Uru: Ages Beyond Myst

 PC
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Nov 11, 2003
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
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  1. Four Fat Chicks
    100
    Love it or hate it, I believe we will look back in five or ten years and see this as a watershed moment in our brief gaming history, in much the same way as the original 1993 “Myst” is now viewed.
  2. Just Adventure
    100
    Neither a pure adventure, nor a pure RPG in the sense of "Final Fantasy" or "Warcraft." It is an astonishing synthesis of the two, taking the story and puzzle elements of the adventure and the graphic flexibility of the RPG. Adding in a dash of online gaming, and Cyan might just have created a game that will appeal to gamers from all genres. This could be the first true blockbuster, cross-genre game.
  3. GameZone
    93
    Uru’s deep story and great puzzles easily make it one of the best adventure games of the year.
  5. PC Gamer
    91
    I dream about its puzzles, contemplate solutions in my spare time, and imagine what lies beyond. But most importantly, I've had fun - and that's what adventuring is all about. [Jan 2004, p.100]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Cheat Code Central
    90
    Uru has some of the best graphics and sound of any game. The worlds seem alive. The imagination and talent of the artists would humble Salvidor Dali himself.
    All this publication's reviews
  7. CPUGamer
    90
    The Myst games are not for everyone. I have always enjoyed them so I kind of know what to expect and how things work. I thought this game was fantastic.
  8. IGN
    90
    The graphics are stunning, the sound is beautifully done, the puzzles are what one expects from a Myst game, the story is deep and the lore is massive and interesting. I really loved this game.
  9. Game Chronicles
    89
    A spectacular adventure, and while I was sad to see the online component fail before I even got to login and try it I am glad to see that Cyan is committed to keeping the content alive.
  10. Computer Games Online RO
    86
    It still has some issues regarding the controls, and some of its puzzles are way too difficult. In the end I feel it’s enough to say, without taking any chances, that I give the whole Myst series a 100/100 rating.
  11. Game Informer
    83
    The most beautiful PC game on the market. [Dec 2003, p.182]
  12. Computer Games Magazine
    80
    Until the multiplayer is fully operational, URU is something of an incomplete book, but what's there is simply stunning. [Feb 2004, p.58]
    All this publication's reviews
  13. Gamer's Hell
    80
    Diehards of the genre will comment that puzzles in this version have been "dumbed down" and are no longer as taxing as previous games, relying instead on simple mechanical or jumping solutions to get the job done. I’ll have to agree with this point, but...
  14. GameSpot
    78
    A very good adventure game with impressive production values, but if it had actually shipped complete with the promised multiplayer, it perhaps could have been much more.
  15. GameSpy
    75
    Barring the terrible control scheme, the single-player version of URU: Ages Beyond Myst is a solid adventure title. Beautiful graphics and sound, fun puzzles, and lots to read and learn about the D'ni makes for an atmospheric game. But the lack of the advertised multiplayer component is a real disappointment.

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best PC Game of 2003
76
#76 Most Discussed PC Game of 2003
35
#35 Most Shared PC Game of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 35 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 35
  3. Negative: 8 out of 35
  1. AuldWolf
    Oct 6, 2013
    10
    A decade ahead of its time.

    If this were to be released today as an indie title, as an online game (and you can play it online for free at    A decade ahead of its time.

    If this were to be released today as an indie title, as an online game (and you can play it online for free at mystonline.com), then it would be lavished with praise by all the critics. The reason for that is that we've had a decade to experiment and evolve game mechanics, we understand better what a co-op online experience is now, and we're more open to experiences, we're ready now for games that don't want to force us to be sociopathic murderers all the time.

    I was always ready for this, and it was fun watching the world slowly catch up. The experience it presents is beloved by all of the people I've introduced it to, including this year 2013. It continues to stand up as a technological marvel, something that people just couldn't wrap their minds around back then as it was one new concept after another. From the multiplayer puzzle ages, to the multiplayer exploration, the KI interface, and everything else. Even the esoteric and eccentric story, which people would also be more open to now than back then. Back then, it was all about the shooters, the platformers, the set genres. Easy to understand stuff. It was the beginning of the commercialisation of gaming.

    If it had been released ten years prior, in the era of the home computer, when everything was indie and experimental, it probably would have done okay then, too. This is how it is, it's a cycle, and people have to be in the proper part of that cycle to appreciate something like this. This is the kind of game you can form a deep bond with. I return to this game every year in order to visit an old friend, an alien creature named Shroomie. It feels really weird to have such an attachment to a 3D model, but this is what the Myst Universe does to you, and Uru more than any other.

    This is life-changing and life-affirming if you let it be. It feels good, and it feels even better if you have a friend you can bring along with you for the journey. And it's always about the journey, isn't it? This is about the journey through a bizarre, alien series of worlds. Journeys present obstacles, challenges, and puzzles. That's all part of the journey. And if you're excited by any of this, then this is a game you'll love. This isn't for the shooty-shooty people, this is for the intellectual romantics, this is for the old souls.

    If you give this game a chance, you could end up like me revisiting it every year just to remember the ghosts of the past. And Cyan still breathes they're starting a Kickstarter for something, soon, so that might be interesting. At some point in the future, reading this, you might know what all that's about, but right now, I don't. I only know that the journey through Uru might be worth your time, if you're ready for it.    … Full Review »
  2. EthanB.
    Nov 29, 2003
    10
    Absolutely incredible.
  3. MiKE
    Jan 29, 2005
    4
    I didn't like this game, the whole idea of seeing yourself, turned me right off. This game doesn't feel like the myst series. I didn't like this game, the whole idea of seeing yourself, turned me right off. This game doesn't feel like the myst series. Disappointment.… Full Review »
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