Riven

About

Riven is a single player action game. It was developed by Cyan Worlds Inc and was released on August 4, 2010. It received positive reviews from players.

"Riven" is a single-player adventure game known for its intriguing story, stellar mechanics, and stunning graphics/soundtrack. The game offers a highly emotional and atmospheric journey through a beautiful yet deceptive world filled with secrets and hidden truths. As the player, you must delve deep into this immersive environment to discover the truth and save a world torn asunder by timeless conflicts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,867 reviews

story226 positive mentions

stability56 negative mentions

Riven features stunning graphics and immersive world-building that still captivates players today.
The puzzles are cleverly designed, requiring critical thinking and attention to detail, making the sense of accomplishment when solved very rewarding.
The game offers a rich narrative that unfolds through exploration and interaction, enhancing the overall experience.

Many players find the puzzles to be frustratingly difficult and unintuitive, often requiring the use of walkthroughs to progress.
The game can be buggy on modern systems, with frequent crashes and issues saving progress, leading to a frustrating experience.
The graphics, while beautiful for their time, may feel dated and low-resolution on modern displays, detracting from the visual experience.

story
442 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
1%
The story of Riven is widely praised for its depth, engaging narrative, and intricate world-building, serving as a compelling sequel to Myst. Players appreciate the non-linear storytelling that encourages exploration and discovery, although some find certain plot elements convoluted or difficult to follow without prior knowledge of the original game. Overall, Riven is celebrated for its masterful integration of story and puzzles, creating an immersive experience that remains captivating even decades after its release.
- “The game's narrative is expertly crafted, and players will find themselves fully invested in the story from start to finish.”
- “Its immersive world-building, complex puzzles, and captivating storytelling make it a true masterpiece that will be remembered for generations to come.”
- “The story is captivating, the puzzles are good and challenging, interwoven in the world in a beautiful way.”
- “After that, when I played the game, I found the background story/lore included in-game (via Atrus' journal) to be sorely lacking, abridged to the point of being a near-total misrepresentation.”
- “Unlike Myst, the storyline for Riven is gated behind vague bits in obscure places and are difficult to decipher, so one is less invested in the characters and plot, and Riven becomes tedious, almost boring, to play.”
- “If a game is so obtuse its five-hour story takes five years to not even complete without external help, it's an awful game with horrible design!”
graphics
343 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The graphics of Riven, while rooted in the late 90s, are often praised for their stunning pre-rendered visuals and artistic detail, which still hold up surprisingly well today despite some graininess and low resolution. Many reviewers highlight the game's unique aesthetic and immersive atmosphere, noting that it surpasses its predecessor, Myst, in visual quality. However, some players find the graphics dated and occasionally cumbersome due to pixelation and interaction issues, suggesting a desire for modern enhancements or remakes.
- “Riven's visuals are nothing short of breathtaking.”
- “The graphics are amazing, such attention to detail.”
- “Riven has to be one of the most beautiful games ever made; hands down, the visuals and ambiance are just wonderful, even now years after its release.”
- “However, this game has controls, graphics, and video quality from 1998.”
- “But this is a really old game with old graphics and I just don't think the moves they made worked with the presentation.”
- “There are no graphical enhancements with this version, and stretched to fit a modern monitor it manages to look worse than it would have 20 years ago.”
gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
The gameplay of Riven is characterized by its point-and-click mechanics, which some players find dated and esoteric, making it challenging for modern gamers to navigate without assistance. While the puzzles are more complex than those in its predecessor, Myst, and the immersive world is richly detailed, technical issues such as freezing and unintuitive mechanics can detract from the experience. Overall, Riven offers a substantial and engaging gameplay experience, but it may require patience and a willingness to adapt to its unique style.
- “Riven offers a substantial gameplay experience that can span from 15 to 30 hours, depending on your puzzle-solving skills and exploration.”
- “Riven is a masterpiece of combining the environment, story, and gameplay into one world, making you feel like you are there despite the point-and-click nature of the game.”
- “Cyan really outdid themselves with Riven, building a dark layered world filled with interlocking aspects of gameplay, story, art direction, and lore, not to mention the dark gothic-tinged ambient music composed by Robyn Miller.”
- “As gameplay-wise, Riven felt like a huge step backwards compared to Myst, and the fact that the enhanced graphics often only serve to detriment the game, with either the FMV sequences becoming a chore or the graphics simply not being up to allowing you to spot things without trial and error, I have to give this a negative review.”
- “I also felt like I had to spend far too much time clicking all over creation just to see what I could interact with, and a lot of the game mechanics just weren't all that intuitive (having to go back and forth across the islands way too much).”
- “First of all, there is little in the way of 'gameplay': it is a point-and-click adventure game, with no reward given to reflexes or hand-eye coordination.”
atmosphere
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
31%
3%
The atmosphere of Riven is widely praised as one of the most immersive and captivating in gaming history, characterized by its exquisite soundscapes, detailed world-building, and hauntingly beautiful visuals. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of wonder and solitude, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack that complements the intricate puzzles and storytelling. Despite some technical issues, the overall experience remains unforgettable, making it a must-play for fans of atmospheric adventure games.
- “The atmosphere, world building, and puzzle design are immensely satisfying and capture your sense of wonder in ways few other games can.”
- “From the ambient sounds of the islands to the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, Riven's audio elements play a pivotal role in creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps players engrossed throughout their journey.”
- “One of the most atmospheric PC adventure titles ever created, Riven will test your powers of observation, tease your brain, and immerse you in a landscape filled with wonders.”
- “This is killing a lot of atmosphere in general, but as it's so easy to do, you simply just do it.”
- “That's part of the atmosphere, but you may find it feeling empty at times.”
- “Even though the graphics don't really hold up in some ways, the atmosphere and general world aesthetic are still as unforgettable as they were when I first played, back when this game was new.”
music
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
48%
3%
The music in Riven is widely praised for its haunting beauty and atmospheric quality, significantly enhancing the game's immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions and complement the eerie visuals and storytelling, with many expressing a desire to purchase the soundtrack separately. Overall, the audio elements are considered a pivotal aspect of the game's enduring appeal, contributing to its status as a classic in the genre.
- “From the ambient sounds of the islands to the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, Riven's audio elements play a pivotal role in creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps players engrossed throughout their journey.”
- “The music and ambient sounds perfectly accompany the tone of the adventure, adding to the haunting atmosphere.”
- “Cyan really outdid themselves with Riven, building a dark layered world filled with interlocking aspects of gameplay, story, art direction, and lore, not to mention the dark gothic-tinged ambient music composed by Robyn Miller.”
- “No music or magic and the video cuts are annoying.”
- “I don't know if it's the music, the atmosphere or the visuals but nothing seems to quite hit the same spot as Riven.”
- “It's rather like vinyl as opposed to downloaded music.”
stability
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent crashes, freezes, and save file corruption, particularly on modern systems. While some users managed to have a smoother experience by using alternative methods to launch the game, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by significant bugs that detract from gameplay. Many recommend avoiding the current version due to its instability, especially on Windows 7 and 8.
- “With the new port, I had a perfect playthrough experience with no glitches or crashes at all.”
- “An amazing game in itself with beautiful artwork and complex puzzles; unfortunately, this version is completely unplayable, crashes every few minutes, doesn't allow for saves, is buggy and temperamental at best, the menu bar doesn't work, and the computer needs a full restart often to even exit the game screen.”
- “The game freezes constantly and is already not fun.”
- “So - what we have here is a buggy mess that can barely play, and when it works - still doesn't deliver the slow/atmospheric experience that it gave us over a decade ago.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of "Riven" to be quite tedious, often feeling that the puzzles rely more on persistence and trial-and-error than on logical discovery. The extensive backtracking and repetitive interactions can lead to a sense of time-wasting, making the experience feel monotonous, especially when compared to its predecessor, "Myst." While some players can tolerate the grind if they enjoyed "Myst," many agree that it detracts from overall engagement with the story and characters.
- “Unlike Myst, the puzzles in this game seem to rely less on logic and discovery than on persistence, trial and error, spam clicking, or simply wasting your time. You often have to find the right thing to interact with to advance a puzzle, but that thing may be many screens away and even in a completely different zone. As you advance by trying to interact with everything conceivable, this can get extremely tedious, as there are so many screens you may or may not have to 'search', and the next advancement may be a very long way away.”
- “Adding to the sense of time wasting, the transport rides look great to start with but soon become tedious to use, as they just take up time to re-explore an area that may or may not have something you need to do or have missed. This is also the same for some of the FMV sequences where you may be learning how something works and have to endure multiple (sometimes long-winded) FMV sequences.”
- “Unlike Myst, the storyline for Riven is gated behind vague bits in obscure places that are difficult to decipher, making one less invested in the characters and plot. As a result, Riven becomes tedious, almost boring, to play.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Overall, the game offers high replayability due to its randomized elements and depth, which encourage players to engage with it multiple times for varied experiences. However, some users noted a lack of replay value, suggesting that not all aspects of the game maintain player interest after initial playthroughs.
- “A particular high point was the genius move to include 3 randomized code combinations, which prevented people from rushing through the entire game by memory, making them actually play it instead, and at the same time sent the replay value through the roof.”
- “Great replay value, because, honestly, I forget how to solve the problems every time.”
- “There is little replay value.”
- “Length and replayability:”
- “The absence of hand-holding and the game's depth ensure replayability, as each playthrough can provide a different experience and perspective.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, recalling nostalgic experiences from childhood that evoke a sense of accomplishment and engagement. The game's imaginative world demands significant emotional and psychological investment, often leading to both frustration and enjoyment. Many reviewers note that revisiting the game as adults rekindles the same feelings they had as children, highlighting its lasting impact.
- “Riven is imaginative, and requires real emotional and psychological engagement on the part of the player, in addition to an understanding of the intellectual strategy of the game.”
- “Playing Riven as an adult made me feel the same way child me felt playing Myst.”
- “It's definitely harder than Myst, and it will give you much emotional pain, but still I liked playing it.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The optimization of the game is praised for its smooth performance and stability, particularly when run through ScummVM, which eliminates crashes. Additionally, the integration of live-action character performances into the beautifully crafted world enhances the overall experience.
- “But then this version arrived one day, and through the magic of ScummVM, this version actually runs smoothly and without crashes.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle and not the primary focus, contrasting with more comedic adventure titles filled with quirky dialogue and absurd items. Instead, it offers a more serious tone, with moments that may elicit a chuckle for those familiar with the Myst lore, particularly in interactions with characters like Atrus. Overall, the humor is understated and serves to enhance the immersive experience rather than dominate it.
- “This is not one of those funny adventure games, full of crazy dialogue and weird inventory items (those are nice too...).”
- “If you help Atrus, he tells you he may help in getting you back to where you came from (it's funny when you read the Myst books).”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while the sound, music, and overall world design are impressive, there is no specific mention of character development, suggesting it may not be a focal point in the game.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on the anticipation and desire to play it. There is no mention of in-game purchases, pricing models, or any monetization strategies.