First-play: Myst V: End of Ages

David Kidd mysts the good old days as he plays the latest and last in the classic series.

Ah, Myst. When adventure games were dominated by cartoon graphics and comic characters, Myst’s was a genre unto itself. Its sumptuous photorealistic scenery, abstract puzzles and surreal storyline made a truly magic game that is still unmatched in many ways.

Now, it’s coming to an end.

I’ve just had a quick look at the final installment in the series, Myst 5: End of Ages, and I’m missing the original already. It’s fully 3D and it looks gorgeous, but the fire that burned in the heart of Myst and its sequel, Riven, seems to have died down to an ember. There are some gorgeous touches -- the 3D motion captured actors are stunning, as is the voice acting -- but the whimsical inspiration seems to have left.

Maybe this is intentional. Myst games went unmatched for many years, but there is now competition on all fronts, ultimately making it less unique as the years go by. That developer Cyan Worlds has also closed up shop makes the crumbling world of End of Ages more poignant.

But, I’m not sold either way just yet. This is a first impression and I’m yet to really scratch the surface. I’ll be giving this baby the attention it deserves over the coming weeks, and you can find the full review in PC Authority’s December issue.

David Kidd