OBSIDIAN
(Sega Soft)
System: PC, Macintosh

   Just like Doom has become the name to describe the 3D action game genre, the word Myst will forever be associated with defining the graphic adventure. Although Obsidian shares just a hint of the first, it definitely draws most of its concept from the latter--and even pokes some fun at the title that consumed a multitude of game players.
   Obsidian puts the player in the role of a scientific engineer who, with a colleague, has stumbled upon a mysterious growing rock. The rock soon swells to enormous proportions and ultimately imprisons the player in the giant mass known as Obsidian. The world found inside this new prison is surreal, to say the least; I kept looking for Salvador Dali, but couldn’t find him amid the strange mix of nature and technology.
   Like Myst, this game is filled with mind-bending puzzles that will challenge the best intellects. Unlike Myst, Obsidian offers a number of puzzles that present more of an arcade experience by requiring quick reactions and keen eye-hand movements. Of course, the game presents increasingly more difficult environments to conquer.
   If you want Myst with richer graphics, or just enjoy something out of the ordinary, give Obsidian a look.--Paul Anderson