Riven (Original Score)
|
Our Price: $96.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.99 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Riven (Original Score)
Free Music Review: Robyn Miller's best work
Hit: 5 Stars
Riven is one of my favorite soundtracks for writing. I have loved the ambient music Robyn has done for Myst and was thrilled with the soundtrack for Riven when it was released.I'd certainly have liked to see more music from Robyn.
My favorite (and apparently, many others' as well) track is "Gehn's Theme". It is beautiful and haunting, the dark undertones of the music creating the perfect counterpoint to any of Gehn's appearances in the game. It is elegant, sophisticated and chilling and it is woven throughout the game purposefully to serve as a reminder of Gehn's dominance over the people of Riven.
Along with the occasional Myst-specific selections that come through, particularly with Atrus' music, this album is not only the perfect counterpoint to the game itself, it has a life beyond the computer. It is one of the best ambient and electronic albums I have heard.
I guard my copy carefully, since it is packaged in the early version of the more common paperboard cd cases that are becoming popular for DVDs among other things.
My copy is an original 1997 pressing and I have noticed does not mp3 extremely well. The best way to listen to this album is from the CD itself. And it is a worthwhile investment for anyone looking for something interesting and unique to listen to, regardless of if you're a game player or not. It should be in the collection of anyone who loves Yanni, Vangelis, Tangerine Dream or Art of Noise. (All of which I love)
It is a wonderful compliment to the entire Myst/Riven/Exile suite. If you've got Myst, Exile and now Uru, you must have Riven.
Free Music Review: Last of the Riven mystique
Hit: 5 Stars
Usually when one thinks of time and experience, one thinks of things getting better, right? Well, at least in computer gaming terms. Alas, not necessarily so. This soundtrack to Riven is the last of the breathtaking beauty of the Myst series, which died out when Cyan sold their ideas to Presto Studios. Only Robyn Miller, who also created the original soundtrack to Myst, seems to be the only one that grasps his concepts of the D'ni culture, and the mystique that surrounds the entire game. Sorry to say Myst 3 musicman Jack Wall didn't quite seem to follow it.Okay, so it's slightly unfair to expect an outsider to understand perfectly the aire with which to create a new soundtrack, but it's still true; nobody seems to stand up to Robyn Miller's sense of aesthetic for the type of game that Riven is. One has to sense the mood created by imagining an entire race that's shrouded in mystery, a series of islands that no one has ever seen before -- and create out of nothing a musical backdrop that will capture the player and follow him throughout his days in Riven. Almost always, music in a game like this will either make or break the entire concept. Luckily for us, Robyn has created the perfect music for the perfect game.
So while the Riven soundtrack is still only a soundtrack -- at first glance it doesn't seem too exciting to listen to -- the mood that it creates is outstandingly unique, a perfect backdrop for many occasions. Like reading the Myst books, for instance ;P.
Free Music Review: Depressive, encouraging and breathtaking
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD is awesome. Since playing the game for a while, i wondered if it had a soundtrack. I found the music when playing the game, very moody and mystical. But when playing it on my stereo... I found other, deeper, more emotional parts, with a lot of feeling and thought. Tracks like "Survey Island Theme" and "Fissure" are just plain beautiful. "Gateroom" and "Boat ride" set you in a moody feeling. "Whark Room" will send you to the stars and back. Great CD while relaxing, painting, preforming your favourite hobby. Also if you are in a bad mood, it's easy to regain strengh, from this particular CD. Robyn Miller at his best. I don't have the Myst Soundtrack, but when playing Myst, compared to when playing Riven, The music has developed far more than the first game. The best alternative music. This CD can never be too expensive.I recommend The Cure after this.
Free Music Review: I am hooked! (even though I am not a gamer)
Hit: 5 Stars
You know the world has changed since you last looked when films are not the only entertainment pieces to have a soundtrack. Video games also have soundtracks these days and the one by Robyn Miller for the game 'Riven' got me hooked non-stop ever since I first overheard it streaming from a colleague's cubicle at work.
It provides you with a dark, epic atmosphere that never really gets loud, so it also carries a bit of an ambient (almost new age) flavor to it. Perfect not just to go with the game (I have to assume, since I am not a gamer myself), but to work, read or write. It's mellow, but it doesn't sound common or simple. It is one of those albums you wish you could get more of, so I end up playing it once and again. It reminded me of the soundtrack to the anime "Ghost in the Shell" very much and it's definitely got moment that bring back "The Big Blue" to mind.
Free Music Review: Beautiful, relaxing, and engrossing.
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm almost embarrassed by how much I enjoy this music. Whether I want to sit back, unwind with a drink after a long day at work, and just absorb the beautiful sounds, or whether I need background music that will allow me to relax and concentrate on a new project, this music works. It's beautiful, relaxing, and engrossing.It's also a wonderful way to renew, continue, and extend your experience with the game after you've worked completely through it three or four times. As an added bonus, the packaging has high production values, so you get a cool CD case, useful and interesting liner notes, and beautiful illustrations that complement and deepen the game.
But the music stands on its own apart from the game. If you enjoy music that will let you momentarily drift away to beautiful, distant worlds, you will love this soundtrack.