Riven
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Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Riven
Riven is as impressive, immersive, and unmissable as it's ever been.
Riven is another beautifully assembled upgrade of a classic for Cyan Worlds, and it seems to play more wonderfully than ever. The puzzles and exploration feel immersive, even if it gets a bit unwieldy with a lot of back and forth between the islands as you come back to solve certain puzzles later. Even then, the returning Notebook system does a great job of aiding in the easy access of clues and information if you use it effectively. With that said, this is also just a beautiful game to explore and whether you’re a returning player or discovering Riven for the first time, it's likely to be a peaceful and intriguing experience.
Riven's remake is a successful one, albeit with a few perplexities in terms of graphics optimisation and NPC's rendering. However, if you never could stand the puzzles of the original version, you certainly won't change your mind today.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While Riven is difficult, Cyan Worlds has done a remarkable job remaking one of the most influential puzzle games of all time.
When Riven was first released in 1997 it was heralded as a majestic piece of art. Now almost 30 years later, Cyan Worlds returns to that world, bringing it to modern standards using the tools of today. Once again, they've created a majestic piece of art, and a world worth exploring all over again. It'll test your mind, it's a feast for your eyes and ears, and if you enjoy deep puzzles, it's a game you absolutely cannot miss.
Even in the era of remasters and remakes from famous studios, the updated Riven doesn't look like a gray mouse. It's a beautiful quest with a high-quality "facelift".
Review in Russian | Read full review
The Riven remake makes its return to the scene with absolute pomp, proving once again how much the journey is more important than the destination. The graphic modernization is illustrious and of absolute caliber, as well as everything else, elevated to the asymptote of wonder. It could involve both long-time enthusiasts and newbies.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If I could only pick one puzzle game to bring to a desert island, I probably would not choose Riven. Fortunately, that is not the case. It’s fascinating to see this missing link of game design. It’s nice to dig into some genuinely excellent writing and art. The puzzles are as opaque as they ever were, which is what a lot of people like about them. I think we need more remakes like Riven, that capture as much as they can about how games felt back then. That’s how we move forward, that’s how games get even better.
