Riven

Item: Riven
Rating: 91
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2025-05-09

Summary

Improved puzzle design, expanded from the original
Stunning graphics and immersive audio enhance experience
Free movement increases player immersion
Rich lore and environmental storytelling elements
Obscure puzzles and poor in-game guidance
Frequent crashes and glitches impact gameplay

Categories

Puzzle Solving Exploration Environmental Storytelling Single-player Story Deductive Reasoning Puzzle Note-taking Gameplay

Reviews (sample size): 2000
Helpful reviews: 87%
Unhelpful reviews: 13%
Protest reviews: 0%

91%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
9%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 4636
Negative points: 1941
Gameplay points: 470
Perf. points: 357
Rec. points: 1397
Misc points: 168

Point	Description	Importance
Improved, expanded, logical puzzle design Description The remake features improved and expanded puzzles that are more logical, intuitive, and integrated into the game world. These changes offer a fresh and rewarding experience for both new and returning players, with many puzzles adapted for 3D movement and VR. The puzzles are designed to be challenging but fair, encouraging exploration and observation. Importance 98%	The remake features improved and expanded puzzles that are more logical, intuitive, and integrated into the game world. These changes offer a fresh and rewarding experience for both new and returning players, with many puzzles adapted for 3D movement and VR. The puzzles are designed to be challenging but fair, encouraging exploration and observation.	98%
Stunning graphics and immersive audio Description The game boasts stunning, photorealistic graphics and immersive sound design, enhanced by Unreal Engine 5 and VR integration. The visuals bring the intricate world to life with detailed textures, dynamic lighting, and subtle animations, creating a sense of awe and wonder. The sound design is equally impressive, with atmospheric music and ambient sounds that enhance the feeling of being in a real, alien world. Importance 91%	The game boasts stunning, photorealistic graphics and immersive sound design, enhanced by Unreal Engine 5 and VR integration. The visuals bring the intricate world to life with detailed textures, dynamic lighting, and subtle animations, creating a sense of awe and wonder. The sound design is equally impressive, with atmospheric music and ambient sounds that enhance the feeling of being in a real, alien world.	91%
Enhanced immersion via free movement Description The game's transition to a fully explorable 3D environment, especially in VR, significantly enhances immersion and spatial awareness. This allows players to freely roam the islands, discover new details, and experience the world from a fresh perspective. The freedom of movement makes navigation more intuitive and rewarding, contributing to a more engaging and captivating experience. Importance 89%	The game's transition to a fully explorable 3D environment, especially in VR, significantly enhances immersion and spatial awareness. This allows players to freely roam the islands, discover new details, and experience the world from a fresh perspective. The freedom of movement makes navigation more intuitive and rewarding, contributing to a more engaging and captivating experience.	89%
Rich lore, environmental storytelling Description The game features a rich and engaging story, with deep lore rooted in the D'ni civilization. The narrative is delivered organically through exploration, journals, and environmental clues, allowing players to piece together the history and culture of the world at their own pace. The integration of lore from spin-off novels and the addition of new details further enhance the immersive experience. Importance 56%	The game features a rich and engaging story, with deep lore rooted in the D'ni civilization. The narrative is delivered organically through exploration, journals, and environmental clues, allowing players to piece together the history and culture of the world at their own pace. The integration of lore from spin-off novels and the addition of new details further enhance the immersive experience.	56%
Faithful recreation, expanded lore Description The remake successfully captures the spirit and atmosphere of the original Riven, while also expanding the lore and adding new details. The game evokes a sense of mystery, wonder, and nostalgia, making it feel both familiar and new. The transition to fully 3D graphics and VR enhances the immersion and allows players to experience the world of Riven in a more tangible way. Importance 56%	The remake successfully captures the spirit and atmosphere of the original Riven, while also expanding the lore and adding new details. The game evokes a sense of mystery, wonder, and nostalgia, making it feel both familiar and new. The transition to fully 3D graphics and VR enhances the immersion and allows players to experience the world of Riven in a more tangible way.	56%
Passionate, high-quality remake Description The remake demonstrates a clear passion and attention to detail from the developers, resulting in a high-quality update that respects the original game while adding new content and features. The changes are intelligently designed and well-integrated, creating a fresh and engaging experience for both longtime fans and newcomers. The remake is considered a loving tribute to a classic game. Importance 44%	The remake demonstrates a clear passion and attention to detail from the developers, resulting in a high-quality update that respects the original game while adding new content and features. The changes are intelligently designed and well-integrated, creating a fresh and engaging experience for both longtime fans and newcomers. The remake is considered a loving tribute to a classic game.	44%
Evokes nostalgia, enjoyable for all Description The game evokes a strong sense of nostalgia for those who played the original, bringing back fond memories and allowing them to relive a cherished experience. The game is also enjoyable for new players, offering a unique and challenging puzzle adventure. The game is praised for its ability to capture the magic of the original while also modernizing it for a new audience. Importance 23%	The game evokes a strong sense of nostalgia for those who played the original, bringing back fond memories and allowing them to relive a cherished experience. The game is also enjoyable for new players, offering a unique and challenging puzzle adventure. The game is praised for its ability to capture the magic of the original while also modernizing it for a new audience.	23%
Cyan's expertise shines through Description The game showcases Cyan's expertise in creating intelligent puzzle games with awe-inspiring environments. The developer is praised for their commitment to VR, their ability to create internally coherent world-building, and their profound artistry around environmental design, storytelling, and puzzle construction. The game is a testament to Cyan's skill and passion for the adventure genre. Importance 6%	The game showcases Cyan's expertise in creating intelligent puzzle games with awe-inspiring environments. The developer is praised for their commitment to VR, their ability to create internally coherent world-building, and their profound artistry around environmental design, storytelling, and puzzle construction. The game is a testament to Cyan's skill and passion for the adventure genre.	6%
Well-designed, varied islands Description The game features well-designed islands with distinctive lighting and materials, creating a vacation-like atmosphere. The island level design is comparable to Dark Souls, with varied and interconnected environments. The reviewer appreciated the sense of freedom in exploring the islands and the unique environment of each location. Importance 4%	The game features well-designed islands with distinctive lighting and materials, creating a vacation-like atmosphere. The island level design is comparable to Dark Souls, with varied and interconnected environments. The reviewer appreciated the sense of freedom in exploring the islands and the unique environment of each location.	4%