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NSymon Friend of The Great Tree
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Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Posts: 843 Location: England
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 1:29 pm Post subject: IGN's E3 Preview (spoiler content) |
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http://pc.ign.com/articles/513/513777p1.html
May 12, 2004 - Myst remains one of the best selling games of all times as does its egregiously difficult sequel Riven. Since that time another sequel, Myst III: Exiles, and a fresh and fully 3D look at the Myst mythos, Uru: Ages of Myst, have been released. All of these games have done well at retail so it wasn't really much of a question as to whether another sequel would be released to draw some closure on the events in the first three Myst titles. The question was merely about its presentation and gameplay style.
Those questions have now been answered with the appropriately named Myst IV: Revelations. Instead of staying in the present day with Uru, Revelations will actually take place back in the timeline of the first three games and will continue the puzzle bashing exploits of the stranger that has fallen into the lives of one very bizarre family. This next chapter in the story will bring satisfaction to gamers looking for an ending to events that left off in Myst III.
As you might remember, Atrus had two sons. These sons were trouble makers. Not only did they totally screw up different ages for their own gain, but they also condemned countless lives in the process. The two brothers had been confined in prison ages, but Atrus remains unsure as to whether he should keep them there. As the stranger, gamers will be brought in to play the middle party in the discussion which will lead to their eventual fate. Of course, during that visit, there is a large explosion which results in the disappearance of both Atrus and his niece with no substantial evidence as to their whereabouts.
Well, no clues except for pieces of various puzzles that gamers will have to put together. In typical Myst style, puzzles will be unique and will cover all areas from math to music in the pursuit of frying brains up like sizzlean. I can already taste the yummy sweetbreads.... Thankfully, Riven thought these guys a valuable lesson that people actually like to be able to finish their games eventually without losing hair or punching several holes in their walls from frustration. Like Myst III: Exile, Revelations will always give players immediate resolution and reward for puzzles. So clicking that switch won't open a panel miles away, but will turn on a light or some such thing right in the same room.
All in all, the difficulty level of Revelations will be more along the lines of Exiles in most cases. But for those that still find the challenges a bit too difficult, a help system has been instituted. The help system has three levels that players can access for hints to puzzles. They never actually have to be used, but are there for those that may get frustrated easily.
The art style remains very consistent with the otherworldly beauty that we've come to expect from Myst titles, but in an interesting move, Revelations will not be in full 3D like the recently released Uru, but instead in the same style as Exiles that allowed 3D swivel of the camera around a rendered environment. Several reasons were given for this decision but the main one was to keep requirements down for their core audience. You might remember that Uru was developed as a multiplayer game so they needed players to have avatars to interact with each other and the environment. Such is not the case with Revelations. It's a completely single player experience.
Regardless of the format, the development team is still more than a little proud of their visuals, as they should be. Settings are stunning and original with several different areas along the journey. While the game isn't in full 3D as Uru was, the environments are still very alive compared to previous Myst titles. Trees sway, bugs and birds fly, water laps, waterfalls crash into pools and more. They like to say that Revelations is the game where "Myst comes to life." Many of the objects in the game can also be fiddled with such as lamps that can be turned on and off. We were assured that these types of objects would be very separate from any kind of puzzles so that players won't get confused by so many useable objects.
Environments range from lushly populated forests complete with strange animals and plenty of life to a populated civilization that will be discovered towards the end of the game. These environs will actually have be intimately linked to puzzles in some cases such as those having to do with the ecosystem of the forested area.
One of the neater features that actually works towards the exploration and vacation type feel that these games can provide as well as adding significantly to ease of use is the camera. Players will now be able to take pictures of whatever they'd like in the game world. This of course includes whatever pretty sights a player might see, but also includes clues to puzzles such as codes or symbols. These pictures can then be looked at later when these clues become useful so that notes are no longer as necessary as they used to be.
Another new feature, a pendant dropped by one of the characters early in the game, will also bring new light into the world and the story. Using this pendant in certain areas will allow players to view events that transpired in that area earlier in time. For instance, one we were shown flashed back to when Atrus's niece actually dropped the pendant and how that happened. The pendant can also be used to hear voiceovers of manuscripts found in the world in order to settle players into the story even more.
Myst is still being taken as seriously as ever considering what an important series it is to so many people. There should be enough familiarity to keep fans grounded, but enough new features to keep things fresh without the moldy stink so familiar to many sequels. Look for more info as the game approaches release. |
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Jon Great Tree Member
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Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Posts: 268 Location: Texas
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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Good stuff, good stuff.
I must admit, though, that I'm a bit dissapointed that they kept the difficulty low. I beat Exile in less than 24 hours with no help at all, so I much prefer the difficulty level of Riven, frustrating as it is.
That 'flashback' pendant looks like an interesting plot device. It's nice to know that Yeesha had magic powers even when she was a girl . _________________ The laws contrived by the Proud are their security, and their undoing. Such laws make disobedience a virtue and obedience a sin. |
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Gadren Great Tree Member
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Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 218
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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i certainly hope they do the pendant tihng right...it has the possibility to go really good, or really bad... |
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Jaharen Great Tree Member
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Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 309
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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I'm with Gadren. In one of my other posts, I said that time travel was really boring and I hope that this pendant doesn't get that mundane. Overall, Revelation sounds awesome. On the other E3 review, Trahald made the comparison between waiting for school to end and waiting for Revelation. As much as I can't wait for Revelation, I want school to be over. (Four more days... four more days...) _________________ Jaharen
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CuzinJohn Great Tree Member
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Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 775 Location: Note to self - fix Avvie and Sig Graphics...
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Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe it's just a matter of the reporter not having the details straight, like mis-titling Exile and Uru, but is anyone else questioning that the little girl is said to be Atrus' neice?
Or did the reporter mean 'daughter'..? _________________ KI 182798
Science is how you talk about the universe with words that bind it to a common reality.
Magic is how you talk to the universe with words that it cannot ignore. |
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NSymon Friend of The Great Tree
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Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Posts: 843 Location: England
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 5:28 am Post subject: |
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CuzinJohn wrote: | Maybe it's just a matter of the reporter not having the details straight, like mis-titling Exile and Uru, but is anyone else questioning that the little girl is said to be Atrus' neice?
Or did the reporter mean 'daughter'..? |
Yes Cuzinjohn that bit about the girl being Atrus's niece has been on my mind as well. I wonder why they say that, other articles have just said the girl but with no name, it does make me wonder though. |
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Jaharen Great Tree Member
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Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 309
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 10:15 am Post subject: |
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Remember, they're just reporters, not necessarily fans. _________________ Jaharen
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