You are provided with a notebook, and a sketchbook to help you to note down clues throughout your journey. Ultimately, it was just nice to feel a human presence in what was a lonely and alien like landscape. At times he will provide you with clues to help solve a conundrum, other times it’ll help to give context to the situation you find yourself in. Once a new section is unlocked, you will discover a new letter from the man who ensured you were trapped in this land. As you move puzzle after puzzle will block your progress mechanical, audio, crystal and botanical problems will all need to be overcome. You will encounter locked doors on your journey to the exit, over 50 will block your way. As you piece together items from around each section of the map, the sense of achievement is enthralling when you are finally able to solve a puzzle.

The shroud of mystery really doesn’t lift at any point, you find that you fumble from one section to the next in a brilliant haze of confusion and challenge.

What does he want in return for all this information? He requires your help with a task, again, he doesn’t tell you what that is, nor does he advise you on of how you are to traverse the puzzle ridden environment in order to help him with his problem. A letter lies conveniently on a platform just in front of you, this explains that you have been brought here to learn from the person who has discovered the worlds secrets. The only thing that is certain is the portal that brought you to this mysterious land has destroyed upon your arrival. Even with this information, you are none the wiser when you do start your journey. Quern tells the story of worlds that are connected through portals, you open the game with a written explanation of how each portal is joined to another, this doesn’t have any bearing on how the action plays out, it serves more to help you to understand how the playing area was created. So here we have my latest obsession Quern – Undying Thoughts by Zadbox Entertainment a game that follows the aesthetics and puzzle formula of Riven, and feels like the true sequel to Myst.

When a new first person adventure puzzle game comes to the market, I try my hardest to clear my schedule, just so I can dedicate the required time to enjoying every minute of it. Quite frankly, I was addicted, it had me hooked. As I’ve matured as a gamer, I have been able to return to attempt to complete the challenges, and try to understand the mysteries of the storyline. I just wish I had the brain power to complete the challenging puzzles, and the concentration to make the notes required to succeed. The world seemed so incredibly detailed, and the music was unbelievably atmospheric. As a youngster, I had an unhealthy obsession with Rand Miller’s Myst.

Quern undying thoughts hints