All the Ways to Experience Myst as of 2023
The computer game Myst by Cyan is a classic point and click adventure game that revolutionized the use of the CD-rom, redefined what graphic adventures could look like, and was the best selling computer game of the 20th Century. It has been ported and remade a few times, so the different ways to experience this story and its complex puzzles are documented here.
1 — Myst
Platforms: Mac, PC, Sega Saturn, 3DO, PlayStation 1, Atari Jaguar, CD-i, Amiga OS, PSP, DS, 3DS
Myst first released on September 24, 1993 for Mac computers. It is a point-and-click game played by using the mouse to click between static pre-rendered scenes to explore, solve puzzles, and figure out the story being told by the environment. It was ported to many different systems, a lot of which I haven’t even heard of, and a re-release in 1999 called Myst Masterpiece Edition had more colors available and a hint system. Myst Masterpiece Edition was also updated for Windows XP for the game’s 10th anniversary, and again for Windows 10 for the 25th anniversary and the latest edition of OSX. The Windows 10 version removes the hint system due to the widescreen resizing. The PlayStation Portable and DS versions even add the Rime Age after beating the game (see realMyst) as static screenshots that can be clicked through. The 3DS version uses static screenshots of realMyst for the entire game.
Screenshots:
2 — realMyst
Platforms: PC, iOS, Android
In November 2000, realMyst was released on Windows. It is a realtime 3D remake of Myst and it is explored by holding down the mouse button to move . There is a new Age to explore after beating the game, the Rime Age, and Ti’Ana’s gravestone is also visible on Myst. The game was ported to iOS smartphones and tablets in 2012 and Android in 2017; however, the original PC release is very different from the mobile ports and I highly recommend playing it if you can access it, although it is the only version that was never updated for modern computers. The water and skies in the PC version look dated to the turn of the century and the environment fades into fog only a short distance away but I find that to be part of the Myst charm. Plus, there are actually day and night cycles in Myst, the Selenitic Age, the Mechanical Age, and the Stoneship Age, with the skies changing from cyan to pink to orange to purple and then back again in hour long intervals. I do find the old graphics very beautiful. There are also just several little details only in this version, like a ticking metronome on the organ on Myst. The bad endings of the game also play environmental sound effects that are unique only to this PC version, which are very cool. The mobile ports seemed to be an experiment in what would become the third build of Myst, realMyst Masterpiece Edition. Some of the graphics are shinier, the waters and skies are more updated, and there are no day or night cycles. The endings bring up new text while playing music. Some of the text assets are redesigned and there are new drawings in the Mechanical Age journal. The Stoneship Age is set at night and the Selenitic Age has a new golden dusk to it. The Rime Age is the most changed with stars and two moons added, as well as a whole spectrum of colors to play with when making the Aurora rather than just three of them, and a different shot of Riven to view at the end. The iOS and Android versions only differ in that the Android version uses the new Linking Books from realMyst Masterpiece Edition.
PC Screenshots:
Mobile Screenshots:
3 — realMyst: Masterpiece Edition
Platforms: PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch
Unlike Myst Masterpiece Edition, realMyst: Masterpiece Edition is a complete remake in the Unity engine. It was meant to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Myst but was delayed until February 2014 when it released on Steam (and finally got limited physical copies five years later in the 25th anniversary Kickstarter collection). It can be played with full 3D movement with directional keys or in point and click node mode, in which holding down shift will compare the scene to the original Myst. The biggest change is that the Linking Books are now based on a fan’s Linking Book that has a touch screen inside which plays all seven Myst games.
The original Linking Books versus the new design
The Mechanical Age journal has even more drawings in it in this game. A flashlight feature is also added. Myst now has a day and night again, as does the Channelwood Age. The Mechanical Age is set to 24 hour time and changes day and night depending on the clock on your computer. An update in January 2015 unfortunately removed the clouds in the Selenitic Age (most likely by accident) but these can still be seen in the mobile version of realMyst. Something really cool about this game is that after beating it, discs can be discovered in the environment for Cyan’s previous games (Myst, Cosmic Osmo, and The Manhole) — clicking on them will turn the graphics into a similar style to those games (with less colors, grayscale, or just black and white). The rest of the changes from the mobile ports of realMyst are present. The main difference that would make this game an upgrade from the mobile version is that the environments are remade with more details and foliage. In 2020, it was released on the Nintendo Switch, even with a limited physical copy run. Like the mobile versions of realMyst, the Switch version of realMyst Masterpiece Edition again changes the look of the water and sky and some level of quality, and there are no day and night cycles.
Screenshots:
4 — Myst
Platforms: Oculus Quest, PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, iOS
On December 10, 2020, Myst was released exclusively on the Oculus Quest. This fourth build of it was simply called Myst as the original game has been sold as Myst Masterpiece Edition for over 20 years. Myst is built in the Unreal Engine with virtual reality in mind, with everything redesigned to be player-height so no crouching or reaching has to be involved. Nearly nine months later, a flat-screen port for PCs, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S was released on August 26, 2021, as well as availability for other VR platforms. The characters are now CGI rather than the original QuickTime videos, although a day one patch added them as an option. There are no day and night cycles and the Rime Age is not currently present, as this is meant to be a remake of the original Myst. However, an optional puzzle randomizer is available to generate new solutions to the puzzles. The Oculus Quest debut version leaves out several environmental details, such as the light blue flowers around Ti’Ana’s grave. Therefore I recommend streaming the PC version to a VR system if you are going to play in virtual reality in order to gain the full experience.
On February 9, 2023, the PC/console version of Myst was released on iOS smartphones and tablets.
Screenshots:
