Customer Reviews

Myst (Video Game Soundtrack)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Originally, MYST was to be a game without any music at all. On a whim, Robyn Miller composed a single song, and it ultimately inspired him to create an entire soundtrack. The result is a wonderfully crafted work of art which reflects the truly unique nature of the game.

The music presented over the one disc is entertaining, but it lacks the melodic power which can be found elsewhere. In other words, it's background music. Despite this, the music of MYST has a definitive emotional quality to it. From the ominous melody of Sirrus' Theme to the eerie sounds of Fortress Ambience, this CD will give you chills. While much of the music sounds desolate and lonely, many tracks are uplifting, in their soft benign melodies. The Finale is a very soothing piece which is certainly up to par with the best of ambient orchestrated fare.

The sound quality, while I cannot think of anything to compare it to, is excellent. It was all done on a synthesizer, but the sounds are neither tinny nor overexaggerated. Miller selected a perfect spectrum of synthesized instruments to carry the music.

Like the game, every track will evoke a mood, making for an interesting listen. To fans of the game, this CD should not be missed. From a more objective perspective, however, I would not recommend this CD to those in search of a powerful symphony or some wailing drums and distorted guitars. The neutral, soft style of the music makes MYST an extremely absorbing experience. All in all, MYST is the epitome of mood music, and is well worth the price.

Herein, I'll describe each track more in relation to the game rather than from a musical point of view, to let readers decide for themselves if this CD has what they want. Only music tracks are provided (no dialogue or FX). The tracks are grouped by Ages, with 3 bonus tracks. Those that appear in the game have not been changed, as far as I can detect; what one hears in the game is what's on the CD. The music makes a very soothing background, in general.

The first 6 tracks are the Myst Island group. "Myst Theme" is the opening title theme, without Atrus' accompanying dialogue, followed by the music that plays during the Myst book's overview of the island. (The little string passage that accompanies the Cyan logo at the beginning of the game isn't included.) "Treegate" is the passage played as the player enters the chamber on Myst Island containing the Channelwood linking book, and which continues during the book's overview of that Age. "Planetarium" is played while the player is in the planetarium (of course). "Shipgate" is the played once the player enters the chamber containing the link book for the Stoneship Age. "The Tower" is the music played when the player is in the chamber at the top of the tower attached to the library on Myst Island. "The Last Message (Forechamber Theme)" is played while the player is in the imaging chamber near the dock.

Tracks 7 - 13 are the Mechanical Age group (that is, they occur while the player is in that Age). "Fortress Ambience Part I", "Fortress Ambience Part II" are what the titles indicate. "Mechanical Mystgate" is the background accompanying the linking book back to Myst Island. The remaining tracks from this Age, "Sirrus' Cache". "Sirrus' Theme - Mechanical Age", "Achenar's Cache", "Achenar's Theme - Mechanical Age" are played as the player explores the brothers' respective chambers and caches.

Tracks 14 - 17 are the Stoneship Age group. "Compass Rose" is played when the player activates the compass rose in the underwater room overlooking the stoneship hull. "Above Stoneship (Telescope Theme)" is played while the player is on the stairway leading up to the telescope platform. "Sirrus' Theme - Stoneship Age", and "Achenar's Theme - Stoneship Age", are the themes played in each of their respective Stoneship Age chambers.

Track 18, "Selenitic Mystgate", is the track played once the player FINALLY reaches the Myst linking book in that Age. (All the other contrivances in that Age are counted as FX rather than music.)

Tracks 19 - 21 are the Channelwood Age. "The Temple of Achenar" is the background for Achenar's little playroom. "Sirrus' Theme - Channelwood Age", "Achenar's Theme - Channelwood Age" are the themes played in the characters' respective rooms in that Age.

"Un-Finale" ensues once the player completes either the red or blue linking books, while "Finale" accompanies Atrus' final speech.

Finally, consider the 3 bonus tracks. "Fireplace Theme" would be best suited to an action sequence; if included, it would have disrupted the established tone of the game to that point. " Early Selenitic Mystgate" is much livelier than "Selenetic Mystgate", enough so that it wouldn't work as background music unless coupled with an action sequence. "Original Un-Finale" has some relationship to "Planetarium".

This soundtrack was very fun to listen to; the tracks don't repeat like they do in the game and they are longer. I especially liked the three bonus tracks, Fireplace Theme, Early Selentic Mystgate, and Early Un-finale.

As good as they were I can see why they weren't used in the game. Fireplace Theme is a climatic piece of music that perfectly sets the mood for that point in the game; it wouldn't have gone over well in the game because the fireplace puzzle is complicated and requires the player's full concentration, music would have been distracting. Early Selentic Mystgate, my favorite track on this cd, is a sort-of mixture of Sirrus' and Achenar's themes; it is elegant (like Sirrus' themes),but somewhat ominous (like Achenar's themes). This piece doesn't fit the mood for the scene in the game like the version they ended up using, at least it didn't for me. The final track, Early Un-finale, is beautiful, but what they ended up using fit the mood of losing the game much, much better.

So, all in all, I think Mister Miller did the right thing by leaving those tracks out of the game, but I am greatful that he included them in the soundtrack. Believe me, this one is a winner.

ah, Myst. In 1994? the gaming world was changed forever, never to look back before the worlds of Myst. Cyan, Inc, lead by Rand and Robyn Miller, created a race called the D'ni that led the gamer through breathtaking worlds and intricate puzzles. The top thing most admired by Myst fans is the beauty that it shines on itself.

Suffice to say, the soundtrack is an excellent compliment to the game. While rendered on a primitive (in 21st cen. terms) midi keyboard, Robyn Miller creates mood music that haunts the gamer as he walks through worlds never before seen. Poignant and mysterious, the music is a great backdrop for many activities, including reading the Myst books ;P.

Yes, although this is a soundtrack -- it's great background music, but doesn't contain much musical structure at all -- it still excels at what it was meant to do... give the Myst game a whole new life in the ears as well as the eyes. And for that, I give it five stars.

Back when Myst was just a new CD-Rom game and the franchise hadn't even begun to build up its huge fanbase Robyn Miller wrote this score to create a mood for certain scenes. Originally his idea was to have no music for the game at all, with mood only created with sound effects and ambiance. For the most part this generally worked but he experimented giving musical life to moments such as the Planetarium (or the dentist's chair as some people call it) and the tower. When he saw how his music affected things he went on to write an entire score. And it's pretty cool stuff.

It may be rather basic, lacking the maturity of the Riven (Original Score) or the class of the Myst III: Exile (Original Score), but it still manages to be provocative and force particular feelings out of you, even emotions you didn't think you were in the mood for. Though Miller did create the feel of the Myst universe with this score and it surely signals the brilliance that was yet to come. It's an interesting CD to have, but perhaps only for fans.

The CD last's just over 40 minutes and comes with a small booklet containing information about the game and Robyn Miller and contains some cool pictures. The CD case is kind of flimsy however.

As the music gently pulses from my computer speakers, I'm transported back to my favorite memories of the game. Some of the music is just plain beautiful...like the Mechanical Age Theme. In listening to songs like Stargate, I remember the sense of awe that I felt when I finally got into the spaceship. I remember being so mystified by the organ set to the right with all of it's tubes and keys, and I remember also the unsettling waves of mysterious tunes mingling in the background. My favorite though, is the Myst Theme. Doesn't it remind YOU of when you first saw the linking picture to Myst Island? That wondermeant of what the Myst world would be like?

This title has some great pieces and really catchy tunes. The tracks in this are really good because, although they are the same tracks from the game they are longer and don't fade or stop in the middle of them like they do in the game. The same goes for the Riven Soundtrack. When I listen to some tracks the images in the game all come flooding back to me and I can imagine I am there again, in the trees, walking down a path or in a secret cave. Sometimes I don't even have to play the game. I can just listen. A fantastic CD.

Actually it's played differently at times; several of the tracks still seem to be played the same as they were in the original Myst. For those who like those versions, these tracks are:
Treegate
Shipgate (sadly shortened a tiny bit)
Fortress Ambience (Part 1)
Fortress Ambience (Part 2)
All of Sirrus' and Achenar's Themes (excluding Temple of Achenar (see parentheses for Shipgate). Notice also (for those who have realMYST), that the only difference between the music in this soundtrack(excluding the bonus tracks (a.k.a. tracks 24 to 26)) and the music in realMYST, aside from having other tracks (3 of which composed by Tim Larkin) is that Achenar's Cache fades out halfway at the end in this soundtrack)
Compass Rose (including both parts)
Above Stoneship (Telescope Theme)
Selentic Mystgate
Finale
The rest of the tracks I didn't mention are either played a tiny bit differently and/or lengthened.
Robyn also didn't put in the music you hear when the Mechanical Age book is visible (which is logical (in reference to Treegate and Shipgate) to title Geargate) and the music you hear when you go down to the generator.
I hope that Robyn eventually makes a remake of this soundtrack, featuring all of the music in their original versions and including the two tracks I just mentioned.

If you've played MYST or not this music is great and sets a pace and will bring back memories of the visual worlds. The uniqe differential sequences between the 2 brothers themes is a great touch. 3 bonus tracks add to the value and MYSTiqe of the CD composure- In conclusion the CD is very good- applause to Robyn Miller for such fitting music from such a game.

Remember Myst without going there. That's what this CD does. Each time you hear a track you remember the place you heard it in. The music from each age is on this CD, if you heard it in Myst you'll hear it on this CD. The music isn't exactly the same as it was in the game, its longer and is really the versions heard in realMYST. The only thing the doesn't make it the soundtrack to realMYST is that it doesn't have the music from the Rime age. If you liked to music from Myst and want to hear it agene without playing the game, buy this CD!