This game I feel is peak Xennial. My Gen X cousins never played it because they were in college and too busy to care and my younger brother who was born in ‘87 never played it because it was old news by the time he got into computer games

[-]

DanCooper666@reddit

One of my proudest gaming achievements was beating this.

[-]

Daveywheel@reddit

My moment was coimpleting "ZORK". HaHaHa!!

[-]

Same, I only had a few games at the time. I remember just methodically testing everything.
This was one of those games that at the time it wasn't even easy to find answers. Pretty sure this was before I even had access to the internet at home.

I don't remember, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was an 800 line for tips. IIRC that was around the time those numbers were popular, before the cheat books with the magic pen came out.

[-]

ube1kenobi@reddit

Same. I played it recently (within the past 5 years) and I was like God I remember how creeped out i was playing it throughout the game as a kid and beating it was so satisfying.

I don't think I've ever played Riven though...

[-]

whiskeytown79@reddit

[-]

Afilador2112@reddit

LOL! Saw the cover picture and immediately thought, "that effing lever." My game was X-Com: UFO Defense.

[-]

taleofbenji@reddit

Yea fuck this game I remember trying every goddamn combination on that motherfuckin lock!

[-]

judasmitchell@reddit

I accidentally found the white page clear at the start and had no idea what it was. Play the entire game and found out the flipping page was the big solution. It was weirdly anticlimactic. Still. Loved it and the atmosphere was fantastic.

[-]

Big_Focus_6059@reddit

I recall finding it on whatever our cheat code source back then… AOL chat?

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

Not every combination!

[-]

Devil2960@reddit

Myst at least one.

[-]

A2theK36@reddit

Take my upvote

[-]

Starbreiz@reddit

This post had me wanting to play again, and then I remembered that :)

[-]

shartoberfest@reddit

This and riven. Never been so impressed and frustrated at a game before. This was the first time I extensively looked at guides online to get through a game.

[-]

Otherwise-Morning-45@reddit

Exile was the third game in the series. It was stunning! And the story and ending really rounded out the series and gave it a satisfying ending. Also, the soundtrack was on point.

[-]

LeftHandedGuitarist@reddit

Brad Dourif significantly improves anything he's in!

[-]

MarucaMCA@reddit

Yeah let's not bring up Myst 4 + 5. I did like Uru for the game play, especially the live version.

[-]

oldscotch@reddit

Riven was just flat out impossible.

[-]

twistedevil@reddit

Same! I still have my paperback Myst guide book. I didn’t really even try to play the game much. Young me just enjoyed walking around in a quiet, peaceful place.

[-]

Bitter_Ad5419@reddit

I wanted to throw my computer against the wall when it came to Riven. Could never beat it

[-]

karlverkade@reddit

Oh I loved these. Still do. Still play them as apps. Beautiful games. Friends and I spent two summers straight beating one and then the other. And when I say straight, I mean like 24 hours a day on Surge and Little Caesar’s. We had binders of notes. It was unhealthy.

[-]

avec_serif@reddit

I beat Myst without any external guide, but got stuck fairly early in Riven, hit my head against a wall for a few days, then quit permanently.

[-]

NurkleTurkey@reddit

I literally thought of today how there's a room with a door that opens when you click the most obscure, tiny button that looks like the top of a light. Riven was frustrating because it's not about logic puzzles, it's about pixel hunting when you don't even know you need to do it.

[-]

Fairisolde@reddit

This taught me early about frustration and futility, is that an xennial trait? I never played the parody game Pyst, but I identify with the sentiment.

[-]

thejunkmanadv@reddit

[-]

OkPie8905@reddit

I honestly do credit games like this, legend of kyrandia and maniac mansion taught me to have infinite patience and that I’m just not clever enough to guess through everything. Killed my ego early on.

[-]

zeptillian@reddit

Maniac Mansion is one of my favorites.

[-]

CorgiMonsoon@reddit

I preferred the sequel Day of the Tentacle

[-]

Fairisolde@reddit

That’s a really positive income. I just gave up. 😆

[-]

OkPie8905@reddit

Don’t get me wrong, I gave up and had to refer to a bbs or Nintendo power to figure it out. I humbled myself quickly on a bbs with my weak dragonlance vs lord of the rings comparisons early on too. I thank god those servers are non existent lol

[-]

JasJoeGo@reddit

One of my father's best friends worked on Pyst--I had one of the earliest trial copies! I haven't thought of that in years. Thanks!

[-]

Fairisolde@reddit

I just watched a YouTube walkthrough of X-Fools, there’s probably one for Pyst?

[-]

MarucaMCA@reddit

Relatable!

[-]

ChrisPrattFalls@reddit

https://youtu.be/TuK85ssX67Y?si=UdyFArmkx4-bRUsK

[-]

6BigZ6@reddit

I don’t know if I used the internet, or a book to complete the game. We did have internet when I played, but I don’t remember the availability of info back then. All I know was it felt so good to finally finish, regardless how I got there.

[-]

purvel@reddit

GameFAQs has been around since '95! I used to print out walkthroughs and cheat codes etc from there and keep them in a folder :p

[-]

ContactHonest2406@reddit

Hahaha. For real. Like, how did anyone figure anything out in that game?!

[-]

DeathCouch41@reddit

THIS. Thank you for bringing me back to a time I now don’t mind to be stuck in!

Thanks this made my day and thanks to OP! Such a great feeling, true Xennial vibe!

[-]

twodexy82@reddit

Yup yup yup

[-]

Top_Sherbet_8524@reddit (OP)

gif

So true

[-]

BreakfastBeerz@reddit

It's sequel, Riven was a masterpiece.

[-]

TonyNoPants@reddit

I finished Myst in a couple of days. I got Riven, got about 10% of the way into the game and gave up. it was so hard.

[-]

PsychologicalGur4040@reddit

This is exactly how it works for me but I do remember getting to ride the mine train and then having to insert CD number 2

[-]

thus_spake_7ucky@reddit

I had the same exact experience as you. Always planned to revisit the series again and I think with the re-releases I may. Someday…

[-]

Totally_Botanical@reddit

For real. I got so stuck on Myst that I just gave up

[-]

DEIreboot@reddit

The final puzzle was in the very beginning right where you started

[-]

judasmitchell@reddit

Yup. Found it immediately but didn’t know what it was so just put it back.

[-]

drkidkill@reddit

If I didn’t buy the guide I would never have gotten anywhere.

[-]

Donkey_Karate@reddit

Same, I loved Myst and wanted to like Riven so badly but I was so stuck and it got so tedious constantly switching between the 5 cds on my slow 90s computer. I gave up. But I have considered trying it again now that I'm 40 and could probably find a streamlined digital version, I'm guessing.

[-]

QuarterMaestro@reddit

There was a Riven remake released just last year but it's $35. The original is $6 (on GOG.com)

[-]

Imnothere1980@reddit

Riven was extremely difficult. Five disks if I remember right.

[-]

ristoman@reddit

My dad and my older brother spent like 2 weeks discussing Riven and its puzzles, I was more of a spectator because I was still a little young but I remember watching them play through it and the amount of lore and understanding you needed to solve some situations, it was insanely beautiful

[-]

Rise-O-Matic@reddit

I was ten and 100% needed the guide. I wasn’t saavy enough to know the difference between a clue and an artistic detail.

[-]

The_Best_Yak_Ever@reddit

Same!! I must’ve been 11 or 12 when I played, and remember how beautiful the scenery was, and how calming the music was. But I would have never gone to any of the other worlds without the strategy guide!

Playing this game pre-internet was way more difficult, haha… especially for a dumb middle schooler, like me…

[-]

QueerTree@reddit

Same :(

[-]

buttnutz1099@reddit

The VR remake of Riven on Oculus is just such a Goddamn brilliant way to (re)experience the game.

Just an all around masterfully crafted remake that respects everything that made the original and cranks it up to 11.

Felt like a kid again watching those shitty FMV sequences that were left in their los res form despite the high res glow up of the original game textures.

[-]

edisonlbm@reddit

Just to add on: if you are in this thread and were frustrated with Riven 1997's puzzles, just know that they changed them in a few ways. They are both fresh (ie, even if you remember the old puzzle solutions, your memory won't help) and (IMHO) more dialed in difficulty wise.

It's just such a rare remake: they managed to keep the core of the game perfectly as they should, but managed to fix a few issues. Just so so so so good. One of the best games of last year.

[-]

mitrie@reddit

You don't even have to play it in VR to appreciate it. I don't have a headset and it was absolutely fantastic. Anyone in this thread that hasn't played it really should. It's not just a modernization with a fully immersive world, they also revised the puzzles. The broad strokes are the same, but it's different enough that you will NOT be able to just remember the answers from 25 - 30 years ago (assuming you have the ability to do so...).

[-]

Petraaki@reddit

So good! Both of them were amazing

[-]

Ltimbo@reddit

I hate to admit but I didn’t play this game seriously till a couple years ago. (The remaster in switch). And I really enjoyed it. Kinda mad at myself for not playing it in the ‘90s.

[-]

Temporary_Quit_4648@reddit

I never played it, but I distinctly remember being in awe at the screenshots on the box every time I walked past it sitting on the display shelf in Babbage's.

[-]

MillenniationX@reddit

Ninth grade for real. (Born 80.)

[-]

ZandorFelok@reddit

People these days have no clue what an actually difficult game means

[-]

Legitimate_Speed2548@reddit

And then there was RIVEN.

[-]

Chemical-Sundae4531@reddit

Only in some circles. I was more into Half-Life, Starsiege Tribes, Quake.

[-]

DocBrutus@reddit

I played this and 7th Guest because FMV games were HUGE in the 90’s.

[-]

Mommyjoy84@reddit

I remember getting really creeped out playing it on my Sega Saturn

[-]

jokerfest@reddit

Bring me the blue pages

[-]

fidgetyamoeba@reddit

I used to leave it on for the music.

[-]

protossaccount@reddit

I just heard about it because my parents thought video games were evil and there was no way you played Myst if you didn’t own it. I was able to mooch off my friends a lot, but I never had the pleasure of playing this game.

I did get an old computer and I beat Oregon Trail with the best ending and the worst starting character, so that was an accomplishment. My parents came around and got a computer in time for StarCraft, but ti was always wish I played Myst.

That and ChronoTrigger, but I hear ChronoTrigger holds up.

[-]

rangeo@reddit

One of the few video games I played

[-]

CrazyCatLady720@reddit

I used to LOVE this game!!!

[-]

Aggressive_Eagle1380@reddit

Man I loved this game and even read the book series (!).

[-]

norfizzle@reddit

I hate this game so much that I couldn't stop watching my family play it.

[-]

homersracket@reddit

This game was stunning. simcity 2000 and Marathon were also great around the same time

[-]

swampwizardary@reddit

Simcity2k and C&C were my favorites. Still a big city builder/colony/rts fan. Played a lot of Stronghold Crusader which mixed them together best at the time when I was in college.

[-]

snwbrdngtr@reddit

Marathon! I forgot about this game

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

In case you're unaware: https://alephone.lhowon.org

[-]

snwbrdngtr@reddit

GPL FTW! Thanks

[-]

Lanky_Republic_2102@reddit

Great game

[-]

Rise-O-Matic@reddit

I was obsessed with it. And nobody else I knew in real life had heard of it. Mac gaming in a nutshell.

[-]

Great68@reddit

Our School had Mac computer labs and I hacked the At Ease protection so I gained control of all the machines and installed Marathon on them under my own password. Then we played LAN games at lunch. They were connected via appletalk, which was extremely slow and you couldn't have more than 4 players at once. Many a lunch hour burned playing that game.

[-]

Rise-O-Matic@reddit

Oh, At Ease, we barely knew ye.

I still remember clicking through the funny Mouse Basics tutorial with the diver and the fish. The smell of that CD-ROM folio of demo discs that came with that first CD-ROM drive. You know, the one with the caddies? Hell, even the smell of bromine from the Roman aqueducts in Fry’s electronics (RIP).

Weird-ass games like Total Distortion, Oxyd, Astronomica, Another World, Return to Zork. Ill-advised experiments like monthly CD-ROM shopping catalogues.

Everything was strange and new and the conventions were still being discovered. A great time for variety, and you were stuck with what you had, so if the game sucked or was clunky you just had to adapt.

And AOL chatrooms actually had civil and interesting discourse for a brief, shiny moment.

God, I sound like my dad.

[-]

swampwizardary@reddit

Got to the end, got the bad ending, 10/10 but wouldn’t play again.

[-]

MidnightMarmot@reddit

I’m GenX and these games humbled me. I can still see so much of the game. So cool in the early days.

[-]

Brass_Cipher@reddit

I didn't have a computer that could run it, and I couldn't afford the game. My friend leant me the novel though... it was pretty good. 😔

[-]

Affectionate-You-142@reddit

I played Riven and totally needed a guide for some areas!!! It was cool though. I played it so much that for a while I would see Riven stuff when I was out and about. lol

[-]

atxbikenbus@reddit

Yes. Absolutely.

[-]

AlfhildsShieldmaiden@reddit

Solid reminder that video games were sometimes hard AF — no internet, no walkthroughs. 😭😆

[-]

critic2029@reddit

I’d say all the FMV CD Rom games are peak Xillenial.

[-]

peacefinder22@reddit

I loved this one

[-]

Astrofyzx@reddit

There's a new version that came out in the last couple years and I am still lost on what to do 😅

[-]

Hossflex@reddit

Never played it because I looked at the box and couldn’t figure out what the point of the game was.

[-]

Timult2US@reddit

I was 10 when I played this at a friend's. I eventually got it on my Gateway PC. Doom, Duke Nukem, and some Star Wars games took over interest, so I never finished.

[-]

roberrrrrrt@reddit

I always wanted to play this when it came out. I finally did in my 30’s.

[-]

Rosserman@reddit

Never got into it... Felt like it was a "grown ups" game when I played it briefly as a 13yo.

Zelda, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Leisure Suit Larry, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, MS Golf, Lemmings etc were all more my jam.

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

I got super into Myst, its novels, Riven, the online community, and Cyan itself. I visited their campus in Mead, WA on multiple occasions. I nearly got a job there when they were working on Uru/Myst Online.

The community is still quite strong and Cyan is a great company dedicated to their fans. They just laid off 12 staff members and are having financial difficulties. Go buy some of their games!!

if you liked Myst try their spiritual successors by the same team:

[-]

PristineObject@reddit

Oh I was all over Mystcommunity, Riven Guild, and the Cyan forums back in the day. I remember when they were developing Uru and leaking little images every week or so. I never made it to Mysterium though (given the situation Cyan is in, I hope they can host it again at some point. Bucket list for me.)

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

I lived in Seattle so I made it to the first three or four Mysteriums. The Uru beta, which lasted like 6 years, was a really fun time and when I got most involved. I was a founding member of the Guild of Greeters which was how I almost got a job there.

Here's the swag from the first Mysterium, a custom disc golf disc. They had a regulation pitch scattered around their campus, which looked remarkably like Myst itself, so it was like playing on the island during a big family reunion. I have 4 of these things from different years ... It was a fun time.

[-]

Fair_Blood3176@reddit

This is the game that scared me the most out of any games I've played

The emptiness, no one around etc. Very creepy vibe

There was another game like this (besides the sequel) I think it it was called Labyrinth. Similar creepy ass vibe

[-]

Ok-Cardiologist3042@reddit

It was insanely creepy to me also. The vibe was definitely scary

[-]

lucidspoon@reddit

I'd be playing, and then my parents would turn out the lights as they went to bed. I'd have to run to turn then back on.

[-]

BrattyTwilis@reddit

I never liked the underwater compass room because if you pressed the wrong button, the power would go off and a loud alarm would start sounding

[-]

stilettopanda@reddit

Core memory unlocked

[-]

ChrisPrattFalls@reddit

Oh God I loved this!

[-]

PlatypusFreckles@reddit

I was always braced for a jump scare for some reason

[-]

Fair_Blood3176@reddit

Yes exactly

[-]

WhyteBeard@reddit

Like Sirrus or Achenar would finally just jump out, kidnap you and eat you.

[-]

NeffyGreyjoy@reddit

I was scared as a kid to open my books at night. And like, the guy was there the whole time in the fireplace! Ahhhhhh!!!

[-]

Bird_Herder@reddit

In Riven, when you're wandering around that forest, turn around, and suddenly that little girl is standing there.

I was shaken up for a little bit after that.

[-]

NotAlwaysGifs@reddit

Azreal’s Tear was another one, specifically designed to be creepy.

[-]

Top_Sherbet_8524@reddit (OP)

Yeah it was creepy af

[-]

Petraaki@reddit

The music was super creepy too. Riven scared me even more

[-]

dallyan@reddit

Aren’t we literally called the Oregon trail generation?

[-]

Low-Ad-8269@reddit

I was just trying this game on my MAME machine...Panasonic 3DO emulator. Definitely Xennial.

[-]

Nero-Stud@reddit

Still got it installed on my computer

[-]

MagickMarkie@reddit

I'm an Xennial and my (Baby Boomer) dad played this. I personally never gave it a shot.

[-]

Spartan04@reddit

I loved this game. I played it as well as the sequels (if you haven't tried out the remastered versions of Myst and Riven it is well worth it).

It wasn't just Xennials though, this game was a phenomenon. I knew plenty of adults back when it came out that played it as well.

[-]

Donkey_Karate@reddit

True, I was born in 84 and my dad was no gamer at all, although he'd get into one of my Nintendo/computer/Xbox games here and there and we'd play together. But Myst is the one game that he started playing first at work and beat before he brought it home for me.

[-]

WhyteBeard@reddit

It was the #1 selling computer game all the way till The Sims came out

[-]

My_cunning_hat@reddit

I have a notebook dedicated to these games. I’ve also replayed the re-releases of them, and bought them on VR just to experience them there.

[-]

Janice_the_Deathclaw@reddit

My mother likes this game. Her, my sister and I all played the same game. Usually my mom would be reading the game guide while we played and telling us what to do if we got stuck. She and I played riven this way. That game was so hard if you didn't use the game guide.

[-]

Apprehensive-Pen315@reddit

I loved that game so Much

[-]

ILikeDragonTurtles@reddit

I was born in 87. This was one of the first games I ever played.

Did you read the novels? They blew my mind as a kid.

[-]

jumpinjimgavin@reddit

What's all this Myst?

[-]

penguinplaid23@reddit

Gen X. And I played the hell out of this!

[-]

WritingNerdy@reddit

I remember a group of us physics majors playing through this in our SPS room, early 2000’s. That was fun. Talk about a group being able to figure out puzzles lol

[-]

Crans10@reddit

Interesting so where does Riven fall? Same gen?

[-]

PerceptionSimilar213@reddit

GenX here, was never a big gamer, but I finished this game and loved it! At the time, it was groundbreaking, although now I am sure it would be considered, "not that exciting"

[-]

YstrepaGrokovitz@reddit

I was gifted an Oculus VR headset a few years ago and immediately downloaded this. It’s just as impossibly hard as I remembered, with a side of VR motion sickness. Incredible to be immersed in the graphics, though. Will be using the guide again like I did as a kid lol.

[-]

TheDomez@reddit

My aunt had a Mac when I was growing up and whenever we'd visit there were three games I'd play: Myst, Quagmire and Maniac, but Myst was by far the best. Still gotta finish this game on VR!

[-]

slithyknid@reddit

I had the soundtrack, and a t-shirt lol. Deeply loved this game as a teen

[-]

ZuesMyGoose@reddit

My silent generation father(81) played it all the way through and I (45) only got through the first few puzzles, so I don’t know about it defining a generation.

[-]

BbyJ39@reddit

I saw Myst as an impenetrable fortress. Something awe inspiring and mystical. I knew it was cool. I wanted to like it and play it since it must be good, right? Eh. Then I went back to playing Mortal Kombat.

[-]

emotyofform2020@reddit

made with HyperCard! It was also my third programming environment in 1993

[-]

OpiumPhrogg@reddit

Myst is classic fun! I was more a the 7th Guest fan myself.

[-]

YT-Deliveries@reddit

I worked at Electronics Boutique in the mid-90s and this game was a Christmas present best seller for years and years.

[-]

JeffTheAndroid@reddit

Great point. Got dang that game was ubiquitous. I was more of a Return to Zork guy (because it came with our 386 CD-ROM Creative Labs Upgrade Kit), but Myst was everywhere and when Riven came out, I feel like it hit with the older side of the xennials.

[-]

dietitianmama@reddit

Hey if you want some fun there's a remastered version that doesn't look like clicking through slides. There's even a VR version.

[-]

Miserable-Lawyer-233@reddit

I hated this game.

[-]

manfromfuture@reddit

The books were pretty good.

[-]

AustinGearHead@reddit

I really enjoyed them. The opening of one described a rain storm from someone who had never seen one and it was brilliant.

[-]

LadyEclectca@reddit

Here to say the same! They were really good and designed beautifully.

[-]

shroomsAndWrstershir@reddit

Yes! Loved 'em.

[-]

Darlmary@reddit

The first game that I cheated on; god that game was hard. Also very beautiful.

[-]

AustinGearHead@reddit

My best friend came over every day for like two weeks and we played it non stop. It was on my mac Performa 6290CD. A multimedia computer. Such a good time. I still have the discs for Riven.

[-]

Vercingetorix1986@reddit

I was born in '86 and I played the ever loving shit out of Myst and later on Riven. Apparently newer versions allow free movement. Nah. Wander through those worlds one click at time ya'll. :) Great game. (We had Mac's growing up so a lot of the games I played were Mac ports or Mac specific). Think Marathon vs. DOOM, etc.

[-]

SirKermit@reddit

I played a lot of computer games back in the day, but this wasn't one of them. I remember it looked absolutely amazing for the time... Actually the renders are pretty amazing even today which says a lot for how incredible this game was. Unfortunately, my computer did not have one of those fancy CD-ROM drives, so this was out of my league. By the time I did have a CD drive, this game was old news.

[-]

5uperman8atman@reddit

I never played this but there's a level in Walkabout Mini Golf on the Quest 3 that is Myst themed and it's very cool and makes me want check out the original game.

[-]

Temporal-Chroniton@reddit

I should play that game again. I wasn't smart enough to get through it back in the 80's and it frustrated me to the point I didn't try again. lol

[-]

ECorp_ITSupport@reddit

I never got the switches on those water pipes in the right sequence in that tree house world

[-]

NachoNachoDan@reddit

Same. I gave up eventually and just played Red Alert.

[-]

postinganxiety@reddit

Same, except it was Heretic or Lands of Lore

[-]

NachoNachoDan@reddit

Heretic was pretty dope.

[-]

adjust_your_set@reddit

Oh damn that’s exactly my last memory of the game too. I never got past that then kinda just forgot about it.

[-]

johnvalley86@reddit

I still love playing this game. I think I still have the notebook I made while playing it tucked away somewhere. There is a master version of it that allows you to free look with the camera Motion versus the standard point and click. I still prefer the point-and-click method but it was cool to see it move so smoothly.

[-]

fhgwgadsbbq@reddit

'86 here, Myst was on the cool new multimedia PC that our class won somehow! We could never get very far though.

I didn't beat it until my Grandma helped me, she was a legit gamer in her retirement, playing all the Myst and Riven games!

[-]

Expert_Survey3318@reddit

This game was impossible!

[-]

dragon_morgan@reddit

I had no idea what I was doing so I printed out the answers off of the rudimentary 1995 Internet and had no concept that this was considered cheating

[-]

wookiesack22@reddit

First game on our first computer. Windows 95

[-]

Consistent-Fig7484@reddit

I tried playing several times because I was aware of the hype. I would almost immediately get both bored and frustrated. 11 year old me was not ready.

[-]

MarucaMCA@reddit

I played it in 1995 and it made me an adventure gamer for life. It also introduced me to my late best friend (we met on Uru life). 17 years of an amazing friendship.

There's nothing like the Myst games! They'll always have a soft spot in my heart.

I still love story driven games, walking simulations, some puzzle ones.

[-]

chargeorge@reddit

I was def too young to "get it" when it came out (I was 10). Pretty much went nowhere until my friend pulled out a guide. I did better with Riven, i think because I was just older and smarter by then.

I returned to it again when I was 30 and was just blown away by how good it was. Really clever and delightful feeling of exploration and puzzle solving.

Also, it was kind of wild to think that the software I used to make little crappy slideshow things in school made this game as well (Hypercard). That was always fun

[-]

Specialist-Leek8645@reddit

Just replayed Myst this week!

[-]

bs6@reddit

Yes! For me, so was Phantasmagoria.

[-]

greenhornblue@reddit

I could NEVER figure this game out.

[-]

Dr-McLuvin@reddit

I’m curious what percentage of people playing this game could actually beat it without any guide. Has to be like 1/1000 or something.

[-]

greenhornblue@reddit

Back when I got it new, I didn't know there was a guide. We didn't have internet, and rarely had any excess cash to go but one. Was there ever a hard copy guide?

[-]

Dr-McLuvin@reddit

Ya my friend had one- it was a few years after the initial release- that was the only way I found out there was actually an ending haha.

[-]

OJimmy@reddit

Myst + Riven

[-]

Goblinboogers@reddit

I still have this game in box, along with its sequel Riven

[-]

Dr-McLuvin@reddit

Same. I remember being super excited when I got Riven. Those games were a trip.

[-]

Dr-McLuvin@reddit

My first CD ROM. Never could beat the game.

[-]

Lcky22@reddit

Anyone remember manhole in computer class in middle school?

[-]

Biddy_Impeccadillo@reddit

Yes!! Same company

[-]

BrattyTwilis@reddit

Yep, and Cosmic Osmo. Those were Cyan's first projects before they went on to make MYST

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

I loved Cosmic Osmo.

[-]

WerewolvesRancheros@reddit

I had the game scores on CD. That was during my new-age-y music phase. Never got into the games though, I was too impatient for puzzle games like that. Half-Life series was more my thing.

[-]

WossHoss@reddit

I remember coming close to buying it a few times growing up. Would it be worth it trying it now?

[-]

jstnpotthoff@reddit

I now they're not exactly the same, but these were my games

[-]

ihadagoodone@reddit

Privateer, Wing Commander 3, for me.

[-]

Ghosts_of_the_maze@reddit

My friends got really into it. But I walked in on them hours in, watched what they were trying to do with the star chart and some pipes and realized I would never understand what the fuck was going on.

[-]

spderweb@reddit

Cyan just laid off half their employees this week.

They also just finished releasing the new reimagining of Myst. It includes Rhyme. And you can walk around fully, no more point and click movement.

[-]

OccamsYoyo@reddit

That’s what I like about you Xennials: being in college never stopped you from playing video games.

[-]

Masterweedo@reddit

Pretty sure I had this for the 3DO

[-]

col_akir_nakesh@reddit

I remember being over at my friend's house playing this. I got bored and went back to playing Red Baron lol.

[-]

KeepYaWhipTinted@reddit

Expert tip. Don't rock up to Dunny without the right page or that dude will just huff at you in disappointment until the end of time.

[-]

Top_Stand_7043@reddit

Desperately wanted this game, but our PC didn't have enough juice.

[-]

Allrojin@reddit

My bestie's dad played through this whole thing with us one day back in like '95 or so. He passed away a few years ago, but that's the first thing I think about whenever I remember him.

[-]

spk92986@reddit

If you like this then you should try The Journeyman Project.

[-]

RoseScentedGlasses@reddit

Oh man. I easily remember King's Quest, Myst and Riven, etc. But your mention of The Journeyman Project just catapulted me right back in time. What fun years of not really having any responsibilities and just sitting there on the desktop in the family room, playing these games.

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

Myst is definitely better than The Journeyman Project. It's aged much better, anyway.

[-]

spk92986@reddit

gif

[-]

Miskatonic_Graduate@reddit

Came here to say this!! Had Myst and the Journeyman Project. I could never figure out anything lol, but I remember the particular feel of that style of game graphics.

[-]

BrattyTwilis@reddit

I happened to play both games around the same time. I liked Journeyman more because it felt like it had more interactive bits and different ways to solve puzzles. What's interesting is Presto Studios, who did the Journeyman games, made the third MYST game.

[-]

Blank_Canvas21@reddit

I remember my dad getting Myst and couldn't get that to work so he went back and got that game instead. I was like 7 so I kind of struggled with that game but I thought it was so cool to explore around and solve puzzles in ancient times.

[-]

OldCreezy@reddit

I join the chorus of fuck this game.

[-]

ShakeItUpNowSugaree@reddit

I was so disappointed when I got this for the Quest and it made me motion sick. Also, they really should have made a way to write notes inside the universe when they ported it over. It's hard to make real world notes when wearing the headset.

[-]

PlaceboJacksonMusic@reddit

Riven was way better. I loved having to switch discs between game sections.

[-]

sixfourtykilo@reddit

Fun fact, you can buy recent revisions on Steam, including revisions that make it actually 3D.

Not so fun fact, after 30+ years, the entire catalog is still $100.

[-]

Anashenwrath@reddit

I bought the walkthrough guide at CompUSA and basically played the entire game with the guide open in my lap.

I preferred the Seventh Guest overall though. It’s how I learned the word “ruddy,” which is a very specific thing to remember.

[-]

Pierson230@reddit

This game was one I wanted to like because of the art

In reality, I just didn’t give a shit about solving the “puzzles” and this game never grabbed me

I remember wandering around and clicking and being like, “okay, don’t care.”

[-]

Maanzacorian@reddit

"All you ever do is sit in a library and play Myst with those foreign exchange students.....it's pathetic"

[-]

TragicDog@reddit

I had a full analog notebook full of all the clues as I tried to solve the puzzles. So much fun!

[-]

Calculusshitteru@reddit

My husband was born in 82 and loves this game. I was born in 86 and had never played it. Once he busted out his Sega Saturn and this game, and I spent an entire Saturday on it. I beat it without looking anything up, but I took a lot of notes lol

[-]

Nickyjtjr@reddit

I never got anywhere in this game. I got frustrated.

[-]

NewTransportation265@reddit

After people were regularly beating the game, didn’t someone realize if you go left instead of right pretty early on you can go straight to the end?

[-]

Jolly-Owl-7583@reddit

This and the 7th Guest

[-]

Typical-Human-Thing@reddit

Is there a modern version of this that plays nicely on current computers? My young Boomer mother loved it.

Me, not so much but I was a Nintendo gal.

[-]

Abattoir_Noir@reddit

My parents got soooo into this game. And the second one they did.

[-]

UrAverageDegenerit@reddit

My grandfather and my great uncle (his brother) played it together when it first came out. They both had full notepads that they would share with each other over the phone to help them get through some of the linking book puzzles.

I played it with a walk though guide. As recently as the Christmas before last. We all (brothers, sister, and I) all flew down to visit him and my mom for Christmas. Where they had the META VR things and were playing the Myst VR version. It was wild enough playing the game after all these years, but the walking around and interacting with things in VR was mind blowing!

[-]

Joggingmusic@reddit

I remember a part where you had to arrange these tone fader things in the right sequence. I remember reading in the walkthrough that might challenging for people who are tone deaf.

At 13….i struggled with it and started spiraling that I am tone deaf. Interestingly I Am a musician now, ruled out tone deaf I think.

[-]

hyjnx@reddit

I had the walkthrough book and still got stuck like in the first 30 minutes

[-]

Bertybassett99@reddit

That fucking game. I never understood that fucke.r

[-]

kappa932@reddit

By “play it”, do you mean “bought it and ran around for a few hours and didn’t have a clue what to do”? If so, count me in! One of these days I’d love to find a playable port of it and actually see if I can figure out what to do.

[-]

mykeuk@reddit

My friend and I played this to death on the Saturn. The videos of the trapped Brothers each time you put a page in were creepy!

[-]

AvidCyclist250@reddit

It's not.

[-]

ezcapehax@reddit

Myst is even better in VR.

[-]

LittleCeasarsFan@reddit

Gen X here, definitely remember playing this in the dorm freshman year of college.

[-]

nocabec@reddit

I wonder if this game is as hard as I remember or if I'd find it really easy now

[-]

jesssquirrel@reddit

I (88) had it and hated it. Never figured literally anything out

[-]

TinyDogGuy@reddit

So many hours…so many CD-ROM disk changes. Played Myst and Riven. I even read the books. I was…obsessed.

[-]

Nerdiestlesbian@reddit

I loved this game and the sequels. There is even a novel book series. I still enjoy playing to see how fast I can complete the game.

[-]

FortunateInsanity@reddit

I have memories of this game as if I was actually on that island. Core memory

[-]

FillupDubya@reddit

Loved this game. Everybody hated it cause it was so hard, I had a pretty easy time figuring out the puzzles so I loved it!

[-]

weasel5527@reddit

Loved that game when I was a kid.

[-]

ecthelion108@reddit

Beautiful game

[-]

RLIwannaquit@reddit

I never had MYST but I ended up getting a clone called "Atlantis: The Lost Tales" and it blew my freakin mind back then. It was incredibly difficult and I never did manage to beat it

[-]

m3umax@reddit

I agree. And it's also inextricably linked with that period when CD-ROMs were first gaining mass market adoption. Suddenly, game developers had a whopping 600MB to fill. And Myst was one of those games that was just right place right time.

The pre-rendered graphics could utilise the capacity of CD-ROMs. The graphics were notably impressive enough to sell PCs, so sales people used it to demo PCs to customers. The gameplay was simple enough that even grandma and non-gaming adults could play it.

The end result was a game that was seen and embraced by an audience that encompassed more than just hard core gamers and helped sell a lot of "multimedia PC" systems in the 90s.

[-]

curiesity73@reddit

Loved it not sure if I finished it

[-]

DeirdreTheMad19@reddit

My brother ('84) played it, and I ('82) would watch him struggle lol

[-]

sound13---@reddit

My brother ('83) and I ('80) did the same!!

[-]

rjcpl@reddit

Never really got into Myst but loved the 7th Guest.

[-]

sound13---@reddit

LOVED the 7th Guest! The maze nearly killed me tho lol

[-]

badwolf42@reddit

I can’t take a breath… without seeing Mr Death

[-]

Upstairs-Ad-8067@reddit

Return to zork was better.

[-]

kmckenzie256@reddit

We had this in my 5th grade classroom computer in like 1997. Was super fun but no one knew what they were doing when they played it.

[-]

neon_farts@reddit

I was too busy with 7th guest for this but I feel like I missed out

[-]

JasonQG@reddit

7th Guest was better

[-]

Recent_Permit2653@reddit

I made my parents buy this when it came out lol.

I was too young, I didn’t understand the puzzles. A few months ago, I stumbled upon a doc concerning the creators, and I was impressed. They were visionary in their artistry, and old school crafty Silicon Valley (the Silicon Valley I grew up in!), and figured out how to make it look great given the tech constraints.

I managed to find an iPhone version, and figured out more in three or four hours than I did in a couple of weeks when I had it new.

What a cool game. We didn’t deserve this.

[-]

MesaGeek@reddit

Allow me to counter.

[-]

bud_4z0@reddit

I realized, the moment I fell into the fissure, that the comment had not been destroyed as I had planned. It continued falling into that Reddit expanse, of which I had only a fleeting glimpse. I have tried to speculate how it might have landed; I must admit, however, such conjecture is futile. Still, the questions about whose eyes might one day read my comment are unsettling to me. I know my apprehensions might never be allayed, and so I close, realizing that perhaps a comment thread has not yet been written.

[-]

Phyddlestyx@reddit

I was all about this game- had a little note journal and everything

[-]

No-Error-5582@reddit

I was born in 89 and "played" it. Which was mostly watching my dad play it, then later on playing it myself and not getting anywhere. Like I think I got to the lighthouse by myself.... And that was mostly it.

[-]

kr00j@reddit

I recall enjoying the novels ( based off the game) quite a bit!

[-]

kimchiman85@reddit

I liked this game a lot. It deserve a remaster and rerelease

[-]

phalse21@reddit

Loved this game so much.

[-]

DeadSharkEyes@reddit

I remember I had printed out a walk through of the game and I still couldn’t figure it out

[-]

Kolyma-Comp-Tales@reddit

I always thought Betrayal at Krondor was the peak Xennial game. Same year.

[-]

deyterkajerbs@reddit

The story about the development of Myst is wonderful https://youtu.be/EWX5B6cD4_4?si=OnhnfxuyzGIauxgf

[-]

Select-Poem425@reddit

I struggled to get anywhere with this game,

[-]

AtlasXan@reddit

Bruh. Born in 88 and this was one of the first "adult" games i had access to. Def unlocked some core momories of being a dumb kid dosnt want to read and cant figure out the puzzles.

[-]

stompy1@reddit

I used dial up internet to look up cheats for this game! Played it in college late 90's.

[-]

notoriouszim@reddit

Old news cause from 1987? It came out in 1993. They were 5 then and N64 didn't even exist back then, so myst didn't have much to compete with it visual wise. That was the days from b4 windows 95, so most games were pretty simple looking and myst felt cinema level graphics for me as a kid. Myst was peak awesome for its time in my opinon.

[-]

hamfist_ofthenorth@reddit

I'm from the late 80s and I played the fuck out of MYST and Riven

[-]

twodexy82@reddit

OK but we all had the book for it, right? Because how TF else

I loved that forest world with the rope bridges so much

[-]

sassyfontaine@reddit

Oh man this was one helluva game, we got so frustrated 😆😌

[-]

Difficult_Pool_5608@reddit

Quest 2 has a VR version of Myst that is badass! Very immersive

[-]

ROACHOR@reddit

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Myst_Reader

The books are unbelievably good.

[-]

Onetool91@reddit

I was born in 87 and man this game was huge to all my classmates

[-]

DadaShart@reddit

This game was so good back in the day. I don't remember any of it though. 🤓

[-]

Far-Application1233@reddit

[-]

udont-knowjax@reddit

I kinda want to play it now

[-]

Blando-Cartesian@reddit

Didn’t play much of it then, but got the VR version to finally fully experience it. Then discovered that the books are painful to read in VR. It really should have in included an audio option.

[-]

justpassingby_thanks@reddit

I played it on an apple lc that was way too underpowered. It took five minutes to move five paces. I got maybe a third of the way through. I should revisit it.

[-]

Still_Apartment5024@reddit

I tried playing it once, and was completely confused by it. I think I was just too young to fully appreciate it as the time

[-]

Alarming-Wonder5015@reddit

Played exile, finally gave up and got the answers online. I couldn’t get past the first world.

[-]

this_knee@reddit

I’m glad I played this game. Such and enigma of a game at the time and totally unexplainable to my non gaming family in the early 90’s. “There’s these guys who are trapped into books that have TV stations, and there’s this island of stuff to see but nobody else around. And there’s these paper notes that … never mind.”

[-]

buttnutz1099@reddit

Feel that. No internet yet to consult for video walkthroughs or find any sense of community. Felt like I was the only one at my school, who got super into games like this and it sucked not being able to openly share the excitement with anyone else. 🤷‍♂️

[-]

Livid_Parsnip6190@reddit

This game changed my life. I think of it whenever I'm trying to tinker with something. It inspired a curiosity in me about mechanical things that led to me becoming a car mechanic.

[-]

Can_I_Read@reddit

Remember Shivers? I spent so much time immersed in that creepy place.

[-]

Bat2121@reddit

The main reason I got my first computer was so that I could play this game.

[-]

nobearable@reddit

Yes! I played the shit out of this, Riven, and Uru (skipped Exile and Myst II).

Did anyone get into Obduction? I liked it for the nostalgic essence of playing a Myst-like game again but it felt too post-apocalyptic for me to force myself to play with limited time (kids, work, school, etc.).

[-]

Brazident@reddit

PYST was great.

[-]

shortidiva21@reddit

I couldn't get past the part with the trees and the valves.

[-]

SlapHappyDude@reddit

Also it was too hard and inaccessible for little kids to be able to even try to play even if it was installed on the computer

[-]

SavingsInformation10@reddit

First time 3D graphics really blew me away.

[-]

1nhaleSatan@reddit

This and lighthouse were so fucking hard

[-]

peloquindmidian@reddit

My rich friend had this

It was the first time I saw real artistic value in computers at home. The game wasn't my jam, but the fact that things looked fairly real was mind boggling. "There might be potential here", I said.

[-]

Babymakerwannabe@reddit

My rich friend had this too 😂

[-]

prettyminotaur@reddit

I loved this game, and it scared the shit out of me, and I could never figure out if it was supposed to be scary or I was just a wuss. Something about being alone on that island, with no one to talk to, and then when you put a page in a book those creepy brothers would say cryptic unhinged shit. I have vivid memories of inviting my friend who was in band over to help me with a music-related puzzle.

But you're right, my brother (1978) had no interest in it whatsoever.

[-]

shroomsAndWrstershir@reddit

Then your brother is lame.

[-]

Electrical-Pie-8192@reddit

I couldn't get past the musical notes section. I could hear that they were different, but couldn't match the sounds so I gave up.

[-]

CSWorldChamp@reddit

You know what I think of? Mad Dog McCree.

[-]

SweetCosmicPope@reddit

How about the parody game PYST?

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

With King John Goodman!

[-]

Ttokk@reddit

87, I loved this fkn game.

[-]

tjdux@reddit

Same, never made much progress tho.

I've said for years that growing up in the rural boonies was litterally behind the times. This is just another little proof.

[-]

sarahprib56@reddit

I remember this game but I didn't really understand it. I was never a gamer. The computer game I spent the most time on and still miss was called Pharaoh and its sequel or sister game Zeus. They were city building games and I loved them so much. If there were a mobile version I would love it.

[-]

Brraaap@reddit

I went back to Myst a few years ago using a guide. But, the guide just said what to do, not how to find the answers. So, I quit early. From the guides it seemed like a lot of guess work, which was disappointing

[-]

PapaTua@reddit

It's not guesswork at all. Everything is woven into the story. You need to read all the journals you come across, multiple times and remain very observant.

You might like Riven better.. less reading and more streamlined obstacles.

[-]

OMEGA5_@reddit

I still have my copy.

[-]

freexanarchy@reddit

They did a kickstarter a while back where you get a big book that has a switch in it when you put your hand over it, it makes the traveling sound. https://www.voicy.network/sounds/c7YztUIN0k6C5Nnck2LH3g-myst-linking-book-sound-effect

[-]

SlavaSobov@reddit

This makes me Pyst.

[-]

taleofbenji@reddit

This game was a masterpiece....that I wasn't smart enough to play.

[-]

Arottenripedud@reddit

This and Links ‘97. Lost my dad to those for a hot minute.

[-]

miuzzo@reddit

I used to play this game with my day when I was young, I loved taking notes and drawing clues down. I also played it with my son on the switch last year, and it still holds up. Love this game.

[-]

Hurt2039@reddit

My dad would spend hours playing this & its sequel. I could never get into it, I preferred FPS games like Doom & Duke Nukem

[-]

Hiciao@reddit

It was my dad who was obsessed with it also. I did end up playing a lot of it with him and I did enjoy it, but I doubt I'd have come anywhere close to finishing it on my own. I ended up playing it again about 5 years ago just to see if I could finish. It was fun and the graphics really hold up. I remember they were soooo ahead of their time when it first came out.

[-]

QueefMitten@reddit

Same with my dad, and same with me.

[-]

bjgrem01@reddit

It was cool, but i enjoyed the books more than the game.

[-]

Slaphappyfapman@reddit

Such flash graphics

[-]

PL02550@reddit

I lost hours to this game. It got me away from shooters and into more story driven games. I also wanted PYST, but I never had the money to play and listen to the John Goodman goodness. I also recommend The 7th Guest, Shivers, and Clandestiny.

[-]

Ventingfungi@reddit

Played this so much, born in 84 so this was the best thing on pc I'd experienced.

[-]

xx_deleted_x@reddit

soundtrack was good too!

[-]

QueefMitten@reddit

Did anyone like Blackstone Chronicles?

[-]

badwolf42@reddit

I just explained what it was to some Gen Z coworkers and they seem stoked to play it now!

[-]

CjKing2k@reddit

It was my Gen X cousin who had this game and I played it on his Mac.

[-]

NW_Forester@reddit

I played it but never got far.

[-]

AbbreviationsGlad833@reddit

Played this with my Dad. Really cool game and good memories

[-]

S1ayer@reddit

I tried playing it multiple times when I was a kid. I think everytime I would go to the power station and fiddle around until it wouldn't let me anymore, figured the game was broken and went back to Doom.

[-]

codebygloom@reddit

You should check out "The 7th Guest" and "The 11th Hour".

[-]

Colossus-of-Roads@reddit

I never played it because I didn't have a fast enough CD-ROM drive when it launched.

[-]

Successful_Log_5470@reddit

Ah, Mice'd

[-]

rayofgoddamnsunshine@reddit

My husband found a basically mint copy of this on top of a pile of random junk beside a dumpster. He brought it home. I don't even think we have a computer with an optical drive anymore. 😂

[-]

Hanksta2@reddit

Definitely spent a lot of hours wandering around that island, accomplishing fuck all.

[-]

GladosPrime@reddit

Bring me the blue pages!!

[-]

PBandBABE@reddit

Please….I can’t see…bring red page…

[-]

dcott44@reddit

Still a great game. Worth playing with the new fully-3D remaster. Especially in VR!

[-]

scots@reddit

A game that many, many people explored, but few ever finished

[-]

explosiveburritofart@reddit

I was finally able to beat this game after the re-release a couple years ago. The game is not too hard since the mechanics are almost second nature for a modern gamer except the tree house level and the god forsaken train level. That goddamn train level seriously broke my will and took probably 6 hours in three sittings.

[-]

BrattyTwilis@reddit

What's crazy is the train is easy to figure out once you learn that each sound represented a direction, and there's another place in the game that clues you in on which sound represents which direction

[-]

explosiveburritofart@reddit

Now you tell me! I brute forced it 🤣

[-]

SpaceAdventures3D@reddit

I have yet to play Myst. I have played Riven and Exile.

Exile was interesting, and had a good plot. There was only one puzzle I was stuck on but the rest I did on my own. For me Exile felt balanced in terms of being challenging without being so difficult that it ever stopped being fun.

Riven on the other hand was too difficult for me, and wasn't as engrossing. I had to resort to using a guide, and at that point I wasn't playing a game anymore, but was following step by step instructions. At some point I stopped interacting with it, because it stopped being fun for me.

[-]

JuliusSeizuresalad@reddit

I played it for hours and my girlfriend at the time sat behind me and wrote all the clues down

[-]

Ph4ntorn@reddit

I struggled with Myst. It’s possible I was a little too young, and it’s possible my computer was a little too slow. But, I didn’t have the patience to wander around gathering clues when everything took so long to load. I’d love to try it again now that I’m older and have faster computers.

The 7th Guest worked better for me. It was also frustratingly slow to load, but at least I knew when I was looking at a puzzle.

[-]