I have all the Myst games and since the end of the series I’ve been waiting either for a new edition or another similar type of game.
I read somewhere Skyrim is visually great and the player can choose the play scenario they have to follow, but I would think they would still have to deal with violent encounters, shootings, etc.
So, what’s the best successor to Myst ?
I don’t believe there is a current spiritual successor to the Myst games. That kind of gameplay is not appreciated or desired anymore.
Just look at this very board for an indication of the kind of games that people like. Aside from sports and online-forum-games like “Mafia,” massive-multiplayer games are the only kind that ever warrant any lengthy discussion here. Hell, there’s a thread asking for recommended adventure games that has been here since 8:55 and has ZERO replies.
There is one very long ongoing thread about Skyrim, but that’s mostly because it’s a fantasy game and there are many hardcore fantasy fans here.
Single player gaming is dying. Just accept it.
I’d gladly accept it if it was still in the same style as Myst… without the constant violent encounters.
I can only hope that some smart person will eventually come up with a game that doesn’t fall into the trap of kill-all visuals.
I’m sure that lots of smart people do come up with games like that. Unfortunately, those people aren’t game designers.
What’s popular is what sells. And what sells is what’s popular.
I’m pretty sure Myst accidentally caught lightning in a bottle with their success. I’m not sure that the average gamer is really all that interested in the sheer amount of logic and puzzling that went into your average Myst game. (I’m dabbling with Skyrim right now, feeling a little frustrated cuz I suck so much at fighting. But I mention it because the puzzles I’ve run across in dungeons would make a dilettante of Zelda games laugh.) But there are options. Portal and its sequel Portal 2 are probably the current favorites as far as puzzle platforming goes. Their emphasis is on physics and timing more so than pure logic but it may scratch your itch. There’s also games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent where there are enemies but you can’t fight them, part of the appeal is learning how to avoid them to achieve your goals.
No, it’s not. Or do Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, Uncharted 3, Skyward Sword, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Saints Row: The Third, Dark Souls, and many many more not count?
Then there are the “multiplayer” games that still have a big single-player mode including Modern Warfare 3, Gears of War 3, Battlefield 3, Halo Anniversary, etc, etc, etc.
And that’s just the last four months.
Probably the last few Zork games would fit your bill, but they’re getting up there in years… pretty sure both can be found on Goodoldgames.com, both Nemesis and Inquisitor (at least, I think that’s their names…)
What about the Professor Layton games? They’re only on the Nintendo DS but they are single screen maps that you move around on and then receive puzzles to solve.
Just checked, and the Zork games (along with some actual Myst games) are on 50% sale at GoG.com
Are you just asking about Adventure games? If so, they may have died in the past, but they are on a resurgence, a lot of it due to the influx of more casual gamers who are board of card and board games, aren’t into fast twitch gameplay, and don’t want something as complicated as a strategy game.
Granted, they haven’t hit critical mass yet, but it’s a lot better than just a few years ago.
I think part of the problem with Myst-style games is that with logic-puzzle games there’s the ever-present temptation of just looking up the answers on Gamefaqs or some wiki. They also can suffer from low replay value for many people.
Seconded. Portal 2 in particular relies less on timing and more on puzzle-solving and logic. Plus, it has a great environment and terrific story.
While not really in the exact same mold as Myst, there are many good adventure games out there. The ones I’ve listed are a several years old, but were quite enjoyable.
The Longest Journey (my wife, who hates all computer games, loved this)
Dreamfall (sequel to above)
The above two games are on sale for 4.99 each or 6.24 for both on Steam, or you can try a free demo of the first one.
Syberia I and II
These are also on sale for 4.99 each.
I’ll also highly recommend Portal and Portal 2 as others have done, although they are shorter and almost exclusively puzzle based (with tons of humor for good measure)
It’s a shame the OP has been banned, as I just remembered a game I played that was completely similar to Myst in term of puzzles, mood and execution. Schizm: Mysterious Journey But for anyone else who liked Myst, you may want to give it a try.
I’d second this suggestion. Very great games although some of the puzzles are ones that you may have heard before. (getting dogs/cats/chickens across a river without them eating each other).
I think Skyrim has potential only as a world to make a Myst-like game in. You’d have to make all the creatures friendly or take them out, get rid of all the role-playing aspects, etc.
To clarify, Skyrim has tons of mods that can modify the appearance and gameplay of the game, so a mod-maker would need to do the programming to make the gameplay Myst-like.
I agree the first part is a problem - there’s a whole industry devoted to selling guides that tell you in explicit step-by-step detail how to beat a game that people buy right along side the game (though it’s beyond me who actually buys them considering the internet has the info free). Considering there’s absolutely nothing else to a logic puzzle game… many people will likely not even understand the concept of the game at all and wonder what the point is since they ‘solved’ the whole thing in an hour or two with the guide they bought along side the game.
The second part? not so much. 10 hours minimal story on rails no-replay shooters fly off the shelves anyway. I don’t think replay value is a serious concern for the majority of gamers.
Anyway, if the OP ever comes back to read this despite being banned (or anyone else wants something similar), there’s the Sam & Max series… it’s not exactly the same but it’s similar and a LOT of fun (as well as laugh out loud funny in parts). I believe one of the episodes is free so you can check it out and see if it’s close enough. I enjoyed it a lot anyway.
I’ll add a few to the mix.
Dark Fall - Kind of like Myst and 7th Guest combined. You are in a haunted hotel and solve a series of mysteries, while doing puzzles.
Dark Fall: Lost Souls - This is actually the third Dark Fall game, but I’d skip Dark Fall 2. This game is awesome. I highly recommend it. Again, kind of like Myst and 7th Guest combined. Great, great, game.
RHEM 1-4
Holy crap. These are Myst-like, but also 10x harder than any Myst game. You will take pages of notes and draw many detailed maps playing these. I actually gave up on these, but if you like Myst and wish it was harder, these are for you.
Myst just seemed to have a perfect balance of stunning visuals yet left plenty of room for the imagination to build that world. The sequels were a let down to me.
Though very different and much simpler and faster to play, there is the “color my …” (world/life/dreams/heart) series of flash games.
I think games like Skyrim is what Myst evolved into.