Whether you’re a fan of the original Riven and here for the nostalgia or you simply enjoy immersive visuals that pull you into another reality, you’re in the right place. This reimagining of Riven is worth every penny.I consider myself a diehard fan of the 1997 release of Riven and I found myself agreeing with nearly every change made in this new version. It can be challenging to compete with nostalgia but this team (which includes some of the original 1997 leadership) hit a great balance.

The one change I can’t seem to accept is the bridge between Book Assembly Island and Temple Island. In the 1997 original, you started on Temple Island but were unable to explore all of the island until much later in the game. This made the world feel bigger and more interconnected. In this new version, the order of exploration is more linear. Of course, there is a new sense of interconnectedness through the reimagined fire marble domes (which I love!) but I miss the original Temple Island reveal from Book Assembly Island. It felt like a massive unlock walking along that bridge.

I’m sure other fans of the original will also pick at aspects of this reimagining that feel different to them. However, in my opinion, the changes are a net positive and the team that produced this version pulled off the impossible—exciting and thoughtful revisions that somehow still feel faithful to the original.

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!

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.

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.

I played Myst when it first came out, and was completely absorbed in its world! Then came Riven and supplanted Myst as my favorite gaming experience. I was intrigued by this remake, but wondered if I would be disappointed (I had recently tried replaying the original verion, but it was a 'flat' experience as I still remembered the game progression and puzzle solutions). I finally decided to take the chance...and was richly rewarded! It is a wonderful remix of the familiar with lots of new unknowns! I re-experienced the wonder and challenge that made the original so mind-blowing! Thank you Millers and Cyan staff! That was a really enjoyable revisit to the past!

The seamlesss flow and incredible detail to this reimagining of Riven is spectacular! Not only are there more expansive areas to explore that didn't exist previously, the real time atmospheric effects just pull you into the world as if you are there! Water is always moving and lapping on the shore, steam is always animating and moving. Riven always was a work of art, now this is a masterpiece and more compelling than ever with more clarity and detail about what you need to achieve than ever before. I highly recommend!

Love the game, and most of the visuals in this version look great. (Though the modeled characters don’t really reproduce the charm of the original live action videos.) However, I'm disappointed that the game is near-unplayable on my primary system.First, the game insists on trying to place itself on the wrong monitor. I intentionally leave my laptop screen as the primary, but often use my laptop with a large external display. In this configuration, it's difficult to get the game to appear on the external display.Even once I do, the game cannot get the resolution right. No matter what I set it for, it insists on running at the external display's full resolution, which is very high and leads to poor performance. Worse, while this configuration *should* be ideal for note-taking on the second display, the game makes it very hard to release the mouse, and then sometimes just fails to display the mouse once it's been moved outside of the game window.Overall, a good attempt, but some attention should really be paid to making sure the game runs smoothly and correctly with multiple displays present.

I played the 1997 version which was one of my favorite games growing up. This game surpassed my expectations by a long shot. These people care about the legacy of this franchise and it shows. Fantastic graphics and overhauls which takes some of the frustration out, but not the challenge. Only downside is the 3D models of people vs actors, but I forgive it as there is not really a better solution and they are a small studio. Hope they make a ton off this game because they deserve it.

The bar is high to remake such an incredible classic, but the team has pulled it off and surpassed my expectations. As a long-time fan, I was nervous about how well the new game would mirror the original, but the team has perfectly balanced keeping true to the classic while modernizing and enriching the storyline, puzzles, gorgeous environments, and navigation. No detail has been left unattended. Bravo to all the folks who poured so much of their hearts and efforts into this work of art!

Retains all the good puzzles of the original, replaces some of the awkward hints with other sometimes a bit awkward ones, gets rid of all the good full motion video and replaces them with a bit plastic-looking CGI, and generally retains most of the flavour.However, both wooden and metal ladders everywhere are SUPER AWKWARD, often walk you up them when you are trying to go down, and it’s a slow and frustrating hassle that just gets in your way.

Works great on M1 Ultra Mac Studio, runs smoothly and without bugs or crashes. The graphics look as great on screen as you imagine the original ones did when they came out. I like the refreshed puzzles and the slight alterations to the world. The 3-D model humans aren't quite as smooth or convincing as the original 2-D movies, but those would be wildly out of place in this version so it's not that huge of a downside.

CYAN Worlds breathes new life into their original masterpiece. It’s nothing short of magic how they were able to fully capture the feel & nostalgia of their original creation using today’s new graphics engine technology. I for one felt just as mesmerized by this world & its mysteries as I once did with the original. A special thanks to all of the creators & their work in bringing RIVEN into the modern age.