Riven Review

Occasionally, gaming becomes more than a virtual world. Accordingly, when this happens, you lose yourself in a wild world that is filled with lore, challenges, and time-consuming madness. Riven is one such experience. It is tough, eye-catching, and extremely niche. Furthermore, this delightful remake rebuilds the puzzles while removing the static nature of the original slides. The outcome is a seamless title that retains its charm while adding mountains of modern polish.

Cyan Worlds Inc. are the team behind this spectacular improvement. It is a single-player, lore-filled game that focuses on exploration and never-ending puzzles. I played the original in the late 90s, and I was blown away by the challenge I faced. Therefore, I expected to get an easy ride, as I remember most of my original playthrough. Sadly, I was wrong, as the team have reworked many of the solutions. Although this was frustrating, it allowed me to experience the whole thing from scratch.

Riven tells a tale of mystery and power.

If you’ve never played Myst, I recommend it as a great place to start. However, you can play this as a standalone experience. You may find some of the nuances a little confusing, but if you are willing to miss some of the finer points, this will not detract from the incredible storytelling and the amazing lore.

The plot revolves around Atrus, the creator of the linking book. He asks you to travel to the Age of Riven to trap his power-mad father. If you cannot complete your mission, the world of Riven will be torn apart, and Catherine, Atrus’s wife, will be lost inside the tomes.

Reasonably simple ideas.

Although Riven is brutal to play, the core mechanics are relatively simple to understand. Effectively, you are free to move around each of the collapsing islands if you have connected them. This requires you to solve an array of problems, including riddles, mechanical puzzles, and plenty of lore-based imagery. Note-taking is a must if you are to break each conundrum.

The layers upon layers of problem-solving could potentially annoy new gamers. However, if you love a methodical approach that rewards out-of-the-box thinking, exploration, and an eye for detail, then this will be right up your street. I admit that I had to reach for a walkthrough a handful of times. Although this made me feel filthy, I wanted to get to the next island, experience the next puzzle, and see everything on offer. I believe only the best players will do this without “cheating”, and more praise to those who can complete this without a guide.

Riven takes the modern approach.

If you love a visual and audio treat, Riven will be right up your street. It looks unbelievably good, and distancing themselves from the original fixed-frame style has paid dividends! The smooth movement, free exploration, and stunning environments make this game a modern masterpiece that must be admired. The audio is as atmospheric as it always was. The music is inspiring, gentle, aggressive, and dramatic. The blend of music, sound effects, and ambient noises works perfectly! The combination of epic tunes and a mind-blowing backdrop was almost too much to take.

The visuals are complemented by the exceptionally well-considered control system. Moving between areas was a straightforward task, and highlighting any key components was a breeze. I believe that this would be better with a mouse and keyboard, but I never struggled with my gamepad. Had I not used a guide, I believe I would have spent around 25 to 30 hours working through some of the tougher puzzles. However, I invested around 20 hours to complete everything on offer. More experienced puzzle enthusiasts will need much less time to get through this beautifully interconnected world.

Riven is spectacular.

I understand that Riven will not appeal to everyone. The slow and methodical mentality will not suit those who want instant rewards in a short, casual time. Furthermore, if you do not like note-taking or you have a short attention span, this will not be for you! Yet, Riven is designed to consume and test you in equal measure. If you can give it the time it requires, the outcome is unbelievably positive.

It will make you scream, shout, and want to quit. Moreover, the puzzles will push you to the breaking point. But this is half of the fun. It is this brutality and attention to detail that make it tick. Furthermore, the incredible world, stunning audio, and brilliant modern aesthetics ensure that you will not be disappointed. Accordingly, I love it and recommend grabbing a copy from the Xbox store!