Riven: The Sequel to Myst

Rating:
Summary: Everytihng a sequel should be.
Review: Riven: The Sequel to Myst has everything you would expect in a follow up to the original game: stunning graphics, difficult puzzles, and a better ending.

Having had a significant amount of time between the release of MYST and Riven, the developers took the game to another level. Picking up where MYST left off, the adventure in this beautiful world begins with no more insight than knowledge you gained from solving the first game. (Please note that while this is a sequel to MYST, completion of the first game is not required to play Riven.)

Although the underlying story and game functionality are basically the same, you will find more puzzles, more tricks, and a more difficult challenge. And, when you get frustrated, you will have as much fun exploring the world and listening to the music as when you reach the "end."

I would be remiss if I did not suggest the original MYST game and the novels that provide background into the D'ni civilization.

"Tight Lines!"

~..~..~.. ><((((*>

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Game
Review: Riven is the game that hooked me into the Myst series. Its photo-realistic environment, immersive gameplay, and rich atmosphere created a great gaming experience. The interphase is simple, and even the most casual gamers will quickly learn the intuitive controls. Unlike, Myst and Exile, the puzzles are very much a part of the environment you explore. This offers both good and bad points. For those who found obvious puzzles of lever pulling and sequencing of Myst a bit too out of context, the more subtle puzzles will be a refreshing change. However, sometimes it can be hard to figure out what you are supposed to be doing, and few of the puzzles yield immediate, observable results, which can cause a serious lack of direction at times.

Some may detract from the "slide-show" format of the game, but to render the game in real time would either require a massively powerful personal computer, or detail would have to be sacrificed. Therefore, it is preferable to keep the beautiful imagery in the still images. Sound effects are amazing, and the world is brought to life by these, and the ambient music provides atmosphere but is not intrusive.

Pros:
Beautiful graphics
Great sound
Immersive environment
Easy to learn controls
Good story

Cons:
Puzzles can be difficult to unravel

Overall, I still think Riven is the best of the three Myst games. The world is complete, including a culture and a numerical system to learn. I like the way puzzles are fused so tightly witht he world around you, but casual gamers may find them difficult and unfulfilling. In short, Riven is a must have for fans of the adventure genre, but be prepared for a challenge.

Rating:
Summary: Riven!!
Review: This game is incredible. It makes Uru look like Myst and makes Exile look like Uru! I mean, there are well over 3,000 3d renderd images and they were all esembled using 1994 Macs and Hypercard! You have no idea how primative hypercard is compared to what they do today!! And those graphics are amazing!! Its as if they either had 15 million polygons or was a camera that you control! Those computer generated people look photorealistic! No, not photorealistic, but prespectively realistic as well. I could not only see them, but these graphics are so amazing that it almost feels like you can reach out and touch everything that flashes on the screen. You can't beat that!! It just comes to show you that myst games cannot be beat! Also the computer generated people look so good, that I'll almost bet that they are actors behind blue screens! That is what they did in Myst. I mean this game is just outstanding! Not only have I run out of creative ideas to tell you how awesome Riven is, but I can still say that it was full of awe!! It is an incredible experience except for one glitch. At the very end when you are suposed to use this riven telescope to break this glass and open the star fissure, nothing happens! Well, This is still a great game.

Rating:
Summary: MYST-ified by Riven
Review: Riven is probably the best game that will grace computer screens for a long time. Cyan, Inc. has done a superb job on Riven and the four year wait for us fans was worth it. A lot of time and effort has been put into Riven and it shows:
The amazing graphics and realistic textures along with superb ambient sounds and haunting music all add to its overall excellence. Riven is a continuation of the Myst storyline, but can be played without having played Myst though the experience for Myst fans might have more meaning as they will understand what is going on a bit better.

The graphics in Riven are the result of a lot of hard work, including trips to New Mexicoto photograph, among others, adobe buildings for textures in the game, some of which ranged in size from 60 to 100 Megs. Also, new graphic technology called Shaders, created by Lume, Inc. were used to create the fabulous shadows and water movements in Riven. The video in Riven is seamlesly integrated into the still images in the game, and they are not grainy at all. The full screen animation in some parts of Riven is astounding, making the player feel like they really were riding the MagLev or the Mine Cart. Many players might get frustrated with the puzzles on Riven but it has to be realized that, unlike the puzzles in Myst, those in Riven are not contained, you will have to visit more than one of the 5 islands in Riven to solve a puzzle in most cases. The puzzles are not as hard as some claim, if you pay attention to all that is around you and think of things as being interrelated you will have an easier time with them.

The one thing that I really like about Riven is its realism in terms of the graphics, they really add to the immersive environment that Riven is. Also the fact that codes change for each new game you play..so the one from your old game to open this or that will not work in your new one. I have to admit however that swapping CD's was a bit annoying as it breaks the spell that Riven weaves on the player each time the CD must be changed. Some might ask why so many CD's and why aren't they used in order..This is because there is a common thread that links all in Riven and it is the number 5 (It is Gehn's 5th Age), hence 5 Islands, 5 CD's etc.

Riven is certainy worth your money as it is something that, like a book, can be opened again and again...there will always be something new to discover in Riven.
As the D'ni would say: Kehnehm'neah lohnehm Riven. That's: You are empty, discover Riven.

Rating:
Summary: Creative and beautiful, but difficult.
Review: Riven is a visual masterpiece. Set in a beautifully rendered world of still images and animated cut scenes, Riven takes you through an intriguing story and wonderfully creative places. Riven isn't just a pretty game though... it is composed of challenging (and often frustrating) interactive puzzles that must be solved to complete the game.

If you've played games like the 7th Guest, or Myst, you'll find Riven challenging. If you've never played any puzzle-based games before, you'll find Riven insanely hard. If you are not familiar with interactive puzzles, I would highly recommend starting with Myst. Not only is it easier and almost as beautifully rendered as Riven, but it'll do a great job priming you for the more difficult puzzles you'll encounter in this game.

While I cannot praise the creators of Riven enough for the depth of their creativity, I cannot recommend this game to just anyone. Riven is perfect for the avid puzzle solver, but much too difficult for the casual game player. Younger children (and most teens) may lose interest in this game very quickly, as the puzzles will often stop a player dead in their tracks until they can muster up the brainpower to figure them out. If you're looking for action, this isn't the place you'll find it.

On the other hand, Riven contains no violence, and is definitely a game that will make you think. You can't say that about many games these days, which is one of the reasons why this game is perfectly suited for a more cognitive crowd.

Riven gets four out of five stars because I believe that some puzzles may be out of the reach of most people without the use of a hint book. Regardless of this drawback, it's one of the best games in it's class... and I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A bigger, tougher, and superior sequel
Review: Unlike movie sequels, game sequels are often better than the originals, and Riven is a prime example. The graphics are a huge step up from Myst, something I once thought impossible. There are also a lot more characters, eliminating the perpetual loneliness of Myst. The story has also become deeper and more complicated.

At the end of Myst, Atrus said he was fighting a foe much more dangerous than his sons could ever hope to be. Here, that foe is revealed to be his father, Gehn. 30 years ago, Atrus realized the immorality of his father's thinking; he believed that ages and everything in them, including the people, were his creations and his property with which to do whatever he pleased. Atrus managed to destroy all the linking books on Gehn's fifth age, called Riven by its inhabitants, while Gehn was there, effectively trapping him. Now, Gehn is on the verge of escaping Riven, which is about to enter an Armeggedon that all of Gehn's ages eventually entered. Also, Atrus' wife Catherine, is imprisoned somewhere on Riven. Atrus must constantly write in his Riven linking book to stall the end of the age, and therefore cannot enter it. Your mission is to enter Riven and rescue Catherine, relocate the natives, and trap Gehn in a book similar to the ones Sirrus and Achenar were trapped in. The situation is complicated further by the theft of the trap book immediately after your arrival. I'll let you figure out the rest on your own.

The downside of Riven is its complexity. While the puzzles in Myst were all logical and not too easy but not too hard, in Riven they are fiendishly difficult. The final puzzle to solve before confronting Gehn is just about impossible to solve on your own, and I, like many others, was forced to look at a strategy guide. However, don't be put off by this. It's still a great game, and a must have for fans of Myst.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the best age ever written
Review: Hi. I am one of the biggest riven fans. I have played the game, read the books, seen the websites,(made my own) and decorated my room to look like a rivenese temple. Everyday I email my Riven friends on the Riven Lyst, and I play it in my free time. Riven is way way better than Myst. Myst is the second greatest game in gaming history (it used to be the first). Riven has one of those long deep stories that you can discover along the way. The creators worked really hard on this game and you can tell. Every little thing has a cool texture and sound. Every animation is watchable over and over. The puzzles are fascinating, and you must venture all over the place to find the answer. The characters are great! I loved the acting, especially by John Keston, who plays Gehn. The endings are fantastic! Once you finish, you can try to find out other ways to end it. "mAybe I'll try this." you might say, "I bet they haven't thought than anyone would try it", and Lo and behold, there you have Gehn laughing at you for your stupidness and the credits come on. The music is very listenable, unlike in Myst, when they played the same thing over and over again as you walked into the same room, Riven has different music each time and the music is great!(My favorite is when the credits are playing) If you liked Myst, you are sure to like Riven. Ever noticed how Myst seemed kind of random, not everything was tied together? Well, Riven has things tied together, special symbols throughout, and you must venture deep into the plot and history to see what really happened. Read the journals. They are very helpful. Learn the numbering system, the animal life, the language as you go along.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best
Review: Pros:

1. Graphics that are fantastically detailed, intricate, and achingly beautiful. Some astonishing joy rides. Sound effects and music approach perfection.

2. Gameplay is wonderfully balanced. You are never bored, and only occasionally frustrated by the harder puzzles. All the puzzles are logical, and give you a great feeling of accomplishment when you solve them. There is a vast area to explore while you are figuring things out. You turn a corner, and startle mysterious creatures who are sunning themselves on a rock. You climb up another path, turn, and the view makes you gasp.

3. Riven creates a fantasy world that is alien; yet it evokes a sense of reality that is, in my experience, unparalleled in computer gaming. I wish I could find a way to live in Riven.

Cons:

1. If you like exploring new worlds by dashing through them and shooting things, you may find that the pace of this particular game is too slow.

2. While the storyline is intriguing, it is possible to nearly finish Riven before discovering the diaries that further explain the plot. I wish I had known more of the background of the story a little sooner in the game.

3. Riven is so immersive that you forget the everyday world. Your children will wonder why you haven't cooked dinner. Your friends will speculate as to why you have stopped answering the phone. Your spouse will become jealous of your relationship with a computer game (easiest solution: play it together).

Bottom Line: IMHO, this game is IT, the Numero Uno, the King. Nobody's made one better.

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT
Review: I've never been able to figure out how to play MYST. I wouldn't say that I am exactly computer savvy though. Riven was an excellent surprise. I got it because of all the excellent reviews. The images are so beautiful. The only problem with this game is that it cannot be uninstalled from your harddrive, and it takes up a LOT of space. I don't think they've come out with a patch for it yet. I can still give it five stars though.

Rating:
Summary: Astounding game, not for every one though.
Review: Althogh I've never played this game's predecessor, Myst, I know enough about it's story to say this this game is awesome. I first recieved it from my aunt when I was 10 years old, I guess in the Christmas of '98. At the time I thought it was a great game but I lacked the intellect and attention span to really take a shot at beating it. Now i'm 15 and I started playing again and i'm still amazed 5 years later. Though I haven't beaten the game yet I've gotten really far(I think...). The puzzles are ridiculously hard but once you crack one you feel a sense of pride and discovery. The puzzles are also awesome because you either find something new or even if you don't, you know that something that will progress you to the end will have happened. The graphics are insanely good, mostly becuase its only a big bunching of snapshots, but everthing else makes up for it, the animations are like watching a movie. The number system on this game isn't so hard until you read Atrus' father's jounal and realize that the code in it contains numbers that arent directly accesible and you have to find out how the numbers themselves work. When I figured it I was ecstatic. All in all, this game is great but for people with short attention spans dont even think about this game, you wont like it. Bottom line: Great graphics, great story, great sound, great music, great puzzles, GREAT GAME!