Differences between Riven 1997 and Riven 2024

[jwsstuff1]

There are a lot of differences, many improvements and some debatable changes and we can discuss them if you like but one thing I wanted to mention is the freedom the remake gives us to explore the world even after you do everything to get to the good ending. I replayed the original and noticed that once you do everything needed, the world basically resets and pretty much forces you to the ending. For example, the Tram button on Temple island no longer works, the catwalk inside the gold dome on Temple island is now retracted so once you link back to Temple island you have no choice but to solve for the ending.

[jwsstuff1]

Originally posted by Eldin:

I do suggest owning both so you get the best of both worlds. Classic still holds up extremely well.

Absolutely! Everyone that bought the remake should get the original also.

[slider86]

Originally posted by Eldin:

I do suggest owning both so you get the best of both worlds. Classic still holds up extremely well.

Classic will always be the go to as it's the way the game was originally intended.

[slider86]

Originally posted by Eldin:

The Easter Eggs were awesome and fun to discover. I get the feeling after Riven with the change of companies that sort of stops and then it gets weird with Cyan picking up at last game. No negative to devs intended. Just feels like a strange break to me with someone different doing 3 and 4 that it loses all feelings when compared to the magnificence of Riven.

I felt the third and fourth game were good continuations. It's the fifth game and Uru where it all went to pot.

[Hellish Fiend]

Originally posted by Eldin:

The Easter Eggs were awesome and fun to discover. I get the feeling after Riven with the change of companies that sort of stops and then it gets weird with Cyan picking up at last game. No negative to devs intended. Just feels like a strange break to me with someone different doing 3 and 4 that it loses all feelings when compared to the magnificence of Riven.

Originally posted by slider86:

Classic will always be the go to as it's the way the game was originally intended.

They dont talk about it often (maybe it's a sore spot for them) but I believe it has been mentioned that they originally outsourced 3 (and perhaps 4 as well?) due to the work they were pouring into what was going to be Uru Live, at the time.

[jwsstuff1]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

They dont talk about it often (maybe it's a sore spot for them) but I believe it has been mentioned that they originally outsourced 3 (and perhaps 4 as well?) due to the work they were pouring into what was going to be Uru Live, at the time.

Yes that is exactly right. Myst 3 was developed by Presto Studios and published by Ubisoft with Myst 4 produced entirely by Ubisoft. I believe I heard somewhere that in hindsight Cyan said they would have done it differently.

[Prisoner416]

I don't understand the people that claim this is the better version. Graphically, it excels. IF you want logical consistency and good story, please play the 97 build first.

[slider86]

Originally posted by Prisoner416:

I don't understand the people that claim this is the better version. Graphically, it excels. IF you want logical consistency and good story, please play the 97 build first.

I agree.

[PlutoniumBoss]

Originally posted by Prisoner416:

I don't understand the people that claim this is the better version. Graphically, it excels. IF you want logical consistency and good story, please play the 97 build first.

I think that both versions have their high points and it's worth playing both. But since I played the original first before this version, I can't speak for the experience of playing the remake first and then the original. Unless I get amnesia, I will never have that experience, so I have no way of comparing.

[pintype]

For me the new version's changes were fantastic, I think the game really excelled at feeling both nostalgic and newly exciting at the same time. That's no small feat! How lovely to feel both the thrill of discovery and the fondness of memory. Well done.

The new version meets new audiences where they are while providing new challenges to players like me. I loved it!