realMyst: Masterpiece Edition Review ( Nintendo Switch )

Game: realMyst: Masterpiece Edition
Genre: Adventure | Puzzle
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam, Console and Mobile)
Developers | Publishers: Cyan Worlds
Age Rating: EU 3 | US E |AUS G
Price: USD $15.99 | AUD $22.39 | CAD $ 20.99 | EU $15,19 |  £16.99
Release Date: 21st May 2020

Review code used, with many thank’s to Cyan Worlds

Myst was originally released in 1993 on Mac and was a surprise hit for developers Cyan Worlds. Shortly after Myst was developed for Windows and was even more successful, becoming the best selling PC game of the 90’s. And  In 1996 Myst was ported to the original PlayStation and finally I had got my hands on it and had my first visit to Myst that year

The Original Adventure Game

Since then Myst has been re-released in various forms though-out the years, along with Riven which is the second game in the series.

Now, realMyst: Masterpiece Edition has been released on the Nintendo Switch. realMyst: Masterpiece Edition is an updated version of Myst released a few years ago for the games 20th anniversary.

It’s still the same Myst that gamers had enjoyed back in the day, but with spruced up graphics and effect’s to bring it up to date. The interactive slideshow’s of the old Myst are gone to be replaced by 3D environments.

Point And Click

Myst is a point and click, story driven, adventure puzzle game, when you start the game you’re on Myst Island. Alone and with no idea of what to do. You’re the stranger and your role is to assist the shadowy figure of the explorer Atrus who has the ability to write books that serve as links to other worlds. These are known as the Ages, portals in the pages of a book.

It’s up to you to wander the island and discover its secrets. You will need to explore everywhere and everything on Myst Island and the Ages, solving puzzles as you go along. realMyst’s puzzles are embedded in to the surrounding environment, and most require some form of manipulation by you.

You’ll toggle any number of switches, handles, buttons and levers and most of the time you won’t see a direct effect of manipulating any of those things, but somewhere on the island something will have happened or not. By trial and error you’ll discover how it’s done in the correct sequence and put it all together, until finally, you can press that button and a little bit more of the secrets of Myst are revealed to you.

Red and Blue Books

You’ll visit the sunken ship at the dock, an observatory, and in the library you’ll hear the desperate pleas of Sirrus and Achenar, two brothers who have been trapped inside red and blue books. You’ll read notes and the text of multiple books, travel to other Ages, all with their own unique environment. And hopefully solve the puzzles of Myst Island.

In the 90’s, when Myst was first released, there wasn’t any hand holding for the player. You where totally on your own.

The puzzles in realMyst are unchanged from the original game and they range from logical to intricate to devilishly tricky. When you do solve them and it all clicks in to place you get that “a ha” moment and a feeling of satisfaction.

However, if you do get stuck  and I’m sure you will a some stage in the game, there is now a hint guide in the menu to help you along and hopefully overcome what ever puzzle has you stumped.

Take Snapshots

Myst is the type of game you really need a pen and notebook at your side whilst playing to keep track of important information such as hints or codes. I remember having my trusty gaming notebook beside me when I first played Myst and my memory was a lot better then it is now.

So, the plus side with playing Myst on the Nintendo Switch is that it does away with the need to have a note book and pen, as you can snap screenshots of anything you need to remember, it’s easy enough to refer back to screenshots when you need to remember that particular code you took a snapshot off.

There are no enemies or timed events, Myst is a slow paced and thoughtful puzzler. It’s just you, the puzzles and the lore in the surreal setting of the island and the Ages.

Since realMyst: is the Masterpiece Edition and unlike in the original game, in this edition you now explore in real-time, they also added weather effects. This of course adds to the already atmospheric world of Myst Island. Also added to the Masterpiece Edition is a flashlight feature which is very helpful, and stops you stumbling around in the dark.

Visuals And Control’s

Graphically reaMyst has Improved in this spruced up edition with more realistic water effects and dramatic lighting and added shadows. Now it looks stunning, with more lifelike animations that make it more realistic. The game has a few frame rate issues, but it’s not too bad and the issues don’t distract from the gameplay as you get engrossed in the story.

RealMyst: Masterpiece Edition has two control schemes on the Nintendo Switch. A Classic mode that controls like the point and click games of yesteryear using the touchscreen and a free roam mode that allows you to walk and look around at will. I played the game on classic mode, using the point and click. I did try the free roam and you can move faster and easier but the controls feel awkward, as you use the right stick to control the cursor while you interact with puzzles with the left stick. It just didn’t feel intuitive to me

Conclusion

If you’re a first timer to the series or revisiting the ages of Myst again, this edition on the Nintendo Switch is definitely worth a replay or a first time visit to Myst. And with the added bonus of the Switch’s portability, you can take it with you where ever you go.

If you have never played Myst, well, now is your opportunity to delve into the mystical and mysterious world of Myst. This is still a great game to play if you love exploration and puzzle solving.

Final Verdict: I Like It A Lot