Myst III: Exile First Impressions

Though we were only able to catch the Myst III: Exile trailer at the show behind closed doors, we learned several interesting new facts about the game. Yes, it will be driven by full-motion video, and yes, it will follow the story of the previous games. However, Myst III isn't being developed by Cyan (the original creators of Myst and Riven) - instead, it's being developed by Presto Studios, whose previous credits include the Journeyman Project series and Star Trek: Hidden Evil. We spoke with representatives from both Presto and Mattel Interactive, who assured us that Cyan's decision to relinquish the Myst legacy to a different company was a difficult one, but one they felt was justified, given Presto's track record.

Though Myst III will continue the story of the original games, the game's story will focus on a brand-new character; a banished villain whose homeland was devastated by Sirrus and Achenar. This new character will be played by none other than Brad Durif, star of the popular sci-fi television series, Babylon 5. You'll begin the game trapped in this villain's realm in a different time than your own. In order to escape, you'll need to explore that world, solve puzzles, and gather information - information that will tell you more about your mysterious enemy, his past, and his plans for vengeance against Atrus.

Myst III is currently scheduled for release early next year. Until then, you can have a look at these in-game screenshots and concept art sketches.