Riven (iPhone version) Reviews – Page 5
5/5 rating based on 50 reviews. Read all reviews for Riven (iPhone version).
Riven (iPhone version) is paid iOS app published by Cyan Worlds, Inc
SPOILER ALERT
Thenachokiller
Anyway Cyan, I need help. I'm on an iPhone 5 and am in ghens place. I found the silver ball downstairs and know it's supposed to make noise. But it isn't. Reply ASAP. Love re game tho
The original was so epic it took up five CDs...
Dies Irae
When this game came out my family had already played Myst. We used to huddle around our Macintosh Performa 550 trying to learn and explore together. We spent hours that turned into nights looking for clues and colored pages. When Riven came out, we experienced a new level of complexity and design. Absolutely, I have always considered Riven more a work of art than a game. If you think you understand what Riven is, you don't. Even after so many years of appreciating the visuals, puzzles, and audio, I still find more details to appreciate every time I explore it. Riven is gorgeous, but mostly barren. It is simple to enjoy and play, but overwhelmingly complex in its design and art. For a game almost as old as me, the graphics are unbelievable. The music and audio effects are top notch. But it's more than just technical wizardry. There is a rich story, and most people never even crack the surface. I only have a few wishes... I wish the iOS version were larger. Yes, I just said I wish a 2gb game took up more space on my phone. Some of the high resolutions and amazingly fluid animations are lost. That doesn't make this port bad, it just stands as a testament to how incredible the original still is. My only other complaint is that by default a few settings make the game less stylish in an attempt to make it "more accessible." For the best experience go to the menu and turn off hotspot hints and transitions. Then hide interface buttons and crank the volume. You won't regret it. The world you will find will immerse you. If you're not careful it can even consume you, and you'll end up checking the time only to be startled by how much time went by. Do not be afraid, let it take you. There are flashier games out there. There are faster games too. But there is nothing else like Riven. It is a masterpiece for anyone who appreciates good design and exploration. If you're curious and have read this much of my review, just buy it already.
Want my money back...
yeahiknowiam
Awful. Every screen is a still and you don’t actually walk through the game like you do in Myst. It was unbearable and I want my money back.
This should be better
boe_dye
Compared to Myst, this is just a direct port that lacks any type of love or care. Graphics are very grainy and pixelated, making some of the puzzles difficult to solve. Myst was ported and updated for it to be playable today, while maintaining the charm of what it was. This was very disappointing playing through this...
Good port
Djkontraktor
A very good port, given that Riven was designed for Mac Classic. There are several things that irk me about this port though: Videos have been decreased to approximately 10 frames/sec. While that saves file size, it tarnishes the immersion of the game. Modern phones have the space for the full uncompressed game, so it should be that way! Also, all still images have been scaled down, ruining the original rendering’s antialiasing.
Compared to the DVD version
brantonsaurus
Pros: 1. You have RIVEN in your pocket in a more or less intact form. 2. The soundtrack is stellar & is almost as rich an experience as the DVD version. 3. The price is a bargain for a piece of nostalgia that represents one of the formative experiences of my childhood. Cons: 1. The fluidity of transitions between shots is not as subtle, resulting in a jerkier, less-immersive experience. 2. The animations for many of the finer mechanisms (Gehn's throne room & the topside elevator on Map Island - the one behind the sandstone fissure) are quite rushed in comparison, having what seems like a lower frame-rate. This is all compounded by a poor rendering between still & animated states. 3. The audio, although perfect in most ambient states is asynchronous from the on-screen animations in many spots, perhaps due to the reduced frame-rate. It was nice to experience the novelty of Riven in my pocket but I think I will stick with the DVD version I have, as it offers a more rewarding & captivating experience, especially since most of the images for this app are of such low resolution. UPDATED January 9th, 2017. Original rating 2 stars, new rating 4 stars. The experience has definitely been improved, the animation transitions are much smoother and are less intrusive to the experience and it is heartening to know that there is still dev support for this app. Still not a replacement for the DVD version...but rewarding in consideration that this is a pre-HD masterpiece, ported to an iPhone.
Didn’t Realize
Konokopia
I did not realize that this is not a ‘smooth scrolling’ game, like the Room series, but an ‘image-to-image’ one, like the Forever Lost series. I would not have purchased it if I knew. It feels like a game of 1.2G size should offer a more sophisticated game play.
Help!!
Saerenya
I’ve loved this game since it came out. However!!! I’m most of the way through the game on the app, but I can’t hear the sound code to get Catherine out of her prison. Gehn is trapped and everything, I just can’t release her without the code.
Major tech problems
NikkiThump
When I try entering sound code to release Catherine, nothing happens. No sound and buttons don’t move. I rebooted my phone and it started working all of a sudden. Got the the very end with telescope and those buttons did not work. Neither did reboot. Tried reloading the game and had to start all over. Lost all saved locations in game. I’m at Catherine’s prison again and once again the buttons do not work. Reboot didn’t help this time either. I’m scared to reload again and lose my place again. So disappointed!