Myst: The Official Strategy Guide

by Rick Barba, Rusel DeMaria

Welcome to the Myst erious island!
Are you feeling a bit Myst ified? Does
everything seem all Myst y? Are you
thinking you might have Myst something?
Well, you've come to the right place for help. Myst:
The Official Strategy Guide Revised and Expanded Edition
is the #1 bestselling, ultimate, authoritative source for answers and information about Myst Island and the Ages of Myst. Inside you'll find:
A complete, fictionalized walkthrough of Myst
Detailed examinations of the puzzles and reasoning behind them
Screen images of the most important locations
Overhead views of Myst Island and the Ages
"Quick and Dirty" solutions if you're in a hurry

Also:
A revealing interview with Myst game designers Rand and Robyn Miller
Early sketches and concept materials used to create the Myst environment
Special renderings of objects from the world of Myst
About the Author
Rusel DeMaria is head of DeMaria Studio. He has written and collaborated on numerous computer and video game books, including The 7th Guest: The Official Strategy Guide, X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide, and Earthworm Jim Official Game Secrets (all from Prima).
Rick Barba is the author of numerous electronic entertainment books, including DOOM Battlebook, and Under a Killing Moon: The Official Strategy Guide (all from Prima).

Genres: Video Games, Reference, Games, Gaming, Fantasy

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strategy guides from the '90s, especially ones for PC games, are like a drug to me. They were so creative in their presentation and this guide for Myst is no exception. The walkthrough for the game is presented as a narrative story that you can read, allowing the player/protagonist to sort through their thoughts and deductive process as they play.

The writing here isn't quite as exciting or detailed as I've come across in other game guides. It's more perfunctory, and the overall length is quite short. But it works well, and Myst itself is a relatively short game. The writing also conflicts with the lore that was later established for the Myst series, but that's not the guide's fault.

The walkthrough presented does makes the odd choice to tackle the Selenitic Age first, which from a narrative/puzzle solving view doesn't make much sense (this Age works best with the knowledge you gain from solving other puzzles first, as well as being one of the more difficult sections of the game).

There is of course also a plain step-by-step walkthrough included too for those who just want the immediate solutions given to them.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that it was written in the form of a story with The Stranger exploring the island and discovering things and documenting them. Also, reading this book took me right back to the trauma of the Selenitic Age. Ugh! That maze thing was terrible! The story of Myst was great and it was fun to revisit the game again.

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I played Myst years ago and found it one of the strangest and most frustrating games ever, but also fun and a challenge I couldn't resist. If you are able to and do decide to play it, you will want a strategy guide of some sort, believe me. You will get lost and confused in no time flat. You might at least want pen and paper with you if you don't have the guide as there are a great many things you'll need to write down for use later. I like how this book is set up as a journal and the abundance of pictures which make it more like someone's account of their time there, as well as an actual guide to the game itself. It adds depth to the whole of it. My only complaint was none of the pictures were in color in my copy of the book. I would have liked them in full color and allowed to again enjoy the beauty of Myst in book form.