Rating: 
Summary: Horrible Control
Review: The control for this game is ridiculous. First of all, I thought it was a bit odd that you had to hold down the left mouse button if you wanted to walk, and either move the mouse where you wanted to go, or use w/the up arrow. I found it even more odd that you have to hold down both left anf right mouse buttons to run, but I got over it and it seemed to work mildly well. As soon as I got to the trailer things started to get complicated. From here on out It took forever to get where I wanted to go. You have to move the mouse all over the screen in basically a random fashion to try to go one direction. This is quite unhelpful when you are dealing with situation where you might fall off of a cliff and have to start over. I did that a good 20+ times. If you think you can use the arrow keys to do this, good luck. The side step is the slowest I've ever come across. The people who designed this were'nt thinking at all, and have ruined much of my experience with this game, as I was borrowing it over the weekend, I have decided that I will definetly not buy this game. The graphics are great, and the game looks very promising, but they need to fix the views and the movement. The rest is very enjoyable, and I would give it 4 or 5 stars otherwise, but this is really the kicker. Also, I should give them props for a good soundtrack piece by Peter Gabriel, "Burn you up, Burn you down". Great artist, great song. It got me hyped on the commercial too.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Waste Your Money
Review: I purchased this because I truly enjoyed solving Myst and Riven.
I was unable to play this - crashes after the introduction (which plays just fine on my - I guess - "too old" computer. This seems to be Ubisoft's explanation. My computer is 2 months old. Unless you're prepared to shell out more money for the "latest" video and sound products (or if your computer is older than 2 months), don't waste your 50 bucks. P.S. If you want to play online, that costs more - BEFORE you know if it will work
Rating: 
Summary: Welcome to the new, neverending world of URU...
Review: The first thing you must understand about "Uru: Ages Beyond Myst" is that it is NOT Myst IV. Uru is really more of a "spin-off" than a sequel. Let me explain...While the previous three Myst adventures actually take place over a hundred years ago and you play the part of a mysterious and helpful stranger, Uru takes place in present day and you actually (in essence) play yourself. Strangely compelled to the New Mexico desert to a "cleft" in the ground at the base of a dead volcano, you (among others) discover the remnants of the ancient D'ni civilization. A group of archaeologists, the DRC (D'ni Restoration Council), have begun the process of exploring and rebuilding the remnants of this ancient civilization. You are now part of this rebuilding due to the "interference" of one Prof. Jeff Zandi... and the DRC isn't very excited about all the new explorers running around. Then there are the ancient holographic messages left by Yeesha, the daughter of Atrus. (Yes, THAT Atrus.) It seems that Yeesha has foreseen the rebuilding of the D'ni civilization as well -- even though she is gone and has been for some time. She has her own vision for the future of D'ni... but it is definitely not the same vision that the DRC has... Then there are the mysterious linking books - the books that link to new worlds, other realities... the Ages of the D'ni.. Uru is, in a way, two games. Uru can be played as a single, offline game that has much the same feel and entertainment value as the previous installments of the Myst franchise - only larger and more breathtaking in scope. This time the entire game is in real time, immersive 3D and allows for complete freedom of movement and the ability to explore pretty much everywhere. The game prompts you to create a character that represents you (hair, clothing, skin tone, build, etc.) allowing you to play the game in third-person mode, something new for the Myst series; but if you prefer first person point-of view like the other Myst games, you may choose that option as well. The second part of the game is "Uru: Live" -- an online subscription based continuation of the Uru adventure. What does this offer? 1) Interaction with actual players from all over the world. You will actually meet their "avatars" at certain locations within the game and may choose to explore and solve puzzles together. You will be able to voice chat, create buddy lists, have actual virtual gatherings, share pictures, and more. 2) New, exclusive content. There are areas right now that you may explore as part of "Uru:Live" that are not available in the offline single player version. 3) Continually added content. New worlds to explore as more mysterious D'ni linking books are discovered and as the underground city of Ae'gura is opened and approved for exploration by the DRC. 4) A continuing story. What is this new quest that you will undertake for the mysterious Yeesha after completing the single player version of Uru? How will Yeesha's plans for the rebuilding of D'ni clash with the DRC's goals? Who (or what) are the mysterious Bahro and what is their agenda? I have barely scratched the surface. It's a difficult game to describe. If you want a first person shooter, don't buy this game. If you want action, don't buy this game. If you want a compelling story, mind-bending puzzles, and a jaw-dropping exploration experience -- buy this game.
Rating:
Summary: It was worth the wait!!!
Review: After playing Myst, Riven, Exile and realMyst, it seemed like I was waiting an eternety for Cyan's latest to arrive. Boy, was it worth it! From the first moment I was blown away. The gorgeous graphics and other-worldly music (Tim Larken -- the same guy who did the music for previous games) draw you in. Seeing the cleft for the first time was mind-blowing. The puzzles were hard, but not impossible. (When you get online, there are plenty of people who can help you out with sublte hints if you get stuck.) Cyan got it right - again! If you only buy one game this season -- make it URU!
Rating:
Summary: URU: Beautiful, Enlightening, and Entertaining
Review: Wow, I just finished playing through the Single Player portion, and I can honestly say that it was well worth the $50. I would suggest this to anyone who has played any adventure game and enjoyed it. If you haven't already, pick up the 10th Anniversary DVD Edition of the three previous Myst titles (Myst, Riven, and Exile), and read the books. You'll get SO much more out of this game if you understand the backstory.
Rating:
Summary: It's so pretty!
Review: I played a Myst game for the first time less than two weeks ago. After downloading the demo for Uru: Ages Beyond Myst I could hardly wait to pick it up, I ordered my copy immediately. I have to say without a word of exaggeration that this is one of the most beautiful games I've played, both visually and from a gameplay standpoint. It's a strange experience, I'm usually more inclined to play fast paced 3D shooters and RTS games; this game is a such a delightful departure - it's steeped in mysticism (pardon the pun) and wonder. The game plays out at the pace of the player - my own sense of urgency to complete it took a back seat for a little while as I enjoyed the vistas. I'm really looking forward to the online component of the game - from what I've read it's going to expand on the game like a real world, adding new content on a regular basis. This game is a phenomenal experience - for that experience to keep growing, it's like a wish come true! Thanks Cyanworlds! It's great to play a game and just enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: MYST is back!
Review: After playing realMYST a few years back, I was impressed with the translation of Cyan's immersive world into true 3-D. Playing Uru, I'm very happy to say that Cyan has created an even more immersive game engine with photo-realistic renderings. Playing the game, you get caught up in the mysterious story-line which picks up right where Myst 3: Exile left off. While playing the other games in the Myst series will help with the deep backstory of the Myst world, it's not needed to understand what's going on in Uru. Also, with Uru Live, the game expands to what will be a limitless universe to explore. Live allows the player to explore with friends, cooperating to solve puzzles in what is a truly unique wonderful experience. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: For avid Myst fans AND new fans
Review: I really recommend this game to long-time fans of the Myst series of games AND to newcomers to the series. It's definitely a game for the entire family! Explore lush Ages and mysterious puzzles offline and online, experience the shared excitement with others as the D'ni civilization is slowly revealed and their world(s) restored with your help. Highly recommended for a unique Christmas present!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful World -- Cranky Interface
Review: Now having completed the single-player version of this game, I can say it is probably the best I've ever played in this genre, and certainly the best of the Myst series. At the beginning I was very put off by the nearly-unmanageable cursor, but after removing all the other [user] background tasks on my 3 GHz machine, I found it possible, though still very annoying, to work with. The problem with cursor management is simply that there is an extraordinary amount of other "stuff" going on in the game, and cursor positions are not updated often enough. One would hope that the relative amount of time devoted to mouse position polling and other functions can be slightly modified to give the kind of smooth mouse action usually found. In contrast to the mouse, the motion keys [arrow keys] are a bit over-sensitive, and one will find that a mix of walk/run and 1st person/3rd person views to be most useful.
Rating:
Summary: Uru - Begin Your Adventure......
Review: What can I say about Uru except that it is awesome. The graphics are hands down the best I've ever seen as well as sounds, music, and general atmosphere. The Myst games have always had a kinda of eerie feeling about them and this game holds true to that. A couple places I was really spooked out because of how creepy it felt just standing there. Other places I couldn't help but just stand there and look at the surroundings. There are a couple things to keep in mind about Uru. For one, it does require a powerful computer to run it and have all the bells and whistles turned up. I recommend having an audigy or audigy 2 card to hear the awesome sound effects and a video card from the last year or two. Also, good to have lots of ram!! You get to create your own character and see them move around and actually move objects and puzzles(not just you click and something moves by itself like the other myst games). Some people do not like the new 3rd person view the game presents and I am one of those. Thankfully, you can switch to first person and move around using keyboard and mouse combination setup. One last thing I felt I should mention about Uru is that it is truly a different genre of game in itself. Is it an rpg? Adventure game? Multiplayer game? Well, it's all those in one! When approaching this game keep in mind that it was designed and conceived with the idea that you can play it online and receive a virtually never ending supply of new content and updates. Some people may play through the single player game and not understand the point of it all. The point is to play to explore, solve puzzles, learn about an ancient race of people, and uncover a mystery. That's why this game is so different and original. Only problem is that the online portion has not completely taken off yet. Only a few have been allowed in. This will give the developers the time they need to perfect the online portion and hopefully deliver one of the coolest experiences ever! So, is Uru for you?? If you love adventure games and more importantly the myst games, then this game should find a spot on your hard drive. This game is incredibly polished and has very high production quality. They spent like 5 years making it so it'd better be good and it is! Prepare yourself for URU!
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