realMyst: Masterpiece Edition

If you’re a first timer to the series or revisiting the ages of Myst again, this edition on the Nintendo Switch is definitely worth a replay or a first time visit to Myst. And with the added bonus of the Switch’s portability, you can take it with you where ever you go. If you have never played Myst, well, now is your opportunity to delve into the mystical and mysterious world of Myst. This is still a great game to play if you love exploration and puzzle solving.

realMyst: Masterpiece Edition on Switch is a curious to me. I think that on paper, it makes a lot of sense to bring Myst to the Switch, but the execution leaves something to be desired for me, especially when talking about a game that isn’t exactly new and doesn’t seem like it ought to be taxing from a performance perspective. It seems that the game could have benefited from some additional optimizations for the platform, and perhaps those could come in the future, though I wouldn’t hold my breath for that. That having been said, Myst itself is a great game, arguably one of the all-time greats, and none of the things that make Myst so special are changed by the issues with this particular release. It’s a great opportunity to connect with your gaming nostalgia, and if the Switch is your platform of choice, you can still get a great deal of enjoyment out of realMyst: Masterpiece Edition. It is far from a perfect port, but it is the same beloved game it always has been, and like an old friend slightly worse for the wear, you’ll still be glad for the chance to spend some time with it.

While far from the definitive version of the 25+ year-old classic, realMyst: Masterpiece Edition remains a highly atmospheric, and immersive first-person adventure.

The worlds of Myst continued to be developed for years after the original's release, and while its sequels developed on the incredibly rich lore and plot, for my money none of them ever quite recaptured the feeling of the original. While the Switch version has some minor performance issues, they're more than made up for by portability and the option to play with touch controls in classic mode. If you've never played Myst, or if you grew up with the original, take this excuse to journey back to the ages of Myst and get lost all over again.

It's not just the history and nostalgia, but the high quality, sense of discovery, and genuine allure that's undeniable with this pioneer. It's proven to be a timeless journey. But this Switch port of realMyst: Masterpiece Edition needs an update, to add some missing features and fix the significant audio glitches, to be genuinely outstanding.

The UI looks a bit rough and some of the environments can appear a bit pixelated. There also seems to be a bit of rotation lag when looking around, but this is a decent, surprise port, that was a delight to revisit. I haven’t thought about Myst in a long time, and this was a wonderful trip down memory lane. It’s not quite a masterpiece, but realMyst is a wonderful tribute to one of gaming’s most influential – and enjoyable – adventures.

If you’ve ever wondered what made Myst one of the best-selling PC games of all time, or just want to travel back to the mysterious island and relive the magic, there’s no better time than now. Pick up realMyst: Masterpiece Edition and experience the complex and curious adventure for yourself.