Myst 3: Exile

List Price: $49.95 Discount Price: $2.09

Features:

• Free-look movement system allows players to pan a full 360 at any location, fully immersing them in the world.
• 5 entirely new ages to explore.
• Dramatic storyline extends the Myst mythology by focusing on a pivotal new character.
• Puzzle solving, revealing mystery & intrigue.
• Original soundtrack.

Accessories:
PC Gamer (1-year)	Games for Windows: The Official Magazine

Customer Reviews:

Wo...... [Posted on 2006-09-05]
I've been playing this game since I was...lets see here...seven I think. I'm now fourteen, and have started this game over numerous times, and only beat a year ago. It is one of my favorite games of all time, with some of the most beautiful music ever produced, and amazing visules. I haven't played the first two, or the last two, but I just ordered "Myst" and "Riven", and I can't waite.

too easy [Posted on 2007-01-09]

Compared to Riven, EXILE was simple. Maybe the authors wanted to ease up after stumping the world with Riven's super hard puzzles. Answers in EXILE required searching rather than logic.The key was in finding things rather than figuring things out. But we liked the crazy guy. He made us laugh. He was nuts and had a permanent bad hair day. May he rot forever.

Great graphics, but that's about it [Posted on 2007-01-22]
I will be one of the few people to write a negative review about this game. I tried to play this game several times, and all to no avail because it made me dizzy and nauseous, literally -- due to the way the graphics were constructed. Yes, the graphics are very well done and colorful. But as you move through the realm in 1st person, you have to constantly click through the land, go back and forth, clicking to look around in all directions, which gets annoying after a while. It seems like the very point of this game is to only look around. While the game encourages a real-world feel in the 1st person perspective, you cannot easily turn your head to look around, so you have to click away. This game offers a 360 degree panning option, where you can look in all directions with "more ease". But this just makes matters worse because the view constantly sways back and forth as you move the cursor and it made me dizzy. It's the same feeling as when you're trying to read while in a car.

And besides that, the gameplay is lonely. I found no satisfaction going through a colorful fantasy world with no one to talk to, looking at everything but not being able to examine and trying by myself to figure out what all those creatures and objects were. When playing a game, I prefer a more realistic environment. Anybody can "make up a world" if they use their imagination. But it's more difficult, I think, to create something closer to reality that's involving and realistic.

Excellent game, satisfying endings [Posted on 2007-07-31]
I just re-played Exile, and have come to appreciate this game more than before. While it is an off-shoot of the Myst series, it is still an excellent game for many reasons.

The storyline makes sense, unlike some games I've played. Poor Saavedro- you can't help but feel sorry for the guy. Those hoodlum sons of Atrus ruined Saav's world- he's lost everything, including his wife and small daughters...and he's out for revenge. To do this, he steals a linking book to another world, hoping Atrus will chase after him. Luckily, it is you who ends up in the chase- and the game.

Saav takes you through the uninhabited worlds Atrus created to teach his sons. Once you solve the worlds and collect what you need, you can then access Saav's homeworld. Along the way, we see pictures depicting the boys' atrocities (nothing gross or graphic) and videos he made, telling us about the horrors he's been through.

Basically, there are 5 areas, however the 5th one is much smaller and is where the game ends. From the main area, you will solve puzzles to access different worlds. And, there's plenty to keep you busy.

The puzzles are medium to hard, however they make sense- much more than most of the new games that have come out since Exile. Several are devilishly hard, I'll admit, but not impossible. I completed the game several years back without a walkthrough- something I rarely do with more modern games. Most experienced gamers won't need more than a prod or 2, in the more difficult puzzles.

The 3 teaching worlds you visit are impressive. My favorite is Armateria- a huge pinball machine. Thunder, lightning, blue glowing crystals at sunset...great mood setters. Too, when the crystal balls smash apart (because you don't have the puzzle set correctly) they explode into wonderful shards that fly everywhere! And, the ride when you've solved Armateria is well worth the effort.

The graphics are lovely and do not disappoint. There's good detail and nice use of color. There is one area that is rather dark and can be confusing due to all the foliage. Still, it is not that difficult to find your way. I like the 360* view. If this makes you dizzy, right click to hold the picture, then point and click to move.

The voice work is excellent and actors are used, not CG figures. That really makes a difference, in my opinion. The actor portraying Saavedro does a fantastic job as the half-crazed antagonist. The other 2 characters are Atrus and Katherine, both performed well. There's good use of costumes and staging, too.

The music and sound effects fit nicely and do not distract from the game. There's lapping water sounds, wind, insects, etc., that add richness to each setting.

The ending is very satisfying. All too often now, games have really poor endings. Exile has several and you should try EVERY possible combination of actions you can think of. There's at least 4. Be sure to save to that you can reload and try them all!

Exile has no foul language, inappropriate behavior, or violence. One heartless ending even carries with it an admonishment from Atrus.

Exile is certainly worth playing. Take your time, wander, take notes...and enjoy.

Stunning Myst Scenery with terrible plotline and unsatisfying ending [Posted on 2007-09-18]
I'm a big fan of the Myst/Riven/Uru serries, but in myst 3 they tried to add an in-depth plotline with characters you couldn't interact with. The point is the characters and plot they added made the game seem korny. And Exile was painfully shrot. I think there were only three or four worlds. The game ended and I sat there wondering if I skipped something, I didn't. Out of all of them, Riven has been my favorite. It's a beast though, like 7 disks or something. Anyway, I didn't care for what they did with exile, and the reward for solving stuff wasn't that great either. I wanted to scream durring the bounce-the-sunlight-off-the-flowers puzzle!!! Myst V better not be the last installment, cause it was pretty lame too. The serries is great though.

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