# Myst and Riven **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 31, 2000, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871 "2000-12-31T04:27:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/1 "2000-12-31T04:27:19Z")
I really enjoyed playing **Myst** and **Riven**. I also really liked a game called **Amber** , which was similar, but had to do with ghosts. Anyone know of any other games like those? Or, if you don’t know of any, I guess we can talk about good games in general. In other words: _I need a new game_! 🙂 Rose ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/2 "2000-12-31T05:39:23Z")
The only game I play on a PC is Sega Swirl. Since that’s not in the same league as Myst and Riven, please just consider this response a friendly bump. (Unless someone has some Sega Swirl hints and cheats – then it’d be a friendly hijack.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/3 "2000-12-31T06:48:14Z")
I played a game called Timelapse that was very similar to Myst and Riven. Give it a try if you can still find it anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/4 "2000-12-31T06:54:38Z")
Try out the various Journeyman Project games. They’re fairly old, therefore cheap (look in the sales bin), and will run on basically any machine. While they have more actual gameplay, the characteristics of the games are all very similar. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/5 "2000-12-31T09:00:32Z")
I liked Myst and Riven too. FYI, [Myst III: Exile](http://www.myst3.com) comes out in Q1 of 2001. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/6 "2000-12-31T10:04:22Z")
_7th Guest_ and _11th Hour_ seem to fall into the same vein. However, I’ve always prefered a good game of _Quake_. ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/7 "2000-12-31T19:25:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Greg Charles \* > \*\*I played a game called Timelapse that was very similar to Myst and Riven. Give it a try if you can still find it anywhere. \*\* I just ordered Timelapse. It’s exactly what I was looking for! It came with another game called Titanic, which looks interesting too. Thank you for the link AudreyK, I wasn’t even aware there was a Myst 3 in the works. _I can not wait for Myst 3._ Thanks everyone 🙂 Rose ---
**Author:** ![dubs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dubs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dubs)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/8 "2000-12-31T22:45:15Z")
Myst is my all-time favorite game, but I wasn’t as thrilled with Riven as I thought I’d be, although the graphics were stunning. I’ve also always been a fan of Sierra-on-Line’s Gabriel Knight series. I think you’d like Funcom’s “The Longest Journey” just recently distributed in the US. (It’s Norwegian.) It’s totally awesome, riveting, magical, and many more adjectives! The story is wonderfully engaging, the dialogue is great, graphics are fabulous, I could go on and on and I’m only halfway through it. ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/9 "2000-12-31T22:58:33Z")
:::adds **The Longest Journey** to the games list::: Thanks dubs! Rose ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/10 "2001-01-01T16:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wicked Blue \* > \*\*Thank you for the link AudreyK, I wasn’t even aware there was a Myst 3 in the works. _I can not wait for Myst 3._ \*\* Me neither. 🙂 If you’ve got a DVD-capable computer, be sure to get the single-disc DVD version of the game. It’s in the works, according to the site FAQ. It’ll take the hassle out of constantly having to change CD-ROMs, which was one thing that helped kill my enjoyment of Riven. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/11 "2001-01-01T16:35:07Z")
“The Crystal Key” is definitely in the Myst/Riven mode. It’s not as good, but it’s passably entertaining and diverting (and has some pretty sharp graphics), so if you’re hard up for that type of game, put it on your list. Word of warning: The “reward” at the end for solving the game is pretty short and unsatisfying, so when you get down to the end, you should have a recording of “The 1812 Overture” or something you can blast out. BTW, random personal factoid: I did a movie a while back with one of the lead actors who performed in “Riven.” Just one of those little meaningless six-degrees connections… ---
**Author:** ![SpinneZiege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@SpinneZiege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinneZiege)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/12 "2001-01-01T17:49:38Z")
I second the Journeyman Project series, and add Obsidian to the list. I never played it, but it looked fun. Also, if you like a little more action, I would suggest American McGee’s Alice, which I’m getting as soon as I “upgrade” (trash) my old computer and get a new one. It’s like Tomb Raider meets Riven meets Resident Evil, but I think it still has promise. I had a Myst/Riven dream the other night. I dreamt I found a hidden room inside the library/auditorium (can’t remember which one) of my school. This room was just surreal, with all sorts of Myst-style puzzles (and Riven-style dangers). Maybe it’s because I’ve started reading [House](http://www.houseofleaves.com/) of Leaves again. Oh, well. Any thoughts on this? ---
**Author:** ![slackergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@slackergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slackergirl)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/13 "2001-01-01T18:51:39Z")
I really like the Zork games. I finished Nemesis a while ago and am now working on Grand Inquisitor. I tried the Journeyman Project and they were OK, but I like the Zork ones better. They have decent puzzles and a really dark sense of humor. One of the puzzles involves decapitating and then reanimating a human head to get him to tell you the rest of the next clue. Bizarre, but pretty cool too. And actually, not nearly as gross as it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/14 "2001-01-02T04:02:02Z")
**Cervaise** , I was wondering about The Crystal Key. Just never saw any reviews on it, so I didn’t buy it. And which actor was it? One of the Miller brothers? And **SpinneZiege** , Alice does look cool. I’m just sour that it’s Windows only, with no plans to port it to the Mac. Phooey. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/15 "2001-01-02T04:22:01Z")
I just wanted to check in with my usual snooty response; Myst and Riven are the only two significant computer games ever to grace my monitor. The “Jules Verne/Art Deco” props are the cat’s pyjamas. Anyone remember the “Zaxxon” jet fighter video game console from the eighties? That was the only game I ever pumped a quarter into willingly. ---
**Author:** ![Boomfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/db5fbb/32.png) [@Boomfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boomfly)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/16 "2001-01-02T09:57:02Z")
To me Myst and Riven are classics and really hard to beat in their own genre… The to me it was the atmosphere of the games that got me hooked night after sleepless night. I bought the Atlantis2 game recently. It has kind of the same gameplay but I cant seem to get as addicted to it as I was to Myst and Riven. If youre looking for something alltogether different I would like to suggest the first person strategy shooter Rainbow Six series. ( [http://www.redstorm.com](http://www.redstorm.com) ) I’ve been hooked up on Rogue Spear and its add-ons now for about half a year. Its great fun playing it online. RS doesnt have as much senseless blood and gore as quake or UT but makes for a very entertaining game. ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/17 "2001-01-02T16:01:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slackergirl \* > \*\*I really like the Zork games. \*\* I learned how to type playing Zork when I was a kid. 🙂 Anyway, good thread. I too am a Myst/Riven fan. I was able to finish Myst but I haven’t had much time to get into Riven. Someday… ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/18 "2001-01-02T16:45:17Z")
Ah, _Myst_. The bane of serious gamers everywhere. Go there, flip a switch. Go here, flip another switch. I’m sorry, but I hated it. Yes, it had pretty graphics for its time (1993), and yes, there was a plot buried in there eventually, but I simply didn’t have the patience after having experienced games with interesting dialog and puzzles that were actually integrally related to the story line. Don’t get me wrong… I’m sure there are a few gamers who prefer the Myst-style adventure game to the more plot-oriented game, it’s just my personal opinion that it’s mostly eye-candy with little substance. I never played _Riven_ based on the reputation, though it did have somewhat dubious distinction of being runner-up for _CGW_’s [Most Disappointing Game of the Year (1997)](http://www.gamespot.com/features/readers97/dis.html). There are so many adventure games that are far more entertaining, my favorites are mostly the earlier Sierra and later Lucasarts ones… _King’s Quest 1-6_ (played a little of 7, ignored 8) _Space Quest 1-3_ (4 was OK, didn’t touch 5, not sure if there was a 6) _Police Quest 1-2_ (never got into 3 or 4) _Day of the Tentacle The Dig Full Throttle Sam and Max Hit the Road_ Let’s not forget the old Infocom text adventures: _Zork 1-3 Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Enchanter Trilogy The Lurking Horror_ etc. And more recently: _Grim Fandango The Curse of Monkey Island Fallout_ Waiting to be played/finished: _Escape from Monkey Island Fallout 2 System Shock 2 The Last Express Outcast_ ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/19 "2001-01-03T05:09:51Z")
How is it possible that no one has yet mentioned _Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail_? ---
**Author:** ![Deacons\_Trucked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d78d45/32.png) [@Deacons\_Trucked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deacons_Trucked)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2001, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871/20 "2001-01-03T17:41:14Z")
Games I have played from best to worst, all basically in the Myst/Riven puzzle game genre, and all are worth playing: [list] [li] **Myst/Riven** (duh…)[/li][li] **Zork Nemesis** GREAT story and characters, excellent plot twist at the end, wonderful puzzles (not too hard or too easy), great graphics and atmosphere[/li][li] **Obsidian** definitely the most humorous game Ive played, sarcastic, mess-with-your-head atmosphere and characters, trippy as hell and challenging[/li][li] **Amerzone** aside from Riven, it has the best graphics ever. Excellent puzzles, only problem is the game is too short[/li][li] **Lighthouse** Awesome game, long and complex and beautiful, but impossible to do without a walkthru…puzzles solutions can be so obscure, you cant figure them out on your own[/li][li] **Nine** Very different from everything else, trippy and weird in a fun way, some puzzles are too difficult[/li][li] **Titanic** Almost like a cult hit…the rendering of the characters is so bad, its good. Great challenging puzzle, trippy to explore the real Titanic ship[/li][li] **Shivers 1 & 2** Lots of fun…kinda like a cartoon[/li][li] **Journeyman 3** Sci-fi story was too complex for me[/li][li] **Crystal Key** Didnt like it too much, for being a 1999 game, the graphics sucked[/li][li] **Beyond Time** [/li][li] **Mummy** pretty much sucked, but still entertaining[/li] **X-Files** TOTALLY sucked ass…waaaay too much for graphics requirements (1.3 gigs for optimum install!), you are led thru the game and told what to do, instead of figuring things out on your own… best to avoid this one [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst-and-riven/47871.md?page=2)