Daniel Bergey

A few weeks ago, I did something foolish. Knowing that I even then had too many projects, I ordered Myst IV: Revelation, sealing my productivity’s fate for the next month or so.

I’ve always been impressed by the Miller brothers (Rand and Robyn, creators of the Myst franchise) commitment to keeping the mythology of the series completely compatible with Scripture— no magic or weird mysticism, despite the name. It may initially seem suspect — a race of men who know the secret of writing worlds into existence. But as we soon learn, they are merely linking to already-existing worlds — infinite possibilities created by an infinite Creator.

Well, my copy arrived the other day. And I can say that even though it is startlingly slow on my rather new-ish Powerbook (the publisher recommends a G5!), it is hands-down the most beautiful computer game I’ve ever played. I do also hereby declare it to be a worthy successor to the previous three Myst titles.

Operating in the style of Myst III: Exile, with full 360° immersion, Revelation adds realistic motion in most views. Foliage waves, water flows (not merely rippling), clouds move across the sky, and the light changes when clouds move in front of the sun.

While inheriting Exile’s gameplay, the puzzles and style hearken back more to Myst and Riven — they’re harder. There are homages to Myst’s fireplace, the sunken/broken ship, the telescope, and Riven’s elevator platforms.

Okay, I promise — no more spoilers. But if you have enough computer, and like non-violent mystery/adventure games with gorgeous graphics, I highly recommend Myst IV. You won’t get anything done for weeks.

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