Unlock the secret
This is the first in a pair of adventures which cropped up in the wake of the massive success of Myst and which was followed by The Sacred Rings. This one is a pretty decent first-person adventure which packs in a lot of difficult puzzles and looks absolutely lovely and is only really let down by its almost complete lack of story. The game theorizes that there are multiple worlds and dimensions in the universe which were crafted by the Clan of Keepers and only those who possess sacred rings can travel between them. Legend tells how there are mysterious artefacts in these worlds which can grant the bearer ultimate power. The universe is now threatened however so it falls to you as an apprentice Keeper to seek out some of these artefacts and use them to save the universe. What follows is a traditional first-person puzzle adventure where you explore a series of beautiful environments while solving the many and varied puzzles which block your path. These include mathematical conundrums, ones based on logic, music, mechanics, and much more and it's in these puzzles that the game's appeal really lies. There are a lot of them and they are very challenging so if you're new to this sort of thing, you might want to look elsewhere. However, if you're a genre veteran, then you're going to have a ball here and you'll find yourself tested at every turn. The visuals too are splendid, with some lush and equally varied environments to explore and appreciate so as long as you're not bothered by the lack of story, this is a cracking adventure.
