Thank you Cyan!! (contains spoilers)

[Erik]

Thank you so much for this amazing remake, Cyan! I hadn't thought a true 3D Riven would ever be realised, so the announcement came as a big surprise and now I can say you surpassed all my expectations!

What I love is that it's really the Riven we know. It looks just like you would expect it to look like. And at the same time, there are changes and new areas... but it almost feels like they were always there!

Just some things I liked: (I'm probably forgetting stuff!)

- I like how immediately at the start some puzzles were subtly different (like the hinge and the location of the spider chair). It set the tone that we are re-exploring Riven with fresh eyes.
- Destroying the walkway between Temple Island and Boiler Island - the animations are just great!
- It was great to see someone climb into the submarine and drive away. It left me wondering where in the original, and how, one gets into the submarine - I'd forgotten about that part. I think the cave where you find the submarine is awesome. Especially seeing more of the underwater world, with a baby sunner swimming by as one exits the cave. :)
- I actually liked how some puzzles were simplified. Like not having to map out the submarine tracks, but being able to just select a stop. In today's world, with so many distractions, people have a shorter attention span and I think it's good that Cyan took that into account to attract new audiences.
- I was looking for the little pins on the dome to open the Whark totem - I remember how proud I was when I discovered those pins in the original game, ha ha! But I appreciate and like the fact that they're not there anymore and that this area becomes available later in the game. It led me to approach the game in a fresh way: how to move forward?
- Wow, what a surprise that there was new area leading to Gehn's lab!! The new music track in that area actually reminded me of Obduction's sound track, exploring the Mayor's office. It's funny, that Obduction as a spiritial successor of Myst, actually influences an older game (Riven). At least in my mind. :-)
- Funny that the stove from Cyan's lab in the original Riven can be found beneath the ladder. Nice reference to the classic Riven.
- The Starry Expanse beneath the domes was another big surprise. Though it also reminded me of Ahnonay and Firmament (spoilers about other Cyan games) a bit too much maybe? And I was wondering why the Stranger could enter there without being transported back to Earth? How deep should one go into the Star Fissure before being teleported? It feels like a risk to have the Stranger go into the Star Fissure. But in general I welcomed this change of the puzzles and having another way to navigate between the islands early on in the game.
- I completely missed the new area in Prison Island! Very nice. I had to get some hints for that. Was it too hard to find this area? Or was it just the fact that you don't expect anything to be there, knowing the original Riven, and that's why I didn't pay enough attention?
- Seeing more of Tay...
- Exploring the exterior of the 233rd Age!
- The imager with Keta, Aitrus and Ti'ana... Funny that the control panel resembles a CD tray (you have to re-insert the tray before it works). Also, the effort that Cyan took to record Aitrus and Ti'ana leads me to think... is Cyan going to explore the Aitrus/Ti'ana story in more detail in the future? Was this a little teaser to what's coming next?? :D

Most of all... where with games such as Obduction and Firmament one could see that budget constraints had led to downsized areas or compromises, I never felt this anywhere in Riven. It has truly received the love and attention for detail that one would hope for. I don't think it could be any better... it feels like this is Riven as it should be!

Thank you so much!!!

[Gargish🐸]

Instead of starting a new thread, I'll just say I fully agree. It felt like the original Riven with no sacrifice to Graphics quality and navigating in 3d through the environments was great. With major puzzles completely different there was a lot to discover. The new animal puzzle reminded me a lot of another famous puzzle game. My expectations of the remake were fully satisfied. So, well done Cyan!

[Just Chill]

Originally posted by Gargish🐸:

The new animal puzzle reminded me a lot of another famous puzzle game.

Well getting some symbols (in this case animals) from various locations reminds me about Myst III Exile.
Where the goal of each Age was to unlock a special symbol moving closer to Narayan.

Brad Dourif did such a wonderful job playing Saavedro. <3



Initially I wasn't that keen about, but I am also happy about the new puzzles and the graphics.
Despite I somewhat miss the FMVs and actors. But unfortunately it seems that upscaling wouldn't work that well. :(

[Halloween Jack]

Originally posted by Erik:

(Riven) has truly received the love and attention for detail that one would hope for. I don't think it could be any better... it feels like this is Riven as it should be!
Thank you so much!!!

Thank you for these kind words, Erik. Have you thought about leaving a review?

[Hellish Fiend]

We probably should have a thread like this, where people can post their reviews here, for the ones that dont get much exposure in the Store. Here's mine:
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https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197996559674/recommended/1712350?snr=1_5_9__402

10/10 Would pay full price for 3 or 4 re-releases, ports, and multi-DVD collections again!

This is both the remake we wanted AND the remake we needed!

The remake we wanted:
The same iconic color palette
The same iconic sound effects
The original Gehn voice lines
The same feel and atmosphere
Full, (mostly) uninterrupted 360 degree exploration of our favorite puzzle game

The remake we needed:
Reimagining of many of the puzzles and a new one or two to make it fresh
Fixed a few weak areas of the original plot (involving some puzzle placement and zoning mechanics)
A startling and awe-inspiring new area that fits in with thematic perfection
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[Just Chill]

Originally posted by Halloween Jack:

Thank you for these kind words, Erik. Have you thought about leaving a review?

Done.
https://steamcommunity.com/id/JustChillPlays/recommended/1712350/

Even though I was quite honest. :P

[HoboG]

These are nitpicks, this game is 10/10 to me despite these:
The loading screen in the game opening breaks immersion, it'd be good to eliminate it to have the same seamless opening as Riven 97 (is it possible to have the Riven map preload before this moment?).
I needed a walkthrough to point me to bust the gate hinge on Temple Island.
The music for the marble-sourcing area on Boiler Island was too obduction in style, I need the oboe and xylophone etc to keep me immersed in riven, no piano. The marble crib there was oddly gothic in aesthetic too.
The Riven 97 video transitions were slower than they are. Some of the current ones are a little too fast, like the one between Temple and Jungle Island.
I miss the siren-sounding of the watchtowers of jungle island, and running into people in the jungle. In Riven 97 the encounters with people are mostly repeatable.
The eyes on the 3d characters are too uniformly bright

Praise:
The fire-marble processing on Boiler island is so extra for being so completely fleshed-out and detailed and I love it so much.
I got a good laugh out of destroying the bridge.