Riven Remake PS5 Review – To The Rescue

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Playing the new version of Riven by Cyan Worlds is mostly a joy, even if the game’s world can be mysterious and challenging. It updates the graphics while perfectly capturing what makes a classic point-and-click adventure great. As a sequel to Myst, it’s more ambitious and expansive – but does that make it a better game?

It’s not a simple yes or no answer. While Riven is a fantastic game that’s remained popular for nearly thirty years, it does have some drawbacks that prevent it from being better than the original. I know that might sound surprising, but let’s start by looking at what Riven does well.

Your journey starts with a difficult beginning: you’re immediately imprisoned by someone you can’t even communicate with.

The story of Riven takes you to a crumbling world of the same name, set in the Fifth Age. Here, Catherine – Atrus’s wife from the original Myst – is imprisoned by Gehn, Atrus’s father. This creates an interesting reversal of the first game’s plot, where you saved Atrus. It seems Atrus comes from a very complicated family, and it’s your job to try and fix things.

It’s much harder than it sounds, however. Gehn is a cunning villain who’s anticipating Atrus’s arrival in Riven with a Linking Book, hoping to use it to escape and abandon the Age to its ruin. He’s been making changes that are slowly destroying Riven, and Atrus can only helplessly watch from a distance, deeply concerned for his wife.

Everything shifted when you arrived on Myst. Now, Atrus is counting on you to fix things, and he’s sent you to Riven without a way back. You’re stuck until you locate Catherine, stop Gehn, and signal Atrus for rescue. However, things quickly become complicated. The outcome depends on the choices you make, adding layers to the story and making the game highly replayable.

The game starts with you immediately imprisoned by someone you can’t understand. Luckily, you’re saved by a shadowy Assassin, who unfortunately dies in the process. From there, you’re on your own, exploring the intricate islands of Riven. Each island is filled with puzzles and machines you’ll need to solve and understand. Unlike some other games, there’s no central base to return to – you’ll be traveling constantly between different areas as you piece together the secrets of Riven.

The game is captivatingly enigmatic, and the updated graphics really make Riven feel alive, showcasing the power of modern gaming systems.

While the puzzles and environments in Myst were challenging, Riven is even more difficult. It features complex structures with interconnected rooms and machines that can easily leave new players lost and confused for hours. I consider myself good at game puzzles, but Riven is one of those games that really makes you want to have a guide or walkthrough available.

Riven is captivating and enigmatic, and the updated graphics truly bring the world to life with modern technology. Like its predecessor, Myst, the game doesn’t offer any hints or obvious solutions to its puzzles. However, Riven takes things further; its puzzles are so complex and detailed that you can clearly see the game’s grand scope in every clever device you interact with.

While Riven’s grand scope is impressive, making it feel much larger than Myst and offering a fairly straightforward path through a new world with optional backtracking for extra lore, this ambition also carries a risk. The game could become so challenging that players get discouraged and stop playing.

While Myst also presented a challenge, its puzzles feel straightforward compared to this game. Like Myst, Riven doesn’t offer much guidance, and it’s likely to be too difficult for many players. A lot of people might start playing out of curiosity, but quickly become frustrated when the game doesn’t respond to their efforts to find Gehn and Catherine.

Riven remains a beloved game, and this version is the best way to experience it – if you’re up for a real challenge!

If you persevere, you’ll soon encounter amazing sights that will spark your imagination, showcasing the incredible power of Atrus and Gehn. The game is engaging enough to keep you hooked, constantly tempting you to solve its puzzles and overcome the challenges presented by each island.

I’ve found both Riven and its earlier game lacking in challenge beyond the puzzles. While a traditional combat system might not fit well with the point-and-click style, I would have liked to feel some sense of danger while exploring the islands. Early in the game, I saw creatures that looked threatening, which raised my expectations, but they mostly ignored me and went back to sleep – it was a little disappointing.

Even now, Riven remains a distinctive game and successfully builds upon the foundation laid by Myst. However, whether it’s worth playing today depends on your preferences. If you’re seeking action and thrills in a fantastical setting, this isn’t the game for you.

If you’re looking for a game that takes a simple idea and makes it feel magical and fun, with plenty of reasons to play it again and again, you’ll really enjoy this one. It’s sure to provide hours of entertainment.

Overall, Riven and the Myst series offer a nostalgic experience that dedicated fans and players with unique preferences might enjoy. However, most gamers probably won’t find enough depth to fully invest in it, despite its potential as a truly great game. It’s unfortunate, but it reflects how gaming has evolved since Riven was first released.

Should you buy this game at full price? Honestly, unless you don’t mind a lot of quiet, it’s probably best to wait for a sale. It’s still worth playing, especially if you’re willing to use a guide, but whether you’ll enjoy it depends on if you play it as intended. Your enjoyment will really depend on you.

Riven remains a beloved game, and this version is the best way to experience its challenging puzzles and immersive world.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2026-06-01 18:42