I have played every version of Myst that's come out through the years, and I have to say that this is THE game to play. While so much of it felt as familiar as the very first time I Linked to Myst, the changes that were made to the mechanics of the puzzles felt fresh and challenging. The Gravesite moved me to tears as a fan of the books. The way that the Stoneship puzzle was updated brought a wonderful realism to the game. And the randomizer setting made the game I know and love just as tricky as the original.

I played this after Patch 5 was live, so several features have been added that were not included in the original launch. While I appreciate the efforts made in the new 3D rendering of the characters, they ultimately felt childish and unrealistic, especially after seeing the character model work being done for Firmament. So I was thoroughly pleased with the addition of the original FMV segments back into the game, because it added a sense of realism, as it always has. Plus, Myst doesn't feel like Myst if we don't see Rand Miller and Robyn Miller.

Bravo to Cyan specifically for the Gameplay Context Subtitles feature. There are so many auditory puzzles in the game that cannot be solved for those who are hard of hearing. This feature, while visually jarring to those not expecting it (myself included), is an appreciated addition. Also, the redesign of the puzzles in Selenitic to use waveforms and icons as visual clues for solving the sound puzzle is simply brilliant in the same aspect.

The quality of life changes were also a welcome surprise from the original release. Removing the ladder needed to access the clues in the tower was a simple change, but a much needed one, and you have my thanks. Adding the camera function was crucial to those who play in VR instead of those of us old school fans who still like to write down our notes in the official Myst notebook (yes, I still have mine), and I'm sure it is easy to incorporate in a controller configuration. But for using a keyboard and mouse, it felt almost like it was in the way. But that could be personal preference.

Overall, this is a crowning achievement for Cyan, a definitive love letter to all those who once played Myst, and a refreshing way to bring new fans into the series.

This is one of the most united communities I have ever seen.
We dive together or not at all.
"Freedom forever!"