A fitting final adventure in the Myst universe.
End of Ages is the fifth and final game in the series and, after having racked my brain from Exile and Revelations, it's nice to see the game returning to its original developers. The puzzles have been scaled back a tad, but not so much as to make them ridiculously easy. But they aren't insanely difficult either.
Even though this is the final game, it's a Myst with a lot of firsts. The game is full-on 3D; no prerendered images or full-motion video of actors. It's been done before with RealMyst and Uru, but never with a new entry in the core Myst series. I like how you can choose between three control schemes: the classic point and click that's been used with every Myst game to date, the Classic Plus which is an update of that system utilizing the 360 look mode first used in Exile, and Free Mode that enables the player to use FPS-like controls to go anywhere they please.
Immersive puzzle solving has always been at the core of the Myst mythos; the inclusion of the Slate in which to communicate with strange creatures called Bahro is such a neat idea. Basically, you draw symbols on the slate, which are interpreted as commands for the Bahro, and leave it in specific areas of the world. The Bahro will recognize the command and perform it at your request, thereby helping you solve strange puzzles or get past tricky obstacles. Only downside of having the Slate? You can't climb ladders with it, so it leaves you with a precarious burden that you yourself have to rack your brain to overcome. There will be a lot of situations when you have to get to a specific area where the Slate is needed the most; only to realize that you will need to leave the Slate behind in order to climb the one ladder that will get you up there. Don't worry....if one is persistent, willing to experiment and put up with a lot of trial and error, one will undoubtedly solve the situation.
No actors this time around, unfortunately. However, the developers came up with an interesting bit of technology to map actor's faces and expressions in three-dimensional models. The results are quite astounding--if a little odd at times. But you can appreciate the effort Cyan put into it.
The story is a little sad, but presents you with opportunities to change it at the very end of the game. I will not give away the ending; only to tell you that you're faced with a decision that will ultimately determine the ending of not just this game in particular, but the entire Myst saga. No pressure.
Adventure games were huge in the early 90s. Today, they're on collective life-support. But dig through the FPSes, RPGs and MMOs and you'll find a great adventure game that may still pull your interest. For fans of the Myst games (myself included), the final chapter of this beloved franchise will undoubtedly provide you with the familiar air of exploration, puzzle-solving and, when it's all over....gratification.
Or regret. That choice is yours.