LOPcagney Posted January 23, 2008 Riven's feels a good deal more (gah I can't think of the word) inhabited than all the other games I've played. Later Myst games (3+4) became obsessed with inventing far-out, unbelievable worlds, and while they are often interesting, the fact that Riven represented a single cohesive ecosystem as well as a civilization with it's own history, religion, and architecture made it so much deeper than the other Myst games, including the first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted January 23, 2008 LOPcagney said: Riven's feels a good deal more (gah I can't think of the word) inhabited than all the other games I've played. Later Myst games (3+4) became obsessed with inventing far-out, unbelievable worlds, and while they are often interesting, the fact that Riven represented a single cohesive ecosystem as well as a civilization with it's own history, religion, and architecture made it so much deeper than the other Myst games, including the first. We may feel almost the same way here (although I wouldn't feel an apostrophe in the "it's"). While the linking makes it easy to take you to crazy, awesome places, it also sort of amplifies the "unrealness" of it. You never link during the "main game" in Riven, and one of the absolutely coolest things about Riven is that I can feel the size of the islands. If I find a place with a good view, I can see almost the whole game area. This is where the game takes place, this is the place I'd lose a leg to get to explore for the first time again. I like how the puzzles are realistic, not in every sense, but in the physical sense. It's steam and pipes and powers, levers and machines, creaky, old rubber, moving, scraping stone, dusty metal reflecting the sun, and it's so fucking awesome. Sometimes, when I'm somewhere I've never been before (in real life), and it's serene, beautiful and somehow fascinating, I instantly think of Riven. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mel Posted January 24, 2008 I loved the idea of how you travelled between islands in Riven and the way Reveal hidden contents the water had a space in it for the tunnel. I also loved poking throuhg Gehn's lab and finding the hidden areas that you needed to go. Reveal hidden contents I missed a vital door because I didn't close the main door in order to see it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duncan Posted January 24, 2008 Mel said: Reveal hidden contents I missed a vital door because I didn't close the main door in order to see it. I think, in a way, that was the best puzzle in the whole game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LOPcagney Posted January 24, 2008 Mel said: I loved the idea of how you travelled between islands in Riven I'm a little bit of a Riven fanatic. A couple years ago I picked up the Riven artbook from ebay and the the fiction is really cool. Minor, minor, minor spoilers: Reveal hidden contents The whole idea behind Riven is that Gehn, Atrus' father was unable to write worlds that were stable. That's why all the ages in Riven are in some state of decay. With Riven itself, the 5 islands are constantly drifting apart, to the flexible rails that you use to get from one to another allow for the islands to drift farther and father apart without destroying bridges or anything like that. What makes Riven so great is how logically everything works together to create a believable world. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted January 28, 2008 I just finished the Spire Age in Myst IV, and it still amazes me how incredibly complex and satisfying the puzzles in these games are. There are puzzles within puzzles, and that a light goes on or something moves when you push a button doesn't always mean you did the right thing. You have to observe all these crazy devices and mechanisms, try to find out what they do, find out you were wrong, look around some more and wham, you suddenly figure out some part of the big puzzle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manny_c44 Posted January 29, 2008 toblix said: I just finished the Spire Age in Myst IV, and it still amazes me how incredibly complex and satisfying the puzzles in these games are. There are puzzles within puzzles, and that a light goes on or something moves when you push a button doesn't always mean you did the right thing. You have to observe all these crazy devices and mechanisms, try to find out what they do, find out you were wrong, look around some more and wham, you suddenly figure out some part of the big puzzle. I agree the games' logic and structure have a certain appeal. But I just wasn't able to get into Riven. The navigation was just too confusing for me at times, which is why I liked IV more than the rest, you could easily place yourself topographically by just freely looking around and movement wasn't a chore. Just trying to get to places in Riven could be a pain, with all of the screen loading, disc swapping, and same-looking corridors. (Well the disc swapping and loading were probably remedied in the later releases). Toblix, seeing as you're a real fan of the series do you think Myst V is worth looking in to? I enjoyed IV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderPeel2001 Posted January 30, 2008 I really disliked Riven, which is odd, because I really liked Myst. Hmph! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toblix Posted September 28, 2009 So some guy travelled to Riven with a camcorder: ZmDhRvvs5Xw Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Irishjohn Posted September 29, 2009 I remember my dad got me Riven when I was a teenager. He was so proud of the gift, after all he'd read about it. I never got into the game! I got stuck ridiculously early and never learned to love it. It LOOKED amazing though. And to be fair, it was a pretty cool present. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderPeel2001 Posted September 30, 2009 Wow, that really is Riven! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
