Riven similar games & best alternatives
Riven
2024
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Quick resume
Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground-up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997.
Global score
93/100
Genres
Adventure, Casual, Indie, Puzzle
Similar games
Pros
- Beautiful, immersive 3d and vr environments
- Challenging and rewarding puzzles
- Fresh new content and puzzle changes
- Strong narrative and environmental storytelling
- High sensory and atmospheric quality
Cons
- Character animations and 3d models less charming than original fmv
- Some puzzles simplified or changed, may disappoint purists
- Occasional loading times and minor bugs
- No in-game note-taking system robust enough for puzzle complexity
- Shorter game length compared to original
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
4"Players have freedom to solve puzzles in multiple ways and express their own approach within the VR environment."
I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine
"Players have freedom to explore the world in full 3D and VR, making their own decisions on where to go and how to solve puzzles."
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Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
4"The game offers challenging puzzles that require skill, observation, and note-taking, with rewarding feedback upon solving."
Submachine: Legacy
"The game offers challenging puzzles that require skill, note-taking, and problem solving, with feedback through puzzle completion."
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Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-4"Focus is on individual exploration and puzzle solving without competitive elements or leaderboards."
Supraland Six Inches Under
"Focus is on individual exploration and puzzle solving without competitive elements or leaderboards."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
3"Players report long play sessions and immersion, though some frustration with difficulty may limit extended habitual play."
Goetia
"Players report long sessions and immersion that makes it hard to stop playing, though the game length is moderate."
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Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
-4"The game is a solo experience focused on individual exploration and puzzle solving."
Bye Sweet Carole
"The game is a solo experience focused on individual puzzle solving and exploration."
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Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
3"Players creatively solve puzzles using possession, stealth, and environmental interactions; the remake adds new puzzles and secrets."
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty
"Players create their own notes and maps; the remake adds new puzzles and changes encouraging fresh approaches."
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Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-5"No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are individual and respectful."
Unnamed Space Idle
"No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are individual and respectful."
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Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
5"Strong immersion in a bleak, atmospheric world providing escape from reality; players appreciate the immersive experience."
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
"Strongly immersive experience that allows players to escape into a mysterious, atmospheric world."
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Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest and nostalgia, not obligation or pressure."
Worms Ultimate Mayhem
"Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest and nostalgia, not obligation or pressure."
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Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
4"The game encourages trying new mechanics and experimenting with different puzzle solutions throughout."
Adventures of Shuggy
"The remake encourages exploration of new puzzles and mechanics, rewarding curiosity and experimentation."
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Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
5"Core motivation is discovering new areas, piecing together clues, and uncovering secrets in a richly detailed world."
Atomfall
"Core motivation is discovering new areas, secrets, and environmental details in a richly crafted world."
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Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
2"Some character and emblem customization; players personalize their experience moderately."
Apewar
"Players personalize their experience through note-taking and screenshots, though character customization is limited."
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Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
4"Game features a surreal, imaginative world with fantasy elements and symbolic storytelling."
Minute of Islands
"The game presents an imaginative, surreal world with fictional cultures and lore."
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Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
-4"The experience is solitary with minimal social interaction or community involvement."
The Rise of the Golden Idol
"The experience is solitary with minimal social interaction or community involvement."
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Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
4"Players develop problem-solving skills, learn puzzle patterns, and improve navigation over time."
Crypt
"Players develop puzzle-solving skills, learn new languages and number systems, and improve observation."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-4"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
Supraland Six Inches Under
"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
-
Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-4"Requires focused attention and active problem solving; not designed for passive or background play."
Kindergarten
"Requires focused attention and active problem solving; not designed for passive or background play."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
-5"No close social relationships or emotional sharing; solitary gameplay."
ANIMAL WELL
"No close social relationships or emotional sharing; solitary gameplay."
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Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
-5"No leadership or group management roles; purely individual experience."
MiSide
"No leadership or group management roles; purely individual experience."
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Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
3"Players progress by solving puzzles and unlocking new steps, though no item collection or upgrades."
Belko VR: An Escape Room Experiment
"Players progress by solving puzzles and unlocking new areas, though no item collection or upgrades."
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Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
3"Atmospheric and immersive experience provides a relaxing flow state despite some challenging puzzles."
Aurora Hills: Chapter 1
"The immersive atmosphere and exploration provide a relaxing flow state, though puzzles can be challenging."
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Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
4"Strong sensory stimulation from stunning visuals, atmospheric sound design, and soothing music."
Eastshade
"High sensory stimulation through stunning visuals, sound design, and atmospheric music."
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Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-5"No social recognition or status systems; focus is on personal experience."
Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul
"No social recognition or status systems; focus is on personal experience."
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Story
Game with the same Story vibe
4"Strong narrative immersion through environmental storytelling, journals, and audio messages."
realMyst: Masterpiece Edition
"Strong narrative immersion with environmental storytelling, journals, and lore."
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Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
4"Requires logical reasoning, puzzle solving, and planning to progress."
Penelope Pendrick and the Art of Deceit
"Requires logical reasoning, puzzle solving, and planning to progress."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
2"Some suspense in puzzle solving and timing, but overall controlled and contemplative experience."
Braid
"Some suspense and tension in puzzle solving, but overall a controlled and contemplative experience."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
4"Players perceive strong value due to quality remake, mod support, and nostalgic appeal."
Platypus Reclayed
"Players perceive high value through nostalgia, quality, and fresh content in the remake."
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Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
-5"No combat or destruction; gameplay is constructive and exploratory."
Grow Home
"No combat or destruction; gameplay is constructive and exploratory."
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Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
-5"No survival or threat mechanics; stable and safe environment."
Little Man Has a Day
"No survival or threat mechanics; stable and safe environment."
Analysis
Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Survival, Violence.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Last update: 30/04/2026