Riven

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,072 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • gameplay
Riven Game Cover
Riven is as impressive, immersive, and unmissable as it's ever been.
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“I know what he’s doing… He’s watching you.” Travel to Riven, a beautiful and mysterious world on the verge of collapse. Explore this mysterious place, solve its puzzles, reveal its mysteries, make a daring rescue, and escape. VISIT A MYSTERIOUS WORLD “I am Gehn. I assume you’ve heard of me.” Riven takes you on a journey through dense jungles, awe-inspiring caverns, and monolithic structures. …

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,072 reviews
graphics370 positive mentions
optimization63 negative mentions
  • The remake beautifully captures the essence of the original game while introducing new puzzles and areas, making it feel fresh and exciting.
  • The graphics and sound design are stunning, creating an immersive experience that draws players into the world of Riven.
  • The game encourages exploration and critical thinking, rewarding players for paying attention to details and taking notes.
  • Some character animations and models feel awkward and less polished compared to the rest of the game's stunning visuals.
  • The pacing can be slow due to lengthy animations and travel times, which may frustrate players who prefer quicker gameplay.
  • There are occasional technical issues, such as crashes and graphical glitches, that can detract from the overall experience.
  • graphics785 mentions

    The graphics of the remake of Riven have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visual fidelity and immersive environments, effectively capturing the essence of the original while enhancing it with modern 3D technology. Many players noted the breathtaking detail and atmospheric design, although some expressed disappointment with character animations and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant upgrade, making the game a visually captivating experience, especially in VR.

    • “The updated graphics are stunning; I feel like I can almost reach out and touch the beautiful world of Riven.”
    • “The graphics are drop-dead gorgeous.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, the world and locations are gorgeous, and a pleasure to marvel at.”
    • “Graphically, the game is quite lacking.”
    • “It looks so outdated - I'm not exaggerating, it looks like from the mid-2000s kind of graphics - except with 2023 resolution.”
    • “I know some of us were just expecting a remaster/rework of the old one since, especially going back to play it on a big, modern screen - we can definitely tell that the graphics, and the resolution does not hold up after all this time.”
  • story601 mentions

    The story of Riven is widely praised for its depth, rich lore, and immersive environmental storytelling, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. While the narrative can be complex and occasionally confusing for newcomers, especially those unfamiliar with the original Myst, many players appreciate the expanded details and cohesive plot that the remake offers. The integration of puzzles with the story is noted as particularly strong, making exploration and discovery feel meaningful within the context of the game's world.

    • “The storytelling through worldbuilding is just amazing, it feels like a real place.”
    • “I absolutely love the deep story, rich lore, and the thrill of solving riddles, codes, and puzzles.”
    • “The world-building and artistic style of this game is one of the best I've ever seen, the puzzles are incredibly satisfying to solve, and, while I found the ending a little lackluster, the story is overall really engaging.”
    • “The story is hard to follow at times, especially if you haven't played the first game.”
    • “While you don't technically need to have played Myst to play through this game, the story will be even more incomprehensible than it already is.”
    • “To me, the story is weak, and does not really work.”
  • gameplay224 mentions

    The gameplay of the remake has been largely praised for its engaging puzzles and immersive world-building, with many mechanics updated or redesigned to enhance accessibility and enjoyment. While some players noted issues with pacing and certain mechanics feeling slow or repetitive, the overall experience is described as a rewarding blend of exploration and problem-solving that retains the essence of the original. New puzzle elements and narrative adjustments have been well-received, making the game feel fresh even for veterans of the series.

    • “The actual gameplay, puzzles, and general atmosphere when exploring the islands is fantastic and realized in a way that mirrors the originals.”
    • “This is a fantastic remake, and Cyan has gone above and beyond in updating puzzles and mechanics.”
    • “The puzzles don't feel like puzzles designed to be puzzles for the sake of gameplay but rather something someone in the world would actually create to serve a practical function.”
    • “The gameplay itself is mostly fine, if you ignore the presence of red herrings and puzzle solutions that rely on guesswork and borderline pixel hunting.”
    • “Getting from one side of Riven to the other often takes multiple minutes, far too much of which involves completely noninteractive gameplay.”
    • “Many of the mechanics are broken in the game.”
  • optimization216 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant stuttering, frame drops, and inconsistent performance, even on high-end hardware. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly under certain conditions, such as using DLSS or on lower settings, the general consensus is that the game requires further patches and optimizations to address these performance issues, particularly in VR. Many hope that future updates will improve the overall experience, as the game's visual quality is often praised despite its technical shortcomings.

    • “Cyan, with this remake of Riven, optimized for the PC first.”
    • “The game is well optimized and runs really smooth.”
    • “Important: the Riven re-creation is optimized wonderfully, even on my 5-year-old Dell desktop PC that, while still robust, certainly isn't top of the line anymore.”
    • “The performance is absolutely atrocious, and there are flickering shadow artifacts that made me physically ill.”
    • “Terrible experience, not at all optimized, constant frame drops.”
    • “Regardless of PC specs, the game is a stuttering mess.”
  • music193 mentions

    The music in the game, primarily composed by Robyn Miller, is widely praised for its beauty, atmospheric quality, and nostalgic ties to the original soundtrack. While the remastered version retains most of the original tracks, some new compositions have been noted as feeling out of place or disconnected from the overall ambiance. Overall, the sound design and music significantly enhance the game's immersive experience, capturing the essence of the original while introducing new elements.

    • “Robyn Miller’s soundtrack is pitch-perfect.”
    • “The music is delightfully moody, full of ambient tunes that perfectly capture each scene while imbuing them with touches of mystery, discovery, tranquility, and tension.”
    • “The music hits at the pit of your being like no other soundtrack can; 'atmospheric' doesn't even come close to describing the level to which the music elevates this game.”
    • “Music transitions are abrupt.”
    • “Not enough music and ambient noise to build atmosphere.”
    • “The new music in the game felt disconnected from the game, almost like leftover tracks that didn't make the cut from a previous project.”
  • atmosphere153 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive environments, and effective sound design, which together create a captivating and moody experience reminiscent of the original. While some users noted occasional framerate issues and a lack of ambient music, the overall consensus is that the game successfully captures and enhances the unique atmosphere that made the original a classic. Many players found themselves lost in the beautifully crafted world, appreciating the environmental storytelling and the nostalgic yet fresh feel of the remaster.

    • “The atmosphere and immersion are just as good, if not better, as the original game, to the point that I was never unhappy having to backtrack or wander around or simply be patient while I worked out what to do next.”
    • “Riven has always been a uniquely striking virtual place, with memorable environments and a lonely, moody atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere... the soundtrack... everything is almost perfect.”
    • “It's a shame because the atmosphere and mystery are there, but it gets immediately broken when the framerate tanks.”
    • “Not enough music and ambient noise to build atmosphere.”
    • “There's less atmosphere.”
  • stability73 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various minor glitches and bugs, particularly in VR, such as visual artifacts and clipping issues. While some users experienced significant crashes and gameplay-affecting glitches, others found the game mostly stable and enjoyable, suggesting that while it may be a bit rough around the edges, it does not severely detract from the overall experience. Overall, players hope for future patches to address these stability concerns.

    • “The game is very pretty and runs great.”
    • “And it released stable and mostly bug free, not to mention decently well optimized.”
    • “Runs great with Proton, and still looks good even on lower graphics settings.”
    • “First off, this is an Unreal Engine game, which if you've had the experiences I've had should be sounding alarm bells and, sadly yes, there are numerous visual glitches in VR that seem to be unfixable.”
    • “The problem is it is buggy.”
    • “However, there are some important flaws to note: the game clearly lacks optimization, there are some glitches, some crashes, overall it's a bit rough around the edges even though it doesn't ruin too much of the experience; it would just be nice to have some more polishing.”
  • grinding49 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is often tedious and frustrating, with players expressing dissatisfaction over slow animations, excessive backtracking, and unskippable sequences that hinder exploration. While some puzzles have been revamped to reduce tedium, many still find the overall experience repetitive and time-consuming, leading to a sense of discouragement in gameplay. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the modernization of certain elements, though the grind remains a significant drawback.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “But after the 30th time traveling back and forth on a mine cart, or a jet-rail train, or waiting for spinning orbs to come to a stop, open, close, load and open... it grows tedious, time-consuming and eventually straight-up frustrating.”
    • “Ultimately I didn't feel like I was using my brain as much as I was just running around the map too many times (which is made tedious by the many trams, elevators, animations and loading sequences that slow down your pace) hunting for random clues or hidden passages.”
    • “While the key progression points are all quite well telegraphed and fair, the process of scouring the islands for things you overlooked can sometimes be tedious to the point of discouraging exploration.”
  • emotional44 mentions

    Players express a profound emotional connection to the game, often reminiscing about childhood experiences and the sense of wonder it evokes. The detailed puzzle design and immersive world-building create feelings of nostalgia and accomplishment, with many noting moments of joy and even tears during key scenes. Overall, the game successfully rekindles a sense of awe and exploration, making it a heartfelt journey for those revisiting a beloved classic.

    • “I finished this game over a week ago and I still think about it every day, whether it is a puzzle, a line of text, a specific place in its world, or just about the sense of wonder and discovery it made me feel as I slowly peeled each layer of mystery away from its onion.”
    • “This journey of getting to experience this world again was an emotional experience; my inner child was smiling ear-to-ear and jumping for joy to get to experience.”
    • “I got emotional reliving my childhood memories and enjoying the beautiful new graphics and added complexities.”
  • replayability15 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the randomization of puzzles and multiple endings that enhance replay value, others feel that the inherent nature of the mystery genre limits it. The recent remake has introduced features that allow for a more varied experience, but many still believe that the best way to enjoy the game is through a single, unhinted playthrough.

    • “The Myst remake a couple of years ago was beautiful and wonderful to re-experience, and the new randomized puzzle solutions feature was a welcome addition, giving a bit more replay value than the original had.”
    • “Besides, if you finish it right, you still have a variety of options to finish it wrong, which gives you a very odd feeling of replayability.”
    • “I hit expensive since there is no replayability.”
    • “The adjustments to the puzzles to make them more replayable is a welcome addition.”
    • “Besides, if you finish it right you still have a variety of options to finish it wrong, which gives you a very odd feeling of replayability.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its cleverness and unexpected moments, with players finding amusement in both the absurdity of certain elements, like the overpriced walkthrough, and the quirky changes that resonate with their own interpretations. While some aspects elicited genuine laughter, others were seen as amusingly flawed, contributing to a lighthearted experience overall.

    • “Charging $10 for a PDF of a poorly written 'walkthrough' is hilarious.”
    • “Some of the changes and additions made my jaw drop, others made me laugh out loud, and still others made me feel vindicated to learn that my headcanon was accurate.”
    • “Haha, funny and clever.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    Reviews indicate a mixed perception of the game's monetization, with some players initially viewing it as a potential cash grab due to the legacy of the original title. However, others argue that the sequel transcends this notion, suggesting it is more of a genuine effort rather than a mere attempt to capitalize on the franchise's success.

    • “The game comes across as more of a cash grab than a passion project.”
    • “This was not a cash grab, this was not a vanity project.”
    • “I had played Myst endlessly through several platforms: PC, Sega Saturn, etc. and I knew there was a sequel, but for some reason, I assumed it was just a cash grab, since in my head, nothing could top the first one.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The character development in the Myst remake has received mixed feedback, with some users noting flaws in character design that detract from the overall experience. While the game is generally well-received, these design issues highlight areas for improvement in character portrayal.

    • “The Myst remake, while pretty good, had a few flaws as well, especially in terms of character design.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

86% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
1-14hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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