Myst is a divisive game, to put it mildly. It helped drive widespread adoption of CD-ROM drives and for years reigned as the best-selling videogame of all time, but it's also widely derided for its static vistas and obtuse puzzles. I loved it; PC Gamer contributor Richard Cobbett, on the other hand, once described it as the videogame equivalent of chugging a big mouthful of orange juice right after brushing your teeth.
If you're not sure where you fall on that particular love-it-or-hate-it spectrum, here's a great chance to find out: the Myst and More Redux collection from Humble Bundle, which includes just about every Myst game ever made, plus a few others from developer Cyan Worlds. For a minimum of $10, you get:
- Myst: Masterpiece Edition
- realMyst: Mastesrpiece Edition
- Riven: The Sequel to Myst
- Myst 3: Exile
- Myst 4: Revelation
- Myst 5: End of Ages
- Uru: Complete Chronicles
- Obduction
- The Manhole: Masterpiece Edition
- Spelunx and the Caves of Mr. Seudo
- Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel
I actually skipped Mysts 3 through 5 so I can't comment on them but Uru, wonky control scheme aside, is a wonderful addition to the series with an unusual and remarkably resilient multiplayer element. Obduction isn't part of the Myst continuity but more of a spiritual successor and very much in the same style (and quite good), while The Manhole is a highly-regarded children's game originally released in 1988. (And quite frankly it's pretty great from an adult perspective, too.)
So it's a whole lot of Myst—off the top of my head, the only thing missing is Pyst, which I won't lie is a little disappointing—but not all the Myst: For that, you need to increase your spend to at least $20, which will add the 2021 edition of Myst, a "reimagined version" of the game built in Unreal Engine that supports VR as well as 2D gameplay. Personally, I think if you're going to go for it, you might as well go all in, but you do you.
All of the games in the Myst and More Humble Bundle will be offered through Steam, and sales will be split between the publishers, Cyan, and Active Minds, a non-profit organization "promoting mental health for young adults ages 14-24." As always, you can adjust how your payment is divvied up, so don't forget to move the sliders around if you want to do a little extra for charity. The bundle is available until August 2.
