10 Best Games Like Riven

Riven captivates players with its intricate puzzles and immersive world on the brink of collapse. Its compelling story and seamless blend of narrative and environment have left a lasting impact on fans. For those who loved Riven's deep narrative and challenging puzzles, here are ten best games like Riven.

10. Portal 2

Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platform game that captivates players with its fun mechanics and engaging story. In this game, players control Chell, a test subject moving through complex test chambers. These chambers are designed by the rogue AI, GLaDOS, and require a handheld portal device. This device lets players create linked portals on flat surfaces, helping them solve puzzles using creative thinking and physics. The game also introduces elements like gels that change surface properties, light bridges, and funnels. Additionally, it offers a cooperative mode where two players control robots named Atlas and P-Body. Here, you need teamwork and communication to solve puzzles together.

9. Manifold Garden

Manifold Garden is a first-person puzzle game where players explore a world with gravity manipulation mechanics. You can change the direction of gravity, allowing you to walk on walls and ceilings. This opens up new pathways and perspectives, which are essential for solving the game’s puzzles. You need to understand how gravity affects objects and use this knowledge to navigate the environment effectively. The puzzles here are challenging but rewarding. You often need to rethink your approach as you manipulate gravity to progress. Solving one puzzle can unlock new areas and opportunities, creating an interconnected world.

8. Fork Road

Fork Road is another immersive game that takes players on a journey through a series of atmospheric and suspenseful levels. The objective is to escape from a confined space by solving intricate puzzles and making critical decisions at various crossroads. Players must keenly observe their surroundings, interact with the environment, and employ innovative gameplay methods to progress. Additionally, the game features a simple control scheme, so players can just focus on the puzzles and the eerie atmosphere. That said, the playtime averages less than a hour; however, the game's design encourages multiple playthroughs to fully experience all its elements.

7. Outer Wilds

Outer Wilds is an open-world game where you play as an astronaut exploring a solar system stuck in a time loop. You have 22 minutes to explore before the loop resets, that contributes to the excitement and urgency. You can travel to different planets, each with its own unique environment and secrets to uncover. Your goal is to learn about an ancient alien race and understand why the time loop exists. The game lets you explore at your own pace, piecing together clues from different locations. The story unfolds through what you discover in the environment, making each find important. Overall, Outer Wilds is perfect for those who love exploring and solving mysteries.

6. The Painscreek Killings

Alternatively, in The Painscreek Killings, you play as Janet, a journalist sent to investigate the abandoned town of Painscreek. Here, your aim is to solve the cold case murder of Vivian Roberts. You must explore the town, find clues, and connect pieces of the puzzle to uncover dark secrets. The game mimics real-life investigations, focusing on logical puzzles and exploration without any help or hints. You can move freely around the town, gathering evidence, taking notes, and photographing important details to progress in the game. Without quest markers or hint systems, the game relies on your observation and deduction skills. As you dig deeper, you discover conspiracies, hidden secrets, and personal stories of the townspeople, and makes you feel like a real investigator.

5. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person mystery game where you play as Paul Prospero, a detective with paranormal powers, looking for a missing boy named Ethan Carter. The game focuses on exploring and finding clues. Firstly, you can freely roam the open world, uncovering details at your own pace. Additionally, using Prospero's supernatural abilities, you can relive past events by examining objects and scenes, which helps to piece together the story. Moreover, the puzzles are part of the environment, and you need to solve them to move forward. Consequently, the game mixes detective work with eerie, supernatural moments, creating a rich experience.

4. Quern – Undying Thoughts

The world of Quern – Undying Thoughts is full of intriguing puzzles and ancient machines. On a mysterious island, players explore to find clues and items to solve challenging puzzles. The gameplay focuses on critical thinking and careful observation. Players manipulate mechanisms and use logic to unlock new areas. They find notes and messages from past inhabitants, revealing the island's history and secrets. The game encourages thorough exploration and rewards those who investigate every part of the island.

3. INFRA

INFRA puts you in the role of a structural analyst sent to check routine structural damage in a city. However, the mission soon becomes a fight for survival due to past schemes. Your tools are simple: a camera and your wits to navigate the debris-filled environment. You need to inspect structures, identify problems, and find solutions using your camera and flashlight. The game challenges you to think critically and solve realistic puzzles based on engineering principles. Your actions and observations will determine the survival of others. The story unfolds through environmental clues and interactions, exploring themes of corruption and neglect.

2. The Witness

The Witness is another first-person puzzle game where players explore a deserted island filled with puzzles. You move around the island at your own pace, finding and solving puzzles to uncover its secrets. The main puzzles involve drawing lines, which get harder as you go along. You have to observe your surroundings carefully and think logically to solve them. As you solve more puzzles, you unlock new parts of the island and piece together its story through clues and audio logs.

1. The Talos Principle 2

The final game on our list of best games like Riven is The Talos Principle 2, a first-person puzzle adventure that explores deep philosophical themes. In this world, humanity is extinct, but robots carry on human culture. Players embark on an adventure involving a mysterious megastructure with great powers. Along the way, you'll face a wide range of puzzles, from simple ones to very challenging ones called Gold puzzles. Also, you can choose to solve all the puzzles or just enough to finish the game.

So, what's your favourite Riven-like game? Any other recommendations? Let us know on our socials here!