Riven 12+

A must have game for anyones library!

A gorgeous remake of one of the best games of all time! This is a masterpiece and it's not just a great puzzle game because Cyan is the master of full immersive environmental world building. Every view is a work of art and the environmental sounds add to the ambience of the world. It's not just seeing the most realistic waves of water moving and lapping up against the shore but hearing the water, wind and insects that make it feel so real and serene. And the puzzles, they are not just puzzles for puzzles sake. They have an environment purpose adding to the lore of the inhabitants of this world. Cyan has also changed many of the puzzles and added new places so this is more than just a remake so that old and new players alike can feel like it is all brand new. Even though I give it 5 stars it's not perfect. A few of the 3D characters are poorly done and off-putting, taking us away from the realism that Cyan so meticulously created. There are a few glitches from time to time and it can run a tad hot that I'm sure future upgrades or patches will resolve. Now please remake Myst 3!

Developer Response ,

Wow, thank you for calling this remake of Riven a "must have"! Thank you for your support, and so glad to hear that you are enjoying this version of Riven.

Incredible

A brand new Riven experience that retains the identity of the original while offering new gameplay methods to advance a memorable and unique story.

Writing is one of Riven's best attributes and is apropos to a story about Age creation through linking books. The storytelling is excellent and characters have depth of which the journals serve as an excellent vehicle in building. Be sure to read them. The in-game journal for personal note taking is a great touch.

Gameplay, sound, and music are all as equally excellent with the music being contextually perfect in matching the game environment.

Some constructive criticism:

1. All of the new puzzles are conceptually sound (and some are very cool!). However, not all are executed flawlessly. There are a few design choices I am not a fan of that I felt shortcuts were taken. It detracts slightly from the overall experience given the high standard Riven sets in general.

2. Bugs do exist and graphic quality in the most minute of detail can be suspect. I understand that Cyan prioritized platform accessibilty which created layers of unique techical issues to iron out. Overall, the technicals are very solid on my M2 Pro. Zero gameplay issues.

3. I would have loved a "classic" version to be included in the 2024 game as an alternative option to play. Or maybe even an option to have all original puzzles vs. new puzzles. Maybe both could be packaged up under one bundle and playable out of a single application.

Awesome Worlds Take You Away From Real Life

I played Riven back in the 90s and it was great then but to be able to play it again in beautiful 360 degree environments is totally amazing. This is what Riven was intended to be decades ago. The water is gorgeous and calming, the animation of all the different animals is very real, and the sound is incredible. There are places where you can chill out and you will feel like changing into your bathing suit. The game on my iMac has been problem free. If I had to nitpick, not sure why the clouds do not move but it does not take away from the experience at all because there is so much other things to look at like the vapor coming up off the water.

Developer Response ,

Thank you so much for the high praise for Riven!