It may be rather basic, lacking the maturity of Riven or the class of Myst III, 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 is kind of flimsy tho.
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".
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.