Obduction
Review
Obduction is one of those games that banks on players need for exploration and their nostalgia for games such as Myst. Now, the reason I say such a thing is because the creators behind both Myst and Riven have a major part to play in this exploration, puzzle game and it just goes to show that an old idea can still be just as well received, providing it is built and nurtured properly.
As I’m sure you can imagine if you’ve ever played a puzzle game, such as Myst, you’ll know first hand that they are a series of games that explain absolutely nothing to you and expect you to figure out exactly what it is you’re doing, all by yourself. For players who grew up on such ideas, this reiteration of a classic idea will be a great sense of nostalgia for you, as Obduction does very little to explain to you what’s going on. The story is explained briefly and in little snippets, via journals and notes you can discover to figure out what in the world is going on right now!
Thinking back to when Myst was first released, the amount of immersion that you felt from that game was overwhelming. It did so much to leave everything up to you; now can you imagine that while you’re wearing a VR headset? That right there is something that truly needs to be experienced for yourself to understand exactly what I mean. I found myself wasting so much time, simply looking around my environment to gaze upon all the detailed and colourful aesthetics that was inside Obduction. Now, I can safely say that Obduction already looks great just from playing it on a monitor, but if you get the chance to experience it via VR, it’s a whole new experience; one that should not be missed if at all possible.
Story is one of the biggest factors for this game and the fact that it is told through such niche and hidden articles, journals, and notes make it that much more worthwhile when you find one way revealing some more of the story to you. Obviously, due to the fact I don’t wish to spoil anything about the game’s wonderful story, I’ll do nothing more than implore you to experience it for yourself.
What is technically an extension of aesthetics is going to be the environments, almost all of which are incredibly detailed and interesting to wander around in. There is an underground environment I wasn’t exactly a big fan of in the game, but that’s only because almost everything you look at is brown, despite the rest of the game being colourful and vibrant. Even with that unfortunate environment, everything else the game has to show you is completely gorgeous and even at times could be considered serene; something not many games of this calibre can admit to being able to do.
Now, I’m going to be honest, and that is if you are not a fan of these types of puzzle games, where the hints are incredibly few and far between, then you are not going to enjoy this one. Obduction looks incredible and is a great game to be inside, especially through the use of a VR headset; however, at its core it is still a puzzle game that wants you to figure everything out for yourself. Some people might appreciate that style of game immensely, whereas others may feel the exact opposite about that; so do be aware that at the end of the day, the graphics can’t be the only thing to keep you on a game.
Overall, Obduction is a one of a kind, puzzle/exploration game that should be experienced with a VR headset if you can. Having that option is one that should definitely be taken up if you can, because the level of immersion is one that you won’t be finding in any other game. Aesthetically, the game looks great and the story is one that requires a little bit of work to piece it all together, but once you manage to get it all done and dusted, you’ve got yourself a great game and an intriguing story that you won’t be forgetting any time soon.
