For many fans of the genre, the original Myst is still considered to be the holy grail of point-and-click adventure games. Since its original release almost 15 years ago, the game has seen countless emulators try to recapture the magic of that game, and while some have managed to be quite fun and compelling, most have fallen very short. Unfortunately, as the genre has aged, it has become less popular in light of other genres and therefore adventure games have become few and far between.

However, there are a few publishers who tackle the forgotten adventure genre. Got Game Entertainment is one such pub, as they are behind the RHEM series for the PC. The series is an old-school approach to the genre originally popularized by the likes of Myst, albeit with a much lower budget and an indie sensibility. Got Game is now releasing the third game in the series, which maintains the franchise’s overall feel and traditional elements.

RHEM 3 is old-school to a fault, which may cause many gamers to shy away from the lack of production elements. Also, the puzzles leave a bit to be desired, lacking the overall ingenuity of other titles in the genre. However, if you’re a hardcore fan of the genre and often hark back to the adventure games of yore, then RHEM 3 could be one that you’d want to look into.

RHEM 3 begins in typical Myst-like fashion, putting you as an anonymous person in a strange new world. As you explore the environment, you’ll uncover more facts about the world and solve its mysteries.

Controlwise, RHEM 3 is virtually indistinguishable from Myst. You’ll have a mouse-controlled reticule that you move over the static screenshots to either highlight an object of interest or a direction to go. You have an inventory that you can access as well, with items that you can collect to open new pathways and solve more puzzles.

The puzzles in the game aren’t for everyone, as they mostly fall into the category of trial and error. Granted, there are many puzzles throughout the game, but they all fall into the same pattern of process of elimination, and can feel tired and redundant before too long.

Graphically, the game is not likely to impress many people; utilizing the same kind of fixed image adventure gaming as Myst did nearly 15 years ago. There are some Macromedia videos interspersed, but generally the look is very low-key.

The same thing could be said for the music and sound effects, which feature mainly ambient white noise in the background and some limited music. There is also a little bit of voice work, but nothing that sounds professionally done whatsoever.

RHEM 3 is an old-school adventure game that should appeal to fans of games like Myst. While the puzzles aren’t as deep or engaging as they could be, it’s still worth a look for die-hard adventure fans.

Gameplay: 7.0
RHEM 3 is a very old-school adventure game, offering the same style of point-and-click exploring and puzzle-solving as you’d find in many other games in the genre. The puzzles leave a bit to be desired unfortunately, as many of them fall into the trial-and-error category.

Graphics: 6.0
Not much to look at here, aside from some static image shots as you explore the environment.

Sound: 6.5
Light music and ambient sounds, and some pretty uninspired voice acting.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 6.0
Not much new here that you wouldn’t find in another adventure game.

Overall: 7.0
From the aesthetic to the gameplay, RHEM 3 is as old-school of an adventure game as you're likely to find these days, which works for and against the game. Hardcore adventure fans will get the most out of it, while others will be turned away by the puzzles and lack of visual bells and whistles.