Myst III: Exile

The puzzles are harder and more intertwined, the endings are dramatic, the visual effects and navigation are still the best, and there are several great surprises. I can't wait for MYST IV

This game graphically alone is astounding. While the movement is still point to point, which is somewhat of a trademark of the Myst games, you have complete spherical vision. There is no place you cannot look. And this is at no cost to the graphics which are stunning. I stumbled through the game for about four hours and didn't get anything accomplished just because I couldn't stop looking at everything. That along with the sounds and music make the unreal environments seem real. The puzzles are unique and imaginative. Definitely impressive. I cannot recommend this game enough.

The original Myst created a genre all its own. It's sequel Riven took things to a new level by creating an incredible interconnected set of islands with puzzles weaved through them all. Exile takes the best of both those worlds and mends incredible puzzles with an engaging environment.

This was always one of my favorite installments in the Myst franchise because it really simplified things after the often-agonizing Riven. The environments are still lush and interesting, but this time a bit more contained. No taking a trolley from one island to another over and over again just to pull a single level. Instead, you just solve one puzzle in one basic location and move on to the next one.

The storyline still moves on in this one too, as it focuses on Saavedro, a man looking for revenge on Atrus based on the earlier actions of Sirius & Achenar (Atrus' sons).

Finally, one new addition to the interface is the ability to look 360 degrees around you. It is no longer a true "point-and-click" game, in this aspect, but it allows much more range of motion. No more clicking like a madman trying to find the right angle to solve a puzzle, or missing a key detail because the angle isn't quite right.

Overall, Exile is a great third chapter in the Myst saga. It takes the foundation of the original, mixes it with the landscapes of Riven, and creates the best overall game in the franchise to that date.

Myst III: Exile is the finest game ever, not only are the graphics spectacular and the sound amazing (the soundtrack alone is equal to if not better than most movie soundtracks), but the surreal location actually seems believable. Just like the backgrounds of the Final Fantasy games; the world does look real.

And as if that's not recomendation enough, one of the main characters is played by Brad Dourif. As I'm writing this I am trying to think of a critisism for the game and I can't think of a single one. The advance from Myst to Riven was awesome but the advance from Riven to Exile is far beyond anything I could have imagined.

The game is also suitable for players of any age although even the cleverest of adults will strugle with some of the puzzles.

11 out of 10 and even with that score I'm being mean.

I just finished Exile about a day ago and I am still impressed just thinking about the game. Everything, including sound, graphics, music, story and acting all came together to create this masterpiece.

I could talk about all the technical aspects of the game, but I'll focus more on the movie aspects, namely story and acting. Like Myst and Riven, you explore predominantly empty worlds, with the occasional actor to keep you company. The story is told by finding messages and journal pages left behind by the villain of the game. The story is not complicated, but it is enough to keep the player motivated until the end of the game.

As for the acting, everybody holds their weight. You see characters only rarely. Atrus, played by Rand Miller, appears mainly at the beginning of the game. He is used to playing Atrus, having done so in Myst and Riven. Maria Galante takes the role of Catherine. Though a small role, she carries her weight as does Miller.

The real star, though, is Academy Award Nominee Brad Dourif (Best known for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest). I don't want to give anything away, but he has the power to make the player's heart beat with fear, especially when holding his giant hammer. He does a great job.

Overall, I highly recommend this game! It is not overly difficult, a problem with Riven, and it is extremely rewarding. So go out and buy it!