|
So as not to alienate anyone, Myst V serves up 3 control methods that can be freely juggled between. The first is the classic Myst/Riven interface, relying entirely on pointing and clicking to interact and to move around. This is as accessible as ever, and in fact, is particularly helpful where the game wants to draw your attention.
The second mode offers a point-and-click with a 360 degree free-look, as in the third and fourth iterations of the series. This lets players take in the sights a bit more freely, which thankfully, doesn't have many gameplay repercussions. Overall, these point-and-click modes allow you to zip around on rails in a manner no more natural than it was when clicking through a pre-rendered slideshow.
Luckily, Myst V offers a fully 3D movement mode to allow gamers to finally explore the ages of Myst with complete freedom, using a first-person-shooter style keyboard and mouse configuration. Although this mode might be slower and less direct, it's the way most experienced gamers will want to play. With this addition, the worlds suddenly seem more tangible. The positional ambient audio is remarkable and also helps to this effect. Myst's worlds feel alive in a way they never did before.
Myst titles have always seemed to scratch the surface of a very developed back story with questionable relevance to the actual events of the game. End of Ages is no different. It tells the story of Yeesha, the daughter of Atrus, Myst's original architect. Most of her saga is divulged through written journals which have been littered about one of the ages. They have no bearing on a player's progress, and serve only to give players something to read. Nearly all the small amount of character interaction is with a mysterious man named Esher, who fades in and out of existence at will in whatever age he chooses, to coach the player or offer hints. Because he seems to adhere to no particular laws of reality (either of Myst's or the real world's) nor does he seem to seem to have any motivation that makes sense given his abilities, he feels more like a hint system than a character.
For better or for worse Myst V is everything that its predecessors were: It's moody, atmospheric, accessible, and beautiful, but at the same time it's still as story-thin, lonely, and frustrating as Myst ever was. For those that still hold the flame, Myst V is a perfect send-off to a proud series. While it won’t too much to convert series critics, and it may not even be a high point for the series, it delivers what the fans came for and it does its ancestry proud.
|
