The Ending Has Not Yet Been Written on the Myst Franchise
Almost every gamer has at least heard of Myst, one of the most ground breaking and best selling PC games of all time. For the uninitiated, Myst is a first person point-and-click adventure that came out in 1993. You play as yourself, finding a book in a library which transports you to an entirely different world full of awesome scenery, mysterious men trapped in red and blue books, and obtuse puzzles that even the most intelligent and calm folk end up screaming at in frustration.
Also known as: Island of Confusion
Most people are divided in their opinion of the game. Some consider it the greatest adventure game of all time. Some blame it for the eventual downfall of the adventure game genre. Others simply hate it for its lack of action and aliens to destroy.
This spaceship will not fly. Instead, it has a piano. Serious.
Me? I love Myst. I mean…I REALLY love Myst. To a somewhat unhealthy level. I’ve played all the games (including the ill fated Myst online). I’ve read all of the books. I’ve even tried to learn the game’s made up language of D’ni which is basically like admitting that I have learned Klingon.
It was one of the first games where I discovered just how important story was and how developed and immersive a world could be. Despite its flaws, I still consider it a fantastic franchise, and was sad but understanding when it ended in 2005 with the release of Myst 5.
Well, wouldn’t you know it, there is now a Myst table top RPG in the works.
Called Unwritten and using the FATE game engine, the game will involve you and a group of friends exploring the ruins of D’Ni and creating new ages for you to explore. Now, I’ve never really played D&D. I know there are dice. I know there’s graph paper. I know sometimes angry nerds are involved and that despite the title you don’t always encounter a dungeon or a dragon. But then this is Myst and I am more than willing to give it a shot. Seriously…I am PUMPED for this game. It has the blessing of Cyan Worlds as well, which is more than a worthy endorsement in my book.
One of the greatest aspects about Myst is its rich, detailed history and one of the biggest reasons, in my opinion, that Myst Online failed was that it was pretty much impossible to fully immerse players in the main storyline (that is a whole other post). It wasn’t Cyan’s fault, it was simply the limitations of their server and technology at the time.
But with a table top, there’s no need to depend on graphics or internet speed. The only limitation you have is your imagination…oh, and of course the book…I’m sure the book will have rules.
They have a kickstarter going on right now which I would work harder to promote except they have doubled their goal now so they need little help from me. Still, there are some great perks there so if you’re interested I would highly recommend heading there to check it out! Until then, I will be waiting on the edge of my seat at the chance to play this.
