4/5 for the VR version and 2.5/5 for the console version.
Myst has always been an extraordinary touchstone of interactive worlds, architecture and intricately layered puzzle design. This remake faithfully translates all the ingenious qualities and dazzling environments into the present day without skimping on its core design philosophies (namely no hints or inventories - just you and the world). In VR, Myst is spectacular, the first of the myriad of ports to actually justify itself and improve even upon the original. Naturally interacting with objects in the world makes the game easier, but that loss in difficulty is more than made up for by its incredible immersion. If it weren't for Alyx, it'd be a strong contender for my favourite VR experience.
However, on console and to a lesser extent the 2D PC version, the Myst remake is overly finicky and loses the original's quiet magic through distracting controls. The hitboxes on objects are just too small, even for a mouse, resulting in a nightmarish controller experience. The choice to go into fixed camera modes for certain puzzles feels obnoxious given how these perspectives often mask critical information or make objects far harder to even use, let alone solve. One early example falls victim to the new lighting system where sunlight actually masks important numbers when viewed from the forced perspective, an issue that never arises in VR where you can always move freely. Unfortunately, whilst the magic of Myst is still there, it winds up a lesser experience to both its VR mode and even the original game. That VR version though!
Myst has always been an extraordinary touchstone of interactive worlds, architecture and intricately layered puzzle design. This remake faithfully translates all the ingenious qualities and dazzling environments into the present day without skimping on its core design philosophies (namely no hints or inventories - just you and the world). In VR, Myst is spectacular, the first of the myriad of ports to actually justify itself and improve even upon the original. Naturally interacting with objects in the world makes the game easier, but that loss in difficulty is more than made up for by its incredible immersion. If it weren't for Alyx, it'd be a strong contender for my favourite VR experience.
However, on console and to a lesser extent the 2D PC version, the Myst remake is overly finicky and loses the original's quiet magic through distracting controls. The hitboxes on objects are just too small, even for a mouse, resulting in a nightmarish controller experience. The choice to go into fixed camera modes for certain puzzles feels obnoxious given how these perspectives often mask critical information or make objects far harder to even use, let alone solve. One early example falls victim to the new lighting system where sunlight actually masks important numbers when viewed from the forced perspective, an issue that never arises in VR where you can always move freely. Unfortunately, whilst the magic of Myst is still there, it winds up a lesser experience to both its VR mode and even the original game. That VR version though!