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Validating your request. This may take several minutes. Do not refresh the page or select back, doing so will cancel the request. Download Windows 10 Disc Image ISO File Before updating, please refer to the Windows release information status for known issues to confirm your device is not impacted. The controls in Riven are remarkably intuitive and straightforward, very much as they were in Myst. You simply use the mouse to go forward or turn left or right, and when there is an object to be manipulated the pointer changes from a directing finger to a grasping hand.

You may load and save games at any point, and when you need to switch CDs this is a 5-CD set not only are you prompted, but your CD is automatically ejected it was quite startling the first time this happened, as this is not typical of most other multiple-CD games.

Riven's puzzles, the feature that made its predecessor most famous, are generally quite intriguing and even more than Myst are extremely well integrated into the game this tendency stands in refreshing contrast to games like Virgin's 7th Guest, where the puzzles have little to do with the plot of the game.

Even better, most of the puzzles relate to each other, creating a really unified feeling when progressing through the game. Persistence and patience are more of what is needed than raw intelligence and ingenuity. Often, one has to experiment with the time sequence for undertaking a set of moves, and fortunately unlike some games of this type such as SegaSoft's Space Bar there is no time limit forcing you to move more quickly.

Also, it is fortunate that the designers of Riven do not resort to tiny, nearly invisible objects that need to be manipulated as was so annoying in Sierra's Lighthouse. But it is too bad that for a number of the puzzles you actually have to write a lot of things down, keeping track of sounds and a creative numbering system using base five there might have been a more elegant computer-assisted way of saving such information. Unlike the sterile Myst , where there seemed to be no livings things that moved around, Riven is filled with the movement of very strange creatures and humans alike.

Each of these is intriguing both in stunning visual appearance and in unusual audio emissions. However, the interaction with these life forms is kept to a minimum.

Thus most of the time you are engaged in solitary exploration rather than interaction with others, a feature I really like; any other approach would detract from the seductive Mystery of the game.

Although the pre-release publicity for Riven had caused me not to expect much technological advancement here other than incredible detail, I was really overwhelmed by what I saw.

True, there is the detail, which clearly surpasses any other computer game ever made. Every object has such fine features that even at point-blank range they look absolutely real. Moreover, the scenes in the games are indescribably gorgeous, with many of the outdoor vistas looking like prize photographs of nature scenes. My very favorite scene, the view from Gehn's underwater Survey Room, simply blew me away. But what really took me by surprise in the game were the interspersed video segments, which are exceptionally well done and use state-of-the-art technology.

Riding the tram from island to island is always exciting, but my favorite sequence is exploring underwater in an old-fashioned submarine: rather than simply using bubbles as the method of signaling an underwater environment as do so many other computer games, Riven displays a method of "rubberizing" the underwater view that was thrilling; indeed, the visual display of moving water in the game is both more realistic and more satisfying than anything I have seen anywhere else.

While Riven uses both Microsoft's DirectX and Apple's QuickTime to achieve its outstanding visual effects, it does not take special advantage of 3D accelerator cards.

This omission is understandable given the emphasis on detail: while 3D acceleration eliminates blocky landscapes by blending colors appropriately, its detail level when one is close to viewed objects is quite limited. When Myst first came out, one of the most startling features was its attention to sound effects, whose realism seemed so uncanny that you would just sit back in amazement.

Well, Riven tops Myst in this category, with ambient sounds that are even more realistic and add even more to the enjoyment of the game. Even when pulling a switch or a knob, something you do countless times in the game, I always look forward to the carefully-chosen noise that accompanies the movement. The music in Riven is fine too, but it is overshadowed by the sound effects.

One small disappointment I had here was the absence of volume control within the game: when you install Riven , you are instructed to test the sound levels with some audio samples, but if the volume needs adjustment you are asked to change your speaker settings rather than to use a within-game volume control. The problem here is that, just as Myst turned out to be louder than all my other games when I first installed it, Riven turned out to be softer than all the others, causing me to have to adjust the speaker volume every time I start and stop playing each of these two games.

Given the sophistication of the game's video and audio components, we should be thankful that the system requirements are not a lot higher. The printed documentation for Riven is sparse, contained in a single jewel-case manual. Unlike Myst , there is no journal provided. While the simple interface of the game reduces the need for detailed printed instructions on how to navigate through it, one would have thought that there would be a summary of the storyline from Myst for those who never played it as well as some strategic suggestions for approaching Riven for those who have never encountered this kind of game before.

Instead, one brief paragraph in the manual addresses both these important issues. It is difficult to understand why the Cyan developers feel the need to make these complex puzzles that completely bewilder most gamers and offer no thoughtful solutions. And this is coming from someone who likes puzzle games. Riven is really for Myst fans only. Though it is better than it's predecessor, non-fans will probably find no redeeming value or enjoyment from the sequel. Graphics: The artwork in Riven is absolutely gorgeous.

It really makes you feel like you're in the world. The FMV sequences are nicely done as well. Sound: There really isn't too much sound in this game, only featuring ambient effects. The ambient sounds are wonderful and really pull you into the game. Enjoyment: Unfortunately, the puzzles are extremely difficult and at times seem impossible or illogical.

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