Riven is also a hard game to review. It all depends on the preferences of the reviewer. First, let me tell you that I liked Myst (Riven's predessor) and I also like Riven (Myst's sequel... duh!). Therefore, this review will be a good review in Riven's behalf. Let me tell you that if you are looking for an action game, fighting game, sports game, platform game, traditional RPG, or traditional puzzle game, then Riven may not intrest you, because Riven (and Myst) are in a genre all their own. The best I could describe it, is a kind of puzzle/RPG/exploration game. There are no enemies. You cannot be "damaged" or "killed." The worst that can happen to you is you getting confused, lost, or just plain frustrated with the puzzles! Riven's puzzles can be VERY complex! But who wants an easy game, anyway?
Okay, the story goes like this:
Riven picks up RIGHT after Myst ends. You're even in the same room Myst ended in, talking to the same person, a man named Atrus! Atrus proceeds to tell you that his father, Gehn, has entrapped Atrus' wife, Catherine, in the world of Riven. He must stay in D'Ni (where you at the end of Myst) and continualy keep Riven in good condition by writing corrections in the Riven Linking Book. (Note: I cannot possibly explain all this technical Myst-stuff. The best advice I can give you to truly understand this game, is to get Myst and beat it first!) Anyway, you link (travel) to Riven and proceed to try and complete your three mission objectives:
1)Trap Gehn
2)Save Catherine
3)Signal Atrus to rescue you both
The world of Riven is truly a beauty to behold. The graphic designers of Riven really put in A LOT of work in building a truly surrealistic world for you to explore! And the puzzles are hard to say it lightly! The only thing bad about it (like all psuedo-RPG type games) is once you've beat it, there isn't really any reason to go back, unless you'd like to look at the pretty scenery...
RATING
Graphics: 10
Control: 9
Extras: 10
Camera: N/A
Game Play: 8
Originality: 10
Re-Playability: 3
Over-all: 8.3
GREAT GAME IF YOU LIKE THESE TYPES OF GAMES!
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