It’s been three years to the date, and we’re still thinking about Return of the Obra Dinn by one-man game designer Lucas Pope. In honor of the game’s anniversary, here’s a spoiler-free Punished Chat—courtesy of David and Amanda—on what makes this indie gem so great.
How would you describe Obra Dinn to someone who’s never heard of it?
David: Lucas Pope, the madman behind Papers, Please, is back with another visually striking, thought-provoking adventure game. This time, you’re solving a whodunnit series of murders aboard a 1800s trade ship. Five years ago, 60 souls embarked on a voyage along the East India trade route, only to disappear. Now, the ship has resurfaced—and everyone aboard is either dead or missing. How did these people suffer their untimely fates?
Sounds simple enough, except that you don’t know any of the passengers’ names. Or backstories. Or motives. Instead, Obra Dinn has you bouncing between memories on the titular ship, piecing together the details through silent, Chaplin-esque scenes. Dialogue is infrequent, names are even scarcer, and it’ll take deduction and instinct to solve this otherworldly caper.
Amanda: Black-and-white steampunk sexy insurance investigator simulator; also, time travel. (David already said it better than me.)
What sticks out to you about your time playing it?
David: Despite the critical acclaim Return of the Obra Dinn received on PC back in 2018, it wasn’t until 2020 that I gave it a shot. For one, I knew I wanted to play it on the Nintendo Switch. Second, and more importantly… Backlog Be Backed Up.
One pandemic and eShop sale later, I finally picked it up. And, wow, what an experience. I’d played a smidgen of Papers, Please back in the day, but not nearly enough to appreciate the sheer brilliance of Lucas Pope’s design chops. Every scene in Obra Dinn is meticulous. People have their own occupations, schedules, and friendships they honor. Motivations, at first nebulous, become clearer the more time you spend walking the halls of the ship.
It took me some time to adjust to the open-ended structure of the game. Once the mechanics clicked, though, I was all in on this wild ride. Cleared it in just a few sittings.
Amanda: I can’t believe you played this in 2020. What an emotional whirlwind.
I played this shortly after it came out in 2018 (like David, I’m a sucker for any game remotely mystery-themed). I was visiting someone in a very quiet small town, and when it started to rain, our plans became nonexistent. So while they played a video game, I downloaded Obra Dinn. I then proceeded to play it through in one mad sitting, crouching further and further into the couch like a gremlin possessed only by a desire for truth. The music, color scheme, game play mechanics, voice acting, conceits—they were all-consuming.
When I finished the game, I looked up with surprise to see the apartment was completely dark because the sun had set and my friend had went to bed.
What about the game do you feel makes it special?
Amanda: Two things stand out for me. One, how it continues to evolve on its own systems, unraveling and re-raveling, gracefully keeping the player engaged all the while. And two, that this was a one-man creation. The detail and finesse at every layer of this game shows the love of its creator in its very DNA.
David: Really just the commitment to “the bit,” if you will. I admire Pope for taking a real risk with the old Macintosh-inspired visuals and Myst-like degree of difficulty. This is an experience designed from the ground up for old-school mystery buffs, yet somehow it feels accessible to a wider audience. Just a masterclass in design.
Where does this game rank for you in your all-time gaming sessions?
David: It’s so hard to compare a game like Obra Dinn to other games I’ve played. Rank-wise, I have it fairly low on my all-time list—but it’s going against so many bigger, better-established franchises!
This is a game that knows its niche, and thrives in it. It’s not toppling my love for, say, Zelda or Final Fantasy, but this is a top-tier mystery game for all those with love for a good yarn.
Amanda: FAIRLY LOW?!?!? OK, you brought it back for me with the second ‘graph. Def an all-star mystery game.
David: Sorry!! But yes, I’ll rep great mystery games all day, every day. (*Cough* everyone play Hotel Dusk *cough*.)
Amanda: For me, it’s probably in my top 10. I’ve never played another game like it, and I don’t think I ever will. I mean, if nothing else, for the delight that this game can make you into a cool insurance investigator. I have never heard of any other content doing that successfully. I mean, does the insurance biz know about Obra Dinn? Because they should rep this game during career fairs.
Closing thoughts?
David: Obra Dinn won’t appease everyone. Its 1-bit aesthetic takes time to get used to, and its hands-off gameplay borders on obtuse at times. But underneath that veneer is an extremely well-designed mystery game that’ll make you feel smarter than you really are.
I have some quibbles about the game’s ending scenes, but they’re just that—quibbles. All in all, Return of the Obra Dinn is a one-of-a-kind experience and an easy recommendation for those looking for something truly “out there” in terms of design philosophy and visual style. Highly recommended for an overcast fall day, as the leaves turn color and the wind picks up!
Amanda: That last sentence is perfection. Maybe we should start ending all our reviews by ideal weather to play in.
Also, I hope my mom plays this one.
Where to Play Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn is available for $19.99 on Mac and PC via Steam, and on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.
