Return of Obra Dinn

Return of Obra Dinn is one of those games that you would never expect to be on your list of games to try. You can grab it on Steam for $20 ($15 if you catch 25% off sale). Though you might have reconsidered once you realized that the game was made by Lucas Pope, creator of Papers, Please. In fact, I didn't even consider trying the game until Zero Punctuation gave it praise. So what was my opinion?

The game shows off a truly unique perspective within a low-budget atmosphere. You are an insurance investigator tasked in finding out what happened to the crew of 60 on the Obra Dinn. By using a device on something dead, you are able to listen to the last... 10 seconds of audio and walk around the last second they were alive. One additional prerogative is this technique can also be used again within that dead man's memory (a sort of inception). This paired up with a guide with the crew's manifest and sketches will allow you rediscover the events that plagued the ship's journey. The story that unfolds is glorious.

That doesn't mean the game is perfect. The instant you start playing the game, you will realize its limitations. There are barely any animations involved - walking around the ship and looking around your office desk at the end of the game. Graphics are reduced to a black-and-white interface with no variety in color. The music can range from being awesome to monotonous. Getting around things can be tough when you are incapable of jumping. I also didn't enjoy the fact that you are given a limited time span the first time you unlock a memory before getting details recorded in your book. It didn't give enough time to soak in the moment.

That is why I highly recommend taking your time with the game. I clocked 12 hours but you could potentially finish the game at around 8 hours. You might be able to figure out 20 different names simply from people calling them out. Another 20 can be figured out by cross-referencing events once you unlock them all (because the order of experiencing them is really flexible). However, the last 20 can be rather difficult unless you really pay attention to details around the ship. I've caught myself missing out on some things because I didn't explore the other decks within a memory (like Olus Wiater handing out weapons or Omid Gul's scimitar is seen hanging by his hammock).

The game certainly makes up for its lack of visual representation by making things easy to navigate. Every name and death can be chosen from a list. If three individuals are identified, they are removed from the list of choices. You can bookmark a certain character or event. Pressing Q brings you to the Table of Contents where you can jump to a certain chapter. There is a glossary and a handy progress bar at the end of the book (though I found it better to exit to the title screen and check your status on your profile page). The map displays each chapter and where you are with a set of footprints. It does not initially show all the bodies but highlights one when you select a certain part of the book. Pressing tab while viewing a body will bring up the memory in the book. Also, zooming in on a person will display where they are shown within the two available sketches.

Summary: Definitely worth playing. I suggest waiting for a sale if you think the game warrants it with its low budget. Don't feel like you are a failure if you are having a hard time. Try not to spoil the game by looking up information online. Take your time playing over a few days. Take real life notes. You will then enjoy enveloping yourself in the crew's lives as you fill in the gaps on your own.

 

4-4-2019