I’d say the answer to that question is a bit more nuanced than a binary yes or no, since Riven does have limitations that hold it back from overtaking its predecessor. You’re probably wondering how I dare to say that about a game that’s managed to stay relevant almost three decades after its original release, but stay with me. Let’s begin with what’s good, though.

"Your adventure begins with you being imprisoned on arrival by a stranger who doesn’t speak the same language as you."

The story in Riven is a captivating journey to the Fifth Age, taking place in the titular Riven, where Catherine, the wife of Atrus from the first game, has been trapped in a decaying Age by Gehn, Atrus’s father. On its own, that’s an interesting twist on Myst’s narrative, where you rescue Atrus from his sons. The man has a messed-up family tree, and it’s up to you to try and restore a semblance of normalcy to it.

That’s easier said than done, though. Gehn is a devious antagonist who’s just waiting for Atrus to set foot in Riven with a Linking Book, allowing him to use it to escape and leave it to its fate. He’s been effecting changes that have resulted in a gradual decay of the Age, and Atrus can only watch from afar, rife with worry for his beloved spouse.

All that changed when you showed up on Myst, and Atrus now pins his hopes firmly on you, sending you to Riven without a Linking Book. That means you have no way out until you find Catherine, restrain Gehn, and send a signal to Atrus to come rescue the two of you. It’s safe to say that things don’t go according to plan. There are several ways that all of this pans out, depending on your actions, and it’s a great way to add narrative depth while also making this one score high on replay value.

Your adventure begins with you being imprisoned on arrival by a stranger who doesn’t speak the same language as you. However, you’re rescued by a mysterious Assassin who promptly falls off a cliff to their death as they make their escape. It’s business as usual from there on, as you’re left to your own devices as you try to navigate Riven’s many islands, each of which comes with complex mechanisms that you need to figure out as you find them. There isn’t a central hub like the library on Myst Island, and you’re going to be flitting between different regions as you uncover more of what makes Riven tick.

"It’s deliciously mysterious, and the visual overhaul does well to bring Riven to life in a way that only current-gen systems can manage."

Where Myst’s puzzles and environments were hard enough to crack, Riven takes things up a notch, bringing elaborate structures with interconnected rooms and mechanisms that can have you running around in circles for hours on end if this is your first time with the game. I’m no slouch when it comes to puzzles in games, but Riven is a title that reminds me of a time when video games needed you to have a guide or walkthrough handy.

It’s deliciously mysterious, and the visual overhaul does well to bring Riven to life in a way that only current-gen systems can manage. Just like Myst, solutions to the obstacles in your path aren’t made evident, not in the slightest. But, unlike Myst, they’re so elaborate this time around that Riven’s ambitions are there to see in every intricate mechanism you operate.

Those ambitions, however, are a mixed bag. Yes, they make Riven feel like its scale is miles ahead of Myst, giving us a new Age that progresses fairly linearly, although you could double back to previously visited areas to uncover more secrets or lore. But it also makes Riven run the risk of being a title that’s interesting until frustration has players dropping off.

You could say that Myst carried the same risk, but that one’s puzzles seem simple in comparison to what’s on offer here. And with a similar lack of any hand-holding whatsoever, Riven might be asking for more than what an average player could give it. I can see many players hopping in to see what the fuss is all about, and quickly falling back when the island simply refuses to cooperate with their search for Gehn and Catherine.

"Riven continues to be a classic, and this iteration of the game is the definitive way to play it for those of you who are looking for a bit of brain pain."

However, for those of you who stick with it, you’re soon going to be looking at wonders that light up your imagination, each of which conveys the immense power that Atrus and Genhn command. The adventure does well to hold your attention and pique your curiosity just enough to keep you coming back to bang your head against the walls of whatever structure the island you’re currently on has thrown at you.

Another complaint I’ve had with both Riven and its predecessor is the lack of any sort of challenge outside of the puzzles. I will concede that the point-and-click format may not necessarily work well with a combat system, but I would have appreciated some semblance of danger while I went around the islands. The sight of dangerous-looking creatures lounging around on a beach in the early sections of the game made me get my hopes up, only for them to give me a passing glance before settling back into their cozy nap.

Nevertheless, Riven is still a unique enough experience all these years later, and carries the torch that Myst lit up before it quite well. But is that enough to make this one a must-play in today’s day and age? That depends on what you’re looking for. Are you looking for excitement and danger in a fantasy world? This one isn’t for you.

But if you’re in the market for something that brings a sense of awe and wonder to a fairly simple gameplay loop with some solid replay value? You’re going to have many entertaining hours with this one.

But on the whole, Riven and the Myst franchise in general are a dose of nostalgia that might work for hardcore fans and a bunch of newcomers with rare tastes. But for the rest of the gaming community, there probably isn’t going to be enough meat on this one to make the average player give it the time it needs to unfold into the great title that it is. That’s a pity, but it’s also a sign that times have changed since Riven hit the shelves all those years ago.

Would I recommend picking this one up at its full price? I can honestly say that unless you’re the type of player who likes their games to maintain a stony silence, you’re probably better off waiting for a sale on this one. Make no mistake, it’s still worth checking out and even cheesing with a detailed walkthrough. The only variable is you, and how likely you are to play this one as it is intended, and have a good time doing so.

Riven continues to be a classic, and this iteration of the game is the definitive way to play it for those of you who are looking for a bit of brain pain.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Myst does that quite well, bringing the adventure we know and love back in a fresh new avatar that breathes life into the surreal world you find yourself exploring while retaining the sense of mystery that’s made it so popular over the years. But there are multiple versions of the title that have already tried to do the same. Does this one’s tweaks make it special enough to stand tall amongst its peers? Let’s find out.

"There are no enemies to fight, and no death screens to worry about."

Let’s begin with why you’re on Myst Island in the first place. It’s the home of Atrus, a writer whose travels across various Ages are recorded in mysterious books that are strewn about the island, hidden away behind clever mechanisms. His sons have been trapped in two books for some reason, each blaming the other for his apparent death.

Your task is to complete the pages of each son’s book, learning more about their predicament in the process. Getting to those pages is easier said than done, however, and that’s essentially the crux of the core gameplay loop on offer.

There are no enemies to fight, and no death screens to worry about. Instead, Myst challenges your wits by being as opaque as ever. You’re given no context to why you’re on the island, and where to go once you’re there. You learn more about things the more you explore the island, although the lack of hand holding in this one can get a tad frustrating at times.

That’s because interacting with objects in the area doesn’t necessarily give you any indication as to what they do, and several of them are red herrings, placed deviously enough to have you wondering just what the hell is going on. This is a game that demands diligent exploration and backtracking before it begins to get rewarding, just like it was back in the day.

"Myst is a rather short experience once you know what you’re doing."

But is that enough to keep you hooked? Your mileage may vary depending on whether your natural curiosity doesn’t let you leave a mystery unsolved, but I can easily see many players dropping off once the novelty wears off, or perhaps blazing through the experience thanks to a very large volume of helpful guides and walkthroughs available.

But that would take away the best parts of this one? Myst is a rather short experience once you know what you’re doing. But figuring it all out is where its beauty truly lies, the gameplay and story working together to present a world that guards its secrets jealously until it finds a player clever enough to uncover them.

I’d say that the game’s new graphics are now a great part of the experience, with the remake bringing improvements to both performance and lighting that elevate this version of the game above the others, at least on the visual front. The levels and environments you find are detailed very well, and the improved draw distances sell the illusion of a distant island really well.

The audio design is as good as it’s ever been, and the manner in which the game’s soundtrack is used to embellish scenes is definitely a plus. The game chugged along pretty well on a base PS5, with smooth and consistent framerates making the switch to a 2D format seem natural.

Of course, interacting with the world around you is an important part of the experience in Myst, and the remake handles that with aplomb. You get your cursor to let you know where you’re looking, and it changes contextually when you can touch or otherwise engage with an environmental element.

"The lack of combat, or any sense of danger whatsoever is another point to think about, as Myst’s concept was ahead of its time, but it’s definitely behind them now."

The controls could take a bit of getting used to and the sensitivity on the right stick could use a nerf, but those are minor complaints in the grand scheme of things as far as engaging with the island is concerned. I love how the new visuals add splendor that the original version simply wasn’t capable of. Myst Island isn’t beating any benchmarks but it does look very pleasing to the eye nonetheless.

But does a new lighting system, a visual overhaul, and a solid translation of the gameplay from VR to a controller merit a $35 price tag? Myst is a classic, and a very influential title from gaming’s past. That does count for something. It’s an alluring title when you first get into it, but if you’ve beaten the game before, it’s going to take you all of two or three hours to do it again.

Of course, you might argue that the game’s multiple endings lend it a fair bit of replay value, but I’d say that while that is true, I personally don’t see too many players choosing to do it all again other than for what could be considered the ‘canon’ ending that sets up its sequel. There’s a ton of videos and material on this one to know what happens in all the other ones, after all.

The lack of combat, or any sense of danger whatsoever is another point to think about, as Myst’s concept was ahead of its time, but it’s definitely behind them now. That’s not to say that I’m batting for the addition of enemies or artificial challenges for the sake of it, but this one’s only going to challenge your brains, and definitely not your brawn.

That leaves us with either nostalgia, or curiosity. Your mileage is definitely going to vary with the former, but the latter is where things get interesting. There’s a lot of stuff to hold your curiosity if this is your first time playing Myst, but you’re going to want to think about whether you’re okay with a game that absolutely stonewalls you at every turn.

"Myst is now a modern reminder of an era of video games long gone"

It isn’t going to take more than a few hours for returning players, and newbies could always have a guide handy if you want to do away with the hours of wondering what you need to do for progression. But that takes away part of the game’s innate charm. It takes the mystery out of Myst, and it isn’t what I’d recommend.

But with a bit of disciplined searching, you could find a balance that works and experience a game that has managed to stand tall over a little more than three decades. Myst is now a modern reminder of an era of video games long gone. And, as such, it is something that only the most curious are sure to enjoy.

For the rest of you, it’s still worth picking up on sale.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.