DF Retro EX: Riven - An Adventure Classic Returns on PC & Meta Quest

An adventure classic first launched in 1997, Cyan's Riven was built around pre-rendered imagery and full motion video, expertly utilising the CD-ROM format. And now, in 2024, Riven has returned, with Cyan's original vision fully realised in Unreal Engine 5 with beautiful real-time 3D. John revisits the classic and concentrates on what made it original and distinct, before checking out the remake in all of its glory on high-end PC, PC VR and the intriguing Meta Quest port.

00:00 - Introduction
00:44 - Cyan's Origins and Early VR
02:10 - What about Riven?
03:57 - The Spectacle of Riven
06:18 - Comparisons to the 1997 Original
14:44 - PC vs Meta Quest 3
22:19 - A Journey of Sound
25:28 - Wrap-up

[ASTKilo]

So glad you enjoyed the new version of Riven! It was such a joy and a dream come true working on the audio and gameplay for it. Thank you for all of the kind words!

[jeffbulljr]

Quest developer here - the frame generation technique for quest is actually called Application Space Warp. Asynchronous Space Warp is a similar technique specific to PC Oculus titles. Application Spacewarp for Quest uses motion vectors generated by the game to allow it to render at half frame rate and then the Quest generates the in between frames using said motion vectors. Loved the video John! This was an awesome break down.

[ianfiorentinophoto]

I really hope Cyan get the recognition that they deserve for bringing back Riven to the modern age. This and Myst are truly one of a kind atmospheric puzzle games.

[canireech]

A good friend was a writer for Riven and he has no idea how important this game was to so many people. I remember seeing this game in 98 but had no computer or money but was so intrigued by the artwork. Fast forward to 2011 and hanging out at my friends house upstate NY and there was a Riven award he was using as a bookend. He was like yeah I was a writer for that game before I got into writing for TV. I was surprised how nonchalant he was about it.

[casedistorted]

I wish my dad had lived long enough to see this remaster. It is the first big PC game I remember him buying and us playing together on release. He passed in 2022 from a heart attack and for like 10 years I wished they would do a Riven remake. I knew it would come eventually.. I just wish it had happened sooner. While I am happy I got to see a Riven remaster finally arrive, it is bittersweet since no other game in my life reminds me of my dad more than Riven.

I never owned a copy of Myst, though I remember playing it on a babysitters Mac upon its release, but it was Riven that blew my mind with its detail and immersion. Riven is still that game that showed me just how amazing video games can be, and I still loved returning to it decades later.

[mattm]

Myst may have the bigger name because of it's impact on the gaming market but Riven is Cyan's true masterpiece and the pinnacle of the series.

Having just finished the remake I can say that they did a fantastic job at recreating and expanding the world. Really impressive work by the artists. The puzzles have been streamlined a bit so it's more welcoming to new comers but still a challenge and there's new additions for series veterans which will make them quite happy.

Don't skip this one!

[Atrus]

I beat this a few days ago and it's a fantastic puzzle game. The original is one of the best puzzle games of all time and this remake just enhances it. I highly encourage anyone playing it to NOT look up solutions online and to write down notes with a pen and paper. It's a very rewarding way to play Riven.

[jameswayton]

Riven is literally THE most nostalgic game of all time for me. I was born in 1991 en my dad was a gamer. So i was 6 -7 years old when i played this. The impact of it was incredible.

And yes i also grew up with zork grand inquisitor, and myst. The longest journey among others.

Also, after all this time my father developed dementia. I tried to play witcher 3 with him but it was to difficult. Gaming was one the ways we would connect in my childhood. BUT this remake of Riven he might be able to do and probably blows his mind. I also bought a OLED tv with HDR and build my own high end PC next year so everything will look as good as possible.

[caseypenk]

Thank you John for taking the time to do the side-by-side comparisons. I can tell you put a huge amount of work into this.

[TheRealShedLife]

22:00 The sound tour was SO GOOD. John's storytelling and editing are again shining here, as we get a slice of total immersion in this game's beautiful and haunting presentation.

[yetanotheruser]

Always get hyped when I hear John's voice kicking off a video.

Also, the visuals here are absolutely beautiful.

[TizerisT.]

Riven 97 was the very definition of 'imagine this in 3D one wow, it works so well!

[MagisterHamid]

What a time to be alive. The real time gameplay looks better than the pre rendered images of the original. And back then we could only dream of it!

[zatramander]

This looks outstanding, and completely out of the blue. I never thought there'd be a remake of Riven, let alone of this quality.

[liquidgeorge]

I still maintain that Riven is the greatest looking game ever made. What a beautiful-looking new vision of the original too.

[TheUrbanSplash]

Remember seeing Myst adverts in Amiga magazines in the 90’s and being blown away. Amazing they are still going as a developer.

[TheColorUrple]

Fantastic video. Thanks for the audio tour, I don't think many gamers are sensitive to how much audio detail goes into these projects.

[RyanMSwartz]

Thanks for this John. Riven is one of the most memorable media experiences from my youth and I was floored by the remake. It was nice to see the team's achievement showcased so nicely.

[GuilhermeHarrison]

John's conclusion in this one is top of the class!

[logicalfundy]

Also - kudos to The Starry Expanse project and all of the community members who helped with that too! It looks like Riven remake was not just Cyan Worlds, but started as a community project.