Myst IV Revelation (PC, 2004)

This game is a continuation of the worlds of Myst. You must explore myriad worlds, and solve numerous puzzles to discover the solution.
This game is very graphics intense. I don't believe a "minimum requirements" PC would properly handle it. The closer you can get to the "recommended" level of PC Power, the better your game playing experience will be. And if you have that "Gamers Machine", you will really enjoy this game.
I was hoping, though, that the creators would follow through with the Avatar interface that was used in Myst URU - however they returned to the "Behind The Camera" view that has been prevalent in all of the previous Myst games. But othat than this, it is a great game to play.

Myst IV provides an enjoyable and challenging gaming experience for those who love mysteries and puzzles. The game takes you to a fantasy world with exceptionally detailed graphics and mind boggling puzzles to solve. Unlike many games, this is far from a combat oriented adventure. Players must piece together complex puzzles and figure out how strange machines work -- all while unraveling a mysterious family history.

The following features are the highlights of the game:
-You play at your own pace, leisurely exploring new worlds and taking in the incredible panoramic views.
-The puzzles are truly challenging -- nobody will find himself or herself breezing through this game without a challenge.
-The game is not linear. In other words, if you get stuck in one part, you are free to continue the adventure in other areas before returning to the current portion.
-Although players only experience the storyline in bits and pieces, the world of Myst draws you in and holds your attention. Graphical realism and live acting make this game quite unique.
-No knowledge of previous Myst games is necessary. This was the first Myst title that I have ever played, and I enjoyed it very much. There are only a few references to events that have happened before this story begins.
-I play Myst IV on an Apple PowerBook G4, and the game runs flawlessly with all of the graphics set to the highest detail levels. Before purchasing the game, I read dozens of reviews complaining of problems running this game on a Mac. Please note that the problems only occur on Macs with Intel processors. With my own experience as testament, PowerPC based Macs have no compatibility issues with Myst IV.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Myst IV to those who enjoy a great puzzle based adventure. If you are looking for a game with lots of action, this is not for you. To get the most out of Myst, be prepared to do some thoughtful exploring.

Having played the previous three games in the Myst series, I had high expectations for this game. While I'm glad to say some of them were met, others were not. While the game delivered in the graphics and sound/music department, the driving force behind why anyone would play this type of game-the story and exploration aspects-were lacking.

First, the good stuff. Like the other Myst games, the game sported amazing graphics. While it keeps the prerendered style, the game is visually stunning and really helps in immersing you in the world. Also, the game managed to mesh static and moving images very nicely; while you can definitely tell, for instance, when the game switches to an animation of a door opening, it wasn't at all distracting. All in all, the game felt very much alive

The music was great as well. During regular game play, the music is very atmospheric and adds to the experience immensely while not distracting from it. From the serene music of, well, Serenia, to the jungle music of Achenar's prison world, it fits the game very well. Even the one sung song in the game, wasn't too distracting (though kind of weird).

While the graphics and the sound were excellent, the plot just didn't do anything for me. It essentially boils down to the brothers escaping, kidnapping Atrus' daughter, and again judging which one is the real villain. Part of the plot feels rehashed and the other part just not very compelling.

During the game when you are exploring the worlds, you are limited to four ages which feel about as extensive as the ones in Exile did. While they are indeed nicely sized and explorable, I was expecting more ages or perhaps bigger ages. As the ages are, it makes the game feel kind of small.

While the plot and the ages were lacking, the rest of the game is stunning and is true to the feel of the series. Overall, the game was satisfying to play, but I felt disappointed when it actually ended. It needed more substance.

On the plus side, the worlds are visual and auditory delights. There are many animations and the player has the ability to interact with creatures in the environments, especially Haven.
But I'm finding the puzzles are very unclear - it's not even clear what my mission is. In Myst and Riven you knew what had to be done but here it's not like that. I've had to consult the map of Haven on more than one occasion and even then the hints are ambiguous. I had to leave Spire after failing to locate the puzzles needed to do whatever I had to do. I did not resort to the map on Spire. Tomahna in Exile was equally obtuse.
Technically, it crashes often. The worst area, so far, is the swamp on Haven. The demand of the animations must simply overwhelm my Mac Mini.
So my grades for Revelation would be: Graphics A, Animations A, Audio A, Puzzles C, Crashing (not sure what that category should be) F.
If only the puzzle masters would get back to the Myst and Riven model. Come on, Ubisoft. But there will be no more D'ni. Right?

Myst IV Revelation is a must have for fans of the first three Myst games. This installment in the series will literally link you to another world with high-def, pre-rendered panoramic scenes and a suspenseful story line. Adventure is around every corner.