Riven Reviews
The Riven remake is gorgeous and difficult, and better than its precursor in many ways.
Riven is as impressive, immersive, and unmissable as it's ever been.
Riven remains one of the most captivating and challenging puzzle games I have ever played. You can’t help but leave the game wanting to learn more about the strange and mysterious world it welcomes you into. I encourage anyone to play this remake, however, while it’s a fine VR game, it’s best enjoyed on PC so you can fully commit to note-taking for puzzles and avoid the added frustration of whipping your headset on and off.
If you’re a Riven fan, you simply must play this version. If you’ve never played Riven, there’s no better opportunity. Escaping into another world is not just the external promise of the Myst games, but the actual premise, and Riven’s update brings those two things closer than ever before.
Riven is another beautifully assembled upgrade of a classic for Cyan Worlds, and it seems to play more wonderfully than ever. The puzzles and exploration feel immersive, even if it gets a bit unwieldy with a lot of back and forth between the islands as you come back to solve certain puzzles later. Even then, the returning Notebook system does a great job of aiding in the easy access of clues and information if you use it effectively. With that said, this is also just a beautiful game to explore and whether you’re a returning player or discovering Riven for the first time, it's likely to be a peaceful and intriguing experience.
Riven's remake is a successful one, albeit with a few perplexities in terms of graphics optimisation and NPC's rendering. However, if you never could stand the puzzles of the original version, you certainly won't change your mind today.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While Riven is difficult, Cyan Worlds has done a remarkable job remaking one of the most influential puzzle games of all time.
When Riven was first released in 1997 it was heralded as a majestic piece of art. Now almost 30 years later, Cyan Worlds returns to that world, bringing it to modern standards using the tools of today. Once again, they've created a majestic piece of art, and a world worth exploring all over again. It'll test your mind, it's a feast for your eyes and ears, and if you enjoy deep puzzles, it's a game you absolutely cannot miss.
Even in the era of remasters and remakes from famous studios, the updated Riven doesn't look like a gray mouse. It's a beautiful quest with a high-quality "facelift".
Review in Russian | Read full review
The Riven remake makes its return to the scene with absolute pomp, proving once again how much the journey is more important than the destination. The graphic modernization is illustrious and of absolute caliber, as well as everything else, elevated to the asymptote of wonder. It could involve both long-time enthusiasts and newbies.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If I could only pick one puzzle game to bring to a desert island, I probably would not choose Riven. Fortunately, that is not the case. It’s fascinating to see this missing link of game design. It’s nice to dig into some genuinely excellent writing and art. The puzzles are as opaque as they ever were, which is what a lot of people like about them. I think we need more remakes like Riven, that capture as much as they can about how games felt back then. That’s how we move forward, that’s how games get even better.
The new version of Riven is a beautiful addition to the Myst series with addition to detail in its fully rendered environments, and plenty of exploration to be had despite some obscure puzzles.
I enjoyed replaying Riven in remade form, and while I do not think this game replaces the original, it certainly supplements it and makes it more attractive for someone curious about this game and franchise. The puzzles are still good, the alterations are sensible, and the Age of Riven itself remains an enchanting place to piece together.
Riven remains an enchanting place to visit, though not everything appears exactly as it was.
Much like its updated predecessor RIVEN is an incredible remake of one of gaming's most iconic puzzle games.
Riven is a stunning reimagining of the original title. The visuals are beautiful and the puzzles are as challenging as ever, requiring a lot of thought, focus, and attempts. Definitely not for everyone, but an experience I don't regret!
It's a perfect remake of the original Riven! Simply marvellous!
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Riven Remake revives an almost forgotten genre in style, offering one of the best first-person adventure games ever in a modern setting while staying extremely loyal to the roots of the original game.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The new Riven is a polished relic from a bygone era when games were made very differently. And played very differently. It offers a very different experience to what's on the market today. I don't think it will be a bestseller, but it will certainly appeal to those who like to explore unconventional worlds and solve challenging puzzles. Plus, you can play it in VR.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
What Riven did, and still does, is connecting all its puzzle pieces into a coherent world to explore and learn about. Not through someone telling you, but by stumbling about and being forced to learn its frame of reference. And in that regard, Riven is perhaps not the most taxing puzzle game out there, but it is still an amazing experience that will demand your attention to fully comprehend it.