Myst V: End of Ages Reviews

I love this entire series, and though this particular game is not my favorite, it is still very good for a point and click puzzle exploration game. On a side note, this game does have some issues when playing on the steamdeck. I have noticed lost frames while moving and looking around, camera sensitivity is off the charts if using the right joystick, text is slightly blurred and distorted, and there are audio issues when opening up the Steam menus. This was all found in the first 5 mins of playing. These issues are not surprising given the age of the game, and I do not fault Cyan Games for these issues, nor do I expect them to work to fix these issues. I do recommend the game for any who like P&C puzzles for PC users. However I cannot recommend it for any individuals attempting to play the game on a steamdeck.

Overall I recommend this one, but "mixed" is the correct word. Myst V is the weakest of the main Myst Series, but I think its overall worth playing. I was worried about the switch to 3D and the tablet game mechanic at first, but honestly those weren't that bad. Its got some minor awkward controls, and the tablets aren't perfect (a few bugs, make sure to save!), but this isn't to say there's nothing going for it. I really liked the environments in this one, being able to explore them in 3D was a lot of fun. They're visually a treat just to take in and walk around. The puzzles aren't as clever as some of the series prior. Just when I think they're getting close, it turns out they don't have as much depth as I'd want, but the upside to that is that the game doesn't overstay its welcome, and the worst puzzles don't sting as bad. The story is good, but nothing too crazy, the motion capture and presentation can be a bit awkward at times, but the true ending and alternate endings are actually a really nice thematic sendoff for the series, in terms of setting and plot. Now technology-wise, there are unfortunately a handful of bugs, some minor like the save previews being messed up if you have a second monitor (at first i got a black screen, but then it was just using a screenshot of whatever was on the other monitor?), then there are a few other bugs that were more annoying to deal with - at one point my tablet got bugged to where the creatures wouldn't pick it back up, and another where I had to restart a save because the game incorrectly registered the symbol I drew as the final symbol of that area. Nothing game-ruining, but I think I was only able to look past them because they happened infrequently. Its still ends up being rougher around the edges in ways where the rest of the series wasnt TLDR: Not as good as the rest of the series, but still worth checking out just to explore the environments and scenery. If you've already gone ahead and played the rest of the series, I don't see any good reason to *avoid* playing it. Its not too expensive, maybe pick it up on sale though.