Return of the Obra Dinn

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 16,648 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Return of the Obra Dinn Game Cover
Thickly atmospheric with an impeccable sense of place unmatched by other games, Return of the Obra Dinn is the smart, stylish and curiosity detective adventure that you've always wanted.
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"Return of the Obra Dinn" is a first-person mystery adventure game where you play as an insurance investigator for the East India Company. The merchant ship Obra Dinn has drifted into port with damaged sails and no visible crew, six months after being declared lost at sea. Using logical deduction and exploration, you must prepare an assessment of damages and uncover the fate of the ship's crew. The game features monochromatic graphics and relies on the player's ability to decipher clues and information to solve the mystery.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 16,648 reviews
story2,481 positive mentions
replayability138 negative mentions
  • story5,164 mentions

    The "Return of the Obra Dinn" is praised for its innovative storytelling approach, where players piece together a tragic narrative through the last moments of the ship's crew, revealed in a non-linear fashion. While the story is engaging and filled with unexpected twists, some players found it somewhat predictable or lacking in depth by the end. Overall, the game is celebrated for its unique mechanics, atmospheric presentation, and the satisfaction derived from uncovering the intricate details of the story.

    • “Absolutely phenomenal approach to storytelling.”
    • “Cleverly and intricately crafted environment combined with an intriguing story made for quite a compelling mystery game.”
    • “The story is captivating and masterfully told, the graphic style helps to draw you into the time period of the story and the sound/voice work helps complete the whole experience.”
    • “The story is okay, but this game requires too much effort to analyze still 3D scenes of people that you have to get identity by reviewing everything to be 50% sure of your guesses.”
    • “The story is just fine, not groundbreaking.”
    • “The story is a little bit unhinged but I still liked it.”
  • graphics3,491 mentions

    The graphics of "Return of the Obra Dinn" are characterized by a unique 1-bit art style that evokes nostalgia for early computer games, particularly Macintosh systems. While many players appreciate the minimalist aesthetic for its atmospheric qualities and how it complements the game's narrative, some find it challenging to discern important details due to the low resolution and monochromatic palette, which can lead to eye strain. Overall, the visuals are a polarizing aspect of the game, with opinions ranging from admiration for their creativity to frustration over their impact on gameplay clarity.

    • “The graphics are stunningly realized, managing to show a lot of detail and emotion in just two colors, and the sound design is top notch.”
    • “The art style is absolutely gorgeous and the audio design and sound effects had me very immersed in the story.”
    • “The graphics, while interesting in their own right, also fit very well with the overall stylization of the rest of the gameplay and world.”
    • “Some may find the graphics to be ugly and an eyesore, but I was able to get past it.”
    • “I needed quite some time to adapt, and even by the end of the game, the graphics felt like the true antagonist.”
    • “The graphics can cause a headache if you play for long stretches.”
  • gameplay2,651 mentions

    The gameplay of "Return of the Obra Dinn" is characterized by its unique mechanics that blend detective work with puzzle-solving, requiring players to piece together the fates of the ship's crew through observation and deduction. While the minimalist art style and straightforward controls enhance immersion, some players find the gameplay can become tedious due to repetitive mechanics and the need for backtracking. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach to storytelling through gameplay, offering a deeply engaging experience that rewards careful attention to detail and logical reasoning.

    • “The core gameplay is a unique blend of detective work and puzzle-solving to examine the ship's remains and piece together the tragic fates of the passengers.”
    • “The gameplay is unique and engaging, and the soundtrack is exclusively comprised of bangers.”
    • “The gameplay loop of solving the fates is just perfect.”
    • “The gameplay loop becomes old really fast, especially when the game starts to guide the player.”
    • “The gameplay is simple: you have to solve 50 deaths on a ship.”
    • “The gameplay is just busy work.”
  • music2,150 mentions

    The music in "Return of the Obra Dinn" has been widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the game's unique storytelling and visuals. Many players noted that the soundtrack is both catchy and fitting for the nautical theme, although some found it repetitive after extended play. Overall, the combination of evocative music, sound design, and voice acting contributes significantly to the game's engaging experience, making it a standout feature for many reviewers.

    • “The music, the atmosphere, and having to pick out tiny details from disjointed memories, truly a masterpiece.”
    • “The soundtrack/sound design syncing with the graphics is *chef's kiss*.”
    • “The music is catchy and the sound design is excellent.”
    • “The music is annoying, loud, repetitive, and you can't turn it off without disabling all sound - in a game where audio clues are essential to solving some of the mystery.”
    • “My only (but very big) annoyance with the game was with one aspect of the presentation: for every single one of the 60 corpses you find, you have to listen to an annoyingly long audio queue before you can even interact with it, and once you interacted with it, you walk around the crime scene listening to a whole song before you can enter any information into your notebook.”
    • “The music gets so annoying and repetitive, I wanted to drown myself; if the crew heard the music with the same frequency I did on that boat, no wonder they wanted to die.”
  • atmosphere703 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Return of the Obra Dinn" is widely praised for its unique 1-bit art style, haunting soundtrack, and immersive sound design, which collectively create a deeply engaging and eerie experience. Players appreciate how the visuals and audio enhance the storytelling, drawing them into the mysterious narrative of the ship's fate. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal as a captivating detective puzzle game.

    • “The music, the atmosphere, and having to pick out tiny details from disjointed memories, truly a masterpiece.”
    • “The most amazing feature of this game is the atmosphere that the graphics and soundtrack compose.”
    • “The atmosphere is sublime.”
    • “A game can truly live or die when it solely goes for atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and pacing must now be interrupted every time we want to enter a room.”
    • “While I can understand where the developer is coming from (since the game's atmosphere is very well crafted), I am torn apart, since I'm a big advocate for user options.”
  • replayability352 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that once the mystery is solved, there is little incentive to play again. While some players suggest that revisiting the game after a significant time may offer a fresh experience, the consensus is that the game is primarily a one-time experience, making it less appealing for those seeking long-term engagement. Despite this drawback, many agree that the initial playthrough is highly rewarding and worth the investment.

    • “Despite finishing this game relatively quickly (7 hours for me) and it not having all that much replay value, you'll want to keep playing until you uncover the whole mystery.”
    • “The story is engrossing, and though there's barely any replay value, it was totally worth the first playthrough.”
    • “For a game that really shouldn't have much in the way of replayability, it's proving itself very robust in that regard.”
    • “The only downside is that, since it's a 'whodunnit' detective game, it doesn't have much replay value.”
    • “Once you've learned the game, outside of cleaning up any missed achievements, there won't be a whole lot of replay value.”
    • “The biggest downside is that it's not easily replayable, and once the secrets are uncovered, that's it.”
  • grinding299 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over the slow navigation and the need to revisit memories multiple times to gather clues. While some found the puzzle-solving rewarding, the overall experience was often marred by the cumbersome mechanics and lack of quality-of-life features, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration, especially in the later stages of the game. Despite its intriguing concept, the execution left many feeling that the game required excessive grinding for minimal payoff.

    • “A bit of back-tracing required towards the end but not too tedious.”
    • “Navigating the ship to rewatch scenes can be slightly tedious; it would be nice to do it directly in the notebook.”
    • “I decided to stick with the game and give it a real chance, and have found it to be even more tedious and boring than I could ever have imagined.”
    • “The game gets tedious quite soon since the time spent exploring is too much for the amount of story you are getting.”
    • “Going back for the 'captain did it!' achievement might sound tedious, and it is, but the stunning art and amazing soundtrack easily make up for that.”
  • emotional166 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Return of the Obra Dinn" is characterized by a mix of feelings, primarily revolving around the player's sense of intelligence and connection to the narrative. Many players express a profound sense of accomplishment and cleverness when solving puzzles, often feeling like real detectives, while simultaneously grappling with moments of frustration and self-doubt. The game's storytelling, art style, and music evoke a range of emotions, from nostalgia and joy to sadness and empathy for the characters, although some players note a lack of deep emotional payoff in certain moments. Overall, it creates a unique emotional experience that resonates with players, making them feel both smart and deeply engaged with the tragic stories of the crew.

    • “The musical score, voice acting, and art help to generate a level of immersion and emotional investment I have rarely experienced in games.”
    • “I definitely got emotional just wandering around the ship, learning about many of the passengers' stories, and had to stop playing for a few days to get myself together.”
    • “Through a series of heartbreaking and horrifying vignettes, Obra Dinn methodically burns away the mysteries to reveal ever more urgent questions.”
  • humor50 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of dark and absurd elements, with players finding amusement in unexpected scenarios, quirky achievements, and the absurdity of certain character interactions. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to balance morbid themes with genuinely funny moments, creating a unique comedic experience that resonates with players. Overall, the humor is described as clever and well-integrated, enhancing the game's narrative and gameplay without feeling forced.

    • “It was quite funny taking a step back after combing through a few scenes in excruciating detail and just thinking, 'Wow, this is deranged,' but that’s just how the game is.”
    • “The characters are interesting, funny, and have genuine moments.”
    • “It's got quite a bit of dark humor reminiscent of old Fallout that isn't so obnoxious or in your face, meaning there's no giant glowing arrow saying this is the punchline, you're supposed to laugh here.”
  • optimization38 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and stunning visuals, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, input lag, and a lack of adjustable graphics settings. Overall, while some users experienced a well-optimized game with excellent voice acting and immersive design, others found it poorly optimized and frustrating to play due to performance inconsistencies.

    • “High accessibility and low performance requirements fall in line with that as well.”
    • “Graphics-wise and performance-wise, the game always ran great and looked stunning with its intriguing visuals.”
    • “While challenging, it is well optimized to prevent getting stuck too long.”
    • “It is obnoxiously slow and takes unoptimized paths like loops around objects which really stretch out the cutscene.”
    • “Performance is also terrible, with loads of stuttering and input lag caused by abysmal frame pacing issues.”
    • “Tl;dr badly optimized & poorly designed gameplay wise.”
  • stability16 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many users reporting smooth performance and minimal glitches, particularly on the Steam Deck. However, some players experienced occasional bugs and crashes on Mac, though these did not result in data loss. The game is well-programmed, providing a mostly stable experience that enhances the narrative-driven gameplay.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “The game is well-programmed and not buggy.”
    • “Runs great on Steam Deck too!”
    • “I was also very annoyed by its pointless padding, like how you have to wait for the myst to do a loop-de-loop around its favorite pole before revealing the next segment, and it freezes up if you dare look away.”
    • “A little bit buggy on Mac - had several hard crashes, but never any data loss and I was happy to push through.”
    • “To ensure you haven't gone to the bathroom during the unskippable scripted scenes, the particle trail freezes if you don't track with the camera.”
  • character development14 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are praised for their uniqueness and attention to detail, some reviews note a lack of traditional character progression or depth. However, the narrative framework offers fantastic individual stories that enhance the overall experience, with rich world-building and compelling mysteries. Overall, the game's character design and storytelling are highlighted as standout features, despite some critiques regarding the clarity of character backgrounds and motivations.

    • “Fantastic individual stories and character development within the narrative framework.”
    • “There's a good mix of fanciful world-building with rich character development, topped off with a satisfying ending (depending on how well you did your task!).”
    • “A great deal of time has clearly been spent on the character design - each of the 60 or so are recognizable from scene to scene, and the idea of using still tableaus instead of animation is a masterstroke; the level of animation needed to bring these scenes to life would have been time-consuming and costly, but the assets have been used to great effect, each character and prop posed with great attention to detail.”
    • “There's no character development or leveling up or slaying monsters.”
    • “The game, of course, is not perfect; some clues require figuring out people's nationality from their character design, accent, or their position on the ship, which can be a bit vague at times.”
    • “The graphics, character development, gameplay, and storytelling are totally unique, and made even more impressive as almost all of it was done by the one developer.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization model has received criticism for its reliance on microtransactions and a perceived predatory DLC approach, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game's music is appreciated, the repetitive waiting time during transitions adds to the frustration.

    • “Not a fan of the microtransactions or predatory DLC model, but the game is pretty solid.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

88% average critic score

Buy Return of the Obra Dinn

Play time

10hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
8hMain story
10hCompletionist
7-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 63 analyzed playthroughs

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