Riven Review (Steam)

Riven Review, Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997. Who are the mysterious island dwellers you encounter during your exploration? What purpose does the giant golden dome serve? Why is this world on the verge of collapse? Play Riven and discover the answers to these mysteries- and more.

Riven Review Pros:

  • Beautiful graphics.
  • 22.89GB download size.
  • Steam achievements.
  • Full controller support.
  • Graphics settings – quality preset (balanced/visuals/performance/epic visuals).
  • VR support.
  • Advanced graphics – quality preset, View distance, shadows, anti-aliasing, textures, effects, foliage, post-processing, super sampling quality, super sampling method, resolution scale 3D, and frame rate limit.
  • Display settings – resolution, v-sync, and field of view slider.
  • Motion blur – on/off.
  • HDR support.
  • Controls settings – mouse cursor scale, Invert axis and sensitivity sliders, hand cursor, cursor options, and Haptic Feedback support.
  • Comfort settings – vehicle comfort, quick travel on ladders, and hide vehicle transitions.
  • In-game cutscenes and character interactions.
  • Top-class voice work.
  • Puzzle gameplay.
  • A full 3D game world with 360 camera control.
  • First-person view.
  • Excellent soundtrack.
  • Handy screenshot button.
  • Jaw-dropping visuals and locations.
  • Best played with headphones as the music and sound effects are minimal but truly impactful.
  • Very atmospheric.
  • Save and load when you want.
  • What the game nails is what you need in order to play the game well, the screenshot tool is a huge win because you can and are encouraged to take shots so you can use them to help solve puzzles.
  • Your hand cursor fades on and off the screen which keeps the immersion high.
  • There is very little in the way of hand-holding or guidance so it’s a proper old-school puzzle adventure.
  • It’s such a fascinating island to explore.
  • Using a walk-through is a totally valid way to play it part of the game is just the doing of actions and exploration.
  • It’s not just puzzles, it’s the peering through windows and changing the perspective to see something that keeps it not only fresh but maintains its depth.
  • Some of the best puzzles and solutions. (yeah it stresses you out and drives you mad but man does it make you tip your hat to it all).

Riven Review Cons:

  • Cannot remap the controller.
  • The mouse cursor stays on the screen when using a controller.
  • You cannot see your body or legs.
  • No matter the setting I always had little performance hiccups and slowdown.
  • Uses a lot of small text for subtitles and menus, the controller picture showing the buttons is really small and not ideal as it clashes with the background.
  • The game doesn’t give you any controller button prompts or even tell you what to press, instead, it just says to press the menu button or press the satchel button.
  • It feels like it’s a VR game first and a normal game second.
  • Invisible walls on ledges to stop you falling off which is both good and bad.
  • You cannot click an image and just scroll through them.
  • Little in the way of hand-holding or guidance.
  • The general use of the menus like the journal and bag is slow and cumbersome.

Related Post: Cyberpulse Review (Steam)

Riven:

Official website.

Developer: Cyan

Publisher: Cyan

Store Links –

Steam

  • 9/10
    Graphics - 9/10
  • 9/10
    Sound - 9/10
  • 8/10
    Accessibility - 8/10
  • 9/10
    Length - 9/10
  • 10/10
    Fun Factor - 10/10
9/10

Summary

Riven impresses with its beautiful graphics and immersive visuals, making the 22.89GB download size worthwhile. The game supports Steam achievements and full controller functionality, enhancing the overall experience. Players can adjust various graphics settings, including quality presets, view distance, shadows, anti-aliasing, textures, effects, foliage, post-processing, super sampling quality and method, resolution scale 3D, and frame rate limit. Display settings such as resolution, v-sync, and field of view slider are also customizable. Additionally, the game offers VR support, HDR support, and motion blur options. Control settings include mouse cursor scale, invert axis and sensitivity sliders, hand cursor options, and haptic feedback support. Comfort settings like vehicle comfort, quick travel on ladders, and hiding vehicle transitions add to the user-friendly experience.

The game features in-game cutscenes and character interactions, complemented by top-class voice work. The puzzle gameplay is engaging, set in a full 3D game world with 360-degree camera control and a first-person view. However, there are some drawbacks. Players cannot remap the controller, and the mouse cursor remains on the screen when using a controller. The absence of a visible body or legs can detract from the immersion. Performance issues such as hiccups and slowdowns are noticeable regardless of settings. The use of small text for subtitles and menus, along with a small controller picture that clashes with the background, can be problematic. The game lacks controller button prompts, only indicating to press the menu or satchel button, which can be confusing.

Riven feels more like a VR game adapted for regular play, with invisible walls on ledges to prevent falls, which can be both beneficial and frustrating. The inability to click and scroll through images, minimal hand-holding or guidance, and cumbersome menu navigation can hinder the experience. Despite these issues, the game excels in other areas. The soundtrack is excellent, and the handy screenshot button is a significant advantage, encouraging players to capture images to aid in puzzle-solving. The hand cursor fades in and out, maintaining immersion, and the atmospheric sound effects and music are best experienced with headphones. The game allows for saving and loading at any time, adding convenience.

In summary, Riven offers a visually stunning and atmospheric puzzle adventure with a fascinating island to explore. While it has its share of performance issues and usability drawbacks, the game’s strengths in graphics, sound, and immersive gameplay make it a compelling experience. The lack of guidance and the need for exploration and puzzle-solving without much hand-holding provide an old-school adventure feel. Despite some frustrations, the game’s depth and engaging puzzles make it a rewarding journey for players.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!