Myst V: End of Ages [PC]

All good things must come to an end.

Despite its mainstream success, the hardcore gaming community has turned up its nose at the Myst games for one reason or another (the original 1993 game, for example, was written off as a pretty-but-static and non-linear slideshow). But for those who fell in love with the series will find this final sequel a superb one. Plus, gamers who had issues with past games will be happy to know Myst V addresses most of these concerns (better late than never, perhaps).

Yes, after a dozen years, one of the best-selling and most beloved computer game franchises is getting some closure. The aptly-named Myst V: End of Ages is the final chapter of the adventure game series that has spawned countless me-too clones, fiction novels and a sizeable online community of fan-based Web sites.

Without giving much of the story away, you're tapped to restore the lost empire of the troubled D'ni civilization by traveling to four unique worlds( or "ages") and make a fateful decision at the end of the adventure that will affect the future of its people. No prior knowledge of the Myst mythos is required as quite a bit of background information is given at the beginning of the game, including some advice spoken by the distressed Yeesha (and more info found in her many scattered journals) and the mysterious Esher, who often appears and disappears with some additional clues for your lengthy journey. While dedicated Myst players may enjoy the lengthy and overly dramatic dialogue from these characters, it tends to be too much at times. That said, once you hit the one-third mark of the single-player game, the pace will pick up considerably.

Unlike the live-motion characters found in last year's Myst IV: Revelation, characters in End of Ages are 3-D models, though they come to life with motion-captured movement and a technique referred to as "face-mapping," whereby video-captured sequences are "mapped" onto the characters faces for better lip-synching and more realistic facial expressions. This decision to go with 3-D characters models works well as the actors blend better into their surroundings--that is, compared to seeing a live person against an obvious digital fantasy world as with past games. That said, while characters now smoothly blend into their surroundings, last year's game was more "alive" as players could touch water and watch it ripple, pet an animal, or knock on a piece of wood. Ah well.

Gamers can also employ one of three control mechanisms in End of Ages. The first is the classic click scheme, where one mouse click advances the player through the world one step at a time. Alternatively, for the first time, players may opt for true 3-D freedom by using the W, A, S and keys familiar to fans of first-person shooters. This lets gamers explore the indoor and outdoor worlds as they like, though the key items, puzzles and characters are in the same place regardless of which mode you choose. The third option is a kind of hybrid control scheme where the view is always centered with your cursor; players simply right-mouse click to unlock the screen to interact with the various journals at the top right-hand corner of the screen or to pull up the main menu.

One of the more interesting game-play mechanics is the addition of mythical stone tablets, known as Slates, that can be used to solve puzzles and cause necessary environmental effects (such as rain) by drawing symbols and other patterns on it with your mouse. They're also necessary for helping you communicate with the bizarre Bahro creatures seen early on in the game (who will help you solve puzzles) and the stones can also help teleport you to other worlds. There are some limitations to holding a Slate, such as limited movement--you can't climb ladders, for example--and you must put it down to perform some other tasks. Sure, gamers can expect the traditional local puzzles, such as figuring out a contraption or placing runes in the correct order, but Slates are a welcomed addition to the game series.

Overall, Myst fans won't be disappointed with End of Ages. It's a fun, attractive, and challenging solo adventure that satisfyingly concludes the longstanding series with a memorable finale.