A man called Saavedro (brilliantly played by oscar winner Brad Dourif from One Flew Over the Cucoo's Nest and Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers) wants revenge on Atrus because his sons, Sirrus and Achenar (from Myst 1) have ruined his life.
Gameplay is enhanced as you can now look around yourself in 360 degree views. Its natural interface, beautifully illustrated environments, and haunting soundtrack make it a perfect game for all ages. Like its predecessors, it breaks new ground in technology and artistry found in few other games on the shelves today. Myst III: Exile is a different sort of computer game, emphasizing logic and reasoning over action and dexterity.
Unfortunately, he comes across as alternately petulant and vengeful, and really doesn't tell you anything about the story that you can't deduce from the pages of his journal you find scattered about the ages, which make his presence seem intrusive. Many have criticized Myst and Riven for requiring too much "dead reading time," so Exile presents most of the plot directly to you in the form of video messages from the villain, Saavedro. The plot is less subtle and mysterious in Exile as well. Everything you need to solve each puzzle is clearly presented to you, usually within "arms reach." Riven, which often required an intuitive leap to make the connections between sounds, symbols, and sometimes obscure parts of the scenery, had a sense of unity to the world that feels missing in Exile. Exile is not as challenging as Riven, largely because most of the puzzles are self contained. While Exile was a delight to the senses, the mind was sometimes left wanting. The collector's edition comes with a soundtrack CD (also available separately) that highlights the beauty of the music in this game. A complete new orchestral and vocal soundtrack has been recorded, which both pays tribute to the games before and presents new themes to add to the depth and character of the game. The music is perhaps the highlight of the game. Some of the animation sequences will take your breath away, and the freedom to look all around you is a welcome new feature. While the actual graphics themselves might not be rendered as cleanly as Riven, the previous game in the series, each island is distinct and recognizable, and the quality of the illustrations is stunning and worthy successor to Myst.