Myst for iPhone

I want to share something with you. I have on my iPhone a close to gold release of Myst, the “surrealistic adventure that will become your world”.

Those of you that have fond memories of Myst can move onto the next paragraph. For those wanting to know more about what’s coming soon to your iPhone, here’s short synopsis:

In 1993, a little company by the name of Cyan released one of the first and one the most successful games on CD-ROM. It featured “realistic” graphics and an engrossing story. You play in the first person as an unnamed stranger that stumbles upon a mysterious island. You are tasked with solving the mystery of why two brothers seem to be “trapped” inside books. Through your exploration you solve puzzles and gain entrance to new areas that help you unravel the strange situation. At the time the graphics and sound were some of the best. While Myst was not the first point and click adventure game, it combined a first class story which set it apart from its peers.

I may as well get this cleared up and out into the open: it really is Myst, the same one that we played oh so many years ago on our early Macs running System 7 (I played on an LCII with external CD drive, it was in fact my first CD based game) on the iPhone. The sights, the sounds, the movies of Achenar and Sirrus, they’re all there. Each age, each puzzle, each solution just as you remember. It is not realMyst, I wish it was, but it isn’t. Instead it’s a faithful recreation of the original Myst for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

How does it play? You swipe or tap the screen in the direction you want to move. In many ways the movement and interaction within the ages feels more connected than it does using a mouse. As an example, moving sliders with your finger provides a deeper level of immersion than you can achieve using a mouse.

Now that that is out of the way, I am going to continue, perhaps in a direction you were not expecting. You see, Myst really is the exact same game from years past. Read an old review and you have the whole story. I’d like to spend time exploring a different angle:

The answer depends on why we think Myst for the iPhone exists. I came up with questions to help myself answer that and came to a conclusion.

While Cyan is out to make money I really don’t believe that Myst for the iPhone is primarily being made to make money. Cyan have stated it is a “interesting and fun project” that has only a few members working on it. If they were out to remake a gabazillion dollars (a rough estimate of how much they made with the original Myst) then they would have a whole scad of people and teams working on it, wouldn’t they? Now don’t misinterpret me, I think Cyan will make money, lot’s of money, I just don’t think it’s their primary motivation. 

In our recent interview with Cyan’s co-founder Rand Miller, Alex pried this out of him, “of all the platforms we’ve done, and in some cases probably milked the Myst series on, this feels like it belongs. I really like that”. After letting myself become re-immersed in the world of Myst, I agree with Rand’s statement. The experience works well on the iPhone.

At this point the argument as to what genres and forms of interactive entertainment are viable for the iPhone comes to the forefront. Do people want to sit down with their iPhone and play Myst? To be honest, yes, yes they do. I would typically argue that adventure and exploration games don’t lend themselves well to the iPhone’s small screen and form factor (despite that the input method works so well). But Myst is an exception and holds a special place in people’s memories. Those people, myself included, will buy Myst for iPhone if only for the ability to re-experience it in a new way. Put your hand up if you bought realMyst when it came out. See, that’s what I mean.

To myself and many others, Myst is one of the greatest stories ever told. Cyan created a world so full of intrigue and beauty it is a shame that someone would not have the ability to experience it. 

Experiencing the story of Myst in any way - Mac, PC, Nintendo DS, Playstation, iPhone, whatever - is worth the admission. Unfortunately I feel that the younger generation will not take such a liking to the game and story as we all once did. Times have changed and with that the consumption of games have also changed. Myst’s point and click adventure and exploration may not be enough to entice a new generation to want to uncover the secrets of Myst. If that is indeed the case, it doesn’t change anything for those of us that are willing to re-read a great book, so to speak.

I don’t like that I asked myself this question. I don’t like it because I want Cyan to succeed. I wanted Myst Online to be the success that Myst was because I think it deserved it. I want Cyan to create more, to tell more stories, to entertain us. I know that Cyan is capable of so much more (we experienced it with Myst Online) and in some respects it pains me to see them go back to Myst for another round. It seems safe, because it is safe. If this is what has to transpire so that they can continue to operate and hopefully bring us something new, then so be it. I am okay with it as it is a means to an end; as long as it is not just the end. My hope is that we might see a remake of Riven, or better yet, new chapters of the Myst saga. Perhaps Myst will always be Cyan’s greatest achievement, or perhaps Myst for iPhone and its success will open up an opportunity for a story from the D’ni to be explored, using the iPhone to its fullest capabilities. 

When you look at what Myst accomplished for games (and by extension the CD-ROM), it stands as a defining moment in a time where computers and entertainment were merging. I don’t believe that Myst for the iPhone is pushing any boundaries on the device, other than the average size of apps, with Myst weighing in at 726Mb . It won’t help usher in a new technology, it won’t completely surprise us and be something we never expected, and it won’t launch Cyan into stardom. On the other hand what it will do is provide you with the same experience that we all enjoyed in 1993, bring a smile to your face as you explore the ages, and make you feel at home. If it can do those things, then I say it is well worth our time.

Thoughts?