'Myst' (iPhone)

Also available on: PC, DS, PSP
Developer: Cyan Worlds
Publisher: Cyan Worlds
Genre: Adventure
Release date: May 2, 2009

The early '90s was a simple time - VGA graphics were all the rage on the PC and developers would soon realise the full potential of the CD-ROM. One of the first software companies to harness this technology was Cyan Worlds, who blew the gaming community's mind back in 1993 with the slick production values of its point-and-click adventure Myst.

The game was a global smash, capturing players' imaginations with its immersive world, challenging puzzles and groundbreaking use of video footage. Selling by the bucket-load, it soon earned a phenomenal following, eventually becoming the best-selling PC game of all time.

Almost two decades after its original release, this piece of point-and-click history finds its way to the iPhone. Apple's portable system is quickly gaining ground on its competitors, with ports of this calibre double-underlining the company's ambition to challenge the Big Two in the handheld market.

In many ways, this should have been a match made in heaven. A classic point-and-click game, still backed by a cult following, arrives on a thriving platform known for its touch-screen interface. Unfortunately, the end result merely serves to demonstrate how much we have moved on in the last two decades.

At this point, a recap of the game's backstory would be pertinent, but that's almost impossible given that Myst takes ambiguity to new extremes. The protagonist is known only as the Stranger, a youth who unwitting transports himself to a mysterious island after opening a book titled Myst. That's all we are offered - a nameless character and no obvious goals or objects. The only option is to explore and immerse yourself in this strange, mist-shrouded land.

After some sight-seeing, it soon becomes apparent that only The Riddler from Batman could have designed such an island. There are puzzles to solve at every turn, buttons to press, leavers to pull and objects to interact with. Each problem requires the application of logic and lateral thinking, not to mention patience, in abundance.

Myst is just as frustrating today as it was back in the early 1990s. What made it work so well back then was the way it rewarded perseverance so richly. Patience really was the name of the game, but those hours spent puzzling across the island really was time invested. Little has changed with this port, but given that the average iPhone gamer is of the casual variety, Cyan Worlds could be barking up the wrong apple tree with this one.

The original's impressive technological capacity was another of its selling points. CD-ROM was a rising force at the time and Myst really showed the world what it could do. From its impressive pre-rendered backdrops to its use of digital sound and video, the game had flair. The iPhone version has been graphically and sonically re-mastered and the production values still appear high, but on the whole, this feels like a very dated game.

The static, pre-rendered backdrops may have made gamers' eyes pop back in 93, but we've come a long way since then. Granted, this visual style is an aesthetic choice but it hasn't aged well and the iPhone is capable of supporting better. Each scene is almost devoid of animation, which lends a barren feel to the world rather than the immersive atmosphere the developers originally strived for. Back in the day, gamers were willing to use their imagination to fill in the blanks, but that was before they'd experienced the Myst sequels and latter Zork games.

In some respects, this can be considered a lazy port. A great deal of time has gone into devising the touch-screen interface but more could have been done to breathe new life into this aging title. The developers have applied some gloss here and there but have essentially just cut and pasted the PC original. The iPhone has already demonstrated its potential as a gaming platform, so it’s a shame Cyan Worlds didn't take more time to bring unique features to this version, building on the original's blueprint rather than just replicating it.

Overall, the iPhone port of Myst is worth a download for any nostalgic iPhone gamers out there, but many will soon realise that it hasn’t aged well. The myriad logic-based puzzles will keep the casual fraternity happy but you have to wonder how many possess the patience required to play to its conclusion. Although this port doesn’t tarnish the memory of the original too much, it does serve to remind us how much gaming has developed since 1993.


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