simpleRiven | Official Launch Trailer | Available June 25th
ExcrubulentThere is a “puzzle” in Riven that I got stuck on for hours, just searching the map looking for anything that I had left to do. I couldn’t find any more interactable things that hadn’t been done. Then I looked it up and found it was a door that you had to enter, turn around and close and then go through the hidden passageway behind it. There was no puzzling value to it being hidden like that, it was something you either simply found or didn’t. I put it down to old-style game design that hadn’t yet learned what not to do in a somewhat open world game.
Honestly this iteration could move the entrance like one metre to the left so it’s not hidden and it would be a better game for it.
ZoraMysteryI had a moment like that on Myst. In the room near the beginning of the game, there is a button you are supposed to push, so you can insert numbers and change the messages on the machine. I didn’t see the button so I ended up wandering the island confused on what to do. I had to get help for that. Thankfully I ended up playing through the game with my friend.