Rating: 
Summary: The Myst Thickens
Review: Myst, Riven, now Exile. Presto and Ubi Soft have certainly managed to keep the series alive. In this game comes more lush scenery, more curious elements revealed slowly by the plot, and yes, more aggravating puzzles. *grin* There was someone who said that they just made it hard to sell strategy guides. If you're reading this, then I KNOW you can solve the game without a strategy guides (look for hint websites). The makers have simply decided to involve the puzzles in a storyline, and since, like in Myst, you aren't told how to solve them (or even that they are puzzles), it can be quite challenging. Unfortunately, this game is not quite as spectacular as Myst, and does present some hardware performance issues 9patches, definately), but it's a great adventure that you'll especially enjoy if you've been keeping up with the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible follow-up to a well known line
Review: I'm normally a strategy gamer, but the Myst series is simply breathtakingly beautiful. The first Myst suffered from slideshow-like pacing, and the sequel (Riven) went overboard on the obscure puzzles. The developers definitely listened to feedback before going on to Exile, and it shows in just about any way you can imagine.The graphics are jaw-dropping. I have a GEforce 3 in my system, and the full 360-around-plus-up-and-down is quick, smooth, and stunning. The stained glass windows shine, the plants glisten, the water ripples with both reflections and submerged items visible. I had people watching over my shoulder in awe as I played, eager to see what else they managed to do with this game. Video is seamlessly integrated. I'm not just talking "little-person-talking-in-box". I'm talking about being able to look around while a woman is talking to you, and having her visible out of the corner of your eye, merrily bouncing her baby. Things that seem part of the environment suddenly zoom up into the air. Just WAIT until you get to ride the sphere-roller-coaster. I replayed that one many times just to marvel at it. The music is stellar. The puzzles are much better balanced than in the previous versions - and there are enough hints and 'training' objects lying around that most of them should be pretty straightforward. In a few it's hard to figure out what the puzzle IS, so it takes some trial and error to figure out just what you're looking at before you can even start to figure out what you need to do. That's a gripe with just about every puzzle game on the market, though, so Myst does the best it can here. Is there a downside? Well, the game isn't entirely stable. I have a pretty good system here, fast and used often, and I did have the game crash on me. Save early, save often. The 360-view isn't exactly 'real world' - it's more like being inside a sphere that has something painted on it. Everything is always exactly in the same relationship to each other no matter how you turn. The graphics are so gorgeous, though, that it doesn't really seem to matter. Other than that, the game lets you work at your own pace, gives you challenges, gives you clues to those challenges, and provides incredible gameplay for people of all ages and abilities. This is about the best 'buy for anyone, they'll love it' game I can recommend. Be sure to get one for yourself, too!
Rating: 
Summary: Fatal Errors
Review: I am a fan of Myst and Riven, and was excited when Exile came out. Unfortunately, that was short lived right after installation. Unlike Myst or Riven, for which I had no problems, Exile did nothing but crash my computer. The only way I could get my computer back to normal was to uninstall Exile. I wanted to play the game, not spend hours on a phone or chase emails for possible solutions with Tech support. My computer is a Sony Vaio, pentium III, 500mhz, with plenty of speed that has no problem running all my other software. I decided to skip the frustration and return Exile. I owned it for all of two hours.
Rating: 
Summary: A Plot worthy of the Myst series.
Review: Stunning graphics and an easy to manage user interface make this a great game for neophyte game players. There is a defined plot to follow and the puzzles are wonderfully suited to both the plot and the game flow. However, if you are a long time Myst game fan, and did well with Myst and Riven, I would not recommend this game for you. The puzzles are much too easy, and far too time consuming. The music, too, will disappoint long time Myst/Riven lovers. It lacks the originality of Robyn Miller's music and seems much too "canned"; like movie soundtrack music. Overall, the game was a good follow on to the Myst series of games.
Rating:
Summary: Very buggy - many having problems - support non-existent
Review: I purchased this program several weeks ago (preordered it actually) and it will not work on my computer. On the online game forums there are many people complaining about the same problem. And there is little or no response from tech support. I would not reccomend this game to anyone until they work the bugs out (if ever)
Rating:
Summary: Misleading Technical Requirements
Review: I really enjoyed both Myst and Riven, and so was excited to buy Exile. However, I have had nothing but trouble trying to play the game: initial refusal to load, crashes, freezes. Though I checked the hardware requirements before purchase and patiently waited for the patches, I was recently told by Ubisoft tech help that I must purchase a 3D video card in order to play the game. The requirements in the user manual state that a 3D video card is optional. The experience has been very disappointing, not just because I so looked forward to playing the game, but because now I feel turned off from the whole series. Ubisoft really should have made an effort to make the game compatible with more machines and more video and sound cards.
Rating:
Summary: Exile fails on one point only
Review: Exile is a superb game from the very start; one is swept away with awe and suspense by the initial action and intrigue. Astounding graphics and interactive segments add to the quest at hand. From the very start one feels the inevitable despair that it will all end eventually. The beauty and artistic scenery is brilliant. The only point of disappointment is that the game ends to soon. After finally gaining access to the linking book to chase after the villain the expected story to follow fails to eventuate, for when you finally feel that you are getting somewhere its all over. This is one area where Riven excels over Exile. Having said that I strongly recommend the game.
Rating:
Summary: Believe the hype!
Review: I've had Myst 3: Exile for about 3 weeks now and I can honestly say this game is absolutely amazing. Again, just as they did with the first sequel to Myst, the near-perfect Riven, they have created a totally engrossing fantasy world with great melodramatic flair. The story, while simplistic, is detailed enough and well-crafted enough to add a cinematic feel to the game; it's as if you have stepped into an epic movie. I'm still in the first age (Jnanin) but from what I have seen so far the visuals are just as groundbreaking as Riven's were. The 360 degree visuals work exceptionally well here. It's smooth, and wasn't jerky or halting at all. Sound again is a big factor in the game and they pull out all the stops (again) in that department. Put on your headphones and turn up the sound and just listen to some of the detailed sound effects. Of particular note is the fly buzzing around in the lab; you'll swear its real! As for the technical problems that many have experienced: I have a 450Mhz iMac DV+ (year 2000 line) and had very little problems at all. A little tricky getting it loaded on the system, and it rearranges the desktop when you quit for some reason, but all in all, not much trouble at all (another plus for Apple! Sorry, PC users hee-hee!) Take a chance, get this awesome game and lose yourself in the Myst-mystique...again.
Rating:
Summary: Do you like bugs?
Review: If you do then buy this. It crashes your PC especially if it's an HP.
Rating:
Summary: Mis-lead
Review: I bought this game a month ago. I have not played it yet because I checked the system requirements on the box and it said that an 8 m video card was optional. It now seems that is very misleading. I intended to play on my laptop because I really like this type of game. My laptop is not old yet it seems it does not have the hardware required to run this game. I will be returning the game to where I bought it. I am very disappointed.
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