Return of the Obra Dinn

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 392 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 337 out of 392
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 392
  3. Negative: 27 out of 392

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  1. Peaceduke
    Nov 3, 2018
    10
    Easily one of the best experiences I had this year. People saying that game "drags" more than it should, but after finishing it I only wish if i could erase my memory and replay it again without bruteforcing certain characters/fates, and took more time with it. Every single soul in this game is a separate puzzle and everything fits in place perfectly if you're observant enough. Music isEasily one of the best experiences I had this year. People saying that game "drags" more than it should, but after finishing it I only wish if i could erase my memory and replay it again without bruteforcing certain characters/fates, and took more time with it. Every single soul in this game is a separate puzzle and everything fits in place perfectly if you're observant enough. Music is beautiful, sound design, mixing and voice acting are just perfect. True indie Gem. The only sad thing is that you have to wait for at least another couple of years until Pope comes out with another Game...hopefully.… Expand
  2. Danfritz
    Oct 30, 2018
    8
    It's like a child of Life is Strange (first one) and Sudoku. You have your chart to solve and magic maggafen to play with time. Graphics are... demanding. You will probably need a glasses after playing it but it's the legacy of sudoku games right?
    Overall it's a good game. Interesting and unique. My eyes hurt but I'm entertained (not in ancient Rome style, more like after a really good    It's like a child of Life is Strange (first one) and Sudoku. You have your chart to solve and magic maggafen to play with time. Graphics are... demanding. You will probably need a glasses after playing it but it's the legacy of sudoku games right?
    Overall it's a good game. Interesting and unique. My eyes hurt but I'm entertained (not in ancient Rome style, more like after a really good coffee at obscure last minute shop waiting for a train).    … Expand
  3. larsch
    Nov 16, 2018
    10
    This game will let your imagination run wild. Explore the ship, the story, enjoy the music, the atmosphere. Let yourself be enveloped in this immersive mystery on board the Obra Dinn.
  4. yamman
    Oct 23, 2018
    10
    Absolutely loved it!

    The visual treatment, the excellent atmospheric voice performances and audio design, beautiful posing and modelling... But above all... what an achievement in narrative puzzle design. I can't imagine how much work it was to create this. Well, it took 4 years apparently, and it shows. It's just an immaculately crafted puzzle box that rewards observation and    Absolutely loved it!

    The visual treatment, the excellent atmospheric voice performances and audio design, beautiful posing and modelling...

    But above all... what an achievement in narrative puzzle design. I can't imagine how much work it was to create this. Well, it took 4 years apparently, and it shows. It's just an immaculately crafted puzzle box that rewards observation and attention to detail.

    Plus the telling of the story is so well done, with twists and turns... just a phenomenal achievement.

    I spend 17 hours playing and it felt like about 9. Once I picked it up I had to see it through to the end. It seems insurmountable at the start but the game design is so good it unfolds layer upon layer of difficulty organically based on how much you've solved.

    A truly stunning achievement.

    Plus I just read that Lucas Pope, as well as creating 'Papers, Please', also created one of my favorite iOS games of all time (Helsing's Fire) - makes sense now! Especially the music and setting.

    Highly recommend it - I paid full price it it was worth every dubloon!    … Expand
  5. cinciangjanpang
    Nov 13, 2018
    9
    Return of the Obra Dinn is incredibly smart, has an amazing atmosphere and tells its story with great intelligence. I liked the way it makes you think, learn more and deal with the puzzle. I think it would be boring in a long run, but for indie game it's awesome.
  6. TitaniumDragon
    Jul 14, 2021
    8
    Return of the Obra Dinn is a retro-styled puzzle-mystery game. You play as an insurance adjuster, going onto a ghost ship and trying to figure out what happened to everyone on board. Along with your job assignment, you are given two tools: a journal and an ominous looking pocket watch with a skull on its face.

    The game has a striking visual theme – it is entirely in black and white, and    Return of the Obra Dinn is a retro-styled puzzle-mystery game. You play as an insurance adjuster, going onto a ghost ship and trying to figure out what happened to everyone on board. Along with your job assignment, you are given two tools: a journal and an ominous looking pocket watch with a skull on its face.

    The game has a striking visual theme – it is entirely in black and white, and is designed to look “old”, and yet it is very obvious that the 3D models in it are of much more modern vintage. The “retro” deliberately obscures some details – like color – and makes the entire game look like old 19th century drawings found in books – examples of which appear inside your journal.

    The journal serves as the player’s guide through the game. It has a complete list of all 60 members of the crew, along with some drawings that depict the crew in various scenes. Each crew member or passenger’s face appears once in these drawings (with a couple deliberate exceptions), but there is no connection between the images and the names.

    The goal of the game is to figure out who each of the people were, connecting the names to the images, and determine the ultimate fate of everyone onboard the Obra Dinn during its final voyage.

    The pocket watch is the central conceit of the game – when you approach a corpse, you can activate the pocket watch to be brought to the moment of that corpse’s death. This allows you to hear what was going on in the lead up to the death, and see (in a still image) what is going on when they die, and try to make inferences about how they died, who or what killed them (if anything), and who they actually were.

    As the game progresses, you fill in a series of sequential events in the journal, split up into ten chapters. Each pair of pages corresponds to a single scene viewed through the watch. In some cases, some people “disappear” from the story after a certain chapter, and you have to figure out why – what happened to them? Did they leave the ship in some way? Fall overboard? Die in such a way that they left no corpse on board?

    Early on, this is pretty simple – people will say their names or positions, or cry out at each other. But as the game goes on, things get increasingly difficult.

    Some people are only referred to by name in other scenes. Sometimes, someone will be injured, then die some time later, requiring the player to find the scene where they were originally wounded. Sometimes, people are injured, but pull through and recover, causing them to reappear in later scenes.

    After viewing nine of the chapters, you are invited to leave the Obra Dinn. But at this point, there’s a good chance you’ll have filled in only about half the names on your list, maybe less. At this point, you have to start getting increasingly clever – many people are never actually named or ranked even once in the entire game, requiring you to infer their identity from their uniform or attire, their accent (the nationality of each of the crew members is noted in the crew list), who they spend their time interacting with (for instance, the captain and mates have stewards, while people like the surgeon and carpenter have mates who serve as a helper), and various other things.

    This is a game about taking in all sorts of details, and making educated guesses and inferences based on information. Oftentimes, seemingly inconsequential details will actually give away someone’s identity, and various aspects of the journal itself can even give hints.

    The game does a very good job of getting the player all the information they need, but doing so subtly; exploring these scenes is rewarded, as is noticing various things going on in the background, listening to voices and accents, and looking at what people are doing and who they hang out with to try and figure out what their jobs might be.

    By the end of the game, you will likely be feeling quite smart for having figured it all out – and because the game does play fair, it is possible to figure everything out, often in a couple different ways.

    The game also assists you by “locking in” correct guesses, but only in sets of three – that is to say, if you correctly identify three people’s names, visual identity, and cause of death (including who/what killed them, if anything), the scribbled in information is replaced by typeset information, allowing you to gradually whittle down your list of unknown people with confidence.

    That's not to say that the game is perfect - going back through memories at the end of the game is kind of a pain due to lack of fast travel between them, the audio associated with a memory can only be replayed by exiting and re-entering it, and the plot is servicable, not amazing.

    But it is still a good game, and one I'd recommend to anyone who likes feeling clever for noticing minor details and making inferences.    … Expand
  7. Mandulum
    Mar 10, 2019
    8
    Favorite Thing: It's an incredibly creative game with a great story ... involving monsters!
    Least Favorite Thing: Some of the identifications are a little too vague.

    Date Completed: 2019-03-04
    Playtime: ~ 7h
    Enjoyment: 8/10
    Recommendation: It's definitely a game to be experiences.
  8. hobofighter
    Nov 15, 2018
    9
    This is an excellent choose your own pace, murder mystery/puzzle game. The simple aesthetic fits in well with the setting, muting some of the gruesomeness to more clearly show you what is actually going on in each scene. The little details can end up being very important and something as simple as a turn of phrase used in a scene can end up being the difference between identifying a victimThis is an excellent choose your own pace, murder mystery/puzzle game. The simple aesthetic fits in well with the setting, muting some of the gruesomeness to more clearly show you what is actually going on in each scene. The little details can end up being very important and something as simple as a turn of phrase used in a scene can end up being the difference between identifying a victim and not. My only complaint about this game is that there doesn't seem to be a way to go directly into a previously viewed memory directly from the log book. If it's there, it is not obvious how to do it. It would save a lot of time.… Expand
  9. KingMob4313
    Oct 22, 2018
    10
    A game that is 1/2 murder mystery, 1/4 Myst and 1/4 horror all done in a CGA/Monochome Mac demake style with a rich and complex tale behind it. It is an absolute steal at 20 dollars, with shocking twists and turns as the story of this cursed ship slowly reveals itself.

    Highest Possible Recommendation.
  10. Klewer
    Jul 26, 2022
    8
    An absolute masterful experience. That being said, it won't be for everyone and do your research beforehand. A great concept, interesting setting and unique mechanics make this a must.
  11. memus
    Oct 1, 2021
    9
    The best puzzle game I have ever played (and I hate puzzle games in general).

    Pros: * Perfect 1bit art style. In general, that's a game made by a single artist who had both a singular vision and a knowledge of his craft. (Lucas Pope did the story, the music and programming all by himself.) * You feel like a real detective (even more so than in Her Story which is also great). Also, I    The best puzzle game I have ever played (and I hate puzzle games in general).

    Pros:
    * Perfect 1bit art style. In general, that's a game made by a single artist who had both a singular vision and a knowledge of his craft. (Lucas Pope did the story, the music and programming all by himself.)
    * You feel like a real detective (even more so than in Her Story which is also great). Also, I didn't google anything to complete the game. It was very satisfying to solve everything by myself.
    * It runs on my M1 Macbook as a breeze.

    Cons:
    * none    … Expand
  12. TheWaffle
    Oct 20, 2020
    10
    Gaming perfection. The Return of the Obra Dinn is a triumph of gameplay that elevates minimalist graphics and voice acting into a haunting and unforgettable horror/puzzle game. The frustration with each puzzle piece is only matched by the satisfaction of answering each grim detail of the ship's fate. Every gamer should play this game. It's one of the best puzzle games ever made.
  13. JSagittarius
    May 8, 2020
    10
    K teto hre jsem se chtel dostat uz dlouho ale nejak na to nebyl cas. Konecne se zadarilo a po 8 hodinach a 45 minutach dohrano. Byla to pecka.

    Svezi napad, svezi hratelnost (i kdyz nektere kroky v UI jsou trochu krkolomne), paradni atmosfera, super hudba, zajimavy a strhujici pribeh. Vsechno zde bylo vyborne. Takovehle hry mam moc rad. Hry ktere jsem "jeste nikdy nehral". Hrat si na    K teto hre jsem se chtel dostat uz dlouho ale nejak na to nebyl cas. Konecne se zadarilo a po 8 hodinach a 45 minutach dohrano. Byla to pecka.

    Svezi napad, svezi hratelnost (i kdyz nektere kroky v UI jsou trochu krkolomne), paradni atmosfera, super hudba, zajimavy a strhujici pribeh. Vsechno zde bylo vyborne.

    Takovehle hry mam moc rad. Hry ktere jsem "jeste nikdy nehral". Hrat si na vysetrovatele na jedne lodi.

    Hrali jsme to ve 2 lidech a casto jsme si nadhazovali napady, spekulovali a zkouseli. Neskutecna zabava.    … Expand
  14. Wander22
    Feb 17, 2019
    9
    Gameplay/Mechanics: 9.5
    Sound/Music: 9
    Graphics/Art: 9.5
    Story/Atmosphere: 10
    OVERALL: 9.5/10
  15. Dazan
    Sep 3, 2019
    9
    Impresionante experiencia este "simulador de detective". Te obliga a estar completamente concentrado para descubrir todos los detalles que las escenas esconden. El estilo visual a mi me ha parecido incómodo de jugar por los contrastes de oscuro/claro que al final cansan la vista, pero comprendo la elección. Consigues que un juego con gráficos sin gracia tenga muchísima personalidad, yImpresionante experiencia este "simulador de detective". Te obliga a estar completamente concentrado para descubrir todos los detalles que las escenas esconden. El estilo visual a mi me ha parecido incómodo de jugar por los contrastes de oscuro/claro que al final cansan la vista, pero comprendo la elección. Consigues que un juego con gráficos sin gracia tenga muchísima personalidad, y además ayudas al jugador a centrarse en los datos importantes. Superdivertido descubrir la historia que esconde.… Expand
  16. auditbadger
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  17. Ypp
    Jan 24, 2019
    10
    I went into this game thinking it would be a crossover between Phoenix Wright and Sudoku (murder-solving + puzzle-solving). Boy, was I wrong. This game is its own genre.

    You get a taste of the gameplay from the first bodies you encounter, and as soon as you understand the basics, the game throws you into a spiral of memories that will make you wonder about the fate and motivations of    I went into this game thinking it would be a crossover between Phoenix Wright and Sudoku (murder-solving + puzzle-solving). Boy, was I wrong. This game is its own genre.

    You get a taste of the gameplay from the first bodies you encounter, and as soon as you understand the basics, the game throws you into a spiral of memories that will make you wonder about the fate and motivations of each crew member as well as the ship herself.

    Graphics serve the purpose of the game perfectly : high contrast and blurred faces force you to make deductions based on assumptions and fragmented information. Making a correct guess is very rewarding, much more than I would have thought from the reviews.

    The music and the sound design are very engaging (although not to everyone's tastes, I suppose). The little music of confirmation when you guess the fates correctly is a motivation in itself.

    As a non native English-speaker I can't judge the different accents but the voice acting is very good.

    Like I saw someone else comment about, my greatest regret is not being able to forget about the story so I can discover it once more...    … Expand
  18. joschimitsu
    Jan 13, 2019
    10
    This might just have been the best game I've ever played. It is so different from everything else but if you like the feeling of being a detective and actually investigating and solving stuff (much like in Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment - just even more in-depths) this is the ultimate gaming experience for you. Right now I am desperately looking for anything else that is remotelyThis might just have been the best game I've ever played. It is so different from everything else but if you like the feeling of being a detective and actually investigating and solving stuff (much like in Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment - just even more in-depths) this is the ultimate gaming experience for you. Right now I am desperately looking for anything else that is remotely similar to Obra Dinn.

    Really - play it. I hope Lucas Pope does another game like that. It is a masterpiece    … Expand
  19. greenbey
    Jun 27, 2020
    9
    A-
    Unique and magnificent art style makes the game one of the best experiences of gaming.
    If you like puzzle games its a must play but still good for other people too.
    Recommended.
  20. TheGameIsALie
    Dec 23, 2018
    10
    É difícil encontrar falhas em Return of the Obra Dinn. Tudo é tão polido e bem-planejado, completamente novo e familiar ao mesmo tempo. Não há nada parecido com este jogo no mercado, e ao fim eu só queria poder continuar investigando destinos de desconhecidos por mais horas a fio.
  21. Zilbermann
    Dec 9, 2020
    9
    Return of the Obra Dinn is a really beautiful game. The first time you look at it you may say that it looks like some game from the past century and well… you are right. Obra Dinn is a detective mystery game with retro graphics and surprisingly the graphics is one of the strongest things about it. But let’s start from the beginning.
    In 1803 The Good Ship “Obra Dinn” was lost at the sea.    Return of the Obra Dinn is a really beautiful game. The first time you look at it you may say that it looks like some game from the past century and well… you are right. Obra Dinn is a detective mystery game with retro graphics and surprisingly the graphics is one of the strongest things about it. But let’s start from the beginning.
    In 1803 The Good Ship “Obra Dinn” was lost at the sea. Five years later it approach the Falmouth port without any living member of the crew. You are a detective whose job is to identify every member of the crew, discover the way they’ve died or disappear and finally find out what actually happened on the ship. The thing is you have a certain artifact – a pocket watch which can show you a memory of the moment when a person died, if you have their corpse obviously. It makes the whole investigation very interesting. So for the first five hours or so you explore the ship and the memories but for me and probably for most players the first glimpse of the crewmembers’ deaths wasn’t enough to identify all 60 of them. So after you saw everything, you explore the memories and the ship for clues once again when you see the whole picture (because the memories are not given to you chronologically) and you identify the people to complete the Obra Dinn’s story and I have to admit that all of it is just amazing. Walking simulator mixed with murder mystery is just great. One thing I can say is not so good is the fact that there are lots of people in the crew that are shown maybe in one or two memories which makes identifying them a guess.
    I can truly recommend Obra Dinn to people looking for some detective mystery or some retro styled game. It’s a great game based on a fact that it was made by a single person. I loved it and I hope you will too.    … Expand
  22. Alphahel1x
    Jan 13, 2019
    8
    It's a nice game of observation and deduction. The artistic style is interesting and original, but starts to hurt your eyes after a while.

    What you see is what you get - a one-off mystery to solve, with no replayability. However, there's enough content for you to feel like you're getting your money's worth. The interface, and way you "navigate between memories" are more cumbersome    It's a nice game of observation and deduction. The artistic style is interesting and original, but starts to hurt your eyes after a while.

    What you see is what you get - a one-off mystery to solve, with no replayability. However, there's enough content for you to feel like you're getting your money's worth.

    The interface, and way you "navigate between memories" are more cumbersome than they need to be. To explain what I mean by "navigating between memories": suppose you're looking at the scene where crewmember A dies, which contains a link to the scene where crewmember B dies. Here's what the game makes you do to reach it:

    (1) You find B's corpse and use your watch to go into a strange "wireframe mode".

    (2) You find B's corpse again (for some reason) and sort of 'activate' it in a way that exits wireframe mode.

    (3) You're now paralyzed for some reason until you 'activate' your watch yet again.

    (4) Then you follow a ghostly trail around the ship, back to B's corpse (again!).

    (5) Then *finally* you can access the scene where B dies.

    (6) But since this is the first time you're looking at it, then you're forced to wander around and just look at things for a fixed period of time, whether you want to or not, and are not permitted to make deductions in your notebook until afterwards.

    This flaw doesn't ruin the game, but it's a bafflingly obtuse bit of design.    … Expand
  23. Explodingmoons
    Jan 16, 2019
    10
    Return of the Obra Dinn is definitely, and I say this without shame, the best puzzle game of all time.
    Amazing story, Amazing art style, Amazing Characters.
    The only gripe I have is that you can't buy that amazing soundtrack anywhere right now! Buy it! Don't cheat, you'll ruin it for yourself, Play with a friend, bounce ideas off each other, And for god's sake, don't do it all in one    Return of the Obra Dinn is definitely, and I say this without shame, the best puzzle game of all time.
    Amazing story, Amazing art style, Amazing Characters.
    The only gripe I have is that you can't buy that amazing soundtrack anywhere right now!
    Buy it!
    Don't cheat, you'll ruin it for yourself,
    Play with a friend, bounce ideas off each other,
    And for god's sake, don't do it all in one go.
    It's like eating Ice cream, you need to pace yourself.    … Expand
  24. Narva
    Feb 18, 2019
    9
    Excelente muestra de talento por parte de Lucas Pope creando la atmósfera perfecta para centrarte en lo realmente destacable del juego: la historia, la relación de los personajes y cómo el más mínimo detalle no debe menospreciarse si quieres resolver los 60 sinos.

    Lejos del frenesí de los juegos AAA actuales, Return of th Obra Dinn exigirá el máximo de tu concentración, de tu capacidad    Excelente muestra de talento por parte de Lucas Pope creando la atmósfera perfecta para centrarte en lo realmente destacable del juego: la historia, la relación de los personajes y cómo el más mínimo detalle no debe menospreciarse si quieres resolver los 60 sinos.

    Lejos del frenesí de los juegos AAA actuales, Return of th Obra Dinn exigirá el máximo de tu concentración, de tu capacidad de cribar la información y de tu capacidad de deducción.

    Juego totalmente recomendable si quieres una experiencia diferente a lo habitual en la industria.    … Expand
  25. hello_world
    Nov 23, 2021
    8
    The Return of the Obra Din is wonderfully creative and at times, maddenly confusing. I am no Whizz at puzzle solving (though I'd like to think I'm no dunce either), but Obra Dinn hits the sweet spot of being tough but reasonable for most of its puzzles.

    You are tasked with identifying a whole ship's worth of people and how they met their untimely demise and in this game, everything is    The Return of the Obra Din is wonderfully creative and at times, maddenly confusing. I am no Whizz at puzzle solving (though I'd like to think I'm no dunce either), but Obra Dinn hits the sweet spot of being tough but reasonable for most of its puzzles.

    You are tasked with identifying a whole ship's worth of people and how they met their untimely demise and in this game, everything is a clue. You are forced to look out for minor details that can give you vital information. Sometimes you will notice what a person is doing to figure out what their role is, sometimes you have to notice what room they were in at a certain point in time. There is also the subject of accents which does give an indication of where they are from, unfortunately for me, I am unfamiliar with many European accents and so that line of deduction was largely out of my reach. Still, this is an ingenious way to create puzzles and it makes you feel super intelligent when you work out the identity of a person based on a detail that seem small, but easily noticeable once you figure out what you are looking for. Sometimes the game can feel a bit unfair though. I remember how I got stuck on one character in particular because of a comment made by one of the characters that totally mislead me (and most players I suspect) and there wasn't much that would later alert you that you were misled.

    The art style is also something to comment on as it is quite unique and works to give the ship and the tale that it tells with this dark atmosphere. I'm a fan of it as it is much more memorable than the high fidelity look many games try to achieve. Overall, this is a game that is worth checking out if you're into puzzles that require deductive reasoning.    … Expand
  26. RogueV
    Dec 5, 2019
    9
    What an absolutely spectacular indie game. I am blown away. These are the kind of games I rave about to my friends who don't play games, the kind of games whose sheer creativity push the boundaries of the medium. No praise is fitting for this game unless it is superlative, so in that vein, I'd like to say that Return of the Obra Dinn is the greatest singleplayer PC game of 2018, surpassingWhat an absolutely spectacular indie game. I am blown away. These are the kind of games I rave about to my friends who don't play games, the kind of games whose sheer creativity push the boundaries of the medium. No praise is fitting for this game unless it is superlative, so in that vein, I'd like to say that Return of the Obra Dinn is the greatest singleplayer PC game of 2018, surpassing the only real competitor Subnautica. Not only does it take detective games to a new level never seen before, in my humble opinion, it takes the entire realm of detective storytelling to a new place, the best breath of fresh air.

    This is the kind of game where you'll spend ages poring over a notebook, revisiting crime scenes, searching both the depths of the scene and your mind for clues. This is the rare kind of game that really tests your mental acumen and not in an obnoxious way with hard puzzles out of nowhere, it tests it through strength of narrative and as a core part of its fundamental mechanic.

    I don't want to spoil this game by talking too much about it. Just buy it. Play it. Enjoy it. It's like a dessert at a 5 star restaurant, a treat to savour. And you really should savour it, don't binge it or play more than a couple hours at a time.

    If I had to make one criticism, i'd say the notebook management is really quite confusing for new players. Once you jump the initial hurdle, the game is smooth sailing from there, with many a satisfying moment.    … Expand
  27. Wweald
    Aug 27, 2021
    9
    Super unique game, from the gameplay to the aesthetic and even the story telling. It's basically a giant puzzle, trying to sort out who everyone is and what happened to them. So if you like puzzle games definitely try this. There isn't a lot of information to go off of either and at first seems ridiculously hard. But eventually through process of elimination you'll get there. Also theSuper unique game, from the gameplay to the aesthetic and even the story telling. It's basically a giant puzzle, trying to sort out who everyone is and what happened to them. So if you like puzzle games definitely try this. There isn't a lot of information to go off of either and at first seems ridiculously hard. But eventually through process of elimination you'll get there. Also the sound design and sound track are awesome, voice acting is solid.… Expand
  28. mentez
    Aug 27, 2019
    8
    I really enjoyed it. Screenshots don't do this game much justice, it's way better in motion. The atmosphere is great and I really liked the puzzles.
  29. EnigmaticCactus
    Nov 10, 2019
    9
    An amazing game, with only a few quality-of-life things lacking (such as the ability to view deaths from the logbook). Still one of my games of the generation!
  30. OliveParty
    Jul 6, 2020
    10
    I went into this game completely blind, and boy was I surprised by it. I loved solving the mystery of this game and finding out what happened. I greatly recommend this game to people who just want to sit down and solve a grand mystery.
  31. 13baker11
    Dec 13, 2019
    10
    “Return of the Obra Dinn” is a brilliant game.

    It tells the story of a detective, who is tasked with finding out what exactly happened onboard the Obra Dinn that caused the ship never to arrive in it’s destination. Armed with a intricate timepiece and a book you have to find out what happened to every single one of the 60 crew mates. This task is challenging and therefore rewarding; it    “Return of the Obra Dinn” is a brilliant game.

    It tells the story of a detective, who is tasked with finding out what exactly happened onboard the Obra Dinn that caused the ship never to arrive in it’s destination. Armed with a intricate timepiece and a book you have to find out what happened to every single one of the 60 crew mates.
    This task is challenging and therefore rewarding; it requires you to make many guesses that may or may not be right, but with every assumption you are getting closer to the truth.

    Will you find out what happened onboard the Obra Dinn? I did and I was not disappointed.    … Expand
  32. MisterGodfather
    May 15, 2020
    10
    My game of the year for 2018. Obra Dinn is one giant detective game that is a blast to solve.
  33. hoanns
    Jun 6, 2020
    9
    A truly new concept of story telling. It is pretty hard to figure out without help at times. It sucks the graphic is so limited though, because it often relies on visual details to solve fates.
  34. charnameRed
    Oct 5, 2020
    10
    非常有趣的作品。
    不同于市面上那些点点点的所谓“推理”游戏，这个游戏是真的需要一点一点抽丝剥茧，自己在不同的场景中寻找各种有用的信息，进而解除谜题的。
    为创意与叙事喝彩。
  35. paulsinnett
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    This game is pretty much a new genre of detective game. Here you have to use your observations and listening skills and some deductive reasoning to piece together the name and role of everyone who died on the boat. While doing this you will relive the entire disastrous last voyage of the Obra Dinn. I highly recommend it if you like puzzle solving games.
  36. bergcamp101
    Aug 24, 2020
    10
    This game is The masterpiece!! Somehow its simple mechanics and ideas create truly sensational experience, which you've never felt before. Just Bravo!
  37. StylishMuttin
    Aug 3, 2020
    10
    For what this game is trying to be its just about perfect. It gave me such a great detective feel and trying to figure out what happened to all 60 of the crew is for the most part the right amount of challenge, but some of the more minor characters are ridiculously hard to pin down. The music and artstyle are so good and a big part of why I was so into this game. This is such a creativeFor what this game is trying to be its just about perfect. It gave me such a great detective feel and trying to figure out what happened to all 60 of the crew is for the most part the right amount of challenge, but some of the more minor characters are ridiculously hard to pin down. The music and artstyle are so good and a big part of why I was so into this game. This is such a creative game and I loved almost every minute of it.… Expand
  38. bootchec
    Aug 19, 2020
    10
    Once in a while a masterpiece is born. This is one of those times and masterpieces.
  39. GVB
    Oct 30, 2020
    10
    Ok, take pen an pencil, listen with the mouth open the stuning music of this game, and start thinking. It also has a very good story and an interesting and misterious setting... so. If you want logic puzzles or adventure stories with very well written characters... this is your game.
  40. ylnylmn
    Aug 16, 2021
    9
    For the first time, I played a game for 12 hours without a break. I've never been bored. Art design and music fascinated me. The story is just like a novel. I didn't want the game to end. But when I finished the game, I didn't feel smart. The game makes you think, but the solution is very easy to find. I wish it had a more complex plot. More variety of tips. More plot twists. I just had aFor the first time, I played a game for 12 hours without a break. I've never been bored. Art design and music fascinated me. The story is just like a novel. I didn't want the game to end. But when I finished the game, I didn't feel smart. The game makes you think, but the solution is very easy to find. I wish it had a more complex plot. More variety of tips. More plot twists. I just had a hard time finding 2 or 3 people. Honestly, I wish it was a little harder. But it was still very good. Definitely play it. A truly different experience.… Expand
  41. gotterpotter56
    Mar 22, 2022
    8
    Каждый раз, когда звучит мелодия "тун-тун-тун" бываешь в диком восторге, так как это означает, что ты угадал три участи. Если хотите почувствовать себя детективом (страховщиком), то однозначно рекомендую эту игру.
    Оценка: 8.5    Каждый раз, когда звучит мелодия "тун-тун-тун" бываешь в диком восторге, так как это означает, что ты угадал три участи. Если хотите почувствовать себя детективом (страховщиком), то однозначно рекомендую эту игру.
    Оценка: 8.5
  42. yertre
    Feb 10, 2021
    9
    Lucas Pope has struck Papers Please gold again. Obra Dinn is a detective game (dare I say the best one I've played) in which you, an insurance investigator, must figure out how everyone on a ship (The Obra Dinn) disappeared.

    It's a very clever game, although some of the assumptions you have to make may seem a bit far fetched. It has virtually no replay value, so try to savour the game    Lucas Pope has struck Papers Please gold again. Obra Dinn is a detective game (dare I say the best one I've played) in which you, an insurance investigator, must figure out how everyone on a ship (The Obra Dinn) disappeared.

    It's a very clever game, although some of the assumptions you have to make may seem a bit far fetched.
    It has virtually no replay value, so try to savour the game as you play it. I honestly don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave the review as it is here.

    I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a clever detective game that makes you feel smart.    … Expand
  43. gab_izidio
    Feb 5, 2021
    10
    Return of the Obra Dinn - 9.9 / 10 - {I recommend more than the size of the seven seas, you need to play at least once in your life}
    The game is [Mysterious, Atmospheric, Challenging, Engaging, Artistic, Unique, Impressive]
    => Pros: + Complex history of unraveling; + Atmosphere with unique and tense graphic art; + Unique research dynamics; + Everything is mysterious; + Each    Return of the Obra Dinn - 9.9 / 10 - {I recommend more than the size of the seven seas, you need to play at least once in your life}
    The game is [Mysterious, Atmospheric, Challenging, Engaging, Artistic, Unique, Impressive]

    => Pros:
    + Complex history of unraveling;
    + Atmosphere with unique and tense graphic art;
    + Unique research dynamics;
    + Everything is mysterious;
    + Each character is unique and has its own story;
    + Exceptional soundtrack;
    + There is a possibility of the replay factor after zeroing the game, because the player forgets everything after a few months;

    => Cons:
    - There is a small range of information that is practically impossible to find by the scenes accessed, and you need to go on the basis of "guessing" until you get it right, which is a minimal problem compared to the masterpiece that this game is as a whole;

    => VERDICT:
    The Verdict is that Return of Obra Dinn is one of the best games ever made in history for several factors, having a unique art, an immersive atmosphere that will involve you a lot in the scenes, a perfectly characterized soundtrack, and a story of countless mysteries that wins over many series and films. The dynamics of exploring the scenes of death, the photos, and navigation of the book, everything is so well done that it makes this game not just any masterpiece, but a that should be marked in history, like Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. It will make you use your ability to deduct at all times, and
    makes you understand what it is like to be a detective like Sherlock was, but on a ship, where there is only you, your book, your "special" compass, and a sea of ​​mysteries ranging from the shallow to the most obscure.

    The point is, are you able to get on that ship with nothing, and leave with everything? Only you can find out, so embark on Obra Dinn, and discover what the depths of the ocean hide from us all.    … Expand
  44. CAPS_LOCK
    Nov 6, 2021
    10
    When you finish this you just wish you could use a time travelling pocket watch in real life, just to go back and do it all again.
  45. player_101
    Apr 6, 2021
    10
    One of the most original games I have ever played.
    I loved the story and the graphic style is great. The mechanics are a bit confusing at first but definitely worth digging in.
  46. 1Poseidon3
    Jul 12, 2022
    10
    Absolutely amazing soundtrack. Unique visual art style (that can be customized). Superb voice acting and sound design. Perfectly crafted story. The only downside (if you can even call it that) is its lack of re-playability.
  47. CriticalBlind
    May 15, 2021
    9
    This game is a masterpiece. Music, game design, visuals... top-notch overall!
  48. igolrum
    May 25, 2021
    10
    Pretty good story told visually with almost no words.

    Also an actual detective game, everything can be a hint. Locations of people on the map, clothing, who hangs out with who, etc. Doesn't hold your hand either. Go and figure stuff out by just context and the frozen moment of death. Very unique.
  49. thangcq123
    Aug 25, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is wonderful. I never imagined such a detective game with that much content and brain storming to solve. Not only the names, the qualities, the nations or the accents of 60 characters but also their languages, their act, their appearence play an important role in indentified their fate… Expand
  50. Fyxhcl
    Jan 3, 2023
    9
    Return of the Obra Dinn is a very original investigation game. It's set on an abandoned ship where the protagonist has to investigate what happened to the 60 people that were on board.

    You can do this by exploring the ship in a first-person view; during your exploration, you'll stumble accross many corpse, and every time you find one, your special power will let you listen to the last    Return of the Obra Dinn is a very original investigation game. It's set on an abandoned ship where the protagonist has to investigate what happened to the 60 people that were on board.

    You can do this by exploring the ship in a first-person view; during your exploration, you'll stumble accross many corpse, and every time you find one, your special power will let you listen to the last seconds of life of that person, and, after that, you'll be able to see and explore the surroundings of a static scene representing their istant of death.

    Starting with an almost blank book containing the ship map, some drawing of the entire crew, the list of people on board and little else, you cannot talk with anyone, examine object or read documents, and just looking at the scenes you'll have to notice a lot of details and make a lot of connections in order to understand who is who and what happened to them. Sometimes this process is very difficult and makes you feel lost, but with attention is possible to identify several characters, and excluding them from the people list will help identifying the remaining ones. The process is fun, the game will confirm your choices every time you get 3 of them correct, and when it happens it's extremely satisfying.

    The game has also flaws, it's short and not replayable, its graphics is stylish but sometimes confusing (and surely not the best you can find), the little area explorable and the lack of any interactivity with the environment let you wonder the potential that a similar game would have, if it wasn't a low budget production.

    In conclusion, Return of the Obra Dinn is a great investigation game, with an original and clever structure that will give you something fresh to play and a lot of satisfaction for completing it. It's not perfect and won't last long, but if you're curious to undersand how a ship with 60 people can disappear for 5 years, and then be found without a single person alive on board... well, you won't regret playing it!    … Expand
  51. F1_is_WWE
    Dec 24, 2022
    5
    The best thing I can say about Return of the Obra Dinn is that it is unique. The premise is that a ship with a crew of 60 had gone missing and has now resurfaced. You are given a personnel manifest and your task is to put a name to each corpse. Your only tool is a magic device that allows you to view a flashback of the moment each corpse died. To make things easier on you, the game willThe best thing I can say about Return of the Obra Dinn is that it is unique. The premise is that a ship with a crew of 60 had gone missing and has now resurfaced. You are given a personnel manifest and your task is to put a name to each corpse. Your only tool is a magic device that allows you to view a flashback of the moment each corpse died. To make things easier on you, the game will let you know every 3 correct matches you make (makes it way too easy IMO - should have added difficulty levels).

    What is unique about the game is that you do not have any sort of inventory to manage, or witnesses to interview, or puzzles to solve for unlocking new areas. All you have is a ship filled with dead bodies and your little flashback device. But don't mistake this as the game being hardcore "bring your own notebook" type game. The game takes care of all the legwork you could want - it will record names to persons matches you made (so in a flashback you can tell who is who), it will order the flashbacks from first to last, and it will give you a map so you don't have to remember anything. Everything is taken care of for you besides your one task - matching the name to the body.

    You'll be able to do this through various hints in the scenes. For example, you'll hear someone referenced by name, or you'll hear him speak a different language, or you'll see he is dressed different, or sleeps in special quarters. Lots of little things, a few of which are a bit contrived. Basically it is through guesswork and process of elimination you'll be able to win. To give you an idea of how this works, as an example in one flashback you'll see 3 men playing cards and speaking Russian. You check the crew manifest and confirm there are only 3 Russians on board. You see a funny hat next to hammock #41, then in another flashback you see one of the 3 men wearing the hat. Now you know he is #41 on the manifest, you can cross him off. The other 2 russians have different job descriptions - one works as a sailor the other as a deckhand. In yet another flashback you see one of the 2 scrubbing the floor - now, out of the 10 deckhands on the manifest, you know this is the russian speaking one. Cross him out. The sailor you can guess by process of elimination. Done. This is a more or less simple example, but that's essentially what you'll be doing all game for all 60 crew members. It's not exciting, but it isn't terrible either. An average game that has been exalted only for being unique compared to the regurgitated AAA slop that most every studio produces these days.

    One thing other reviewers aren't mentioning is just how morbid the game is. I'm not very squeamish, I've played other fantasy horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, but this game is particularly depressing. You will literally spend 90% of your playtime watching people die, hearing them beg for their lives, and all set to a funeral soundtrack. Not very fun.    … Expand
  52. Jollyolfun
    Nov 18, 2022
    10
    this game was so phenominal. it is the most interesting puzzle game ive played with an amazing atmosphere
  53. Bnn
    Sep 15, 2022
    10
    This game is just something else, Lucas Pope prove us, yet again, that you can tell a story in a totally different way and still deliver every single emotion intended.
    It's not a particularly hard game, but you gotta really put some energy in it sometimes if you want to finish it correctly.
    Honestly, there's not much more to say about this, the game speaks for itself and you must really    This game is just something else, Lucas Pope prove us, yet again, that you can tell a story in a totally different way and still deliver every single emotion intended.
    It's not a particularly hard game, but you gotta really put some energy in it sometimes if you want to finish it correctly.
    Honestly, there's not much more to say about this, the game speaks for itself and you must really feel this experience to understand it. If you like indie games or just looking for a different experience, this is a must-play.    … Expand
  54. Smartant01
    Nov 28, 2018
    9
    I Highly enjoyed Return of the Obra Dinn. It was a very unique experience - the twists and turns of the plot were engrossing, and the gameplay loop of observing scenes and piecing them together was inspired. I also thought the music and sound effects including voice acting were top notch; and even though it's not a horror, i found the game to be both spooky and bleak. With all it'sI Highly enjoyed Return of the Obra Dinn. It was a very unique experience - the twists and turns of the plot were engrossing, and the gameplay loop of observing scenes and piecing them together was inspired. I also thought the music and sound effects including voice acting were top notch; and even though it's not a horror, i found the game to be both spooky and bleak. With all it's positives I strongly feel like it needed some quality of life features added to it. Replaying certain parts of the storyline is necessary to 100% or come close to 100%ing the game, and yet it's quite cumbersome to go back and find the scenes due to the sheer amount of places they start on such a small map. There was also too much time allotted and wasted in the observation sections for the most part, and similarly for following the gas. It's also a little bit painful having to figure out which characters appeared in which scenes - the game will only tell you their first and last appearances (you need to figure out the in-between part for yourself for some reason). If it were up to me I would make it so that you could simply begin a scene via the book to replay it, and only trek around the ship to find new scenes so that they could be replayed later if need be. overall probably somewhere around an 8.8/10 for me. You'll either love or hate the visuals, and if its the former I say go for it.… Expand
  55. maurosso
    Oct 23, 2018
    7
    A graphical wonder. An art piece. Looking and walking around the world scenes, I felt as if i was walking around some type of art gallery. The feeling you get when you piece together a non trivial fact is also amazing. But enough praise...let me talk about the things I personally didn't like.

    I didn't buy the main gameplay loop. It felt dragged out. Unnecessarily slow and time wasting,    A graphical wonder. An art piece. Looking and walking around the world scenes, I felt as if i was walking around some type of art gallery. The feeling you get when you piece together a non trivial fact is also amazing. But enough praise...let me talk about the things I personally didn't like.

    I didn't buy the main gameplay loop. It felt dragged out. Unnecessarily slow and time wasting, especially nearing the end. You really don't have much to 'do' in the game, apart from walking and 'pressing e for a new chapter of the story'. The mechanics for finding out connections between different people and filling out your 'insurance notebook' was fun, but as I have said, revisiting some earlier scenes, walking around the ship, looking for that last body...It all felt like a chore and not like fun detective work.

    This might be considered a spoiler, as I will outline the main gameplay loop:
    1. Find body, press E.
    2. Travel in time, to see the moment of death of the body.
    3. Figure out some clues about the story. Your task is to name the person that died (based on logs, overheard conversions, place of death etc.) and how he died, but the latter usually is pretty obvious, as you can clearly see his moment of death.
    4. Find next body, repeat.

    As such, the first few times, this loop was jaw-dropping. Something completely new, fresh, meaty...but after the halfway point, I got really tired in the whole "slowly walk to the next body, and press E" business. And I mean really walking, as there is no sprint, fast walk or anything...So, if you want to revisit a memory (a death of one of the bodies), you have to each time walk up to it, and press E.

    And that very rapidly started to feel...unnecessarily slow. I loved the detective work, the assumptions, sometimes wild guesses that proved right, but it all felt a little bit buried under the monotonous gameplay.

    Have Papers Please as an example: Throughout the game, the loop is always the same: You either stamp ENTRY or DENY. But every day on the job is a little bit different. The rules constantly change a little bit.
    In Return of The Obra Dinn, the rules don't change. They are the same from the start, all the way to the finish. And I believe that there is a missed opportunity here, for an epic masterpiece.

    As a side criticism...I didn't like to the story in the end. I would really love it, if it was grounded in realism, with a hint of fantasy. But it was the other way around.

    Pros:
    +Presentation: Unique graphics, music sound, voice overs, atmosphere 10/10
    +Cool detective work with the notebook

    Cons:
    -Unnecessarily slow gameplay, especialy near the endgame (no sprint, no 'fast travel to memories' etc.)
    -No gameplay progression. The first 10min of the game are the same as the last 10min, when it comes to mechanics.
    -Story. For me, to much fantasy, not enough pirates / swashbucklery.

    Summary: Worth a buy for the spectacle and visuals. Not the gameplay.    … Expand
  56. SirRandallGames
    Oct 20, 2018
    10
    The art style of this game is amazing. People don't understand how much work went into this game. The story is great along with the puzzle mechanics of this game. Some of them get really hard at the end. To me, this game is worth 20 dollars. I spent more on not so feature-rich games at $60+. I strongly recommend this game if you like murder mysteries with a puzzle element.
  57. bassman2112
    Dec 2, 2018
    3
    Unique art style, interesting premise, and a clever main mechanic; but I didn't have a good time with the experience at all. Especially disappointing given my love of Pope's previous work, as well as detective games and sudoku.

    I completed the game after about 8 hours, but forced myself through to the end. My primary issue with the game is that the majority of the time, playing through    Unique art style, interesting premise, and a clever main mechanic; but I didn't have a good time with the experience at all. Especially disappointing given my love of Pope's previous work, as well as detective games and sudoku.

    I completed the game after about 8 hours, but forced myself through to the end. My primary issue with the game is that the majority of the time, playing through it felt like busy-work - on multiple occasions I'd deduced what was needed to find someone's identity/death, and from then on it was a matter of piecing it all together by traveling through various memories. This doesn't happen quickly, nor seamlessly. I feel like I wasted about 2 or 3 of my 8 hours purely in traversal in pursuing this busy-work, and found it extremely frustrating.

    On a personal note, had I known it was a lovecraftian story going in I definitely wouldn't have played it at all, as that is not something I ever enjoy; but I can't fault the game for that, and arguably it was my fault for not having researched enough beforehand to know.

    Regardless, I recognize why some people may love Obra Dinn; but I was extremely disappointed by the game.    … Expand
  58. curzon_dax
    Mar 30, 2019
    9
    Pretty good. The only reason it doesn't get a 10 is that some assumptions that are asked from the player to make are kinda far-fetched or they require prior knowledge on specific exotic cultures.
    Otherwise, any problems are rare, the game is near perfect.
  59. eumemo
    Mar 5, 2019
    10
    TOP D+ TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+TOP D+
  60. Fragalicious
    Dec 31, 2022
    8
    This is a good age of independent games, and Return of the Obra Dinn delivers well.

    The basic premise is that of an insurance agent searching an old sailing ship, attempting to identify those aboard, and what happened to them. Essentially, a detective story, and it is done very well. Some cases are easier to solve than others, and I found some situations took more thought than others.    This is a good age of independent games, and Return of the Obra Dinn delivers well.

    The basic premise is that of an insurance agent searching an old sailing ship, attempting to identify those aboard, and what happened to them.
    Essentially, a detective story, and it is done very well.
    Some cases are easier to solve than others, and I found some situations took more thought than others. Sometimes a little extra thinking goes in, and personally, I found that very rewarding. It's remarkably satisfying when you get it right.
    The graphics are interesting. On the surface, they seem simple, but they are very effective. If one monitor style doesn't suit you (the default is old Macintosh), there are other options that might appeal more. I found the default works fine, and given I am prone to migraines, but didn't have any issues with this game, I was relieved.
    There's quite a bit to this game, and it had more depth than I was expecting. The story drew me in, and if you like detective stories or mysteries, you'll probably like this.

    I've reached a stage where I've grown a little tired of many AAA games being flashy and pretty, even quite big, but lacking that soul, the element of good writing, interesting plots and just something a bit different to the standard "destroy enemy, fetch item, sit through some Hollywood-style lacklustre dialogue", so I'm finding the independent games offer something that older games tended to. In lieu of enormous budgets, special effects, bloated marketing budgets and buckets of hype, the independent arena has offered many games which just do things a little different.

    I think this is for the best, and Return of the Obra Dinn can certainly be added to the list of smaller (though there's a lot of meat to this one), more independent games which have these qualities.

    Yes, there'll always be a place for the big pricey hype machines (just as Hollywood films tend to deliver), but it's good to see independent works out there which offer something that simply throwing truckloads of cash can't achieve. And that's some soul. Some writing. Some results that don't insult your intelligence.

    More of these independent efforts, please. They're hitting the spot nicely.    … Expand
  61. kezzyhko
    Aug 6, 2020
    6
    It is confusing, has no tutorial and little to no explanation of controls. This visual style is pretty interesting, but it only adds to the overall confusion. No indicator of progress, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I just dropped the game because of it. If you are into puzzles, it's defenetly worth trying!
  62. BaldursThones
    Apr 13, 2022
    9
    Why hasn't anyone made a game that completely rips this game off yet. I wish there was a whole genre based off this game.
  63. renyw
    Dec 19, 2022
    10
    great great great great great great great great great great great great great
  64. LegendarySoap
    Oct 21, 2018
    9
    Excellently told, non-linear narrative that shows the developers growth as both a writer and gameplay designer. Art style is unique and compliments the narrative and its allusions to old Macintosh adventure, mystery games. Game has surprising length and has replay value, absolutely worth the $20 asking price on Steam
  65. GabrielMP
    Oct 25, 2018
    10
    Amazing art, story and soundtrack, a must play if you like mystery/detective games
  66. Enosu
    Oct 21, 2018
    9
    Return of the Obra Dinn is a refreshing and creative, narrative-driven puzzle game.

    You're given a book with 60 missing people and 9 empty chapters. Your job is to find out what happened to everyone onboard the Obra Dinn through investigating and filling out the empty chapters. Honestly, I didn't even bother reading the book when I first started, but by the end of the game, I memorized    Return of the Obra Dinn is a refreshing and creative, narrative-driven puzzle game.

    You're given a book with 60 missing people and 9 empty chapters. Your job is to find out what happened to everyone onboard the Obra Dinn through investigating and filling out the empty chapters. Honestly, I didn't even bother reading the book when I first started, but by the end of the game, I memorized almost every name, face, and lives of those 60 people.

    Yes, each character is their own person—all with unique appearances; many with great voice acting (pay attention to accents!). Throughout the game, you'll see firsthand the actions, reactions, expressions, relations, and behavior of each character, all of which may or may not help you in your investigation.

    Where this game really shines is through its innovative method of story-telling and intuitive, logical world. Each scene is introduced with stellar dialogue and audio which encourages you to visualize the events leading up to the clue. Quite frankly, I've never heard more believable audio in any other game. Additionally, since the world is coherent and logical, real-life knowledge is easily applicable. Not once did I ever feel cheated or stumped by the game. Everything just makes sense, even when it might not seem like it.

    However, the game is not without flaws. Personally, there is a bit too much handholding. The game tells when you are right as long as you are right for 3 people. This isn't a problem at first, but near the end of the game, guessing becomes very easy. Also, the game tells you when enough information has been given to identify a character. It also tells you how difficult it might be. I was too immersed to notice these advantages during my playthrough, but in retrospect, it'd be nice if there was an option to turn off all hints.

    The ending of the game felt inconclusive as well. Hopefully a future update or DLC fixes this.

    All in all, Return of the Obra Dinn is a fantastic game with elegant story-telling and great immersion. To those complaining about graphics, you'll forget about it after your first clue.    … Expand
  67. accudio
    Oct 23, 2018
    10
    One of the best games I have ever played. It combines a beautiful aesthetic, wonderful atmosphere, a stunning story that constantly intrigued me and some very interesting and unique mechanics. When I spent almost three hours just trying to work out a few fates approaching the end of the game and then I suddenly picked up on something tiny I hadn't before and everything slotted together —One of the best games I have ever played. It combines a beautiful aesthetic, wonderful atmosphere, a stunning story that constantly intrigued me and some very interesting and unique mechanics. When I spent almost three hours just trying to work out a few fates approaching the end of the game and then I suddenly picked up on something tiny I hadn't before and everything slotted together — was a truly wonderous moment.

    I would highly recommend Return of the Obra Dinn to pretty much anyone who likes logic puzzles or working things out, and to anyone interested in mechanics or a story you uncover yourself. I personally game quite a bit and love this type of game, however I also know a couple who don't play many games and are running through this together and are having an absolutely brilliant time.

    I have given this review a 10 as I feel it is so close to perfect it merits no less, however it could be improved. Maybe it's the style I play but I found myself moving back and forth through the book more than I'd like. Once you have confirmed an identity, you can't use the sketch to find out information like crew number or nationality without going back to a different page. I also desperately wanted a way to print out the sketch and manifest to make my own notes on paper, as that would have made it slightly easier to keep track of my notes. These are minor improvements that would make the game faultless in my eyes however, so are not worth worrying about too much!

    Best to go in without any spoilers if possible, it will make what you work out yourself all the more sweet!    … Expand
  68. bigbiazi
    Nov 1, 2018
    10
    Awesome game. The best PC game of the year!
    Papers please is awesome. I don't think it could be better than it
  69. kaliohara
    Oct 20, 2018
    7
    You may think the art style is artistic, but the truth is, the art style is bad. You won't see much and get lost in a plain sight.
    The game is good, the story, the puzzles everything is worth playing. However, this game cost too much. It should cost 5$ instead. It really hurts because my expectations were high (after paper please) and this game is only good. I can't give it more than 7    You may think the art style is artistic, but the truth is, the art style is bad. You won't see much and get lost in a plain sight.
    The game is good, the story, the puzzles everything is worth playing. However, this game cost too much. It should cost 5$ instead. It really hurts because my expectations were high (after paper please) and this game is only good. I can't give it more than 7 because it lacks something. I feel like I have paid too much for experience lacking something essential.    … Expand
  70. Titus
    Oct 21, 2018
    9
    Paper's Please-style attention to detail meets Everybody's Gone to the Rapture-style storytelling but with an AMC's 'The Terror'-style setting. And you actually have to use your brain for once. It's a bit fiddly and tedious at times but it's still fantastic. Expertly crafted immersion - the kind of game that stops you being jaded at games.
  71. Nowakowski
    Oct 25, 2018
    5
    I cant recommend it to anyone. Unless you like bad games, then feel free to buy it.
  72. Zer0TheHer0
    Nov 7, 2018
    0
    can't change the controls... unacceptable... can't play with the default ones.
    thank god for refunds
  73. JohnMalcolm
    Dec 1, 2018
    3
    This game might be worth a look for hardcore fans of maritime disaster epics, especially related to the age of sail. I found the interface difficult to master and the in-game help nearly nonexistent. It became quite a grind to find out 45 of the 60 fates, and not all of the problems are solvable. The ending was especially lame considering the work that went into a play-through. ReplayThis game might be worth a look for hardcore fans of maritime disaster epics, especially related to the age of sail. I found the interface difficult to master and the in-game help nearly nonexistent. It became quite a grind to find out 45 of the 60 fates, and not all of the problems are solvable. The ending was especially lame considering the work that went into a play-through. Replay potential is lacking.… Expand
  74. mugsy
    May 10, 2020
    5
    Too hard and confusing for me. Interesting art style but that's really it. Uninstalled quickly.
  75. ultraviper
    May 3, 2022
    3
    if there's a good game here, it's buried under a ton of minutia and time-wasting transitions. when you get to a death scene you're forced to just sit and look at it for 30 seconds before the game lets you do anything else. and when the game points you do a new death scene, you first have to walk there, and then click on it, and then you're teleported back to the previous one, then have toif there's a good game here, it's buried under a ton of minutia and time-wasting transitions. when you get to a death scene you're forced to just sit and look at it for 30 seconds before the game lets you do anything else. and when the game points you do a new death scene, you first have to walk there, and then click on it, and then you're teleported back to the previous one, then have to walk there a 2nd time, only this time behind a slow-moving gas cloud thing. Repeat 60 times. these things serve no purpose other than to waste the player's time. you spend more time following ghost clouds around to places you've already been than actually "playing" anything in this game.… Expand
  76. savvym
    Apr 7, 2020
    7
    Original, violent, mysterious story with great voices and atmosphere. It's weird looking and empty at start. We get a book from a doctor to solve what happened to the crew. Then we spend a huge amount of time running around scenes and looking for details, hidden clues, guessing and deducting by selecting names and fates from a list of options.

    It can be frustrating and annoying if we    Original, violent, mysterious story with great voices and atmosphere. It's weird looking and empty at start. We get a book from a doctor to solve what happened to the crew. Then we spend a huge amount of time running around scenes and looking for details, hidden clues, guessing and deducting by selecting names and fates from a list of options.

    It can be frustrating and annoying if we don't see any clues, hopefully there are various details that matter and help.    … Expand
  77. Javichuck
    Dec 12, 2018
    7
    Juego de investigación con un estilo que emula a los ordenadores antiguos. Trata de resolver las muertes que ocurrieron en el barco Obra Dinn, tenemos un cuaderno y deberemos rellenar los destinos de todos los tripulantes. La estética es bastante original aunque personalmente no se si le aporta algo al juego más allá de llamar la atención por ser diferente. Tiene una gran jugabilidad y laJuego de investigación con un estilo que emula a los ordenadores antiguos. Trata de resolver las muertes que ocurrieron en el barco Obra Dinn, tenemos un cuaderno y deberemos rellenar los destinos de todos los tripulantes. La estética es bastante original aunque personalmente no se si le aporta algo al juego más allá de llamar la atención por ser diferente. Tiene una gran jugabilidad y la historia nos mantiene atentos cada vez con más interés a medida que vamos descubriendo los acontecimientos. Arte 7, Jugabilidad 8, Historia 7.… Expand
  78. edxtan
    Aug 9, 2023
    10
    Return of the Obra Dinn is a completely diegetic, interconnected puzzle. The more deductions you make, the more the story reveals itself to you.
  79. Lazzakz
    Aug 21, 2023
    10
    The lore behind the brilliant idea of this game is a masterpiece. The soundtrack is incredible and fits perfectly in every situation. The mechanics used in this game are never seen in any kind of detective game, and with its exclusive and genius gameplay mechanics, the game can easily be rated as the best puzzle game of all time. The graphics may seem a little odd at first, but everyThe lore behind the brilliant idea of this game is a masterpiece. The soundtrack is incredible and fits perfectly in every situation. The mechanics used in this game are never seen in any kind of detective game, and with its exclusive and genius gameplay mechanics, the game can easily be rated as the best puzzle game of all time. The graphics may seem a little odd at first, but every single scene is perfectly designed so the situation can be understood by the player. I have nothing else to say but this is my one of my favourite games of all time and i recommend it for everyone.

    10    … Expand
  80. ChesterField
    May 12, 2020
    7
    I mean, this sherlock holmes style game is good and all that but, Im the only one that dont enjoy this artistic and visual part?. Still, recommended.

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2018
44
#44 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
38
#38 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. CD-Action
    Nov 14, 2019
    90
    Lucas Pope is a genius and Return of the Obra Dinn is something truly exceptional. It’s a bit like sudoku – the only thing it needs from a player is logical thinking, therefore it can be recommended to anyone. [13/2018, p.50]
  2. DualShockers
    Jan 15, 2019
    85
    Sound design, music, and an inspired graphical style makes Return of the Obra Dinn an unsettling but satisfying exercise in deduction.
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  3. Washington Post
    Jan 4, 2019
    90
    The Return of the Obra Dinn is a stunning work of craftsmanship. Pope, who handled every aspect of its production himself, has created a work that celebrates scrutinizing details.
    Read full review
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