I agree...Riven had the kind of immersive worldbuilding that would make Tolkien crack a smile and every other fantasy writer blush in embarrassment. It was simply stunning.

As I always tell people: I have _played_ the Myst games, but I have _been_ to Riven.

For someone who lived breathed and completed Riven without a walk-through......that was the best video game experience of all time 100%

I loved Riven. It's my favorite game of all times. There is no other game where I almost forgot that I am playing a game and could completely lose myself in the game. The atmosphere and story was a really special one.

Even though it definitely isn't the best age, there is no feeling for me like hearing the Above Stoneship theme while looking through the telescope on Stoneship Island. With the stormy weather, the clouds and the distant mountains, it's a beautiful moment!

Riven taught me never to leave the door open

Never have i seen a video capture what makes the Myst series so wonderful, and it was all through you explaining each level and the music choices with it. I remember hanging around in Uru JUST to listen to the Gallery theme

Props for using the D'ni style of writing numerals.

Interesting. I didn’t know there was more to Myst than 5 minutes of clicking randomly, giving up, and then never thinking about it again until you’re an adult watching KZfaq recommendations.

Riven is definitely my favourite because of the beauty, the story, the everything. It is so well put together. I really really want them to remaster it in VR high definition. I would live in that environment for a long time before getting bored.

You were losing me there for a minute but I cried out in joy when you revealed the pics for Numbers 2 and 1. Exactly perfect. Yes, I will admit that Amateria is actually my favorite age but truth be told, something of Riven had to be first. That game became my world, just as the literature suggested. It was so totally immersive. Lord that was over 20 years ago now. Good times.

Riven is a flat out masterpiece. But no Channelwood age on this list? Come on!

Amateria was always my favorite age. Riven stands alone for sure, just one age but was still a great experience. It was the only pc game series I can remember that ever came with a sketchbook/notepad. I miss that :)

Yes, Riven reigns supreme. It also has the best soundtrack of the bunch. I still regularly listen to it.

I wouldn't say it's a great age but I loved Narayan as the end to Exile, putting all the words from the other ages together in what is described as poetry in the local language.

Riven was absolutely stunning! Agree, it was so real and the attention to detail and ambience was astounding right down to the sound design.

Absolutely agree with you about Riven, I played it tonight, and again I feel its power of immersion.

I loved Riven! I refused to use any sort of cheat source whatsoever when playing Riven. At one point, I got stuck on an important puzzle, knowing I had all the pieces except one. I would literally scour through the game, walking across each island, over and over trying to find some kind of clue. And then one day, the most satisfying thing happened... I found the clue I had overlooked, even though I had walked past it so many times. It wasn't even hidden. It was there in plain sight, but just so well integrated into the world that it didn't seem like a clue.

Having just played and finished OG Riven in 2024, I can proclaim it one of the most immersive and wonderous video game worlds I've ever experienced. No nostalgia involved at all.

Amateria is my favorite. It was the first level in that game I solved, and I was sitting in the dark totally immersed, and I was totally unprepared for the ride. Amazing.

Oh, yes that song in the Kadish gallery - mesmerizing! Reminds me of of "Rachel´s song" from Blade Runner OST, sadly unused in the movie itself.

I agree, all of Cyan's games are brilliant and noteworthy, but Riven has been and still is my favorite. The Sunners' beach is so real, I daydream about it when mowing our lawn.

I feel like I have to mention tomahna from myst 4. I mean obviously, if you consider the puzzles within the age tomahna does not belong in this list, but the atmosphere, the day and night thing and especially the soundtrack makes this age just so immersive (and perhaps the most beautiful of them all) for me :)

Edanna, the island with the giant inward-turned tree in Myst III, was one of my favourites, as was the forested part of the forest island in Riven.

Amateria, the best era ever. by far.

Riven is still my favorite. Still hope I will be able play that amazing game again.

hands down. riven is a masterpiece Riven is where I solved one of the hardest puzzle in video games history imho

I've only played Myst 3, but Amateria has always been my favourite. 1stly because the Oboe music is gorgeous, but also the ball ride. Also I resonated with the idea of it being the age of Dynamic Force as a kid. I knew probably only 1 age from Myst 3 would make this list, and I'm so pleased it was the "right" one!

Your choices are absolutely perfect! Completely agree with all of them!

I listened to the Exile CD for years and eventually ripped it to my computer. I still listen to it to this day.

Riven is an absolute masterpiece. For my money, the best of the series, by far.

I'm so glad Todelmer made it. It is a little spare, but it is probably the most beautiful Age in the games. It's also funny (in a good way) that you chose a Gehn Age for number one since they're so unstable. But Fifth Age is beautiful and a great example of world-building.

5:52 😁 I immediately recognized the Amateria theme song. Know it by heart.

Riven, greatest game ever!

Nicely done. I may not agree with your rankings but I appreciate the reasoning you present. I have to admit, I despised Spire, but then again, I also despise Sirrus so that may have colored my reactions. There are so many things about the Myst series in general that made me so incredibly happy, and watching this let me remember a few more of those moments. Thanks!

Amazing video!! I love your picks and your Uru pick makes me want to play that game since I missed out on that one. Amateria is definitely my top pick so I was happy to see that one in particular. Cheers!

I think Haven would have to be on my list. Yes, the mangree puzzle is really aggravating to solve, but it's just so pretty there, and so full of life. But agreed, Riven is the best age they created.

The thing I loved about Myst 2 and 4's puzzles are that they seem like they are just contraptions in the world that you are learning how to use and solve. The others might just feel like someone gave you a random puzzle, but in myst 3 it feels right since the ages are meant to test the boys. (although the puzzles in 4 were a bit more frustrating than fun such as the music puzzle, the monkey puzzle and the weird order for the bridge symbols in Haven)

Just watched this. #2 choice was definitely up there. My favorite myst venture, not only a puzzle, but a spherical rollercoaster.

Myst is literally my all time favorite pc game, then Myst 3 and of course Riven.

Great commentary on RIven, spot on! It is the most fullt realised video game world of all time.

Ah, Amateria. When you realize YOU are in the crystal sphere. That was a GAMING MOMENT.

Am I the only one who loves even the puzzles in Spire?! Also, completely agree about the Gallery Theme, it's nothing short of divine. 5. Narayan (so small but I just goddamn love that endgame) 4. Ahnonay (absolutely unable to solve that one without the answers, it is just too smart ; the letdown is the visual of the first two areas, and at first I wrote it off as the worst age ever) 3. Hmm I can't remember all of the ages of URU:CC right now, so I will say Teledahn because I just loved being in the Baron's study. 2. Spire 1. Riven I completely agree on Amateria but despite all of that it lacks a certain magic to me, I don't have this feeling of awe at the world.

I would say all 5 ages of exile are worthy of taking up all of the list

I would say I agree. I just only recently started playing Myst V, and I absolutely was blown away by the imaginative beauty of Todelmer. I've always loved the realism and immersion of Riven. That lazy afternoon feel with the very familiar sounds of summer. I love everything about Amateria. Spire is just plain cool. I like Voltiac especially because of the music. Serenia has this... Serene... beautiful feel and I absolutely love the music. Gahreesen was cool and interesting, especially when you consider that the surrounding jungle was filled with dangerous, carnivorous creatures. Other Ages I like are Haven and Rime. The awesome thing is, the whole Myst series has inspired me to design my own, unique ages! The first and most impressive one I've done is Isabbi (a name I came up with as a kid) which is a series of massive island cities floating in the sky (inspired by Spire), a vast underwater city underneath it, and underneath that, an impressive underground city (inspired by the Dwarvish mines in The Lord of The Rings).

Tomahna shares the first place with amateria in my mind. It feels so much like a home, warm and cozy but also so alienlike while only relying on simple electronics and mechanics. It is my dream home somewhat.

Amateria is my absolute favorite age. First is what you said in the video, and second, i absolutely love the skybox a sunset with an oncoming storm.

Channelwood was always my favorite but in fairness I haven't played all of the games in the series yet.

You live your hudrles and stresses. And somewhere in another Universe, Myst exists with its worlds, timeless and eternal.

And, of course, Myst Online Uru Live is still up and running - and the Guild of Writers is adding new ages and new puzzles. The game is living, breathing, and growing still - in 2024.

The RIVEN Soundtrack is one of the first things i dupe on a new cellphone! It rests as CD in my Cupboard and always comes with me on my Cell! Great Game, Great Soundtrack!

I totally agree with your top three, and in this order.😁👍 I’ll have to think about what my fourth and fifth picks would be.🤔

Yeah, nailed my top 3 ages in this list too. Starting with Riven, of course.

Why hasn't this been made into a movie.

Wow....I ever loved Serenia by Revelation, but i agree.

Agreed. Riven is my personal fav too. I have yet to experience its equal. It truly transports you to another world and the payoff is glorious. The concept, music, puzzles, game-play, ambience...all of it is spot-on. It would make a great TV series. Conversely, while Myst 4 has some intense depth and design, the puzzles for the most part are obnoxious, misplaced, frustrating and needlessly difficult: I felt as if the programmers were against me. I didn't have much fun.

No Serenia? You're right to put Riven first though, Richard Vander-Wende was a visionary artist in designing that sacred space.

I think it's all wonderful. I play these games because I want to experience them as real as possible. I find each rewarding in its own way. Best series I have ever played.

i was introduced to the series through Exile, and i think J'nanin is my favourite age as that's the one that made me want to get into drawing islands, but i agree the Ameteria Ice Ball Run is the best reward for finishing the age... i have a save i can go back to to just ride it again and again. i know that Tomahna is actually just Atrus's house on earth but that doesn't stop me from loving it too.

It may be worth noting that Number 5 (Todelmer) was hinted to be, as far as lore goes, grouped together with 4 other ages that did make it to Uru: Tetsonot, Payiferen, Dereno, and Negilahn. All of them are pods on a single planet, and Todelmer's keep seems to fit well into that structure (even though it is much larger than the other pods). It's also interesting to think of the 5 as a punctual insights on a much larger world, as well as keeping the mystery around the other extant, but never explored, pods

Interesting list! I appreciate your choices. How ever I am surprised at your choice for number one. As you said it is your opinion and I respect that.

Exile was one of the first Myst games I played through myself. My family had played them as they came out, but Exile came out when I was old enough to start playing. I remember absolutely adoring Amateria. The art style and lighting were so peaceful that I barely felt frustrated trying to solve the puzzles. Shame Exile was as short as it was. Its worlds were beautiful and its story had some depth to it...a bit more substance and it could have easily rivaled Riven.

Well... I thought a lot on this list, and it was a very difficult choice. First for me would be Todelmer. I'm obsessed with space and stars, so when I saw that age in End of Ages, I felt like I just want to go into the game and live there. It's really beautiful, and the puzzles are some of my favourites too. Noloben was certainly another favourite, it had a captivating atmosphere, it was one of the few ages where I literally just walked around for a while, enjoying the view. I can't leave out Channelwood, because back when I first played Myst, absolutely loved that age (even though I always missed the elevator in the tree so I was really angry by the time I finally got there). I really grown to love Riven after reading the books, after the Book of Atrus, I saw it in a completely different light. And... can I say Earth? :D In Uru and End of Ages, I really enjoyed exploring the D'ni caverns, they really captured what was described in the books that they are the remnants of something ancient, and they had a strange beauty. And I think Tomahna was amazing as well. It already had the feel of a safe haven in Exile, but in Revelation, even more. The Cleft is kind of similar in some ways, it has a strange, hidden beauty to it. I'm not sure, if this is the exact ranking as well (I'm only sure in Todelmer), but these are certainly my top five ages.

Riven should have a fully 3d remaster. It would be a hit even today

What I loved in the game RIven was the fact that even if it's a bit fantasy no extraorinary shines and glowing stones or other magical flashing smoking supernatural voodo is going on. Just look at the box design, the soundtrack, the storyflow the natives and their design it is just soooooo 90's and this is what I love. Everything looks manmade and industrial even if it's more like art. This feels so natural but in the same time so out of place compared to the real world. I mean: People who grew up with Starwars had this 80's feel when watching the movies and yes no modern movie can reach the art of this time because of modern influences in details. And so it's with riven and the 90's.

Nothing really matched my experience with Myst and Riven. I think developing Riven burned out Robyn on world building, which was too bad because he breathed a lot of the magic into those worlds.

I'm divided between Myst 4 and Riven. Riven had the best built environment, the best puzzles, the best story. But Myst 4 felt like being inside a live movie. I do hope we see a VR remake of these games soon :)

I am playing the myst games for the first time right now, except for Uru which I played g years ago and myst 5 which I played briefly but didn't finish also years ago I just finished myst, 2020 version and it's great. But riven is the best damn game in the whole series, that much is clear to me as soon as I started it. it's absolutely incredible what Riven managed back in 1997.

Good job and well written. Yes, you did this almost 4 years ago...but it conjurs up memories from far longer...

Amateria is fine, but for me the crowning jewel of Myst 3 is Edenia. Sure the puzzles are a bit contrived, but the organic feeling of this vertical ecosystem is spectacularly cool IMO; if I could only go back and play one age from the whole series, well I'd pick Riven since that's an entire game in one age, but ignoring that obvious cheat-pick, Edenia would be the obvious choice.

Great review!

Thanks for making a video on MYST that isn't cringe. I look forward to more videos from you on D'ni numbers, The Art of Writing etc.

and now after all these years Riven is finally coming back...

Well reviewed, outstanding. 2006, Ubisoft released the Myst The Collection Box set, and I just had to have it, drove 113km and shop hopped until I found it. It lives on a shelf in my gaming room, together with my original Riven Big Box set as well as the Myst Reader. I got Riven in 1998, found it a Flea Market Bargain Bin, it was the last one they had. Paid what is today $6,50 for it, entire Big Box including individually sleeved cd's, the Making of Riven video disc and a commemorative diary. Sad to say that I only learned about Obduction today, however it's already downloading at home. Thanx for the reminder of what is still in my opinion, the best game(series) made in the history of gaming.

I totally agree with your points on riven.

Wouldn't be my list, but you were spot on about RiVen

Riven was my first taste of the Myst series. I actually had to build a new PC for URU to function properly. I played Exile on the original Xbox. Beautiful immersive games that drew upon logical rather than FPS skills.

I agree about riven age and exile age !! riven was the best video game experience of my life. I was young at the time and I had to play it for a whole year to solve and fully understand this age. I did read the books and loved the lore (all those possibilities with the writing art !!). I liked Exile but were always dispointed with the other sequels... didnt like real time 3D at all 😞

Les énigmes de Riven sont organiques, cohérentes et logiques : on apprend à lire pour déchiffrer, on fait fonctionner des machines u quotidien. L'exploration est libre mais simplifiée par des véhicules. L'usage d'une carte détaillé pour notifier les indices et raccourcis relève permet de s'approprier les lieux. J'ai vite décrocher de Myst pour absence de cohérences dans ses énigmes.

If only URU online would have gone viral and Cyan could have finished it. I played the fan based one that is still ongoing but just imagine if Cyan could have put in the ages they intended!

I love Spire, but the idea of Atrus linking to that perpetually gray and windy rock island and thinking yeah, this is a humane place to trap a man for eternity...makes me chuckle. I would love to visit though!

Funny enough, it was till the marbles that I actually did fine at Riven without having the need to find out how to solve it. Twas just too hard to solve for me. Other than that, great video. Personally I adored the age in the first Myst where you were up in the trees.

Best music is Hall of Spirits from Revelation

absolutely my top 5, except i didn't like any of Myst 5 worlds, so i'd pick probably Myst Island from the 1st game instead ;) i really loved it and all its puzzles and the general concept of it.

I just recently started Riven. I watched my dad play it as a kid, but that was a long time ago, so it seemed mostly fresh to me. I feel like it was probably the high point of the series. I feel now like Uru really bastardized the story arc of the Myst series. Riven seems to bring up a lot of haunting ethical questions about "The Art" that Uru just seems to gloss over, and instead it took a left turn into all this "Bahro" non-sense when they already had something really intriguing to build on.

5. Myst 4. Amateria 3. Kadish Tolesa 2. Ahnonay 1. Riven

After watching this video, I played Myst 3 after 20 years. Managed to finish 2 ages I was stuck before. Then I installed Witness and got bored almost instantly. I think we have lost something along the way. Even RPG's are shallow with more focus on story and cutscenes than immersion.

Selinitic made a giant impression on me, but I see why your list is what it is. Also, I adored the *story* in Revelation best of all. Maybe because I'm a mom, or maybe because I've been a "friend of the family" so long I felt that sense of "responsibility" for Yeesha (which carried all the way into URU by the way).

Kadish was inspiringly beautiful. But I'll never forget how dumb that puzzle with the floor tiles was. It's like trying to hack into a librarian's computer and finding out the password is "books".

Great video! More on Myst pls :)

You picked all the ages I would have picked! I'd also put Channelwood and Ahnonay as runner-ups. Channelwood is pretty sparse when you look at it now, but when I first played it as a kid it was so immersive and exciting. It was the closest I got to feeling like I was really in another world until Riven came along. As for Ahnonay... well, you can't really explain why Ahnonay's great without spoiling it, haha. Ahnonay did have the most dramatic turnaround for me in going from "wow this age sucks" to "holy crap this awesome!"

I disagree with Spire being the best part of Myst 4, because the dream age exists. I forget what it's called, Serenia I think, but it's absolutely gorgeous, incredibly relaxing...I could live there happily. And the section where you go into dream itself is my single favorite puzzle in the entire series, even though it's quite simple, because of how incredibly atmospheric and immersive it is. Sure, an age of dreams could have been some surrealistic masterpiece, but that would cost money out the wazoo, so the fact that they gave us something minimalist which nonetheless feels utterly trippy and alien was an astonishing piece of design work.

Riven and end of ages were kinda my least favorite of the series and idk why I could just never really connect with them. For me it's very difficult, I'd say either Edanna or Voltaic either an age which looks like it has been lived in for a long while or an age which is still full of life in just a singular "tree". I get that Riven is good because it basically forms a 2nd earth that is more complex than most other ages. But to me it just didn't feel like MYST. If anything what I would've really loved is to explore Releeshahn as the one look that you get at the end of the series just makes you want to see it all, it seemed like an improved riven to me. Then again I grew up on MYST III so maybe I'm just a sucker for the book that I held in my inventory but never got to open since I didn't have that stupid key.

good job. I may need to go buy the 25th anniversary edition but that marble puzzle still haunts me. LOL.

How is Channelwood not on here? That age was mesmerizing and creepy to me as a kid. A flooded world with an entire abandoned village up in the trees. It left so much to the imagination. It also gave the most insight into how Sirrus and Achenar behaved in the outside world. Sirrus being a greedy, raging alcoholic and Achenar being a masochist interested in primitive cultures. Way better than whatever that Age was in Uru Legends.

My favorite age is when that guy keeps hitting me with a hammer while I’m just trying to play my aunts ps2

5:10 I've put way too many hours into Uru over the years, and this became the soundtrack for my Relto Age so it was playing every time I went into Uru, and I *still* never get tired of hearing it. Personally, tho, I'd have put Teledahn over Kadish Tolesh. The emotional journey from beauty to horror is a summation of Uru itself.

So far my most favorite ages from myst is Myst: channel wood, stoneship Riven: riven because it's the only age in myst but some are others I can't remember what the name of the ages. There was some ages that was limited you cant fully visit them. Myst3: voltaic, enddna, and atmeria Myst4: spire, serina, thomana Uru: fortress age, d'ni caverns, there is some ages I like but it's hard to named them a few. The reason why I like the gharneese age because it feels like a unreal tournament vibe. I like thomana because it feels like a player home just relax look at the night sky relax at the kitchen room.

Riven still haunts my dreams and memories. And I am glad to know that the people of Riven, are free. And I am sad that Gehn's selfishness and tyranny destroyed that beautiful world.

I was kind of disappointed that Ahnonay didn't get an honorable mention. Because that Age is one hell of a mind bender. Tedious, yes, but a mind bender. Or really, the fact that the entire D'ni city was one entire puzzle to find Null Zero.