Return of the Obra Dinn

[h1]A nautical gem that takes a bit of time to shine[/h1] I came to greatly enjoy [b][i]Return of the Obra Dinn[/i][/b], but it took several attempts for it to finally click. I want to add a few caveats to the mass of glowing reviews this game gets just to offer support for anyone that (like me) struggled to get into the game on a first attempt. [h2]What is it?[/h2] [b]Return of the Obra Dinn[/b] is a detective puzzle game with a single central puzzle. You are an insurance investigator sent to ascertain what fate befell each member of the ship's crew, a task you will spend the rest of the game solving using [minor spoiler] [spoiler] a pocket watch that allows you to observe the last moments of a dead bodies life.[/spoiler] This single puzzle is the games driving force, and each scene includes clues you must use to figure out the identity of each member of the crew and what ultimately became of them. Some fates require the player to make logical leaps, sometimes by examining the differences from one scene to the next. [h2]My experience[/h2] I initially bounced off Obra Dinn several times just passed the hour mark. I struggled to make much headway solving the central puzzle and got frustrated as the game nudges you to keep moving from one scene to the next when I wanted to stop, smell the roses, and make note of what is happening. Persisting with the story is worthwhile though, and I'd recommend going in without expecting to solve much on a first run. Replaying scenes is a little clunky, especially as some scenes can only be accessed from within other scenes, and the provided map quickly becomes a maze of spaghetti as more and more scenes open up. However, persistence pays off as when the opportunity eventually arises to finally start solving things, the way scenes have been meticulously constructed really shines through. It is incredibly satisfying to make logical leaps based on the way things are staged and see them pay-off with a correct answer. Lucas Pope deserves great credit for the level of detail in this game, and it's very satisfying to correctly uncover the fates of characters in different ways. The game employs a minimalist two-colour style that I really like, although I know some don't. Make sure to cycle through the available filters to see if there’s one you prefer (I opted for the “dark mode” black and white). [h2]Summary[/h2] Ultimately, I found it a greatly enjoyable experience and such a unique and singular vision is exactly what is great about small/solo dev teams. I’ve not played anything quite like it before, and if you are at all interested in detective games or logical puzzles (or hell even age of sail adventures) I’d highly recommend it, just know that you may have to give the game a while to get to what makes it so satisfying as a puzzle.

Excelente juego de investigación de la mano del maestro del género. Esperando su siguiente juego 🫡

Everyone needs to play this game and identify these 50 identical men.

我最喜欢的推理游戏，非常非常棒！

на самом деле капитан всех съел

really really good. the story is really cool and getting to piece it together yourself is the cherry on top

Great game