Welcome to the world of Riven, or if you’re familiar with the point-and-click puzzle series, welcome back. VR is a platform prone to help revive decades old franchises, and that is exactly the case with the latest offering from developer, Cyan. This mystifying experience was first introduced to gamers in 1997, as a sequel to Myst, which was also given the VR and console treatment in 2020.
Cyan has since remade Riven to revive the love for a game that many might have forgotten, while reinventing the title enough to keep returning players interested. As someone who had never experienced a game in the Myst series before, I was curious to dive into this world that holds a special place in the hearts of several nostalgic gamers. However, I was left with one question, whether this title could live up to the years of hype in a VR format?
Riven is out now and available on PC, Mac, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest 3 for $34.99.
Riven Jumps the Track When Transferred to VR
As the medium continues to gain momentum, I think it’s important to say that not every game needs a VR remake. There are plenty of classics that can stand the test of time being played the way they were intended. While video game advancement is good and it’s important to avoid redundancies, not everything needs the 21st Century remix. So with that in mind I’m going to be blunt, I think Riven is one of those games.
As previously mentioned, I was unfamiliar with this series, but with the use of my untrained eye, I also had the 30,000-foot perspective. After my playthrough, I’m convinced this is a console/PC game through and through. VR just isn’t adding the extra kick to make it worth the remodel.
I reviewed Riven on Meta Quest 2, so I can’t speak for the Quest 3 users out there, but the very first thing I noticed was how slowly I progressed through the game. And I’m not talking about tricky puzzles or staggered movements, I’m talking about staring at a loading screen for five minutes waiting to play the game. And default settings that make the mine cart and roller coaster travel all loading screens, so if you want to enjoy half of the fun of the game in VR, you need to pay close attention. I did not realize this travel setting until after I played, and in a game like this, the travel not be hidden away options.
Aside from slow travel, the way you interact with the world in Riven is increasingly frustrating in VR. Imagine trying to stop a device at a very precise point, but every other time you go to hit the button your hand phases through without making any contact. This happened a lot. There is also the matter of the Riven Journal, and other reading material that is scattered across the islands. When you’re playing on a flat screen it’s easy, but with VR goggles you’re constantly having to tilt your head to make the words clear enough to read. Since Riven often relies on these writings to explain the lore more than character interactions, it can become overwhelming. In VR you want to be constantly moving, seeing new things, not sitting on your living room floor getting finger cramps while trying to read 20 pages of lab results.
There is also the problem of making notes while playing in VR. You can take screenshots and add them to your notebook for future use, but it’s not the same as writing down your steps as you play. When it comes to a quality puzzle experience, which I do believe is the case with Riven, you want to be able to make notes easily to avoid constantly retracing your steps. There’s certainly the option of taking your headset off every time you find something notable, but that’s going to get old fast. If there had been a way to take notes in the game that were more than just screenshots, it would have been much more immersive and slightly less painstaking.
As far as the narrative itself, I left the game feeling more confused than anything. Riven feels like a game meant to be played after exploring Myst, so if you’re looking into trying out this franchise I recommend starting from the beginning. I knew the basic idea of Atrus’ quest to free Catherine and capture Gehn, but I was lost as to the context of everything. Perhaps this is how the original 1997 version played out, but in reviving a game that’s this old, it wouldn’t hurt to consider the new players.
I know in making this statement there are going to be gamers who strongly disagree with me in saying this, and that’s okay, but I believe Riven is a bit too dull for VR as well. When you’re playing a puzzle game, you might see the same location a dozen times, and you want to be looking at something really cool while doing that. So much of Riven is barren rock, ocean, and metal that leaves much to be desired. There are certainly neat spots like the Starry Expanse or parts of Jungle Island, but the rest feels very much the same.
You May Be Right Riven, I May Be Crazy
I will refrain from making the negative aspects of Riven the sole purpose of this review because I do feel that playing on Quest 2 left a bit of a bad taste. The puzzles are excellent and hold up well considering many of them appear to be similar to those in the original. One thing I truly love about Riven is the way you can explore the world in a non-linear fashion.
Upon completing the initial steps and getting started, the player is free to roam about the world and explore locations in their own way. If you find a puzzle you just can’t figure out, usually there is something else you can work on while thinking it through. This is so much better than the alternative, where if you stay stuck for long enough, the inevitable burnout with take hold.
The puzzles offer quite a bit of variety, and certain points (like the Moiety Gateroom in my case) will leave you scratching your head for some time before finally figuring it out. Not every challenge is going to make you work hard to get to the next stage, but don’t expect to stride through the game either. It is well-balanced in that sense and is stronger for it. Riven also isn’t in the business of giving you hints or many clues, so if you’re one of those puzzle gamers looking to avoid any help, this is one to check out.
Although its setting is not the picture of beauty, the graphics themselves held up well, and there were very few rendering issues that would draw the curtains of immersion. There were a few times if the character was moving quickly it might take a moment for a wall or rock texture to appear, but this is pretty standard for VR and shouldn’t be as much of an issue on the Quest 3. And the game performs well from a technical standpoint, with no clipping or crashing to report in my time with it.
Is Riven Worth Your Time and Energy?
The Riven remake, as it stands, is a decent puzzle adventure that will likely challenge most of its players. If the original is a beloved memory in your life, and playing it in VR will elevate that nostalgic experience, then absolutely take the win. But for the average consumer, with no skin in the game, this feels like a mid-range option for VR, and my final score reflects that. The ordinary player will likely get just as much enjoyment out of this title on their PC, as they would in VR.
The VR market is already filled with two things: remakes and puzzle games. There are a plethora of other options that will satisfy your desire for a good challenge and excellent immersion while also providing a more complete story.
I do hope to see additional games from Cyan, and I truly wish the team great success, there’s just no getting past the unnecessary VR elephant in the room.
Riven – 5/10
