Return of the Obra Dinn

This was the first puzzle/mystery game in a long time that felt both fair and satisfyingly difficult. There is no crazy adventure-logic to keep you guessing longer, instead you have to look for small details, connections, and the flow of scenes to deduce each answer. This was very frustrating sometimes, but it never stopped being fun. The concept is original, creative and incredibly well executed. I enjoyed the artistic style as well, the games conjures up a lot of atmosphere with very simple (but very well done) graphics. Absolutely recommend, whether you enjoy puzzle/mystery games or not, because this is in a league of its own.

This is unquestionably a landmark title in the adventure game genre (at least that's what I think the genre it belongs to). Not only is this a whodunit that ends all whodunit (in that you have to solve *50-plus* murders), but the game designer came up with one of the most unique gameplay mechanics and graphic styles ever. There is no animation, but only "3D freeze frames" of all the moments when the murders occurred. You walk around the crime scenes in those moments to catch clues and listen to dialog during the murders. Crime scenes may be gruesome even in pixel graphics, so this may not be a family-friendly game. There are red herrings, there are surprise killers, and there are answers hidden in plain sight -- all the lovely elements of detective fiction. This game is an absolute joy to play and MUST be experienced. And I think adventure gamers who like storytelling and puzzle-solving may enjoy this one the most.

I can shortly describe it as a kind of mix between a "cluedo" and a fantastic murder story. I think the story grabs you, specially at the middle-end of the game when you are familiar with the characters and the plot. The graphics and soundtrack are great and contribute to provide and immersive experience. The only drawback, for me, is that there are too much murders to solve by elimination (not by clues). In summary, the game is special, innovative and well ended.

I wish more games were made with this much heart. The level of detail and cleverness is astounding. There is nearly no animation and whenever there would be one, it cuts to "black"; and yet the sound effects, the characters and freeze-framed situations have more in them happening, make it more alive and leave more impact than many so-called AAA titles. The music is amazing and actually works in tandem with what's happening, which made me feel exhilarated. Each match of 3 correctly deduced fates brings so much satisfaction it feels like it shouldn't be possible. Sadly, not much of a replay value, and requires too much attention to detail to not randomly guess at some points but actually deduce the facts. Still, it's one of the very few games that are worth way, way more than you pay even at the full price.

Return of the Obra Dinn demonstrates how a truly great game design focuses on the player's experience. The game places you on an empty ship as an insurance adjuster trying to make sense of what happened to the 60 crew and passengers. You have a tool which allows you to relive the final moments of any remains you discover, and a log which automatically will record much of what you see. It took me a while to realize that the game wasn't trying to alienate me. Two hours into playing, I had explored every inch of the ship and was overwhelmed by a jumble of vivid story moments and lists of names. The game will periodically confirm your deductions of the crew's fates - and I had made precious few. I actually got to an end screen. Albeit, one which indicated my failure. But then the game gave me the opportunity to go back. And, in doing so, I realized it wasn't trying to alienate me but to help me understand that exploring the ship was just giving me the tools I needed to actually play the game. I went back into the memories for a second or third time, finding the clues weren't necessarily in the most dramatic moments, but in the interactions found elsewhere in the same scene. Even walking around the ship was different once I got out of game exploration mode and thought more like a detective. By hour five I was confirming fates all the time, narrowing the crew list and getting closer to the end. Crucially, though, I felt more competent about the 'job' I was doing. It's not a feeling I'm used to in gaming but it did remind me of designer Lucas Pope's previous game "Papers Please." The 'gamiest' thing about Obra Dinn might be that it conceals one piece of the narrative until the endgame, but those looking forward to a twist ending might be disappointed. The denouement of Obra Dinn isn't about a final dramatic twist but about completing the task and taking pride in a job well done. It's one of the most satisfying sensations I've ever had in a video game.