It’s been almost three decades since Myst follow-up Riven was released, and for lovers of the iconic puzzle exploration game, here’s some great news. You no longer need to blow the dust off your five-disk Riven CD-ROM boxset to play it, as developers Cyan Worlds have released a new shiny remake that's out now on Steam. You can see the glow-up in all its glory in the trailer below:
This new version of Riven has been described by Cyan as a “from-the-ground-up” remake of the original. Changes include revamped puzzles, new characters, expanded storylines, and real-time 3D movement (this is a big'un as the original would only let you move between static scenes). It sounds like a huge overhaul, but you can expect Riven to maintain some of its authentic charm as several of the original game's devs also worked on this new version.
Originally released back in 1997, Riven: The Sequel to Myst was released as...well, the sequel to 1993’s Myst. Over the years, Cyan has focused primarily on Myst, with plenty of direct sequels, remasters, and remakes (the most recent being the 2021 remake). Aside from a port to Steam, Riven never received the same treatment, at least, not from Cyan. A faithful remake had been in the works for over a decade from a group of dedicated Riven fans. The Starry Expanse Project (also known as realRiven) stopped after Cyan announced an official remake in 2022, but the effort did not go unnoticed. In an open letter addressed to Riven fans, Cyan acknowledged the project's work and even hired one of the group’s members to work on the remake.
I played a bit of Myst years ago, but quickly dropped off it. But as a big fan of Myst-likes - The Witness, The Talos Principle and the like - I'm keen to try Riven, which looks much more approachable than its predecessor. It's also been getting some positive reviews from critics, continuing to make 2024 an incredible year for puzzle games.
You can find the Riven remake on Steam, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest 3. If you’re interested to see how far the game has come, Riven: The Sequel to Myst is also available to play on Steam.
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