Rating: 
Summary: Riven
Review: Riven is a fun game, and you have to be observant and have a good memory to beat it. Some things are a little too hidden - the only reason I found one thing is because I read the cheat book (shh! don't tell!) The one big difference between this and Myst, I'd say, is that while I found Myst peaceful and tranquil in it's loneliness, this one was almost creepy. You know there are people there, but they shut the door on you and you're constantly going into dark, dank rooms that, frankly, creep the living daylights out of me. It was also easier to get from world to world than Myst - I still have to look in the cheat book for Myst to get off the main island. (No, shut up! I know I'm stupid!) Overall, a really good game, but don't play it after seeing a scary movie or at 1 A.M. You'll constantly be looking over your shoulder for some native with a knife.
Rating: 
Summary: Tranquil, Peaceful, Phenomenal!
Review: Clear and breath taking! Truly a work of art! I fell into the world and enjoyed it's beautifully creative puzzles. The natural scenery was so realistic that I found that between sessions of playing the game and for sometime afterward, whenever I stood in a natural setting, I felt like I was back in the game! Awesome!
Rating:
Summary: Probably the best game I've ever played.
Review: In both Myst and Riven you are dropped into an alien world with no idea what is going on, what you are supposed to do, or how to start "playing." The best you can do is stumble around and try to figure out what happened to you -- which puts you directly into the character the game designers created. The incredible graphics and sound of this game (DO play with the best headphones you have if you don't have fantastic speakers) divorce you from the real world and draw you into Riven -- you can be paralyzed with fear, incredibly nervous, or totally overjoyed within seconds of starting play. The emotional effect this game had on me is shocking -- there were points when I was so scared I had to turn the sound off and remind myself that I was not, in fact, about to be eaten. Riven is different from myst in that there are animals and people -- you are not the only thing alive in this world (save those two butterflies in Myst, it was just you). None of these animals (or people) attack you -- there's no fighting in this game -- but their presence creates a feeling of danger as well as eerieness that myst lacked. Later on you do have the opportunity to interact with people, and you can die -- but, as in Myst, in these later stages it is not too difficult to pick the correct action. The puzzles are harder than those in myst, but less arbitrary; luck plays a smaller part, and logic a larger one. It is possible to get incredibly frustrated, or stuck in the position of going over the same ground dozens (or hundreds) of times and not seeing anything new; when this happens, take a long break. The answers are never too hard to find. The details and story are much richer than in myst, and the world is much more explorable; there are a couple of notable exceptions, however, when I would have killed to be able to explore further in a particular direction. There are a couple of misleading dead ends as well, but for the most part the puzzle design isn't too cruel. As with Myst, play with everything and write it all down; Riven gives you the added bonus of being able to see and understand the people who inhabit its world and apply this reference to the puzzles.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful graphics, frustrating game
Review: I totally agree with the person who wrote: "If, like me, you want a game to surround you with an active, vibrant plot revealed by characters of substance, Riven isn't much of an adventure."I can't find adventure in this game at all, just frustration. There's nothing to do but gather hints and eventually free a missing person. Be prepared to walk around beautifully designed landscapes devoid of life, feeling VERY lonely - a feeling that is strongly supported by sounds and music. You encounter a few creatures on your path, but you can't ommunicate with them. You are supposed to learn about and to use an "alien technology" all by yourself. So you push buttons and pull levers someplace, and if you're very smart or very lucky, you find out exactly what they do - probably on one of the other islands. I find this game very frustrating. I wish there was something elso to do but walk around the same places over and over again in search of the tiny hint I MUST have overlooked - because otherwise I wouldn't be stuck, right? Even the most breathtaking sights become boring after two dozen times.
Rating:
Summary: At first I hated it...
Review: ... I had no clue what I was doing, was hopelessly stuck, and was in general LOST. But then the other day it started coming together for me. I started figuring out what I needed to do and what the nature of the puzzles were. They're not all in one place as in you have to pass one to get to another. Yes, the graphics are lovely, the sound effects are dead-on REAL, the music (when it appears) is fitting. But it's how different this is from everything else I've ever played! Though I was sooo lost at first, now I'm having a blast and don't want it to end. To play Riven you have to be OBSERVANT, patient, and tireless. Don't be in a hurry to finish or you'll just get frustrated like I did and will give up before even getting into it. If that sounds like you then this game is IT. It works on your mind like few other computer games do and you really really have to think to get it. If you like being around other characters, violence, and fast action, or archade style games, don't even spend a dime on Riven. If you like being able to completely explore a world without barriers save logistic ones, puzzle-solving, using your powers of observation then RUN and get this cuz you'll love it! For those out there playing it or thinking of playing it, I recommend taking notes (you'll know when) and making several copies of games as you go. As in use your "Save as" command. Not like you'll get stuck irrevocably as in other games but it makes it easier to go back and look at something you missed as you proceed. Minuses are that I wish there was more constant music in the background since it's lovely music. It seems to come and go when you enter certain area. And that the transitions from screen to screen were a bit smoother in places. But that's it. Reason I didn't give it 5 stars is cuz I'm not done yet :)
Rating:
Summary: Buitufull
Review: This game was, well, it is hard to explain how real itis. There is no violence. The idea of it all is enchanting. The wholegame I actually thought I was there. One point I tried speaking to a young girl that you find wondering, yes, it is that real. END
Rating:
Summary: atmospheric excellence
Review: Yes, the graphics, music and puzzles are engaging. I've never experienced anything like them. What really sets Riven apart from other games, though, in my opinion, is the eerie and magical feeling that the combination of these elements invoke starting with the very first scene. It may make you a little melancholy when you finally have to leave it behind.
Rating:
Summary: Diffecult but not Impossible, maybe....
Review: I just finished Riven and it was one of the most exciting games I have ever played, if not the most. The graphics were superb and I felt like I was on a roller-coaster ride many times. The puzzles were diffecult, but I got through the majority of them with only a few hints, but I'm not sure I could have done it without help. I'm really looking forward to whatever sequel RedOrb has in mind. It will be at the top of my list as soon as it is released. Check out the web site on the Riven box for input and help, but then if you are as into puzzles as Riven fans are, you don't need that hint. Go for it. Give your imagination some exercise.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing...
Review: I can sum this game up in one word...AMAZING! The graphics and worlds are unbelivable. There is no violence, or anything like that in the game. Don't worry about difficult controls either. All you need to know is just how to point and click. The plot is great and you'll find yourself begin to be pulled into the world of Riven. You may want to play the game before you buy it.Some of the puzzles may be a little hard. OK!what am I saying!I couldn't beat it without a guide. Lots and lots of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing to say the least...
Review: Artistically, this is one of the best computer games on the planet. The graphics are eye-popping, and made me feel like I was really in the Age of Riven. My only complaint about this game (if it can even be called something so trivial) is that the puzzles are near-impossible. Beating the game without tips requires a huge amount of intelligence, and requires you to learn a foreign number system as well. But whether you have to use "tips" and "cheats" or not, make sure you don't miss the ending. It is fantastic.
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