New 'URU' game proves confounding yet beautiful

By Matt Slagle
Associated Press

Now we have "URU: Ages Beyond Myst." Although the most promising feature — Internet play — isn't fully available, "URU" still sets a new standard in peaceful armchair archaeology.

It's certainly a change from the violence-filled norm: there are no bazookas for blasting giant multi-headed aliens, no blood-splattered corpses littering the landscape.

Instead, you begin wandering under the brilliant sun in the New Mexico desert. Soon you stumble upon a crack in the ground, which serves as a gateway to more mysterious locations.

As the story goes, it's been 250 years since the ancient D'ni civilization vanished from the depths of the earth. During their prime, the D'ni invented a craft which allowed them to write "Linking Books" — magical texts which let readers travel to various locations, called "Ages."

The D'ni Restoration Council, a group of present-day explorers, has begun restoring the long-forgotten D'ni ages.

Your role? Uncover the many mysteries within in each age, and in the process learn something about the D'ni.

It's best to think of each age as a collection of puzzle pieces. You "win" the game by touching all seven "journeys" — posters with a hand symbol drawn on them — hidden in each age.

Reaching all the journeys often involves repairing or powering up various machinery.

My only real complaint is that the puzzles can be painstakingly difficult.

In the Kadish Tolesa age, for example, I spent hours roaming around before I figured that in order to open a door, I needed to match up a series of rotating images with a panel of buttons that was in a completely different part of the age.

Your best bet is to scrutinize every button, lever and cave painting.

And for sanity's sake, keep a notebook and pencil handy. I found myself constantly jotting down notes and scribbling maps. Many times, the information helped solve a puzzle later on.

"URU" plays out in three dimensions, and that means goodbye to the flat slide-show look of the original "Myst" and sequels "Riven" and "Exile."

The extra dimension provided moments straight out of a "Mario Brothers" game — sometimes you'll have to jump over precipices, piles of rubble and other obstacles.

"URU" can be maddeningly difficult but also soothes with rich artistic spectacle.

Stellar, photorealistic graphics stopped me in my tracks. Everything has an aged, careworn look, and there were small details, too: some metal objects had a shiny chrome appearance, veined with just the right amount of rust and wear.

From the murmur of a gentle breeze rustling through a stand of trees to the gurgling of a waterfall, ambient sounds and new age music complete the immersive effect.

What promises to be the game's biggest innovation is a multiplayer mode where you can uncover additional ages and an unfolding story with other people online. (Cyan Worlds has yet to send me the e-mail invitation I need to enter the subscription-based service.)

I suggest anyone who needs a break from reality pick up this $50 game and heed the advice of the game makers: "Close the door, turn down the lights, turn up the volume, and experience URU as if you were actually there. ... And remember the journey is the reward."