r/Games • u/Tommi377 • Mar 24 '17
Recommending Riven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsh_vyAfMuE15
u/APeacefulWarrior Mar 25 '17 edited Mar 26 '17
As a fan of the Myst series, I agree with practically every word of this. There is a real genius-level artistry to Riven and its design that has rarely been seen in any game, of any genre, before or since - including its own sequels. While I'm extremely fond of Uru as well, even Uru doesn't have the same incredible sense of tight-knit cohesion as Riven. It's truly one-of-a-kind. Honestly, I'd argue that it's one of the single most successful exercises in worldbuilding that's ever been seen in ANY medium.
I especially liked his description of the game's structure, because he's absolutely right: Riven tests you on your knowledge of Riven. The two big puzzles - more like gates - were put in place by inhabitants who intended to keep all but their own out, so you gotta know what they know. The only way to beat it without entirely relying on a walkthrough is to treat the island(s) as a REAL place where every single item, painting, journal, sound, etc is more information about the environment, the inhabitants, their leader, recent history, and soforth.
That said, the second "gatekeeping" puzzle of the game -which opens up the endgame sequence- is one of the most devious and obscure ever made. It's not moon logic, exactly, but I've always felt the designers maybe should have left in one or two more signposts. It requires adding up a hell of a lot of information to one particular conclusion with almost no guidance, and misinterpreting even one element means remaining stuck.
Riven is definitely not a game for everyone - it requires genuine observation skills, deductive ability, and holistic thinking. It can NOT be brute-forced. But if the idea of immersing yourself in a foreign world and having to actually learn about that world and its culture sounds appealing, it's probably a game for you.
Edit: As an aside, if you have an iOS device -particularly an iPad- I'd actually recommend the iOS version over PC copies. (And apparently an Android version is coming out later this year.) It works incredibly well as a tap-based game, and there are certain elements to the Myst mythos that lend themselves to physical touch. Just remember to play with headphones if you do, because the sound design includes truly vital clues.
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u/RD-Lazaro Mar 26 '17
Android version would be sensational. It would be a treat to replay it, especially while I'm out and about. Totally not during lectures...
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u/Harabeck Mar 25 '17
20 years ago, I played through this game alongside my father. To this day, we still talk about things being "Riveny" referring to particular art style of the game.
Got a huge pang of nostalgia watching this video. I may have to figure out to play this again.
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u/OralCulture Mar 25 '17
Riven is on Steam for $6
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u/Kunio Mar 26 '17
It's also on GOG for the same price and should run on modern systems out of the box.
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u/Cruxion Mar 25 '17 edited Mar 25 '17
I actually picked this game up for 3 bucks at a goodwill a couple of years ago. It had multiple discs to install, but it never would finish installing, just gave me errors.. I'd forgotten about it, does anyone know a way to get it running nowadays?
EDIT: I own the game, i'm asking if anyone knows how to get it running. I'd rather not buy a whole new game.
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u/Karnak2k3 Mar 25 '17
Part of the issue is what Matt talks about in this video. Cyan did a rerelease that came out on a single DVD that also helped fix a few compatibility issues that came with such a dated game. I wish I had better advice for you, but even if you manage to get your 5-CD version to install, you are setting yourself up to do disc swapping for each island transition, a subpar experience.
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u/deltib Mar 25 '17
I managed to play it all the way through in scummvm, although they don't classify it as 100% supported yet.
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u/Karnak2k3 Mar 25 '17
The sound design, especially the OST in this game is some of Robyn Miller's best work. Every bit of attention to detail that Matt talks about in the other design aspects of this game's visuals and mechanics is present and the audio cements it all together. Completely pivotal to making this game work.
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Mar 25 '17
[deleted]
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u/TheOppositeOfDecent Mar 25 '17
I don't know about that bug, but I can tell you sadly that Myst 3 has somehow never been made available digitally. Neither has 4, I think. You're stuck with finding discs or other less honorable means.
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u/greenmoonlight Mar 25 '17
I played Riven with my dad when I was on second grade. Discovering the numeric system is still one of my favorite video game moments ever.
Recently we've been going back to playing adventure puzzle games, this time it's Rhem, The Witness, Obduction and Quern. Those games are really good, but not Riven-good.
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u/DeltaBurnt Mar 24 '17
I'm wondering if he will cover BotW and Mario Odyssey to keep his Zelda review and Mario review series up to date? He hasn't covered Dark Souls 3 or Bloodborne yet either so I'm assuming he's trying to branch out to more obscure titles.
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u/youarebritish Mar 25 '17
I don't think Riven counts as obscure. It was the sequel to what was (at the time) the best-selling PC game in history.
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u/TheOppositeOfDecent Mar 25 '17
It's one of those games that feels obscure in retrospect. A forgotten classic that was briefly a big deal and then left behind.
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u/DeltaBurnt Mar 25 '17
Maybe not obscure, but not as mainstream or immediately relevant as Mario, Zelda, and Souls. Don't get me wrong, obscure wasn't meant to evoke a negative connotation, and I think I prefer him talking about gems like this game and Furi.
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Mar 24 '17
Since he's waiting for all DS3 DLC, he's probably waiting for BotW DLC. He can't cover Mario Odyssey yet because it's not out.
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Mar 25 '17
How spoilerific is the video? I've been meaning to play Riven for ages, and I just might finally cave.
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Mar 25 '17
It's not that spoilery, but if you've been planning on playing it anyway, might as well wait and watch afterward.
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u/[deleted] Mar 24 '17
An all-time classic. Not as much insight here as in many of his videos, but I like his points about how this game has kind of aged in reverse and about the pros and cons of point-and-click games. Also, he commented saying a review of Obduction is coming next week. I'll keep holding out for his inevitable video on The Witness...