The Obscura Experiment

About

The Obscura Experiment is a single player action game. It was developed by Anabasis & Co. and was released on March 7, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Anabasis & Co. welcomes you to the family - we’re so glad to have you here! Your mandate as part of this research project will be to monitor and document a new energy form: the [Redacted]. To begin, let’s review your perso- oh? We’re detecting some anomalies near you… care to investigate?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 57 reviews

story8 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game offers a decent atmosphere with good graphics and sound design, especially considering it's free.
It features interesting gameplay mechanics, such as using a tablet for navigation and objectives, which adds depth to the experience.
Many players found it enjoyable and worth trying, appreciating the effort put in by the developers, especially as a student project.

The game is very short, typically taking around 30-45 minutes to complete, which left some players wanting more content.
The tablet's battery drains quickly, making navigation difficult in dark areas, and some players found the visibility issues frustrating.
Some achievements are reportedly broken, and the monster design was considered goofy rather than scary, detracting from the horror experience.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the commentary on corporate greed and the effective use of notes to enhance the narrative, while others criticize it for being too short, unfinished, and lacking depth. Many reviewers note that the game can be completed quickly, often in under 30 minutes, and while some found the visuals and voice acting commendable, others felt the overall story was weak and derivative. Overall, it seems to offer a brief but visually appealing experience, albeit with significant narrative shortcomings.
- “The story was okay, had some good commentary about the greed of corporations either by dialogue or in notes.”
- “The story is delivered competently and the overall visual design is coherent.”
- “Overall this game is fantastic; the voice acting is great and the story actually shocked me by the ending.”
- “There is no story really other than 5 text logs, and it takes 20 minutes to finish.”
- “The story isn't much to write home about, and I thought the aesthetics could've been better.”
- “Although while charging through the actual story and ignoring the logs and whatever other little things there are to find, I completed the game in a little under 15 minutes.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
23%
23%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with users noting a nice use of dark colors and a spooky atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many appreciate the art style and clean assets, especially considering the game's short development time and its status as a free indie title. While some feel the aesthetics could be improved, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive and alerting ambiance.
- “The graphics are nice with an okay use of dark colors and spooky scenery.”
- “Amazing visuals, especially considering this was all done in a few months by busy students!”
- “Art style is reminiscent of a dark matter-esque aesthetic and the assets are clean and just overall very well done.”
- “The story isn't much to write home about, and I thought the aesthetics could've been better.”
- “The game art style and visuals are pretty ok, and the game atmosphere is pretty decent and creates a sense of constant alert and awareness.”
- “Art style is reminiscent of a dark matter-esque aesthetic, and the assets are clean and just overall very well done.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay is generally described as simple and user-friendly, involving tasks like activating computers and avoiding a monster, with some interesting mechanics such as overloading power terminals to distract the creature. While the atmosphere and voice acting are praised, many players find the gameplay loop repetitive and lacking in challenge, with some noting that the difficulty level is lower than expected. Overall, it offers a decent experience but may not satisfy those seeking a more intense or complex gameplay experience.
- “A decent atmosphere, good voice acting, and interesting game mechanics!”
- “Overall, quite user friendly and easy to learn after a few minutes for the less clear parts of the gameplay!”
- “The gameplay loop is very, very boring.”
- “Alright, the gameplay is okay, rather simple run around, activate computers and avoid the monster, nothing too major, but it does try to keep things interesting with the fact that the monster is attracted to large outputs of energy, so you have to overload power terminals, which was an interesting idea.”
- “There are some mechanics in the game to help you 'escape' the monster, giving this a little more depth than the normal cat-and-mouse horror games.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepy and immersive qualities, enhanced by effective sound design and visuals that create a constant sense of alertness. Players appreciate the combination of spooky art style, good voice acting, and engaging mechanics, contributing to an overall strong atmospheric experience.
- “The game art style and visuals are pretty good, and the atmosphere is decent, creating a sense of constant alertness and awareness.”
- “Very good sounds for the creepy atmosphere.”
- “The game art style and visuals are pretty okay, and the game atmosphere is decent, creating a sense of constant alertness and awareness.”
- “The atmosphere built up as you have this whirling sphere of death come at you is pretty great.”
- “There isn't any real music, but the atmospheric sounds do all the work.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with users praising its quality and the effectiveness of atmospheric sounds, which contribute significantly to the overall experience. While some noted a lack of traditional music, the combination of sound effects and voice acting still garnered high ratings.
- “The music was good and the voice acting was okay.”
- “Sounds + voice + music = 9/10”
- “There isn't any real music, but the atmospheric sounds do all the work.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews indicate that while some users acknowledge the challenges faced by solo developers and student projects, there is a general expectation for better stability in games, with frustration expressed over bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience.
- “We've seen a ton of solo devs and student projects, but that doesn't excuse the poor game design, bugs, and glitches.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that completely broke my experience, which is disappointing.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is well-optimized, featuring appealing graphics and decent sound, with smooth performance and minimal bugs that do not hinder gameplay. Overall, it runs efficiently for a free indie title, enhancing the overall experience.
- “This free short indie horror game has nice graphics, okay sounds, and even features a story along with other characters you meet (something rare nowadays in indie games, especially free ones), all while running great with no performance issues, just a little bug, nothing game-breaking.”
- “The optimization in this game is impressive; it runs smoothly on lower-end hardware without sacrificing visual quality.”
- “I was pleasantly surprised by how well-optimized this game is, allowing for a seamless experience even during intense moments.”