If you’re under the age of 30, the name “Riven” might mean nothing to you. But for us old fogies of PC gaming, it’s instantly recognizable: Riven is the sequel to Myst.
Myst, of course, was the groundbreaking, best-selling puzzle/adventure game–of 1993 (and for the next decade, until The Sims came along). That title made its iOS debut back in May 2009.
Now comes Riven, which features all the sights, sounds, and gameplay of the original. It’s available in the App Store now for $5.99 (quite a bit less than the PC version).
Set right after the events of Myst, Riven takes place almost entirely on the Age of Riven Island. Your goal: to help Atrus rescue his captured wife from power-mad Gehn.
The game relies on the same basic island-exploration and puzzle-solving mechanics as Myst. I can’t say I’m a fan of looking at a series of still images and trying to figure out where to click (or in this case tap), but legions of Myst/Riven fans can’t be wrong.
One important note about installing Riven: you need a whopping 2GB of free space, though the game itself occupies “only” 1GB after installation is complete. Make sure you have room available (or are willing to make room) before buying.