Riven Remake, Reintroducing a Classic – Review – WGB

Riven is a remake of the classic puzzle game from 1997 by Cyan Studios. This new version started out as a fan project that aimed to turn the original Riven into a fully 3D game. Cyan caught wind of the idea, but instead of telling Starry Expanse to kill the project like Nintendo did, they took over the development and made it into an official Riven remake. This was a somewhat controversial move, as Cyan took over while the hard-working Starry Expanse team was forced to move on to other things. Cynically speaking, it’s hard not to think that Starry Expanse was given an ultimatum: hand the project over to Cyan or they would kill it.

But that’s just speculation, and perhaps Starry Expanse is happy to see their hard work officially announced. Whatever the story, this new version of Riven aims to bring the beloved game to a modern audience, but without sacrificing its reputation for sometimes being brain-meltingly difficult. Sure, most things have changed for the better, but some of them just miss the mark. The biggest indicator of whether Riven (2024) is worth playing is probably whether you want a 1:1 remake, because while it’s pretty close to the original, there are some major tweaks, a few pieces that have been removed, and a few new puzzles.

That last part is something that’s happening in my head, since I haven’t played Myst in decades. Looking back, it would have been a terrible idea to jump right into Riven without refreshing my memories. However, I can’t help but think that a lot of other people are doing exactly that, since this new Riven has stripped away part of its name. Riven: A Sequel to Myst was the original title back in 1997. However, the new version of Riven doesn’t actually mention anything on its Steam page that it’s a sequel. It’s a puzzling decision. I can’t help but think that the developers wanted to avoid the sequel trappings for fear of annoying people, but it also makes it feel like a new person jumping into the second season of a TV show. Any kind of summary would be helpful?

In Riven’s defense, playing Myst only helps to slightly reduce the confusion. The protagonist is also bewildered by the alien world he finds himself in, so the confusion is at least tonally consistent with the game. And the world is really great! Gone are the static images that were so beautifully rendered in the original game, which moved awkwardly, almost like a picture book. Now, Riven is fully 3D and can be freely roamed like any other game. This change alone is dramatic, as Riven’s previous system was slow and awkward. Now, you can jog around the islands, taking in the beautiful scenery and powerful texture work. The game looks great, but unfortunately the old FMV sequences from the original developers have been replaced with much less appealing 3D models.

The reason Riven’s gorgeous visuals and rich atmosphere are important is because it wants to suck you into its world and alien culture. It’s essentially a puzzle game, and often a brutal one, but what makes Riven special is that the puzzles are built into the world in an organic way, forcing you to immerse yourself in its unique world. In order to solve the puzzles, you first need to understand how Riven’s world works, even learning the numbering system.

Instead of simply remaking the game, the developers have decided to change some aspects of the original design to make Riven a little more player-friendly. For example, some areas are now locked until later, whereas originally you could explore almost the entire world, and at the time you were involved in puzzles that were practically unsolvable. Now you are forced into puzzles almost immediately, whereas previously the entire first half of the game was dedicated to slowly exploring the world and gathering information. While there are completely new puzzles to solve, others have been adjusted or have randomized solutions. Some of the changes are minor, such as the ability to go through doors by pulling their hinges instead of crawling under them, while others are much larger and potentially controversial.

In some ways, it’s definitely easier than the original Riven, but this remake is still challenging. The solution isn’t always obvious, and it often involves doing things that don’t have an immediate effect. Riven did a lot of that in 1997, and it made you wonder if flicking a switch actually works. The game has a reputation as one of the hardest puzzle games of all time, and for good reason. But unlike classic point-and-click puzzlers like Monkey Island, the challenge comes not from huge leaps of illogical reasoning, but purely from cleverly designed puzzles. The answer might not always seem obvious, but it’s incredibly satisfying when you finally figure it out.

There is also an in-game screenshot system, allowing you to quickly review objects and add notes to the pictures you take. This game requires you to pay attention to everything, learn as you go, and have a good memory, as you often have to go back first to move forward. The pen and notepad are invaluable tools on this journey, and it feels really cool. I can’t remember the last time I felt the need to take notes. While puzzle games these days usually have you heading towards the answer nearby, Riven has no problem letting you explore multiple islands to find the answer.

Could the Riven remake have been made easier and more accessible? Yes, while maintaining Riven’s reputation as a brain-busting game, there could have been some features added to make the difficult puzzles easier to solve. For example, an optional hint system could have helped many people get their bearings instead of diving headfirst into a puzzle and then jumping out and quitting the game altogether.

Another major change is the inclusion of VR support for anyone who wants to experience Riven in the most immersive way possible. However, I haven’t had a chance to test it out, so I can’t say how well it works. The community seems to think it works pretty well, but you’ll need powerful gear to handle it.

If you just wanted a visually updated version of Riven that can run on modern hardware, this remake may not be for you, as there are a lot of changes. Purists be warned. Personally, I played Riven as a teenager (and had to use a guide) and I don’t have enough attachment to the original to worry about the purity of the remake, and my memory isn’t good enough to notice all the new additions, changes, and detractions.

This is a great remake of a classic game. The changes are so seamless that they are almost imperceptible, and the new puzzles are woven into the world as organically as the original puzzles. It’s gorgeous, yet still mentally challenging. It’s a puzzle game that’s a little easier here and there, but still makes you feel stupid until everything finally starts to come together. And who doesn’t like feeling stupid?