APP STORE AWARDS 2021

Mac Game of the Year

Myst didn’t just whisk us back to a beloved world—it reinvented it.

Myst

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Myst is our Mac Game of the Year because... it completely reimagines one of the most mysterious lands in gaming history.

‣ Number of objects you can interact with in the game: 2,500
‣ World record for fastest playthrough in the original game: 3 minutes, 18 seconds
‣ Size of new Myst with full-motion 4K visuals: 10.5 GB

When it debuted in 1993 (five years before Apple released the first iMac!), the otherworldly adventure was hailed as nothing less than revolutionary. Nearly three decades later, Myst for Mac has been optimized for the Apple M1 chip, putting a thrilling new spin on the bona fide classic.

The classic puzzles, the gorgeous scenery, the strange devices—explore it all in a brand-new way.

Myst transports you to a strange island filled with architectural wonders and curious contraptions. Where are you exactly? And for that matter, who are you? Guided by the author of a magical book, you’ll figure out how to crack safes, guide a rocket by sound, and rotate lighthouses and fortresses to learn his fate—and discover yours.

But you’ve never seen Myst like this before. Forget the original’s static screens. You’re now free to explore each lush environment however you wish, thanks to a new real-time 3D engine. Wondering what the spiral staircase in the Selenitic Age looks like from the back? You can finally find out! Dramatically improved modeling, texture, and dynamic lighting effects bring out awesome details like sunlight gleaming off wrought iron. And it all renders flawlessly at 4K resolution on an M1 Mac.

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Myst’s conundrums are more user-friendly too. Put away the pencils and crumpled paper—a new photo feature lets you quickly keep track of clues. Stumped on the ship puzzle? Snap a pic of a few pages from the unburned book in the tower to save time running back and forth.

No one’s chasing you. You can get lost in the world, and it’s going to be OK.

—Hannah Gamiel, development director at Cyan

For those who beat Myst back in the day, the new puzzle-randomization mode creates new challenges in familiar worlds. Switch up the order and locations of constellations and other clues essential to solving puzzles. (Just be aware you won’t be able to rely on online walkthroughs when you get stuck!)

Regardless of whether you spent hours lost in the original or are experiencing Myst for the first time, the newly reimagined adventure is a spectacular achievement in atmospheric storytelling. The densely drawn world has only grown richer and more engaging—and on M1, it’s a technological showpiece once again.

2021 App Store Award Winners

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