The remake of Riven, the sequel to the remake of Myst, is coming out later this month

Cyan Worlds announced today that the remake of Riven, the sequel to the remake of Myst, is set to launch on PC, Mac, and VR platforms on June 25. The updated version of the famed puzzle-adventure promises not just a technological do-over of the original game, but a «from the ground up» remake with new characters, «refreshed» puzzles, and an expanded storyline.

One of the biggest hooks in the Riven remake, like its predecessor, is the promise of complete freedom of movement. Where the original game had players clicking through a series of static images with light animated trappings, in the updated version you'll be able to look and walk around as you like. «Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer returning to Riven or a newcomer eager to explore Riven’s mysteries for the first time, this immersive and visually stunning world will captivate you,» Cyan said.

The Myst games certainly do bring a lot of lore to the table, and captivation is always possible, but what they're really known for are the puzzles and Riven is no exception. While I powered through Myst over a single weekend (with the help of a friend) I found some of Riven's puzzles to be even more impenetrable and obtuse than those of its predecessor, and in the end I didn't come close to completing it. 

It doesn't sound like the remake is taking any steps to lighten that particular load, but it is launching into a very different world, one filled with easy access to step-by-step guides on countless YouTube channels and elsewhere. That means getting on with it will be much easier now than it was then—and may make some of that lore more accessible for people who aren't into throwing levers for three hours.

(All that said, for the real «how it was then» experience I'd urge you to limit your requests for help to this OG Riven guide from 1997 on GameFAQs. That's how we did it when I was your age and by god, we liked it!)

I think it's very cool to see the Myst games enjoying something of a renaissance in recent years.