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Review bonanza! Atlantis Evolution & Myst IV

Have we got a jam-packed review-session for you today, or what?

First off, two Myst IV reviews. The first review is courtesy of PC Gameworld, where they give it a score of 85%. The other review, a lengthy one, from Jolt UK, where it gets a score of 8.4 out of 10:

 

Jolt UKOverall this is definitely a game for the fans and not a game that’s likely to convert non-fans. If you’ve never played a Myst game then it’s easy to see why Myst IV might be frustrating. The puzzles can be pretty strange and often seem to have little practical purpose other than to impede you. Mostly it’ll be because you don’t know the rules: don’t be deceived by the pretty views because you’ll need your brain switched on and ready for keen observation, sharp memory, pattern recognition, logical and lateral thinking and some good old fashioned trial-and-error (assuming you can make sense of the feedback, a puzzle in itself at times). If something looks like it means something then it’s probably worth noting it down, but then again there’s a lot in Myst IV that you can interact with purely for the curiosity factor. The game definitely requires patience and the willpower to avoid reaching for a solution, and if you have those then it’s well worth checking out.

 

And then off to the (insert witty french phrase), no less than three Atlantis Evolution reviews. First up, check out the GameSpot review here, where it's rated poor. Second review can be found on Gamespy over here, with two and a half star out of five. And last but not least Quandary Land gives Atlantis two stars, in their review.

 

Quandary Land: I can only end by repeating that Atlantis Evolution is a highly frustrating game. If looks are all that count then it's very good looking, but as an adventure game it falls short of providing a satisfying experience. It would have been much improved minus the mini games, with a lot less dying, and with more attention paid to the adventuring puzzles.

 

 

GameSpot: Despite its lengthy catalog of flaws, Atlantis Evolution isn't all bad. In one segment, you get caught in a tree snare and suddenly find yourself viewing the world upside down as you helplessly dangle there in a net. It's an unexpected and memorable touch. In a dramatic cutscene, a giant water serpent attacks our hero. The puzzles start to get more interesting and original when you finally encounter the humanoid gods. The game also boasts some decent music, replete with unusual ethnic instrumentation. It helps make up for the many weak voice-overs that badly mar the audio. You'll encounter colorful graphics, too, with lavishly appointed private chambers for the gods and forests of huge alien flora. Then again, a lot of the graphics are blurry or numbingly repetitive. In fact, numbed is how you'll likely feel after subjecting yourself to the tedium and torments of Atlantis Evolution. If you can stick it out until the final third or so, you'll find a few rewards, but unfortunately they're too little, too late.

 

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