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| | Publisher: Ubisoft  Genre: Adventure & RPG | | | Min OS X: 10.2.8 CPU: G4 @ 1000 MHz RAM: 256 MB Hard Disk: 4100 MB DVD-ROM Graphics: 800x600 @ 32-bit, 32 MB VRAM |
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Performance It is important to point out that one of the reasons why the previous Myst games could be played by nearly anyone, whether they came from a technical background or not, was because every Myst title's system requirements were low enough to make computer specs a non-issue. Even Myst IV, which was released early last year and is still arguably the pinnacle of the Myst series, only requires a 700 MHz G4 processor and a 32MB video card to run. This is definitely not the case with Myst V, since the game is no longer pre-rendered. While the minimum specs for Myst V have been only slightly increased to a 1 GHz G4 processor and a 32MB video card, I find this extremely hard to believe after hearing that users with stock 1.6 GHz G5 desktops have had to turn the game down to low settings to achieve playable performance. This may come as a rude awakening to some of the series' less technically-inclined fans when they discover that their computers which could easily handle the photorealistic environs of Myst IV grind to a halt on Myst V. Even my dual 2.0 GHz G5 coupled with 2 GB of RAM and a Radeon X800XT occasionally dipped beneath 30 frames per second with most settings maximized at 1280x960 resolution, which means that anyone with less computing firepower will likely be forced to lower the detail settings in the game drastically to achieve acceptable performance.While the reviewers on staff at IMG don't have access to a lab in which to test game performance over a wide array of systems, based on the various reports that I have seen I would seriously recommend having a G5-based system (or the fastest dual 1.42 GHz G4) coupled a 128 MB graphics card if you plan on playing Myst V on at least moderate quality levels and avoiding serious performance problems at the same time. If you are concerned about your machine's performance, I suggest taking the demo that Ubisoft has provided for a spin. Stability Unfortunately, stability is a serious shortcoming in Myst V: End of Ages. Users with ATI-branded video cards (nVidia users seem to be unaffected) have been reporting hard crashes that occur within minutes or even seconds of starting the game—a very serious problem, since it forces the user to hold down the power button to shut down the computer every time it crashes, which is about as healthy as pulling the plug. During my testing, I experienced hard crashes almost every minute until I discovered that the problem seems to be caused by the game's dynamic shadows option. If you ever experience this problem, try turning shadows off and in the meantime email Ubisoft requesting that they investigate this bug. As of press time, Ubisoft has made no indication that they recognize the problem or that they are working to fix it.Conclusion It is with considerable sadness that I bring this review to a close, signaling the end of what many see as the last and greatest of the dying breed of adventure games. More than that, Myst has accompanied me, along with an entire generation of gamers, through their entire gaming careers so far—something no other series can boast. Many old hands can testify to the fact that if it wasn't for Myst, they would have never became gamers in the first place, missing out on the unique experience of staying up late night after night armed with only a quintuple espresso, a pen, and a pad of paper, trying to decipher one of the many rewarding puzzles that Myst is so famous for. Myst V: End of Ages, while clearly not as impressive as its predecessors, manages to provide a dignified conclusion to the 12-year-long epic which, while far from the stunning swan song everyone expected based on Cyan's brilliant history, should sufficiently satisfy most of Myst's fans and provide hours of tough puzzles in an attractive 3D world for anyone who has enough maturity and mental horsepower for the challenge.
Myst Resources Myst V on Wikipedia Website with the original "Making of Myst" and "Making of Riven" videos starring Rand and Robyn Miller Ubisoft Official "Making of Myst" videos covering the entire series
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