For those, like me, wondering how to play it today. It seems the original studio has released a modernized version available on many platforms (including VR):

https://cyan.com/games/myst/

I missed out on Myst in its heyday, but have always wanted to check it out after hearing so many great things.

Curious if any superfans think it would be better experienced as the original in an emulator or similar.

> Curious if any superfans think it would be better experienced as the original in an emulator or similar.

(superfan checking in) -- I still believe the definitive release is the original `realMyst (2000)` (Sunsoft). https://archive.guildofarchivists.org/wiki/RealMyst . If you only ever play one version, that's the one to play. GOG maintains a beautiful version of this (that works well even on modern Windows), but Cyan de-listed it from GOG a while back, so you can't technically buy fresh copies anymore.

Don't mistake this for "Real Myst: Masterpiece Edition", which is (sorry Cyan), not very good. They imported the old assets into Unity for the re-release, and then did some random texture/asset swaps, the lighting and mood didn't survive the import and is all randomly weird -- strongly recommend ignoring this one.

The original release is good if you want the original experience - https://www.gog.com/en/game/myst_masterpiece_edition

And the new Myst (2021/VR, Unreal Engine) release is wonderful and beautiful, but is more of a re-make to modern gaming sensibilities.

I'd play the 2021 UE remake unless you are specifically a fan of retro gaming / have fond memories of playing games in the 90s. If you are new to the series, it hews close enough to the original that you aren't missing anything on puzzles or story, but its modern graphics and fully explorable world might give you an experience similar to what it was like to play the original closer to release.

Then go play the Riven remake. They simplified a few puzzles maybe a bit too much, but otherwise it's fantastic.

And unfortunately they have had to lay off half their studio:

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/half-of-myst-developer-cyan-wo...

The news from a lot of games studios has been pretty brutal over the last couple of years.

If you are used to modern games, I would play the modern remake by Cyan. It's amazing to explore the worlds with proper First Person movement.

I can also highly recommend their new game, Obduction, and their remake of Riven. I have played the games in VR too and it adds a whole new feeling of scale and presence to the world.

Myst is probably one of the few games that benefits from its upgrades and modernization and you won't find too many sticklers for "play the original only". The original was a mind-blowing CD-ROM at the time, but with hindsight it was a grainy slideshow that was sometimes hard to navigate because you only had a couple options at each point and sometimes they didn't line up with your mental model of what they were supposed to do. The modern one is a gorgeous free movement thing that makes it easier to get lost in the puzzles.

As a "superfan" of a certain other sort, my biggest complaint with the modern one is only that I can't find my Ki or Relto book while playing it. (In Uru, Cyan's attempt at an MMO version of Myst-like exploration which you can still play today thanks to community support, your Ki is your communications/chat tool to other players, and Relto is the player's "home island" and having a book linking to it at all times is a safety mechanism/security blanket for visiting dangerous Ages. It's also a fast way back to any of the more social hubs. Any of the more modern single player ones feel like they should still connect back to multiplayer, even this many years after Uru's second cancellation.)

I never liked Myst back in the day. It was just too weird and the puzzles too difficult for me. In those days there was hardly any internet so it was hard to find hints too (hint lines usually were US only and calling the US was ridiculously expensive from Europe). Eventually I played it through years later but needed handhold.

I thought Obduction from the same makers which had full VR support from the start, a much better game. Nice understandable story, not overly weird. Puzzles not too hard. I highly recommend it.

Incidentally, I found the VR version quite easy. I had played the original when it was new and had quite a difficult time with it. There were times I thought I was never going to get through it. But the VR version I breezed through in a few hours.

Now, you might say that I just remembered the puzzle solutions, to which I will counter that I have received too many traumatic brain injuries in the intervening 25 years for that to be the case.

I find in old games, the relatively dated graphics detract from the gameplay - even if they were very advanced for their era. The Zen of Myst is in the mystery (duh), in playing a game where you don't even know the rules or the objective, exploring, guessing, observing, being curious, immersed in a misty riddle.

I think better graphics would only refine that, rather than detract from it.

Already Riven was a little too slick to have the same kind of lo-fi magic Myst evoked, so if that's what you want to get a feel for it's probably best to dig up some old ISO or CD and emulate. With a bit of luck some of the videos will refuse to render or glitch a bit, like they were prone to do back in the day.

If it's more that you want to see the storytelling and puzzles later adaptions are likely fine. It's a neat game, exciting without direct conflict.

The latest Myst and Riven remakes are fantastic. The puzzles are the same, the environments are wonderfully made and the atmosphere is there 100%.

FWIW the fully 3D Riven rerelease is pretty excellent, and even offers slightly different gameplay from the original, so veterans won’t be able to just breeze through.

Get a modern version with higher-resolution graphics, better color, and other playability improvements. Masterpiece Edition is my favorite version I've played. I think there are a couple of even newer versions; I don't know how they compare.

I wasn't a fan of RealMyst. The game's environment wasn't originally designed for the player being able to wander freely, so it doesn't really add much to the game and even detracts from it in some respects.

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