Riven Review

Myst is a title I have often heard spoken about in hushed tones and a kind of reverence. This title was the game to beat for those considering themselves smart and promised to befuddle and stump the greatest of intellects. I, having two brain cells to bang together at the best of times, often shied away from even attempting it, as I had (have) little patience to really think things through. Though I don’t regret this choice, I have often felt like I left a hole in my videogame education, which is why I jumped when presented with the newly built Riven to explore! Here was a chance to experience the “hardest” game in the franchise and see what this is all about. If it’s not clear, I’m jumping into this with limited knowledge of both Riven and the Myst franchise as a whole, so excuse my ignorance if I missed some important story beats!

The original doesn't look bad, all things considered

Originally released in 1997 as a sequel to Myst, Riven follows the ending of the previous game: there exist “linking books” which can connect us to other worlds, called Ages. Using these books, it’s possible to warp in and out of said worlds, but if you happen to lose your link, you may also be stuck there. This is what the characters of the first game, Atrus and his wife Catherine, did to the antagonist, Gehn. By tricking him into the book that leads to Riven and removing all linking books that would lead out, Gehn was to be trapped within the tome and left there until the Age degraded into nothing. The plan failed, however, as Catherine was captured and is now held within the book as well! This is where we, the player, come in. Atrus is busy rewriting the pages of Riven to keep it from degrading further, so he sends us in to rescue his wife and trap Gehn with the use of a “trap book”, which looks like a normal link but is instead designed to work as a one-person prison. The plot is somewhat convoluted to someone only now joining in, but it makes enough sense to get going and, honestly, isn’t a large presence in the game proper.

After we enter the book, we appear in a holding cell of sorts (whoops) and are immediately captured and our book is taken away. Being rescued by an unknown person, we are free to explore the world and… be absolutely confused. Yes, Riven does indeed live up to its reputation, as it does not hold your hand at all. Even on the first of many islands, there are many things you can interact with that have little to no use at the moment, with the actual solution requiring you to pay close attention to what you see and hear. Sight and sounds seem to be a central theme in general, as many of the game puzzles require the player to make keen observations on their surroundings and commit a lot to memory.

The remake, on the other hand, is stunning

Riven is played from a first-person perspective and takes place in a small archipelago of themed islands, each seeming to have a very specific purpose. Unlike many of its peers, the game has very little in terms of item-based puzzles, which I can respect. Instead of collecting a badger, a horn, some tape, and a firework, you instead have to use your surroundings or hints from other islands to push buttons in the correct order, alter something in the location, or simply unlock the way forward. While the puzzles often may seem aggravating at first, I noticed that they, more often than not, made a certain level of sense as you gained more information. Everything makes sense, though you’ll have to understand how their creator thinks first.

In general, I did enjoy the puzzles and did feel smart on the rare occasion I figured something out on my own! Regretfully, this is a horrible game to review as the puzzles require you to take your time and let theories and ideas simmer while you look around and take in the area and possible clues. Not exactly amenable to a deadline. However, I did have some great Sherlock moments wherein I flashed back to a broken cup on Pancake Island and how its shards actually spelt out the code I needed, which is all I need from a puzzler. The game also features some randomised puzzles, the bane of all guides, that will keep you on your toes!

Many puzzles often require looking at things from multiple perspectives

To help you keep track of everything, you have the ability to take in-game screenshots that are stored in your notebook. You can even add comments to them to remind you what it relates to. This is a great system, as my memory is dependably undependable! However, this system also feels very clunky to use, as it requires you to open the main menu, and then select the Notebook option before you can view your pictures. While not too daunting a task by itself, it does take you out of the world and puts a damper on the immersion one can feel.

As I mentioned before, Riven is a remastering of the original title featuring its iconic locations, but fully explorable and expanded. By itself, the game is very appealing to look at, featuring vibrant colours where applicable and an amazing mix of steampunk technology and naturistic themes. However, looking at screenshots of the original ‘97 version, the outlook of the game is even more impressive, as they have captured the look of the original very well! Having the same studio heading the remake really shows. There is a palpable unease and decay visible in each area, as the devices strewn about seem old and rusted, there are literal holes in the sea, and some buildings turn to rubble at the slightest touch, really hitting home the feeling of a world on its last legs. Steam (the vapour, calm down Valve) also has a certain prominence as the main source of power and locomotion for the many contraptions of the Age. I can imagine a fan of the original shedding a tear once they see their childhood perceptions of the game reimagined in high-def!

Can you spot the tear in reality?

Among the many additions and QoL improvements of the game, the remake has also made it available to play in VR! While this is a great idea on paper, it also feels like a double-edged sword in terms of interactions. Though I noticed it much less than I first expected, some of the many levers and pulleys the game requires the player to pull seemed a bit awkward to use with the keyboard and mouse. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like I had to exaggerate my movements to get some objects to behave correctly. Additionally, all of the little cutscenes used when a ladder is climbed, a door is opened, or you travel between locations seemed very slow, though this may be a homage to the original more than VR tomfoolery. Luckily you can disable the animations in the menu!

Sometimes the subtitles just... stay there when you move away

Now, as I’ve stated before, I am not gifted with cast cognitive powers, due to which I did struggle quite a bit with the many puzzles of Riven. I often missed a clue, didn’t realise something was interactable, or simply missed an area completely in my rush to see everything on offer. To help people like me in similar situations, Riven offers a separate guide with both hints and solutions. Titled The Riven Companion, this booklet contains information on each puzzle in the game, as well as some handy hints on getting some of the more obscure achievements! What I really liked about it was how it presented hints in different stages, from Gentle hints to get you going in the right direction, to Stronger hints that give more concrete ideas. Letting the player choose their own level of help is always appreciated, as is actually giving away the solution, if you simply cannot be bothered.

The downside of the Companion, however, is that it is paid DLC and not part of the game as such, unless you purchase the Deluxe Edition. While I can understand not having it be part of the base game, selling the guide for £8.50 when the info is — or at least will be — available online for free does seem a bit weird. The guide is easy to read and well made, however, so it may be worth the extra, especially since the game itself is only about £30.

Some of the views on River are really worth the bother

Riven is a difficult game to put my finger on. I enjoyed most of the puzzles and the landscape, but I also found myself frustrated by the constant backtracking and easily missed content along with some of the puzzles being more guesswork than brainpower on my own behalf. I do have a lot of respect for the developers sticking to their guns on the design, but I also feel there was room for some leeway. The Notebook feature felt especially annoying, as its usefulness felt overshadowed by the clunkiness of its use. However, despite these small issues and being completely lost on the plot, I did enjoy the experience. Playing Riven did not sell me on playing the Myst series, personally, but I am happy that it is making a comeback nonetheless.