A classic adventure game that should not be missed, lest you lack the patience for creative puzzles. (Actual: 8.75)
The story within the game itself is simple and somewhat dull. You find a mysterious book that takes you to an island and you must explore the island and decide who out of three people you must trust and help. Only one leads to a true ending, though there are four endings total. Two of the men are criminals, one is not. It is really as simple as that. Now if you read the prequel novels, a lot of backstory is cleared up and things add up, otherwise as you explore the Ages (worlds) you will only find ominous hints as to what might be the bigger picture. In a way, this is an interesting way of storytelling, but it is unfortunate that outside sources are needed in order to properly enjoy the story of this game, sources which were not even available at launch.
Story complaints aside, the game itself plays great. You simply point and click to move, and you also point and click to interact with the tons of objects. There are a total of 5 Ages to explore (that is including the 'overworld') along with a mini-Age. The puzzles are all ingeniously made, and though they may be a little frustrating, all the clues are always available within your grasp. It is just a matter of putting them together to actually solve the puzzles. The good thing about this game is that it promotes note-taking, which requires organized thought and also some creativity. It is great because it really feels like you are accomplishing something when playing, because of the work you put into it, almost like decoding a complicated cipher all by yourself. My only complaint about all this is that there could have been more, and that the game itself is relatively short.
With how puzzle based this game is, it is important to have well drawn and detailed environments. This game fulfills this beautifully. Each Age is unique and well crafted, and despite the age of this game (1993?! That's a long time ago!), it still looks fantastic with its rendered 3D graphics. I can't really find anything to complain about in the graphics, they look absolutely amazing.
The game sounds fantastic as well. Many of the puzzles are sound based, and thankfully the sound effects are very well done. The acting is acceptable as well. You will definately feel truly immersed due to the sound. To top it off, there is (usually) appropriate music that plays at just the right times. It rarely ever feels out of place and does a great job of setting the mood of the locale you happen to be in.
With the type of game this is, you likely won't come back to it again because it just isn't as fun to play when you know how to solve all the puzzles, especially with the series being done at this point, you probably won't even have reason to come back for story purposes. On the bright side, there is a neat 'Making of' video included with the game, which is impressive for its time...especially considering that standard editions of games don't come with 'Making of's even now.
Overall though, this is a game that is a combination of being an experience, and being a puzzle. It pulls you in and does a great job of keeping you in. Granted, the puzzle-solving may not be appropriate for action-seeking players, but for all others who have a level of patience, this game should not be missed. Enjoy.
NOTE: Unlike the Myst: Masterpiece Edition, the original copy of Myst (that I have reviewed here) DOES work on XP with just a little tweaking. All you need to do is right-click the .exe file, go to Properties, then the Compatibility tab. Make sure it is set to run in Windows 95 mode. That should make it run fine.
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 7/10
OVERALL: 9/10 (8.75/10.0)