'URU - Ages Beyond Myst' game confounding, beautiful

It's been a decade since the digital artisans at Cyan Worlds debuted "Myst," a gorgeous video game which encouraged thoughtful exploration over mindless violence.

Now we have "URU: Ages Beyond Myst." "URU" sets a new standard in peaceful armchair archaeology.

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 each age and learn something about the D'ni in the process.

Difficult puzzles

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.

My only real complaint is that the puzzles can be painstakingly difficult. Your best bet is to scrutinize every button, lever and cave painting. 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 slideshow 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.

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.

Unfortunately, it's currently available by invitation only.

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."