Riven

Absolutely brilliant remake. Only things that are weird are the characters being very low quality 3d compared to the rest of the game and being locked into vehicles not able to look around while they are moving. If you loved Riven back in the day buy and play this its amazing,

[h3]A good mystery, that fails in the most aspects.[/h3] I wanted to love both Myst and Riven, but they are what they are: lazy, overpriced remakes of games from 1993 and 1997 respectively. They both felt more like glorified point-and-click games than puzzles. Considering that a 4K monitor is exactly 27 times bigger than a VGA monitor back in the days, searching for things to click on quickly becomes a pixel hunting in UHD. Not exactly frustrating or infuriating, but absolutely underwhelming. Nothing is intuitive, there are far too few puzzles, and after you find them they are basically too easy to solve, warranting basically zero replay value. Everything is too slow and too far apart, to the point the whole game feels like a slog through molasses. Both the graphics and the gameplay feels at least 15 years too dated. Bland 3D animations with mediocre voice acting. In hindsight I wouldn't buy the game even with a -80% discount. Buy 5 random indie games instead. [u]Recommended if:[/u] If you like to be scammed. [u]Not recommended if:[/u] If you like puzzle games, as this is not a puzzle game.

It's only one of the greatest games ever made. It takes all the strengths of the 1997 original and only improves on it. The redesigned puzzles are much less opaque than the original, but not dumbed down. The lore and the setting are just as good as they come. And it's a graphical showcase to boot. The one and only nitpick I have is that the redone real-time characters are not as good as the original's FMV, but that's inevitable in the move to a free-roaming perspective. 10/10.

It's not just the original with (much) nicer graphics. It's got whole new puzzles and locations too!

Really boring, uninteresting game

[quote]🎮 Personal Review Tiers 1 – Exceptional | 2 – Great | 3 – Good | 4 – Average | 5 – Bad Riven Review Tier: 1 – Exceptional [/quote] [b]📌 Disclaimer[/b] This review reflects my experience playing Riven exclusively on an Xbox Ally X. I had already played approximately 10 hours while working towards the Xbox completion and testing a 100% completion roadmap walkthrough that I’m creating, so my playtime is not representative of a normal first playthrough. If you are following a walkthrough, Riven can be completed in roughly 2.5–4 hours. However, if you are solving everything independently, expect the experience to potentially take dozens of hours as you explore, experiment, take notes and piece together the logic behind its puzzles. I also played Myst and Riven back-to-back, so there will naturally be comparisons between the two games. For anyone unfamiliar, Riven is effectively “Myst 2”, expanding almost every idea from the original into a much larger, more interconnected and ambitious adventure. [b]✅ Pros[/b] [b]A Stunningly Faithful Remake [/b] Riven is an absolutely gorgeous remake that feels incredibly faithful to the original release while modernising the experience where it matters. The developers have preserved the atmosphere and mystery that made the original iconic, while rebuilding the world with incredible visual detail. Every location feels carefully crafted, and the remake captures that same feeling of stepping into a place that existed long before you arrived. [b]Some of the Best Environmental Design in Gaming[/b] The world design is exceptional. Riven’s different biomes are visually distinct yet deeply interconnected, with every area feeling like part of the same living ecosystem rather than separate levels stitched together. Exploration is constantly rewarded, whether you’re discovering a new location, finding a hidden mechanism or realising that something you saw hours ago was actually an important clue. The environment itself becomes the puzzle. [b]The Notebook System Should Become Standard[/b] One of my favourite additions (on PC, wasn't there on Xbox) is the screenshot notebook feature. For games built around exploration, observation and deduction, having a built-in way to record discoveries is incredibly useful. It removes unnecessary friction while still preserving the challenge of solving puzzles yourself. I genuinely wish more games like this adopted a similar feature. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is another excellent example of a game understanding that players enjoy solving puzzles but don’t always want to rely on external notes. [b]Some of the Best Puzzle Design Ever Created[/b] Riven’s puzzles are outstanding. Where Myst introduced the idea of environmental puzzle solving, Riven takes it significantly further. The puzzles are not just obstacles placed throughout the world — they are connected directly to the island, its history and its lore. The fixed puzzles are satisfying, but the randomised elements are where Riven really shines. They require understanding the world rather than simply memorising solutions. The game rewards observation, curiosity and logical thinking rather than trial and error. [b] Incredible Sense of Discovery[/b] One of Riven’s greatest strengths is how naturally it lets you progress. You are rarely trapped behind a single solution or forced to solve one specific puzzle before continuing. If something is confusing, you can explore another area, discover new information and return later with a better understanding. [b]Minimal but Effective Storytelling[/b] Riven proves that you don’t need constant dialogue or cutscenes to tell an engaging story. The sparse conversations are purposeful, well written and avoid many of the clichés common in modern games. Gamers aren't stupid and don't need to constantly be spoon-fed. Impressive Increase of Scope versus Myst I also love Myst, but Riven takes the complexity of the puzzles, biomes and their interconnectivity to an entire level. They took an already great game and improved it immeasurably [b]❌ Cons[/b] [b]Character Models Feel Dated[/b] For a full remake, the character models are probably the weakest visual element. The environments look incredible, but the character animations and facial models occasionally feel like they belong to an earlier generation. This does not ruin the experience, but it does create a noticeable contrast between the breathtaking environments and the more limited character presentation. [b]Fast Travel Could Be Improved[/b] The starry expanse fast travel system is functional but slightly awkward. It feels like an area where the remake could have introduced a smoother modern solution. [b]🎯 Final Thoughts[/b] I was extremely late to Myst and Riven. As someone who wasn’t a traditional PC gamer, I never experienced these classics when they originally released. After finally playing through the series for the first time a couple of months ago, I completely understand why they are considered legendary. I enjoyed them so much that I bought both games, replayed them, and started creating optimised 100% completion walkthroughs for both. These games are genuinely magical. Riven is not a massive open-world adventure, nor is it trying to be. Instead, it focuses on what it does best: creating a mysterious, immersive world filled with clever puzzles, unforgettable locations and a genuine feeling of discovery. The remake preserves everything that made the original special while making it accessible to a modern audience. For fans of puzzle games, exploration adventures or anyone who enjoys games that trust the player to think for themselves, Riven is an essential experience.

Great reimagining! New puzzles are fun and the QOL changes are both welcome and interesting to experience

If you grew up playing this series like I did, you'll really enjoy this remake. I only play these games with my father, just like we did many years ago. We sit down on the couch together with a notebook and work through the puzzles. He tells me stories about the first time he saw a cutscene with a real person in a game—it actually scared him back then, which always makes me laugh. We often compare this remake to the original Riven, and the developers did an excellent job staying true to the story and preserving the core experience. The game is confusing at times, and it's definitely challenging, but that's exactly what you'd expect from a faithful remake of a classic puzzle adventure. More than anything, this game has given me the chance to create some incredible memories with my father. Those moments have become some of my favorite memories, and for that alone, this remake is special to me.