Obduction

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,261 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Obduction Game Cover
For anyone wanting a confusing yet ultimately rewarding adventure, Obduction delivers in spades.
Starting at $5.13Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Epic Games Store Get on Apple Store

Obduction is a single-player mystery game with an intriguing story and ingenious mechanics, offering amazing visuals and music. However, it can be grinding, is poorly optimized, full of bugs, and may not run smoothly on lower-end systems. Despite its flaws, Obduction delivers a dense atmosphere and a wholesome, timeless adventure experience.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Oculus Rift
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
  • Windows Mixed Reality
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,261 reviews
story353 positive mentions
optimization77 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and immersive environments that enhance the exploration experience.
  • Challenging puzzles that require critical thinking and attention to detail, rewarding players for their efforts.
  • Engaging story and lore that unfolds gradually, encouraging players to piece together the narrative.
  • Excessive backtracking and long loading times between worlds can make gameplay tedious and frustrating.
  • Some puzzles are overly complex or obscure, leading to confusion and reliance on walkthroughs.
  • Limited character interactions and poorly implemented voice acting detract from the overall immersion.
  • story976 mentions

    The story of *Obduction* is a complex and intriguing narrative that unfolds through environmental storytelling, notes, and holographic projections, reminiscent of the classic *Myst* series. While many players appreciate the depth and originality of the plot, some find it convoluted and difficult to follow, with a lack of character interaction and unresolved plot points. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning experience with a compelling story, though it may require players to invest time in piecing together the narrative.

    • “The story is intriguing and very well thought out.”
    • “Obduction is a great game with a good story.”
    • “The story reveals itself as you find and solve the various puzzles and roadblocks, learn codes (and maybe do a little math) and read the scattered letters and journal entries left behind by its missing inhabitants.”
    • “The story is confusing and feels poorly worked out.”
    • “The story makes little to no sense, even after you complete the game.”
    • “The storyline is impossible to follow and there is an information overload from some of the notes and clues you find, not realizing that the information will only be possible to piece together much later in the game.”
  • graphics607 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and immersive environments, often compared favorably to the classic Myst series. Many players noted the breathtaking scenery and attention to detail, although some experienced performance issues and graphical glitches, particularly in VR. Overall, while the graphics are generally praised, there are mixed opinions regarding optimization and consistency across different hardware setups.

    • “At 'epic' graphics settings, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking!”
    • “The graphics are fantastic and the plot is creative.”
    • “The graphics are beautifully done, typical of games that Cyan has put out.”
    • “The art and the overall graphics were surprisingly low quality.”
    • “The graphics are very poor.”
    • “The graphics look worse, relative to 2016 standards, than the graphics in Myst did relative to 1993 standards.”
  • gameplay390 mentions

    The gameplay in "Obduction" features a unique mechanic centered around swapping between worlds, which offers intriguing puzzle-solving opportunities but is hampered by long loading times that disrupt immersion and pacing. While the game showcases beautiful environments and creative mechanics reminiscent of the Myst series, many players find the execution flawed, leading to tedious backtracking and a lack of engaging complexity in some puzzles. Overall, the gameplay is a mixed bag, with moments of brilliance overshadowed by repetitive mechanics and technical issues.

    • “The puzzle mechanics rely on you jumping back and forth between worlds to solve them.”
    • “The game mechanics are neat and contribute to the puzzle solving.”
    • “Obduction is a fantastic game with some really hard puzzles, but once you get to grips with the game mechanics, it makes puzzle solving a 'little' bit easier.”
    • “The swapping mechanic can lead to a lot of waiting and made one puzzle I otherwise found pretty clever feel very tedious.”
    • “Long loading times when using crucial mechanics destroy immersion in the later game.”
    • “The gameplay is very much like the Myst series, but the core gameplay mechanics are flawed and later on it tries to be a more puzzley game and fails at all of them.”
  • optimization187 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization remains a significant issue, with many players reporting frequent stuttering, long load times, and inconsistent performance even on high-end systems. While some improvements have been noted since its initial release, the experience can still be frustrating, particularly in VR, where performance issues are more pronounced. Users recommend having a powerful rig and an SSD to mitigate some of these problems, but many still find the game unplayable or less enjoyable due to its optimization flaws.

    • “Optimization has been worked on since release and I found it to be running pretty smoothly at high settings and I don't have a powerhouse PC.”
    • “The graphics are incredibly well optimized and beautiful.”
    • “The game runs smoothly on maximum settings on my PC with GeForce 890 Ti with 6 GB RAM on the graphics card and 32 GB RAM and an SSD disk.”
    • “The performance is abysmal with a HTC Vive (2016) and a 3060 Ti.”
    • “Poorly optimized and not great at telegraphing what the way forward is.”
    • “The game is simply not optimized.”
  • grinding161 mentions

    The reviews highlight a significant issue with grinding in the game, primarily due to excessive backtracking and slow movement speeds that lead to tedious gameplay. Many players found the frequent loading screens and repetitive actions, especially during puzzle-solving, to be frustrating and detracting from the overall experience. While some puzzles are engaging, the overall design often results in a tedious and time-consuming process that can diminish enjoyment, particularly in the latter parts of the game.

    • “Don't read the reviews about backtracking - even the infamous maze puzzle is actually not tedious; there are about 5 connections back and forth, with very close by portals.”
    • “Most of the puzzles were interesting and not too tedious. Tedium may come in if you don't pay attention to the arrangement of some of the puzzles, but taking a break to plan your moves will save you a lot of time.”
    • “For the most part, they're not too tedious and are refreshing from the usual experience.”
    • “The majority of the puzzles require just an immense amount of walking; once you've figured out the logic of the puzzle, then it is a tedious exercise in running all of the worlds (e.g., unlock a door from one place then go all the way back around the long way to be able to go through said door).”
    • “The game is far too tedious to recommend.”
    • “Most often some puzzles mean you are in for a tedious testing.”
  • music154 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and the return of composer Robyn Miller, which evokes nostalgia for the original Myst series. While some players found the soundtrack to be beautiful and immersive, others criticized it for being sparse, generic, or poorly timed, suggesting that it often fails to enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance but lacks the memorable impact of previous titles in the franchise.

    • “The music is very good and complements the atmosphere wherever you are.”
    • “The soundtrack is great.”
    • “The music does a great job sucking you into the scene and almost makes you feel like you’re there in the world.”
    • “There's also unamusing music, zero story, and several technical issues.”
    • “The only music in the game is depressing.”
    • “The soundtrack felt disjointed at times, with some great tracks seeming not linked together enough to be immersive.”
  • atmosphere118 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, featuring stunning graphics, detailed world-building, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of mystery and exploration, reminiscent of classic titles like Myst, while also noting some drawbacks such as repetitive actions and tedious loading screens that can detract from the immersion. Overall, the game successfully creates a rich and engaging environment that invites players to lose themselves in its atmospheric world.

    • “The game is dripping with a Myst-like atmosphere and detailed world-building.”
    • “It's lonely and atmospheric while still being bright and colorful; there is a lot to explore, and the puzzle-solving is engaging and challenging.”
    • “The atmosphere, puzzles, and storytelling are fantastic.”
    • “You cannot sell this to me as 'taking your time', 'appreciating the environment and atmosphere' or any other such half-assed, non-gameplay related reason.”
    • “Obduction seems devoid of atmosphere.”
    • “Beautiful setting and atmosphere, but horribly tedious and unsatisfying progression.”
  • stability79 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a significant number of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing, crashing, and issues with VR functionality. While some users experienced a relatively smooth experience, others found the game to be frustratingly unpolished and prone to game-breaking errors. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game requires further optimization and bug fixes to enhance stability and player enjoyment.

    • “The game was bug-free for me.”
    • “On a PC with a GTX 1070 and an SSD, we don't have any issues with loading times that others have mentioned; graphics maxed out and it runs great.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is so buggy that I can't possibly recommend it to anyone until they fix it.”
    • “Beautiful game but has showstopper glitches that make it impossible to play.”
    • “It's a buggy mess for me even several months after launch.”
  • emotional22 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with some experiencing deep connections through its lore, voice acting, and unique storytelling, while others feel detached due to repetitive environments and unsatisfactory endings. Many players report moments of laughter, frustration, and nostalgia, highlighting the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, though some express a lack of investment in the overall narrative. Overall, the game succeeds in creating an emotionally engaging atmosphere, but its impact varies significantly among players.

    • “I laughed, I cried, I rage quit, I came back.”
    • “It has emotionally attractive voice acting, pleasant piano compositions, and a highly unique story filled with interesting characters and dreamlike worlds.”
    • “The final act culminates in an ending that is visually, tonally, and emotionally distinctive and wraps the story up spectacularly.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting that while the story and experience are enjoyable, there is little incentive to replay it after completion. Some users mention the possibility of revisiting for missed achievements, but the consensus is that the game lacks significant replay value, making it more of a one-time experience. Despite its engaging content, the limited replayability may affect its long-term appeal for some players.

    • “Great story, great acting, with replay value.”
    • “Very complete game, replayable.”
    • “It doesn't really have immediate replay value, as with all games of this nature, but in a year from now or so I do expect to play it again, just because (just as I have with all past Cyan games).”
    • “Being a game that tells a story, it's unlikely to have much replayability for most, but it's a worthwhile experience nonetheless.”
    • “I really enjoyed all of it; however, there is little to no replay value.”
    • “As for value for money... bleh... even with as long as it took me to progress, the game still totaled only around 17 hours of playtime, and the replay value is absolutely zero.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring amusing bugs and quirky easter eggs that some players found entertaining, while others felt the overall comedic elements fell flat compared to other titles. Notably, a red herring tied to Russian language knowledge adds a layer of humor for those in the know, but the game's reliance on load screens and graphical issues detracts from the experience. Overall, while there are moments of levity, the humor does not consistently resonate with all players.

    • “But there is actually another funny aspect to this.”
    • “The puzzles were awesome and the easter eggs were very funny ;).”
    • “Funny bug: one of C.W.'s subtitle lines got stuck, and kept appearing randomly while in Hunrath, even after restarting, saying 'if you ain't planning on being useful'.”
    • “The game was not funny like Portal, not thought-provoking like The Witness, and lacked both cuteness and emotional depth.”
    • “I expected clever humor, but it fell flat and didn't deliver any memorable jokes.”
    • “The attempts at humor felt forced and often missed the mark, leaving me more confused than amused.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game appears to be effective, as it integrates subtle advertising elements within the gameplay, such as in-game ads and references to other titles, without detracting from the overall experience. Players appreciate the value of their purchase, indicating that the game offers a worthwhile investment despite the presence of promotional content.

  • character development1 mentions

    The character development is notably strong, effectively engaging players and motivating them to progress through the story.

    • “The strong character development keeps me engaged and eager to see how the story unfolds.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”
    • “The depth of the characters adds so much richness to the narrative, enhancing my overall experience.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful growth in the characters; they felt static throughout the game.”
    • “The choices I made didn't seem to impact the character development, leaving me feeling disconnected from the story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

Buy Obduction

Play time

13hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
12hMain story
15hCompletionist
8-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 29 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News