Product Description
Enter a deceptively beautiful world torn apart by age-old conflicts, where secrets lie hidden at every turn, and nothing is as it seems. You must search, you must explore, you must learn the truth.Amazon.com Product Description
Prepare to enter a world “torn asunder” by timeless, unresolved conflicts–a world of incomparable beauty, intrigue, and betrayal. Prepare to go to Riven. Journey through vast, awe-inspiring landscapes, where clouds sit nestled in a… More >>
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: 4 / 5
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: 5 / 5
… 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: 4 / 5
What a truly incredible, fun, graphically gorgeous, complicated, frustrating, rewarding experience. I recommend Riven without hesitation to anyone looking for a challenging & totally non-violent game. The puzzles are clever, the ‘story’ is intriguing, you will be totally hooked. Good for any age but younger kids (less than 10) will probably get too frustrated (see “The Manhole” for them, aslo by Broderbund I think).
Rating: 5 / 5
Everybody sais this game is tricky. I must say this was harder than MYST, but I love there games. The graphics were so amazing. At some point you would feel scared because no one is there to help you. You are deserted in this game. I had the soulutions gide, but I only used the part that just told you what you had to acomplish. If you use to much of the book it will be not much fun because you will rely on the book so much. I liked how Ghen has his own “age”. All of the diffrent adventures are difficult. When you first start the game, and you look around, it may seem overwhelming to you, but things will unfold. I thought learning about the Dn’i numbers were pretty neat. What the secret of this game is, is to always take notes and save the game. You never know what will happen. You must also have patience to finish this game because it will get very hard at times. When those times happen, it would be a good idea to look at the hint book. I would recomend the stratagy guide because it will tell you what you will have to do to go on to the next level. MYST did not have the great suspense as RIVEN does, but it sure has the adventure. I would strongly suggest that you compleat MYST before you move on because some of the stuff will not make any sense. I have just ordered MYST 3:EXILE-COLLECTER’S EDITION. If you have an old computer, it probably won’t work. Hope you enjoy the world of RIVEN!(it you liked my review, please hit “yes” below, thanks!)
Rating: 5 / 5