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. 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
  2. Zer0TheHer0
    Nov 7, 2018
    0
    can't change the controls... unacceptable... can't play with the default ones.
    thank god for refunds
  3. 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
  4. 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

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

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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.
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