Myst (Mac)

Had you known the consequences of picking up the mysterious old book, you would have never touched it. But you were curious; naively thinking this was an ordinary periodical. As you flip through the pages, the storyteller presents a beautiful image of perfect landscapes in a lush world. You are enthralled with a sense of immersion, as if the world is becoming real. Slowly, the "real" world dissolves and you find yourself standing on a pier facing an island.

Welcome to Myst, the world in which the book described. It was left behind by an old man requesting help; upon contacting you, he informs you his wife is lost in the world and the final pages of Myst must be recovered to not only save this mysterious world, but to find his true love. Agreeing to help, you set off on an unknown journey of epic proportions.

Myst is an award winning first-person graphical adventure set across static backdrops, or inanimate scenic artwork. Using a navigational system, players will point and click to reach certain destinations, interact with various items, and manipulate puzzles. Item collection comes in the form of literature and certain types of keys; though reading the literature isn't important, the various documents offer vague clues as to what you should be doing.

The main aspect of gameplay comes in the form of puzzle solving. Unlike many graphical adventures, the developers tried to create a game that focused on puzzles of the logical type; none of that off-the-wall tomfoolery here! Your brain will be tested in the field of sights, sounds, and its ability to distinguish between patterns. If you find yourself stuck on a certain puzzle or not knowing where to go, don't worry -- there's always another way around.

Myst requires a healthy chunk of time donation and your ability to leave the real world behind; it's a game that wants you to live in the world provided. Think you have what it takes to find the missing pages and make what's wrong right again? Pick up that book to find out.

For Mac.