Mr. PSVR-2
When you think of the puzzle, adventure, and exploration genres, what comes to mind? Which memorable names come to mind? What if there were a place so beautiful that it felt like parts of the world had been waiting for you to explore it? Do you think you could take what you think you may know, be challenged to throw all of that out the window, and be allowed to make it your own? It starts to become even more exciting when you think about it.
Back in 1997, Cyan made a sequel to a beloved fan favorite called Myst. This sequel, Riven, took players into even more of the world of Myst and received a very warm reception amongst players. But, like Myst, Riven has seen its fair share of releases on various platforms, from PC to console to mobile and handhelds. But did Cyan understand the assignment in not only bringing Riven to the current generation of consoles and PC but also allowing it to be experienced in VR? Yes, yes, they did. Let’s find out more about Riven for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2.
If you are new to the series and want to jump right in, it is strongly advised that you play Myst first. With Riven being the sequel to Myst, you don’t want to miss out on any important parts of the story thus far. Feel free to check out the review of Myst for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2. And just like in Myst, Riven has its share of puzzles that can be challenging if you let them, so at times when it feels like giving up is an option, don’t, or you will be missing out on a truly fantastic story.
So, before diving into Riven, there are a few things that you should be aware of. First, don’t rush through; take the time to experience it all. Second, make sure your DualSense and Sense controllers are fully charged (more about the VR aspect a little later on). And finally, I am not going to spoil anything for anyone, and honestly, would you want me to spoil things for you? With all that said, let’s continue…
To help bring you up to speed on the story thus far, you have the father, Artis, who is married to Catherine, who is a native of Riven, and they have two sons, Sirrus and Achenar, who all live happily on the island of Myst. Well, that is until there was some family drama, and you learn in the first game about the Book of Ages, aka the Linking Books. They are a way to travel within the different ages of Myst. Playing as an unnamed person, trying to solve puzzles and find out what happened to those missing inhabitants.
Now, as the game starts, we meet Artis, who lets you know that you need to find Catherine, who is on Riven, and that you must go there and hopefully trap Gehn, Artis’ father and the self-proclaimed one of Riven. And hopefully, if all goes well, you can go back to where you came from.
One difference you will notice is that if you have played Myst, you are more alone here on Riven; there are people. Now, Temple Island, where things start, is not flooded with people, but the ones that you do come across, you have to wonder who you can trust and who you can’t. So starting on this adventure, you are imprisoned in a cell, but it’s not long until you are let out, only to then feel isolated in a way with more questions than answers.
As I mentioned, there are puzzles to be solved here. I am not going to sugarcoat it in any way, but the gold room (the rotating room), when you go up the stairs, can be challenging, as it’s a matter of hitting the button a certain number of times, along with making sure the correct lever is up or down. But if one of the more challenging puzzles is going to be one of the first ones, then so be it.
As you travel, you will come across levers that will need to be turned, dials that need to be adjusted correctly, and even those individuals who will make you have more questions in addition to the questions that you already have. Also, you will notice references to the number 5, which, when you find out what it’s all about, just adds to the mystery. And just as in Myst, part of the experience in Riven is listening for clues. While you are exploring, you will notice metal rails going from the different parts of Riven. Once you come to the part of being able to leave Temple Island, riding on the Mag-Levs is how you will take advantage of those rails and travel.
You will also need to pay attention to different clues while you move around, as these can be very important. If all else fails, or if you feel like you are stuck in any way, you do have the journal that Artus gave to you at the beginning. While there is some reading, some important information can be found not only in this journal but also throughout Riven itself, and who knows where you might see and end up (go star fissures, even though you can see how unstable Riven has become).
Let’s talk about the visuals of Riven. Even though Riven first became available on PC, there has always been something that drew players in, including myself. With every edition release for the respective platforms, whether it was the ports for the PlayStation, Pocket PC (yes, PDA), or even mobile (even though I wish it was released on the Nintendo 3DS), Riven keeps becoming increasingly better. When playing on the PS5, I was in awe of just how well the visuals have held up and been improved on. From the water to just the environments, it looks great. Now, I wonder how much better the game would look, say, on a PS5 Pro. Riven is a visual experience that needs to be lived.
When it comes to the audio, if you have yet to get the PlayStation Pulse Elite headset, do yourself and your ears a favor and enjoy how amazing the audio is. From simple things like droplets of liquid to moving around, each turn of a dial to a push of a button becomes something special that we can all appreciate.
There are a few things I would love to see when it comes to Riven. First, it is to have some of the environments come more alive. Something as subtle as clouds passing by in the sky to adding some weather elements, such as wind, would only add to it all. If there is one thing I wish would continue on, it is for the entire franchise to come to current-gen consoles and beyond, as well as for every one of the titles to receive the VR treatment, including the spin-off, Uru: Ages Beyond Myst, with all the expansions. Second, it would be the ability to have the choice to have the characters look as they did originally. There is nothing wrong with the current version, but in Myst, we were given a choice in the options to select who we wanted to play.
I know at the beginning, I mentioned how this review was on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2. Given that this is the first edition of Riven that is playable in VR, not only receiving the PlayStation VR2 treatment, but also for Quest 2 & 3, and PC VR. Playing Riven on PlayStation VR2 is something. Just as Cyan did a fantastic job with the VR for Myst, they did an equally fantastic job here as well.
I will say this: if you have your VR legs, you will want to go to settings and make sure you change the setting from comfortable to advanced. The reason for this is that, by playing with the default comfortable setting, which is fine, that means when you travel, you don’t get to enjoy the ride, but switching it to advanced lets you enjoy it all, no matter the number of times you want to ride.
What makes Riven unforgettable is the way it pulls you deeper into a world that already felt complete in a way, without you, and who is there regardless. Beneath its puzzles lives a story about power and obsession, loyalty and betrayal, and a father whose empire was built on lies his own children could no longer ignore.
In VR especially, Riven becomes something different entirely. You are no longer observing the islands from a distance—you are walking them. The creak of aged machinery, the stillness of a dying world, the sense that something terrible happened here long before you arrived — all of it surrounds you, and the mystery feels less like puzzles to solve and more like a wound to understand.
Regardless of platform, Riven is more than a game; it’s an achievement, a world so meticulously built that simply existing inside it feels like a privilege. Whether your first journey to Gehn’s fractured empire or a return long overdue, it remains one of those rare experiences that lingers in the mind long after you’ve gone. Like the ages and islands it contains, Riven reminds us that the truth is rarely found on the surface; sometimes you have to go deeper than you expected to find what you were never quite told.
Riven is out now on consoles for the PS5 and PS VR2 on the PlayStation Store, for the Xbox Series X|S on the Microsoft Store, and is also out for Meta Quest 2 & 3 on the Meta Store and for PC and PC VR on Steam. A review code was provided.
To learn more about Cyan, please visit their site, follow them on BlueSky, like them on Facebook, follow them on X, follow them on Instagram, follow them on Twitch, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I have to check out the alternate endings — and until the Rift opens again, know that you are appreciated.
