The famous exploration-puzzle game Myst received its big HD-remake treatment in 2020, and now the sequel Riven, originally released in 1997, is next. The developer Cyan previously announced that they're planning to release the Riven remake before the end of 2024, and they've just debuted a new trailer, finally showing off some gameplay in this old world that's been rebuilt from the ground up with shiny modern graphics. Check out the new trailer below:
This is the first footage we've seen from inside the newly-revamped game world of Riven, with the initial reveal trailer essentially just serving as an announcement. The new gameplay preview walks us through a few different rooms, showcasing some of the arcane puzzle-contraptions the series is known for. Here's the basic description from the game's Steam page:
“Thank God you’ve returned… I need your help.”
With these words, Atrus asks you to undertake a perilous mission where your success is far from assured. Travel to Riven, a mysterious island-filled land on the verge of collapse, to rescue Atrus’ wife, Catherine. She is being held captive by Gehn, Atrus’ father and the self-declared overlord of Riven. Explore Riven, solve puzzles to reveal its mysteries, find Catherine, and make your escape. Having never played the original Riven this is all new to me, but for many these names, locations and devices may be very recognizable. Speculating about this new game is an interesting case where we actually have lots of data points: in addition to the original game, we can look at the 2020 Myst remake, as well as Cyan's 2023 title Firmament, an exploration puzzle game with a similar overall vibe, to sort of triangulate what we might expect from this new version of Riven.
One big feature being advertised is that the new Riven will allow you to explore the world with "free movement through a real-time 3D environment", as opposed to the point-and-click style of the original, which would teleport you from one static scene to the next. Apparently the game is also expanding on the old mysteries and lore, giving veteran fans some new content to look forward to, but there's not much info yet on how extensive these completely new elements will be.
You can wishlist the Riven remake on Steam now in anticipation of its 2024 release for PC, Mac and VR platforms.
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