Obsidian

Great game. I'm kind of dumb when it comes to puzzle games, but this game was surprisingly straightforward and I never really got lost or stuck in terms of progression. There was one puzzle that I needed my friends' help to figure out (The chemistry one in area 2) but otherwise all of the logic puzzles were well-telegraphed and understandable. I don't know if I'd call it a "Myst clone", given the linear nature of it. The game takes place in 3 areas (technically 4, but the fourth is quite short) - The first is the most open-ended, and arguably the most memorable and charming, requiring a lot of walking around and exploration, while areas 2 and 3 are each collections of puzzles that you need to complete to move to the next one. I wish more of the game was like the first chapter, but I can still wholly recommend it for the beautiful art, which tends to be a mix of video FMV, CG, and hand-painted art. The music is great, too, and the premise is overall quite interesting. It's hard not to...

I originally bought this game when it was new. And I loved it. Gaming has moved forward in the intervening years, but puzzles are still puzzles, and this is a game loaded with quality puzzles. There are some sticky places, as one would expect before "Aha!" moments, but the payoff is worthwhile. Yes, the story and the future tech feels rather dated now, but that is part of the charm. I preferred this game to Riven: The Sequel to Myst, and it was better than its non-Cyan peers in the first-person puzzler category. We like to use "atmospheric" for games such as these, as it speaks to the sense of place, but Obsidian has a spooky, millipede-up-the-spine feeling that pops up from time to time. If you enjoy Myst-like games, Obsidian is one of the better options out there. Give it a go. The price is right, and the quality, at least of design, is spot-on (the graphics...maybe not so much).