Myst III: Exile

Now for the 2026 play, my 3rd time through the game. It really needs an update. The Steam version is the original, and it seems odd to see the low resolution, especially after playing so many new games recently. Even so, it's still quite a pretty game to look at. We played it together, though we needed lots of help. The only way to truly understand what the hell is going on and why is to use the Prima Official Strategy Guide, which we kept handy and used liberally. There are five worlds that require puzzles to be solved to advance the story. The game opens on Tomahna, the house of Atrus and Catherine and Yeesha that we will see more of in Myst IV. However, we are quickly taken to J'nanin, the world that is central to the game. For most of the images below I have cropped out the bottom of the screen, which shows the inventory items, mostly books. The game play screen is 640 x 480, more square than these cropped images. None of these worlds were meant for anything except to train Atrus' two criminal sons how to manipulate worlds and get along together to solve problems. I wish the Myst stories had left those two alone, already imprisoned by Atrus at the end of Myst. We now have to deal with a man driven mad by the cruelty of those two boys. Saveedro, played with full force and intensity by Brad Dourif (Wormtongue in LOR), is rightly upset with Atrus for not keeping a close rein on the boys, and the game is all about his seeking revenge. He has been separated from his wife and kids for twenty years, and is now a raving madman. Anyway, there are three main puzzles to solve in J'nanin, also referred to as the lesson age. The solving of each puzzle gains the player a different world to explore. There is also a minor puzzle to solve beneath the main elevator, found in the art nouveau house shown above. The elevator gains the player access to the main tusk summit, which has solutions to each of the three main puzzles. There are also three smaller tusks, with a major problem to solve for each. We got through J'nanin without much trouble. One of the puzzles I really liked was the light puzzle, shining from one lamp to another across the small island. It's also a great island to walk in, as the player can make a complete circuit of the island without backtracking. It is a death-defying walk and quite exhilarating! The first world we traveled to from J'nanin was Voltaic, the energy age. The puzzles here are also mostly solved by a bit of poking and exploring, though the three-storey steam pipe one is tedious and overly complicated. Especially since Saveedro has damaged part of it, as he has in each world. The puzzles would be difficult enough, but by damaging them things can quickly go from bad to worse for players. Catwalks, both high and low, an elevator, underground caverns and above ground caverns, along with an airship ride, are some of the highlights of this very scenic age. Once things are up and running, there are some great sound effects. This helps immersion in the game, as the music, for the most part, is quite lame by Myst and Riven standards. Once the age has been completed players are rewarded by a scenic airship ride through the canyon. We get to take a sheet of paper with us which has a mysterious symbol written on it. Back to J'nanin via a handy linking book, and on to the next world. Amateria, the age of dynamic forces, is still my favourite of the worlds of Myst III, though the puzzles are virtually impossible without spending a lifetime of trial and error. The small island can also be walked in a circle, with indoor and outdoor scenery of a spellbinding quality. The sky was unbelievably dramatic, with lightning, thunder and some of the best dark clouds and lighting to this day. Even in 2026 I still love just walking around that place. Its Chinese themed architecture works perfectly against the drama of the overall atmosphere. As mentioned, the puzzles here can be far too challenging, and with very little in the way of help as to what needs doing, this beautiful setting can quickly become a frustrating experience. Hints and use of a walkthrough are nearly mandatory if the player wishes to exit the game in a spirit of fun and enjoyment. Whereas the payoff in Voltaic was a ride in an airship, this time one gets to ride inside an ice sphere, whizzing through a maze of track. It's best to save the game before the final code is inputted, so the ride can be taken again. Back to J'nanin with another symbol on paper, and off to yet another world. Edanna, the world of nature, is nearly a complete disaster, and one of the worst Myst creations to ever be thrust upon a devoted gamer of the series. There are many physical levels to this game, but if the player doesn't begin from the uppermost level and work downward, there is no hope of success. Should one wander down into the depths of the jungle first, nothing at all can be accomplished. It's so easy to get lost and turned around down there that I can safely bet that many players likely abandoned the game somewhere below. Even if by chance some puzzles are solved, you will never figure out what they mean. Even with a walkthrough and a map from the strategy guide, good luck finding and solving everything that needs doing. None of it makes the least bit of sense as far as teaching the boys anything about worlds or nature. The jungle at the bottom features one necessary pathway that is virtually impossible to find. It is easy to get turned around, and can become something of a maze, that dreaded feature of many early adventure games, beginning with the Zork text games and continuing on into visual games for far too long. The less said about Edanna the better; use a walkthrough if you wish to remain sane. Otherwise, expect plenty of anger issues to arise. Upon completing this world the reward is to be picked up by a giant bird and brought up to its nest. A third page with symbol is gained. The final world visited before end game is Narayan, the age of balance. Again Saveedro (who we bump into here and quite often in the game) has damaged part of the age, in this case destroying some tapestries which hold symbols related to the three we have gathered before arriving here. Again the puzzles are complex and unnecessarily abstruse. Part of the first main puzzle makes absolutely no sense at all. The second one is easier, as it is simply copying symbols from an underground tapestry collection and putting them into a machine. This world is very limited, and there is little to explore. With only three discs, the developers were running out of room. But seeing a gondola that will follow an airborne track leads the player to assume that he/she will soon be riding the vehicle. Not so. The gondola is only for Saveedro, if you make it that far in the game. Once the second main puzzle is solved, the end game sequence begins. Save as soon as you can. Next come the five endings. Choose wisely. It doesn't matter, as the game sets up the player to lose. Of the five possible endings, three of them end badly for the player and for Atrus. A fourth ending ends badly for Saveedro, but okay for us. A fifth ending, which will only possibly be found by players after all the others have been tried (I missed it entirely the first time I played and never knew of its existence), ends well for everyone. The game could really use an upgrade, and I would certainly replay it then. Though a fairly good game with lots to see and many places to wander freely, I rank it well behind Riven and a bit behind Myst. Even so, it is one of those games I find myself thinking back to often, with that little dwelling at the crater bottom on J'nanin and the mysterious and entrancing world of Amateria. It was hurtful not to see more of Atrus and Catherine's house, but we get the whole thing in Myst IV.

норм

worth it!

Отличная игра

To the best of my knowledge, the only game that can end with Brad Dourif [spoiler]smashing you over the head with a hammer[/spoiler]; so more than worth the price of admission. Not quite Riven, but quite a bit of fun.

Tingles your mind with the puzzles, questions, decisions etc... Try not to lose yourself, you might lose your mind lol!

While not as impressive as Riven in terms of worldbuilding and story, Exile is another enjoyable entry in the MYST series. I always loved the introduction of 3D pre-rendered graphics in Exile. They put it to great use in this entry's lesson ages. Amateria still stands out to me as one of the most scenic environments we are able to explore in the MYST games, and features one of the coolest puzzle finales as the cherry on top. One of the Ages, Edanna, has the player navigate an almost entirely natural environment that features multiple levels. While pretty, it is rather difficult to navigate, even on repeat playthroughs. This game has its ups and downs. There are great environmental visuals, good soundtracks and ambience, and more lore for the world of the MYST games. It doesn't hit as high as its predecessor, unfortunately, as the puzzles are more forced on the player (given the educational nature of the ages visited), and Exile returns to the MYST formula of briefly visiting multiple ages to accomplish an overarching task. While it has its pros and cons, Exile is worth the try, and does a good job rounding out the initial trilogy of MYST games, while introducing new visual improvements to the formula.

二十几年前入坑这类冒险解谜游戏的第一部游戏，最后一个烂了盒子的实体简中正版被我买了回去。在漫天都是低劣 3D 画质的年代，这种自由度低、游戏性低、毫无引导、谜题变态的头发终结者，因其画面好看又有艺术性所以吸引到我了，再加上动人的音乐，以及那段小男孩低吟接大合唱的主题曲，着实让我记念到现在。不过后来苦于智商欠缺，攻略难找又难懂，卡了很久解谜环节，最终也没能通关。

The Myst games are fantastic. I am so glad I can play them once again. Such beautiful worlds.

Myst III: Exile delivers a compelling narrative continuation, providing a strong follow-up to its predecessors by effectively picking up the thread of Atrus's struggle to rebuild the D'ni civilization. This cinematic journey is anchored by memorable live-action performances, most notably Brad Dourif's visceral and emotionally charged portrayal of the antagonist Saavedro, which adds immense weight to the story stakes. The experience is incredibly accessible on modern systems, shipping with widescreen compatibility and modern engine support to offer an improved aspect ratio compared to the original release. The exploration thrives on distinctive Age visuals, where each unique world boasts a standalone aesthetic, ranging from the organic, layered plant life of Edanna to the hexagonal, mechanical design of Amateria. Navigating these environments relies on engaging environmental puzzles that offer a satisfying sense of accomplishment, such as a clever light-reflecting challenge on the hub island or complex weight-based counterbalancing. This progression is further enriched by immersive soundscapes filled with whistling rocks and chirping wildlife, all serving a clever lesson mechanic where each puzzle is structurally tied to the education of Atrus's sons. However, this classic adventure game still faces a few notable hurdles stemming from its archaic navigation and vague feedback loops. The gameplay suffers from a jerky movement system, creating a point-to-point transition between locations that feels jumpy and far less fluid than modern free-roam remakes. The pacing can also take a massive hit due to excessive and frequent reading requirements, relying heavily on incredibly long journal entries to explain mechanics and plot points that can easily overwhelm you. You will also encounter frustratingly vague interaction logic, highlighted by a notorious vibration and sound puzzle in Amateria that lacks clear feedback and leads to tedious trial and error. This friction is compounded by obscure visual cues, as critical interactive levers, gear shifters, and small buttons are often very difficult to spot against the hyper-detailed backgrounds. Furthermore, navigation can become disorienting inside identical pathway layouts that reuse repetitive textures, making it easy to lose your bearings in specific chambers. The puzzle design can occasionally feel unpolished due to inconsistent puzzle feedback, where certain blue dial buttons interact without any clear purpose or result while other challenges provide a satisfying click and lock audio cue. Finally, the user experience is slowed down by an archaic save system. The save and load menus feel clunky and unintuitive, requiring several unnecessary clicks and direct keyboard inputs just to perform a simple save operation. Overall Myst III: Exile is a remarkably atmospheric, visually distinctive, and narratively gripping adventure classic that excels through its phenomenal live-action acting, unique fantasy world themes, and highly rewarding environmental logic. While the cerebral journey is occasionally burdened by jumpy movement transitions, pixel-hunting visual hotspots, repetitive room textures, and a clunky interface setup, the brilliant overarching puzzle design and magnificent story presentation ensure it remains a definitive and memorable milestone for puzzle enthusiasts.