played Riven on my phone last year. It still looks really pretty.

[@AdeonWriter]

Riven is coming after Firmament! (Which also looks amazing)

[@cleetusvonbehren8847]

@@AdeonWriter I’ve not seen that. Gonna have to take a look! Thank you!

[@TheAstronomyDude]

@@AdeonWriter Obduction was a pile of crap so I wouldn't get my hopes up over Firmament - which feels like a kickstarter tax scam. Any game developer with 33 years experience and $100M+ in revenue could easily get a bank loan.

[@alex.starostin]

2014 has the best artstyle and didn't change too much of the original which still has its charms I must say. Didn't like the 2021 remake with its changed aesthetic, 3d actors replacing the real ones, new buttons to press, obviously it was made for VR in the first place

[@CallMeChato]

Great to see this live on. I still have the original version. It inspired us to develop Jewels of the Oracle. Oh the amount of DeBabelizing that had to be done to squeeze all those colours into a 256 colour palette.

[@vast634]

Coming from the Amiga, 256 individual colors is just pure luxory.

[@Antphoneigh]

Well done, this is one of the best comparison videos of any game on the interwebs, and considering Myst has been remade so many times, you’ve handled it like a champ. I think it’s also helped people narrow their purchases down to a) Myst Masterpiece, b) realMyst Masterpiece, c) Myst (VR)!

[@mynameisozymandias7150]

I think the original RealMyst is underrated, and I'm glad I buyed it on Steam before it got canceled from the store.

[@TehButterflyEffect]

I think I got a copy of Myst in 1999 when my parents came back from a conference with a copy of it, mistakenly thinking it was an educational game. They also came back with Operation Neptune and the Broderbund game about the Zoombinis. Anyway, I brute-forced my way through Myst, at the time not having an internet connection to help me figure it out. I enjoyed it so much that my parents eventually brought home Riven and then later Exile. My little sister watched me brute-force my way through Myst and then started playing it herself and got much more into adventure games than I ever was.

[@GBRyker61]

RealMyst(and by extension RealMyst MPE) was my favorite version. Fun fact: In RealMyst, if you look around the woods near the dock, you'll find a grave stone with the name Ti'ana(I think that's the name) carved into the stone. This is an important easter egg, because it ties the game to the Myst novels that came out after the original Myst game.

[@LilacLycanvic]

I love the way the graphics have gotten so much better, and the 2020/2021 version looks amazing, but I feel so nostalgic for the 1993 version because I would sit and watch my dad play it when I was little TwT

[@ThinkingFingers]

I think I follow the same thoughts as a lot of others. The 2020 version looks great, but it doesn't tickle that nostalgia itch. The 2014 version I think looks great and still looks just like Myst as I remember it.

[@natecw4164]

Very well put together. I'll never forget the first time I saw Myst in the school library. It was also the first time I saw a CD-ROM. It was in a disc caddy and everything :)

[@ConnorDunhamFilms]

My dad bought me RealMyst for my 8th birthday, it was $120 at CompUSA, and it made his old PowerBook G4 overheat after just an hour of playing, but I'd always play at least an hour after school every day for a number of years. Now I'm 26 years old and I can play RealMyst on my 2018 iPad Pro and it flys with no issue. It's safe to assume that playing RealMyst on my dad's computer at age 8 cemented my love for art in a way that changed my life forever. It's great to see so many other people share their stories about playing Myst/Riven/RealMyst/Uru because it's so heartwarming to see. Keep up the good work! And yes I prefer the 2014 version.

[@Stoyon]

I prefer the original 1993 intro sound, Atrus sounds more natural in that recording, in the newer it sounds theatrical. I also prefer the original trap book animations. Other than that, 2021 version looks great!

[@aortaplatinum]

Interesting that you say that. It sounds like it's the exact same take by the same actor from 92/93, just without the compression needed to fit it on a CD ROM and maybe with some extra filters to give it a tiny bit of echo.

[@Stoyon]

@@aortaplatinum It could very well be the echo that does it..

[@jasonblalock4429]

@@aortaplatinum It's not the same recording as the 90s version. They had to rerecord the intro narration for the first RealMyst because the timing of the intro changed when it moved to true 3D, and that recording was reused for later editions.

[@shadedskys]

Nothing will beat playing this when I was 5 years old. The 1993 version will forever hold a special place in my heart, as it plunged me into the PC gaming world. Riven would be next. And they announced they are finally remaking it as well. I hope they do it the justice the game deserves - being cause of the photo realistic approach that was jaw dropping tech at the time, they DO NOT need to reinvent the wheel in terms of graphics… modern fluid motion and some quality of life improvements and some up scaling would be enough, with a few new hidden secrets perhaps. Very excited.

[@RaymondKarlVeasey75]

There is something quaint about the 1993 version that I love, it was handcrafted by Miller brothers, & that is why it will always be my favorite.

[@Jetsetradio]

There's something indescribably charming about the chunky polygons and vibrant texture mapping of older things like that. I suppose it is nostalgia, but I remember being much more impressed at the time than I am now with the newer graphics.

[@soulextracter]

@@Jetsetradio Probably because back then, 3D renders was a fairly new thing, and if used in a game as pre-rendered pictures, it would set that game apart from other games. Today, everything looks good, and so the feel of something special isn't there anymore. You just expect it to look as good as everything else made in a modern engine. I grew up in the 90s, and I like the look of some old splash screens of pre-rendered 3D and some static background elements in 3D as well. They have that grainy look, evenly lit all over, no dynamic shadows, and a weird haze due to technical limitations. It just gives me a certain feeling that can never be achieved again.

[@Bob-jm8kl]

The 1993 version is more nostalgic, not only because of the game itself, but it also reminds me of what an amazing tool HyperCard was. Macs of the early 90s are potatoes by today's standards, but they sure were impressive then.

[@cattysplat]

@@soulextracter There is undeniably an art style of the era that simply will not be replicated today because it is not fashionable or deemed "sellable" by marketers, it's not all about what they had for that era's technology.

[@oliverdots]

I can appreciate just how much time you put in to this video and well done, you have done an absolutely amazing job. 10/10. I had the original MYST and after seeing this video, I will be buying this. Thank you and well done again

[@GameIntrosFinales]

Thanks! That is a very encouraging comment!

[@acrummey85]

The 2014 version is Myst with real motion, wonderful. I can’t say I like the 2020/21 version, the opening and the talking book scenes are terrible, and the overall lighting and colour palette do not give the same feeling as the original. The 2014 is faithful to the original with advances in technology allowing a more immersive experience.

[@nimbylive]

This is wonderful. I have Myst and real Myst (2014) on gog. While I think I like 2014 better than the new one in aesthetics if I ever get VR I'm going to want this.

[@NiIex]

Only played the MPE from 2014 and by the looks of it I made the best possible choice. The thing about free movement is that, although initially pleasing, it turns into a "pixel hunt". Or puzzle hunt in this case as you cannot be sure if you are looking at a puzzle or a stage prop. Realism of 2021 only exacerbates the issue. Node movement is a nice compromise for first playthrough while free-roam results in some nice vistas off the beaten path. Nice video and channel btw, will be checking some of your other work. I like these kind of comparisons :)

[@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg]

I had an original copy of Myst that came with my Gateway 2000 computer back in like 1995. I remember playing through the entire game in a weekend, it was riveting to me. I just downloaded Myst 2021 on my Xbox yesterday and realized I completely forgot everything about the game and got completely stuck. I walked around the island for the better part of two hours and made exactly zero progress. I guess I was better at puzzles when I was a teenager lol. I don't want to cheat and look up a walkthrough, I want to try to crack it on my own again... but I really think my brain was just wired differently when I was 15.

[@majesticmo]

2014 really captured the feeling of the original.

[@verdatum]

Great vid, thank you. The 1993 version was so painful to get through. The low resolution made it harder to understand things like the clues from the page videos, and the cause-and-effect relationships were often harder to pick up on than they were probably intended to be. It looks like future versions have improved that. When we first got it, my dad and I weren't even sure if it was a game that was intended to be beaten. We thought maybe it was just a pretty demonstration of what quicktime/hypercard could do. It wasn't until Myst III: Exile that the plot was straightforward from the beginning. I think I'll pick up this new version. I'm down to just experience it, and see how many of the puzzles I've memorized from my childhood.

[@contemplativegirl21]

I remember playing the 93 version when it came out and thought it was amazing. I've not played any other version, but 2014's looks great! I have thought about playing it again and found this. If I do, I'll pick 2014 to try.

[@Mikejo2603]

As far as nostalgia goes I would definitely go back and play 1999 MYST again. It was weird to me that the visuals seemed muddled, blurry in the 2000 version. That was the most striking to me was 1999 to 2000. Obviously, 2000 to 2014 saw the greatest leap, but that's to be expected. I don't know it just seemed like 2000's version of Myst was a graphical step down (in some spots) from 1999. Like the panning shot of the pillars and the buildings look better to me in 1993/1999 with the pillar's marble texturing versus the texturing in 2000. The lack of directional or any spot lighting as well. I like the ambient lighting of the originals and the 2020-21 remakes.

[@carneeki]

I think the pre-rendered locations or nodes is part of what made MYST so memorable. The free movement takes a little away from that, and I having node to node movement (perhaps with smooth moving between) will help get back there.

[@TheRubeeRose]

OMG - this takes me way back! I still have my Original 1993 version and I remember playing it on my Mac (as well as Riven et all). I also got the 2014 Real myst version for my PC and thoroughly enjoyed that version ... looks like it's time to get a newer version - this looks lovely!

[@soldierforchrist631]

There was a time when I thought that Myst would never leave the shelves of Future Shop (the Canadian equivalent of Best Buy, then subsidiary, and now defunct), Electronic's Boutique (the Canadian equivalent of Gamestop, then subsidiary) and other video game retailers. It must've been close to a decade seeing it prominently displayed on shelves. I miss the 90s and early 2000s.

[@cattysplat]

I loved that you could still buy older PC games brand new for dirt cheap in dvd boxes in the early 2000s from major game stores. Having to buy and find space for preowned damaged giant cereal boxes of old games or browse dodgy sites for pirate copies since digital distribution didn't exist was annoying.

[@jeronimo196]

Previous versions - different color palette for each location, green forests, granite stones, green-ish control room. 2021 - Sand!

[@Jirizo1]

2:23 Transparent water and reflections, the 90s version looks better than the one that just came out here lmao

[@BrandonBlume]

I far and away prefer the realMyst 2000 version. Sure it's older and is iffy when running on newer systems and is prone to crashes in the Rime age, but man the atmosphere was so good. And there are day/night cycles in EVERY age, unlike the 2014 remaster and 2021 which has no day/night cycles at all. I used to visit Stoneship and just sit there at the telescope location watching the lightning in the distance during the storm until the sun came up.

[@argylega]

The latest version clearly looks the best, but I kinda wish they had left in the option for the node-by-node movement w/ smooth transitions. Not sure which way I would have preferred to play, honestly, but it would have been nice to have the choice of playing it how it was originally designed. Also, I'd love to see this level of remake given to 7th Guest.

[@SentinalhMC]

Dude, Myst and 7th Guest were the main puzzle games of my childhood. T7G would be incredible in VR

[@artexx311]

I remember getting this back in the early 90s and my mom and I spent a lot of time on it. So much fun! Didn't know that there was a 20/21 version of it. Guess I'm going to have to get it now and play it again with my mother.

[@yuckal]

The biggest letdown in 2021 Myst was that they made the brothers 3D in the books, other than that, it does look nice.

[@jesuschrist9677]

they look like the updated advisor room portraits from StarCraft remastered

[@jariufo]

Yeah!! That was a big letdown. Why could they not use those real faces with that static screens in this new remake?😞

[@TheAntsh]

They released a patch with original brothers videos

[@jariufo]

@@TheAntsh No it is still the same 3d model faces. The patch maybe will come later?

[@bigstu80]

@@jariufo they patched it a couple of days ago. New setting for classic FMV

[@sitdowndrank3077]

I grew up on the original myst so I deeply appreciate the atmosphere of the original, but the 2020 remake with its new update with the original videos kind of brings to life what I felt about the original in terms of its look. I know some of the generic assets are a little off, but with its lighting and new graphics it really adds a nice touch.

[@sudilos1172]

Fantastic, Having grown up as game technology grew. I just prefer the original images. I just want them in 3d. You can see how each version changes the positions and structures, the feel of the place. But whats so wonderful, is feeling like visiting your childhood home. As you age more and more you pay allot more attention and understand so much more yet it still the same place! 1993 a Toddlers memory, VR a middle aged man returning once again.

[@Moco26]

This video is very well done, unlike other game evolution videos, this one actually explains the differences

[@haroonpiracha4374]

Just finished the 2021 version, there is so much detail and atmosphere in the 2021 version, I have no idea how people can claim there isn’t. The detail for the VR is really high, it’s really hard not to stop and to just look at all the beauty and exquisite detail.

[@commodoreNZ]

The work that went into this! The nostalgia! Subscribed

[@GameIntrosFinales]

Thanks!

[@pkaulf]

The decade from the early 90s to the early 2000s was probably the biggest leap ever in video game graphics. It's taken another 2 decades for a similarly-sized leap I would say.

[@curcumin417]

Completely agree.

[@yarpen26]

Not even that, I'd say... Half-Life 2 still looks okay, at least to the point of "I can't imagine any gamer today not picking it up because of the graphics". Meanwhile, when Half-Life 2 came out, the merely six-years-old original already looked dated af.

[@cattysplat]

The game that convinced the world to replace floppy disks with CD-ROM. Used to be the biggest selling game of all time, when adventure games were the most popular genre. Now they are dead and forgotten, but it's wonderful to see creatives keep the memories alive with modern remakes of this classic.

[@agerothn]

Frankly, I like the day/night cycles of the 2014, but having everything fully rebuilt for this newest version is wonderful. Of course, Cyan has to iron out a few of those issues in the 2021 version, like the CG faces. They have said they will be fixing some of these problems though. If they did this well rebuilding Myst almost from scratch, I can't wait for them to complete the rebuild of Riven. Once Firmament is out, of course.

[@Tiana_atr]

There's currently a fan remake of Riven in collaboration with Cyan they're calling the Starry Expanse Project, though its been pretty quiet over the last year due to contract stuff now that they're officially working with Cyan.

[@agerothn]

@@Tiana_atr Yeah, I was wondering what stalled them out. I've been watching the project for the last few years.

[@Tiana_atr]

@@agerothn From their FAQ: "What happened to your regular updates? Due to the nature of our collaboration with Cyan we have decided to put a hold on regular project updates for the foreseeable future. We will tell you what we can, when we can." It's unfortunate we don't get to hear about what kind of progress they're making, but I've waiting however many years at this point, so long as it isn't cancelled I'm willing to wait a bit more.

[@agerothn]

@@Tiana_atr Same.

[@gharren]

realMyst ME is the (modern) version that is most faithful to the original, I would say, while Myst 2021 is more of a reimagination. The graphics of the latter are amazing of course and I can't wait to play it, even though I'm not sure I'm a fan of the "dustier" look of Myst island. Maybe one day I will even experience it in VR, if I ever have the time and money.

[@AdamAus85]

Such a shame they went away from the live action stuff. I loved that, very immersive.

[@4T3hM4kr0n]

oh man seeing that low res intro gave me huge nostalgia! What i'll give Myst 2021 credit for and something that I personaly like is the wear and tear of the environment. You're in another world, on an island in the middle of nowhere, which is going to be subjected to the elements. The sun baked rocks in the backdrop of the dock where you arrive, or the fountain which looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years and has collected rainwater.

[@turinhorse]

Great video! i vote for 2014 Unity version. Back in 1995 when i played Myst, thats how i saw it in my head. the 2021 version ... seems wrong somehow.

[@legendp2011]

2021 version is being made by members of the 1993 version (and the re-formed Cyan game studios). they said the think of the 2021 version more of a re-imaging (2021 version also supports vr, myst in virtual reality is unbelievably immersive)

[@nathanedwards754]

There is something so classic about the original, even with its limitations and pixelated look. As others have said, I would love to see the most recent version but with the color scheme of the 2014 version - that would be the best of both worlds, at least in terms of an updated version.

[@Lia-A-Eastwood]

Wow, I have them all! I wasn't aware of that fact. The 2021 version is awesome as well. (Maybe despite the animated faces, they are really terrible). I love the MYST series since RIVEN in 1997.

[@Mike14264]

I love how the first realMyst edition kinda looks like a Half Life mod. In terms of details, the 2021 version really blows it out of the park. The mist in the distant horizon looks really nice, everything looks more "right", like the more natural stuff genuinely looks overgrown and used up while the artificial stuff has foundations for it, while in the prior verison, the 2014, it all looks very nice, even more faithful, but also like some things were just... placed there. Like, literal models. However, the permanent warm colors of the 2021 version are a turn off to quite a few people, since the vibes the island conveys are pretty drastically different... though I think it's unfair to compare the games solely through the Myst age. What about Stoneship, or Channelwood? One thing it definitely loses out on is the quality of the 3D models for the characters... they do not look very good, and the animations aren't that great either. It's nice that they allow for the original FMV to be used, but still, if everything looks so nice, why don't the characters look his nice as well? It's jarring. They don't even use static for the books, which I honestly always thought was really iconic.

[@marksaxon]

I'm waiting to get a VR headset (hopefully in the near future) to play the new one. Just based on your video, I think the 2014 looks better than the 2021 version. Maybe they were trying to go for photorealistic color tones but it does seem kind of bland. I am curious to see the few changes they made for 2021. Like others here, the 1993 version will always be my favorite for nostalgic reasons. My friend and I would play at his place until 2-3 am on the weekends. It was such a groundbreaking game at the time. I remember I had to upgrade my desktop because my 386 just couldn't run it. I built a 486 system just for the game but my friend just got the "new" Pentium and it ran so much smoother.

[@MacCekko]

Gosh, what a trip (down on memory lane, I mean!): I still have the original game on CD for Mac, which I bought in 1993, somewhere in some cupoboard!! At that time I used 640 x 480 pixels basic resolution, and QuickTime running on System 7, I guess. What a moment in my life! I was in my mid twenties! Thank you for the comparison! Remarkable!

[@wubbalubbadubdub8089]

the 2021 Myst looks like stills from a GPU benchmark. Not dissing it by any means, just what I kept thinking.

[@Taijifufu]

I think it's more the other way around with the art style over the years.

[@fbamann]

A comparison video at it's best, thank you so much!

[@dannydanbo58]

Thanks for doing this. I didn't realize the many differences. I had the original and will buy the 2021 version. It looks more fun and less frustrating than the O.G. I couldn't figure out half of the O.G. puzzles.;)

[@LemmyCaution66]

Same here. It will still be difficult but the freedom of movement you get in the 2021 version looks less boring and clearer. I’ll get the 2021 version as soon as I try to ply the original on Steam. At least if that is possible.

[@T-Jex]

Myst '21 keeping the brown age of video games alive and well.

[@chaoticblankness]

Very useful video. Nice work.

[@chickensauna]

Never heard of myst but the thumbnail with graphic comparisons had me intrigued

[@DarkDao]

realMyst is the one i will love forever, there is just something special in that slightly gloomy atmosphere of not-too-much-post-processing. New one looks nice, but 3d brothers...

[@lake258]

Yeah, what the hell, looks pathetic. Mexican filter is also out of place, but the faces, ugh.

[@LunarLaker]

I haven't played Myst, but having played other 3d games realMYST 2000 hits a good note for its age. Comparing to Morrowind 2002, the textures are smoother and colours more vibrant. I think it still has well balanced saturation, it doesn't have the overpowering HDR look of 2014 and 2021

[@Stratelier]

I remember seeing realMyst (2000) in stores and noting that the specs were VERY much higher than the family PC we had at the time. And 2014's node-by-node movement is underrated, fight me. (at least apparently you can still freelook regardless of movement mode)

[@MichaelSmith-cl1uo]

Myst 1993 still looks alright.... Back then ppl were blown away by the graphics, gonna give the newest one a go.

[@hardromeo436]

The newest one is still great. Just finished it. Was wondering about all the slight changes here and there, but now makes sense that it was originally developed for VR. Would have been nice for the developers to tweek some of the puzzle mechanics for PC/console (I imagine they'd be a little awkward at times with a controller) but it still works perfectly fine with keyboard and mouse

[@XanthinZarda]

There's a certain charm to the 2000s version, but the 2021 edition really captures the scale of it all in VR. I have hope that the cutscenes will be imrpoved in due time, but that and a lighting tweak I feel are all it really needs.

[@Nov-5062]

The 2000 remake looks fantastic for its time

[@chriswallace9113]

I remember buying upgrades for my PC in 1993 so I could play Myst.

[@jamesp3142]

3:16 WHY are the FMV sequences cgi? What an unusual design decision. The FMV sequences were one of the things that made the original myst so believable.

[@hardromeo436]

Yeah, disappointing, but if I had to guess, I'd say they did that to better accommodate for the VR. The actors would probably look flat and unnatural, like cardboard standups, since you wouldn't be viewing them from a fixed position EDIT: Really the only problem would be Atrus, once you arrive in D'ni at the end of the game. The brothers are stuck in books the whole time, so you're viewing them through a little "window" anyways. But for Atrus, I'm not sure how the developerss could have the actor sitting at his desk and it not look strange while you're freely walking around in VR

[@DuelingDexperts]

@@hardromeo436 well considering he looks the same now as he did with age make up back then they could simply have him record 3d video lol

[@hardromeo436]

@@DuelingDexperts Oh snap! Then it would've been perfect! The developers have no excuse now

[@DuelingDexperts]

@@hardromeo436 well since it was Rand Miller himself playing Atrus and Achenar and his brother Robyn Miller playing Sirrus I assume they just didn't want to do it.

[@hardromeo436]

@@DuelingDexperts Cool, did not know that. Yeah, guess they had rights to all the old footage and audio, but didn't want to deal with new contracts etc to bring them back in to rerecord. Might have been a money thing, maybe conflict of interest or even scheduling. Whatever the reason, its still too bad

[@branmabonkaesgard8167]

Thank you for making this video. It is exactly what I was curious to see.

[@RowanSteyn3D]

am currently playing through the new one in VR and its amazing so far :D

[@charliehorse8686]

The "nodes" from the original are special to me. Each is its own slightly unique environment, even if they're supposedly only a few feet apart. It's not necessarily a positive thing that the transitions are smooth. Instead of discovering each new special place with its own special perspective, we discover "the island" as a whole, which makes the island feel smaller, less intricate... to me anyway.

[@daninogil]

myst 2021 looks like a combo myst and obduction my favorite artistically from these videos is realmyst 2000

[@petitnicolas33]

It's amazing that each version have its own charmes. Since 2000 it's a real more modern version

[@thatzaliasguy]

2014 Node-by-node for me. Best way to play it today. The remake team really fudged up the entire atmosphere of MYST with 2020/2021

[@alex.starostin]

yeah, they managed to ruin the original mystical atmosphere in the remake

[@r4zi3lgintoro65]

yeah music sucks and there is not attention to details

[@AAAFilm-yt7gx]

I completed the original, but a couple times I had to look in the book to get unstuck. I remember mapping out the underground vehicle part, that won’t happen in video games ever again. The 2014 version looks truest to the original, but the 2021 version has some great stuff too. Thanks for the memories!

[@chloewebb5526]

I am absolutely loving 2021's Myst. The RT effects on top of ultra quality super sampling bring to life this first in a series of games that my mom and I played together throughout my childhood in the 90s. We started the series on our Goldstar 3D0, and continued on PC with the rest. The one complaint I have is the lack of color. It feels to much like a basic U4 engine game. It's beautiful and amazing, dont get me wrong, and I absolutely love the slight changes in some areas with the art direction of objects. I feel an ENB, like modding ReShade or something would fix any grievance I have with the game however, which I'll be looking for as soon as I'm done with this comment lol

[@librapaladin81]

The original is still the best. It's not about how 'amazing' or how 'perfect' it looks now... it's about what the original achieved and how it felt playing it at the time. 'Myst' in 1993 was absolutely revolutionary and truly groundbreaking. While the updates are (mostly) beautiful and obviously advance the visuals of the game (usually), they are still just variations of a theme... a theme, style and aesthetic that was unique and forever changed the industry of video games when it was released.

[@dextrodemon]

i'm sure im being unreasonable but i feel like the oldest one is the best. like i think the live action, and the crackly audio and the simple rendering and limited palette kinda suit the vibe best, even if it was probably just a necessity at the time. the 2014 one looks best to me out of the 3d ones weirdly, as you'd think nowadays you'd get a perfect myst, just like the new resident evils that perfectly capture the crowded detail of the old pre-renders, maybe unreal just isn't the right engine.

[@ionafrid6128]

1999 for the nostalgia, but there is no time like the present.

[@MajatekYT]

I appreciate how many people in the comments section prefer the 2014 version over the 2020 version because the 2014 remake captures Myst's vintage 3D graphics feel that modern deferred rendering methods just can't replicate because it ends up looking too realistic. Good video, too. Thanks!

[@au313]

Good job, you saved me 40$.

[@DrayLoco]

The new remake looks like any other random walking simulator from the past 10 years. Real Myst looks great

[@trueRedNox]

nice

[@valentinewiggin9152]

Currently playing realMyst (2014) on PC, and the 2021 version on VR. I absolutely love the PC version (I honestly love the original as well), but the VR is just stunning, I could literally put on that thing to go to Myst and simply relax. There are also some smart improvements in the mechanics, like the fact that you can carry several pages at the same time.

[@AKU-hs2rj]

Should have looked up your video before buying the new abomination... No FMV characters, brown filter over the island... refund requested after 16 minutes of playtime lol I'll stick to RealMyst MPE, much better atmosphere