Riven (1997) Review Summary

Challenging and fair puzzles: The game features a variety of puzzles that are tough but fair, integrated seamlessly into the environment. Players find satisfaction and joy in solving these thought-provoking and logical puzzles.

Great game design and classic status: The game is recognized for its great design and is considered a classic. It features enjoyable and rewarding gameplay, making it a definite 10/10 experience for many players.

Immersive atmosphere and world-building: The game offers an incredibly immersive experience with a richly detailed world. The atmosphere is captivating and draws players into its unique and engaging universe.

Beautiful and impressive graphics: The game is praised for its beautiful, imaginative, and stunning visuals. Even as a 20-year-old game, its graphics are considered impressive and groundbreaking.

Rich lore and storytelling: The game boasts a rich world filled with detail, history, and culture. The storytelling is well done, providing a deep and captivating narrative.

Save system issues: The game has problems with its save system, including lack of auto-save, corrupted saves, and no saving functionality, which can be frustrating for players.

Low resolution graphics: The game's graphics are considered low resolution and dated, which can detract from the overall experience.

Navigation is confusing: Players often find it unclear where they can go, leading to frustration with the game's navigation.

Lack of language support: The game lacks support for certain languages, such as Chinese and French, which can be a drawback for non-English speaking players.

Interactive elements are hard to see: Some players have difficulty finding interactive elements in the game, which can lead to frustration.

Puzzle-solving adventure game: The game is centered around complex and interdependent puzzles, offering a non-linear puzzle-solving experience in an adventure game format.

Exploration-based gameplay: Players engage in open-world exploration, interacting with various game environments and discovering new areas.

Story-driven narrative: The game features a branching storyline with environmental storytelling, creating a complex narrative told through the game world.

Note-taking and observation: The game requires players to take notes and recognize patterns, demanding a strong sense of observation to progress.

Interconnected puzzles: Puzzles are interconnected across different locations and communicated subtly through the environment, requiring deep understanding.

Compatibility issues on modern systems: The game has various compatibility issues with modern operating systems, including Windows 7 64-bit and newer versions of Windows. Some users report needing to run the game in compatibility mode.

Technical workarounds needed: Users report needing various workarounds to run the game properly, such as using ScummVM for stable performance or specific key combinations for saving the game.

Performance improvements on modern OS: Updates have improved the game's performance on modern operating systems, including Windows 10. Some users report stable performance on updated systems.

Frequent crashes: The game frequently crashes, sometimes requiring workarounds like setting processor affinity. Crashes can also lead to game file corruption.

Positive graphics feedback: Despite some issues, many users praise the game's graphics and sound design, describing them as lush and convincing.

Recommended for puzzle enthusiasts: The game is highly recommended for those who enjoy puzzles, challenges, and exploration. It offers a unique experience that is particularly appealing to adventure game fans.

Highly recommended version: This specific version of the game is strongly recommended by players for its unique qualities.

Consider the remake: Many recommend trying the remake for a better experience, although some suggest playing the original version as well.

Play Myst first: Players are advised to start with the original Myst to better understand the series and enhance their overall experience.

Use notebooks and hints: Players suggest having a notebook handy to jot down important information and accepting hints if feeling frustrated to enhance gameplay.

Game completion: 30.0h.

Story completion: 30.0h.

The game becomes fun within the first few hours as players explore and learn about the world, but this enjoyment is occasionally hindered by tedious puzzles and isolation.

Reported time to anchor: 2h.

Friction: tedious puzzles; isolation in the game world; require too much running around.

Unlock drivers: exploring the islands; learning the number system; increasing understanding of lore and culture.

Nostalgic Adventure Enthusiast: Explores surreal worlds and solves intricate puzzles, often reminiscing about past experiences with similar games. Motivation: Nostalgia and appreciation for classic adventure games. Stance: buy.

Hardcore Puzzle Solver: Takes on difficult puzzles, often using guides and taking notes to aid in solving them. Motivation: Enjoyment of challenging and complex puzzles. Stance: buy.

Frustrated Newcomer: Struggles with difficult puzzles and may get frustrated with the game's mechanics or technical issues. Motivation: Seeking enjoyable and less frustrating gaming experiences. Stance: no buy.

External guides: The game presents significant challenges related to complex mechanics and navigation, often requiring players to rely on external walkthroughs and guides. Technical issues further exacerbate the user experience, leading to frustration and disruption.

Needs polish and newer systems: Players expressed a desire for the game to receive updates and polish, as well as being made compatible with newer systems.