realMyst: Masterpiece Edition
realMyst: Masterpiece Edition
Game
Game2010
Riven (1997)
Developer Cyan Worlds, Inc.
Riven: The Sequel to Myst is a 1997 adventure game developed by Cyan Productions and published by Red Orb Entertainment for Mac OS and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to 1993's Myst, and the second installment of the Myst series. The game's story is set after the events of its predecessor; having rescued Atrus, who had been trapped by his sons, the player character is enlisted by him to free his wife from his… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
207 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy) · newest Oct 26, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
93
LovedLoved
180 positive · 14 negative
95% range 88–96%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 180 | 14 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
1,028 of 1,147 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
93% recommend · 177 yes, 14 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 191 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (1,285 of 1,437 positive).
Players widely praise Riven as one of the greatest puzzle adventure games ever made. [1][2][3] Many note its immersive world, atmosphere, and environmental storytelling still hold up remarkably well. [4][5][6] Some find the puzzles overly obtuse and the interface frustrating for modern gamers. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
Not a game for modern gamers who lack the nostalgia for games from this era. I'm old enough to have the nostalgia, but I'm also a modern gamer who is glad we've moved on from game interfaces like this. I got through this game all the way to the good ending, but it wasn't without having to look for help in guides when I got completely stuck. Being stuck was not a result of not understanding the puzzles, but it was …
- [1]
If you are like me and have a fondness, or even a preference, for the old-style, 'slideshow', point-and-click format for adventure games, you should absolutely pick up and play this one. It's dirt cheap, it was updated in 2018 to run great on modern OS's, and it's the finest game of this type ever made. The sheer detail and work that went into it are clear to see, and make it a joy for me to go through even if the …
- [4]
Finally beat this game as an adult. Eight-year-old me who played this game to death but couldn't quite solve it (bc she was eight, lol) is so proud. I'm shocked how well it holds up, even graphically it still looks really good, especially for the time. I picked this version over the remake because I wanted the classic live-action actors for the vibes and I'm so glad I did. Some aspects have worn a bit, there are …
- [2]
Riven remains one of the greatest puzzle games of all time. The atmosphere, world building, and puzzle design are immensely satisfying and capture your sense of wonder in ways few other games can. Strongly recommend everyone experience this masterpiece.
- [3]
It's Riven. What more is there to say? It's the best puzzle adventure game ever made. If this is a genre that you're even remotely interested in, you owe it to yourself to play Riven.
Summarised from 26 of the 191 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 12, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Riven (1997) sits at 93% positive across 194 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Riven was generally positively received by critics, with the PC version garnering an average critic score of 83/100 at Metacritic. Jeff Segstack of GameSpot gave the game high marks, explaining that it is "a leisurely paced, all-encompassing, mentally challenging experience. If you enjoyed Myst, you'll thoroughly enjoy Riven." Computer Gaming World stated that the graphics were the best they had seen in any adventure game. GamePro said that it "retains the ambiance of Myst, but new features, such as increased use of animation and live action footage, create even more believable environments." The reviewer gave it a 4.5 out of 5 in graphics and a perfect 5.0 in every other category (sound,…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 207 · most liked first✨ We’re thrilled to announce that Myst: Masterpiece Edition, Riven (1997), and Myst III: Exile have been updated to ver 2.0—and now Steam Deck verified! The update includes more robust controller support, better save game support, and platform support for both Windows & Mac.
neutral · AI labelView post →✅ The rumors are true: Myst: Masterpiece Edition, Riven (1997), and Myst III: Exile are all Steam Deck verified! Included in this huge version 2.0 update is robust controller support, better save game support, and more platform support for Windows & Mac. Grab them today! cyan.com/2025/05/22/l...
neutral · AI labelView post →Myst: Masterpiece Edition, Riven (1997) and Myst III: Exile get upgraded and now Steam Deck Verified.
neutral · AI labelView post →'RIVEN' Review – An Okay VR Port of an Awesome Game Still Worth Playing. RIVEN (1997), the sequel to iconic point-and-click puzzle-adventure MYST (1993), just got the VR treatment in its new remake. Unlike Myst, which felt a little too game-y and obtuse at times, Riven plays a lot more like a modern title, which thanks to Quest and SteamVR support, is true in every sense of the word now. Granted, you’ll need to look past some VR implementation issues which keep it from feeling like a ground-up…
neutral · AI labelView post →It's Myst, so it's good, but I am dumb, so I'm not having too much fun most of the time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just remembering a guy who was arguing on an adventure game forum in the early 00s that Riven was the best looking game because nothing can look better than FMV and I’m hoping he’s feeling very smug about people dunking on DLSS5 right now and still thinking Riven (1997) is the best looking game
positive · AI labelView post →If you are like me and have a fondness, or even a preference, for the old-style, 'slideshow', point-and-click format for adventure games, you should absolutely pick up and play this one. It's dirt cheap, it was updated in 2018 to run great on modern OS's, and it's the finest game of this type ever made. The sheer detail and work that went into it are clear to see, and make it a joy for me to go through even if the actual gameplay and puzzling is a bit too esoteric for me to get through without…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Words cannot express how i feel after beating this game. Just unbelievable how this was made in 1997. What a terrific journey!...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not having any nostalgia for this game, having played it for the first time only recently, I can confidently say that it stands among the best games of all time. It was obviously ahead of its time in many regards and I'd also say that even now there are few games that I'd really consider comparable (most directly something like Outer Wilds, maybe). I think to describe Riven as just a puzzle game is far too reductive. A lot of puzzles in comparable games are poorly-justified affairs that you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally beat this game as an adult. Eight-year-old me who played this game to death but couldn't quite solve it (bc she was eight, lol) is so proud. I'm shocked how well it holds up, even graphically it still looks really good, especially for the time. I picked this version over the remake because I wanted the classic live-action actors for the vibes and I'm so glad I did. Some aspects have worn a bit, there are long unskippable travel animations for example, but they're at least really cool…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →How in the absolute hell does the best game of all time when it comes to environmental storytelling and puzzles come from 1997? It makes absolutely no sense. Go play the remake. I'm astonished, I wish I had more to say, but it just does too much right. It's been 27 years! I wasn't even born, I have no nostalgia for it! Why is this allowed?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Riven remains one of the greatest puzzle games of all time. The atmosphere, world building, and puzzle design are immensely satisfying and capture your sense of wonder in ways few other games can. Strongly recommend everyone experience this masterpiece.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not a game for modern gamers who lack the nostalgia for games from this era. I'm old enough to have the nostalgia, but I'm also a modern gamer who is glad we've moved on from game interfaces like this. I got through this game all the way to the good ending, but it wasn't without having to look for help in guides when I got completely stuck. Being stuck was not a result of not understanding the puzzles, but it was easy to get stuck from the limitations of the interface. There are several…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one hell of a game, its the original you know its better.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's Riven. What more is there to say? It's the best puzzle adventure game ever made. If this is a genre that you're even remotely interested in, you owe it to yourself to play Riven.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I tried Myst for the first time not too long ago and loved it so, so much. Although Riven on the other hand, got pretty frustrating and I simply wasn't enjoying my time by the end. My biggest issue is that the world is just too big, and doesn't compartmentalize it's areas in the same way it's predecessor did. You see, the thing I think made Myst work for me is that while it is a hard game, puzzles were contained to their specific areas. Riven doesn't do this. The whole island is fair game.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Several acclaimed indie games of the past decade like Outer Wilds, Void Stranger, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Case of the Golden Idol have intrigued players with their progression philosophy of gathering information. It does have an Achilles heel though: a tug-of-war between worldbuilding and progress-gating puzzles. The world should be intriguing, but when most of your puzzles are so elusive that their solutions have to be etched in stone somewhere, like in Outer Wilds or Void Stranger, I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For those looking at the game, please note the following. This game available in the 1990's was state of the art. It was awesome. It is literally a world with sight, sound, design and rules. All of these were combined in an excellent manner. But please note, current games have much better graphics and continuity. So if you compare to games of today, it is a bit dated. I would actually recommend the 2024 version as it has been developed with current tech. With all that said, this is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The greatest puzzle adventure game of all time. An utterly masterfully crafted world that is visually evocative and narratively compelling - its puzzles and mysteries weaved so organically throughout that it doesn't feel like you're solving puzzles, but rather unravelling a world. A classic for very good reasons, this is a must play that still holds up extremely well today.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the most immersive game I've ever played. I've played and re-played it many times. I've explored the islands, gawking at the cohesion of the entire world. Nothing compares.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A masterpiece if there ever was one.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has its flaws. However it stll holds up to modern puzzle/adventure games and is a very unique and immersive experience that everyone should try. 5/5 stars I recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Mysterious, tho notes and journals are giving far more info, simple task hidden behind complex and well made puzzles that once again will dry your paper and pencil supply. Far less backs and forths once you realize what you need to do, but with map so open, new path on every corner and no pointing you anywhere, it may be too overwhelming at first.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The finest puzzle game ever made. Decades pass, and this game still holds the crowning achievement of where everything came together, the graphics (for the time, and still looking good), the story, the music and ambiance...everything worked in a way that modern games struggle to emulate. This is a CHALLENGE of a game, to the point that certain gaming magazines of the early 00s dismissed this simply because, well, they couldn't solve it! Try your hand at Riven, where the journey is the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally finished Riven (1997) after a lovely slow playthrough over the last 6 months. . . I ABSOLUTELY get why this game is so highly regarded :D Definitely up there with Portal 2 and Obra Dinn as one of the best puzzle games I've ever played!
positive · AI labelView post →play this one not the new one because the two most interesting parts of this game are what was possible with CGI in 1997 and the type of "easier for a smart kid to figure out than a jaded videogame playing adult" type puzzles which they completely changed/ruined with the remake
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My favorite game. I love how you can get so immersed, it really feels like I'm entering a different world. My computer isn't good enough for the remake, but I'm sure it's also brilliant
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Easy. Riven (1997) Yes, it expanded my understanding of what a game can be, but it shaped my worldview, philosophical beliefs, perspective on art and storytelling. There are choices I have made nearly 30 years later that I can trace back to having played Riven.
positive · AI labelView post →The first Myst was an amazing and clever game, this one expects you to spend the first 2 hours purely collecting clues that you might not even know are clues yet. The clues are obtuse, requires you to repeatedly cross all over the island, and every new shortcut you gain just makes the entire map more confusing. Not to mention all the puzzles that requires you to find a tiny item or interact with a barely visible object. It has so many good puzzles that i would love to solve, but when i get…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I think this game would have amazed me in 1997, but unfortunately it's 2026 and I can only describe it as tedious. The atmosphere and sound design are amazing, but the gameplay and puzzles get really grating about halfway through.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Coming back to the world of Myst after 20 years as a sort of bucket list game series, I have to say I am totally blown away here. Riven is a true masterpiece. This is not a normal puzzle game as people know them today. You don't just go from one little puzzle to the next. You have a goal, but from there on out, learning to navigate and piece this world together is the true puzzle. The atmosphere is second to none in gaming. The attention to worldbuilding this game demands of you to complete is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There's a haunting quality to Riven that I have yet to encounter in another game; a loneliness and eeriness that creeps as you explore, balanced with a continual sense of wonder and intrigue. The world is so well realised and crafted; it's an absolute pleasure to get lost in its winding paths and deep lore - not to mention some fantastic puzzles to sink your teeth into. It is an absolute must-play, particularly if you liked Myst (which is a classic and must-play in itself, but this entry…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the most mesmerising things my childhood eyes got to see.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Coming from Myst to this was Wild. Definitely a Masterpiece of its kind. I cannot state enough how much this game filled my brain for the time it did. Last Puzzle was crazy yall nuts.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best Myst installment IMO. Timeless art style and endearing FMVs. The puzzles are challenging at times, but rewarding once you figure them out. One of my favorite games of all time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm writing a review of this game to stress how much I love the original, in contrast to the 2024 remake, which I consider to be borderline-abominable. The original graphics still hold up as amazingly realistic and organic, even though they are visibly compressed and dithered, due to the technological limitations of the day. The visuals and the music are wonderfully spooky. The plot is great. John Keston did a fantastic job as Gehn. The puzzles are difficult (especially the fire marble puzzle),…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i loved this game growing up i had it on CD and never stopped playing it so glad i got it again
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I think it took me roughly 30 hours (via ScummVM, so not in my steam play time) to finish this game, blind, after having just played through the Myst remake. This game is great. If you enjoy non-linear puzzle games such as Outer Wilds, or if you enjoyed Myst, you're going to love this. There's a few pixel hunting moments that I didn't care for so much, but except for these I loved every single puzzle.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is one of the corner stones of my youth and I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IT.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Runs well on Fedora Linux in 2026 out of the box. It is amazing that Cyan is still releasing updates as of 2025.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I first tried playing this years ago, but ended up completely stuck, spending a ridiculous amount of time backtracking and getting more and more frustrated. This time was different, though. I came prepared with a guide, and having solutions to the puzzles that had previously held me back made the experience more streamlined and stress free. It’s a beautifully designed maze of a game, full of hidden doors and clever combinations tucked away in journals and the environment. I did struggle to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →10 video games to get to know me! 🐉 Riven (1997) 🐉 Homeworld 🐉 Mech Warrior / Battletech 🐉 Subnautica 🐉 Valheim 🐉 Monster Hunter Wilds / World 🐉 World of Warcraft 🐉 Metroid Prime 🐉 The Witcher 🐉 Pretty much any Lucas Arts Adventure Game (Sam & Max, Full Throttle, Grim Fandango, Monkey Island)
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is just one big puzzle you gotta solve, and almost everything in the world has some kind of clue towards its solution. There are a couple really stupid puzzles though, namely the fire marble puzzle, that kinda made me want to tear my hair out and scream, which I had to use a walkthrough for. It is a great follow up to Myst, and improves upon its predecessor in every way possible. 9/10 play the remake though, it makes the marble puzzle a 5x5 grid rather than 20x20 and I'd imagine…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I give this game a rank S. Masterpiece - buy it now!!! See my profile for more details about my reviews. Note: do NOT buy or play this game unless you are interested in historical/retro gaming. Instead, if you only intend to discover the series Myst with its first game, and its sequel, Riven, I invite you to play the 2024 version. Masterpiece entirely redone, updated, etc. See my review of it. Hem is live on [url=https://www.twitch.tv/hemandwatch]Hem & Watch
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Masterpiece of environmental puzzles & storytelling. I thought maybe the ancient 'click to move' would feel outdated but its surprisingly quick and easy to zip around the environment, and escape skips the sometimes lengthy (Though excellent and weighty) animations. This version runs in ScummVM and looks quite nice for its age.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Riven! Ha, such a great game. I love this game. If you are a Myst player like me, then this is the perfect game for you. The design of this game is top-notch. Definitely a 'must play game'. Grab a notebook though because you'll need it. The best game I've ever played. Cyan really outdid themselves with Riven. I've played it so many times and I keep discovering new things.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's the best in the genre
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sequel to one of the best puzzle games of the 90s, and one of the top selling puzzle games of that era. Works surprisingly well on modern hardware out of the "box" and still holds up. No disc swapping, functional save system, no installing quicktime, it just works.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you are nostalgic for the game then I would say its a good purchase. But for a modern gamer who isn't used to these mechanics it is extremely difficult to navigate.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game not only taught me a number system to confuse my friends with, but also how royally F'd up Atrus's family is. I am immensely glad Cyan is working on a remake, even though this gem STILL holds up. You can clearly tell the devs were passionate about it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Riven is so much better than Myst, it's not even close. It rewards you for engaging with its world realistically, and everything is well interwoven. Play this original version instead of the remake, which changes lots of things, makes the puzzles less meaningful, and has no aura.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An all time classic, lovingly and expertly made. Everyone should play this game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best way to enjoy Riven. Incredible world-building, puzzles, immersion, and FMV cutscenes. This is the perfect expansion on the universe created in MYST. I firmly believe it has earned its addition to the list of the greatest adventure-puzzle games ever made.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After playing the original and the remake of Myst i was pretty into the story. But This game just feels totally random. Its not intuitive and overall i needed a guide just to know that you need many steps for a real big puzzle, which is pretty annoying for me. I guess i just dont like the mechanic of the game, which was the case in the original myst, but after playing a bit on my own and then using the guide, brings me to the conclusion that im stopping right there. I normally really like…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Reviewing games I played a long time ago: Visually this was a huge improvement over Myst, to a point it was seen as almost photorealistic, the rendering technology for the set of stills had improved a lot in just 4 years. Great classic, but I always prefered Myst. This is, of course, the original release. Theres also a remake on the store. Plays beautifully on the Deck.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For me, almost all puzzle games will suffer the unfortunate fate of being evaluated against this game. It is the gold standard of puzzle construction, contextual world building, and even 30 years later its pre-rendered graphics still hold up incredibly. It defines the genre, and to this day, nothing has quite lived up to its immersion and charm. It's not perfect, and some puzzles are frustrating, but nothing feels slapped on or added without consideration. How I wish I could forget all about it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So, I mostly like this game, and the form of the puzzle is really interesting. But about 2/3rds of the way through (from what I read afterwards) I had had enough. I enjoyed Myst up to a point, but I think after playing both these games are a bit heavy on old school puzzling, and old school puzzling was very unfair. I looked up a solution that I needed, and I realized I had simply made the wrong connection (this is the puzzle where you figure out the meaning of the number symbols. I had 1-10…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I haven't played the remake yet (but planning to, as it's sitting in my library waiting for me to upgrade my PC) but I do believe this version will never get old or outdated. I'm rather new to the Myst games and having finished Riven recently I finally understand why it's regarded as one of, or the best in the series. Super memorable environments, and intuitive memorable puzzles that feel fully integraded into the world itself.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As of today, Riven (1997) is the 253rd best game of all time according to me, directly below Hitogata Happa and directly above Jumpman. It is part of Tier 13. There are 25 tiers and 550 games in the list. #PixelRankings
positive · AI labelView post →One of the most beautiful games that has ever been made. Graphics, music, story : 10/10. I played it when it originally came in 1997 and it's beauty has haunted me ever since. It has such an imaginative ,beautiful and original setting that despite it not having a very good image analysis - you will have to play the remake for a better screen resolution - it is still so worth your time. Absolutely recommended.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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