Info about Return of the Obra Dinn:

Official game description:
LOST AT SEA, 1803  
the good ship  
"OBRA DINN"  
\----------------  
Built 1796, London ~ 800 tons, 18ft draught  
Captain R. WITTEREL ~ Crew 51 men  
Last voyage to Orient ~ Cape rendezvous unmet  
\----------------  
Contact East India Cy. London Office  
for enquiries or testimony
An Insurance Adventure with Minimal Color
-----------------------------------------
In 1802, the merchant ship _Obra Dinn_ set out from London for the Orient with over 200 tons of trade goods. Six months later it hadn't met its rendezvous point at the Cape of Good Hope and was declared lost at sea.  
Early this morning of October 14th, 1807, the Obra Dinn drifted into port at Falmouth with damaged sails and no visible crew. As insurance investigator for the East India Company's London Office, dispatch immediately to Falmouth, find means to board the ship, and prepare an assessment of damages.  
_Return of the Obra Dinn_ is a first-person mystery adventure based on exploration and logical deduction.

Release date: Oct 18, 2018

Categories: Deductive Reasoning Puzzle, First-Person Perspective, Investigative Gameplay, Non-linear Storytelling, Environmental Storytelling, Puzzle Solving, Single-player, Mystery


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Exceptional puzzle and deduction mechanics (weight 0.99): The game is widely praised for its engaging and satisfying puzzle-solving mechanics, which are described as challenging yet rewarding. Players highlight the thrill of logical deduction and the sense of accomplishment from solving puzzles.
- Unique and immersive gameplay loop (weight 0.82): The game features a distinctive gameplay loop that involves revisiting crime scenes, piecing together clues, and solving interconnected mysteries. This mechanic is praised for its innovation and depth, making the experience feel fresh and engaging.
- Satisfying progression and payoff (weight 0.42): The game is praised for its satisfying progression, where solving puzzles and uncovering the story provides a strong sense of accomplishment. Players enjoy the gradual reveal of the narrative and the rewarding feeling of connecting clues.
- Rich narrative and storytelling (weight 0.36): The game's story is described as captivating, immersive, and well-written, with a unique structure that unfolds gradually. Players appreciate the depth of character development and the emotional investment in solving the mysteries.
- Striking retro-inspired art style (weight 0.34): The game's visuals are highly praised for their unique 1-bit black-and-white aesthetic, which enhances immersion and fits the game's setting. The retro style is described as nostalgic, effective, and visually intriguing.
- Immersive sound design and music (weight 0.3): The soundtrack and sound effects are noted for their ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and immersion. The music is described as fitting, memorable, and complementary to the gameplay experience.
- Strong emotional and intellectual engagement (weight 0.27): Players report a strong emotional connection to the characters and story, as well as intellectual satisfaction from solving the mysteries. The game's narrative and puzzles linger in the mind, affecting daily life and encouraging discussion.
- High replayability and depth (weight 0.25): The game encourages replayability through its interconnected clues, multiple deduction paths, and the ability to experience the story differently (e.g., gender changes). Players find it enjoyable to revisit for 100% completion or to rediscover the narrative.
- Well-developed characters and relationships (weight 0.25): The game features 60 interconnected characters, each with unique traits, backstories, and relationships. Players appreciate the depth of character development and the satisfaction of piecing together their fates through logical deduction.

Common complaints:
- Poor accessibility for disabilities (weight 0.43): The game lacks features to accommodate players with face-blindness, audio-blindness, or motion sickness, such as scene bookmarking or adjustable graphics. The design assumes high observational skills, alienating players with cognitive or sensory challenges.
- Slow and tedious gameplay pacing (weight 0.35): Players frequently criticize the game's slow movement speed, long cutscenes, and repetitive puzzles, which make the experience feel drawn-out and tedious. The lack of options to skip or fast-forward exacerbates frustration, particularly in mid-to-late game sections.
- Eye-straining visuals (weight 0.34): The monochrome/1-bit art style and low-contrast graphics cause headaches, eye strain, or difficulty discerning details (e.g., text, facial features). The lack of adjustable filters exacerbates discomfort for some players.
- Steep initial learning curve (weight 0.32): New players struggle with overwhelming information, unintuitive mechanics, and lack of guidance in the first few hours. The game’s style and difficulty spike deter casual or inexperienced players.
- Unclear character identification (weight 0.27): The game's art style and design make it difficult to distinguish characters, especially for players with face-blindness or poor memory. Many players struggle with deducing identities due to indistinct appearances, voices, or lack of contextual clues.
- Cumbersome scene navigation (weight 0.15): Revisiting scenes or tracking clues is tedious due to the lack of shortcuts (e.g., notebook jumps) and recursive traversal requirements. Players waste time re-examining locations or taking manual notes, compounding frustration.
- Localization and translation errors (weight 0.06): Poor translations (e.g., weapon misnomers, role confusion) and typos create confusion, particularly for non-English speakers. These errors undermine puzzle-solving and immersion.
- High reliance on external knowledge (weight 0.06): The game assumes familiarity with 19th-century history, ethnology, or foreign accents, creating barriers for players without this background. Progress often requires external guides or prior knowledge.
- Repetitive audio design (weight 0.05): The soundtrack becomes monotonous over time, failing to enhance immersion or variety. Players report boredom due to the lack of dynamic or engaging music.

Gameplay feedback:
- Visual and contextual clue usage (weight 0.27): Players must rely on visual details such as clothing, tattoos, facial features, and environmental cues to deduce identities, roles, and events. These clues are often subtle and require careful observation and cultural knowledge.
- Non-linear storytelling structure (weight 0.22): The game employs a non-linear narrative, often unfolding in reverse chronological order or through fragmented flashbacks. This structure encourages players to explore multiple perspectives and timelines to uncover the full story.
- Time-travel investigation mechanics (weight 0.19): The game features a unique investigative tool, such as a magical pocket watch, allowing players to revisit frozen moments in time or relive the final moments of characters. This mechanic is central to uncovering the ship's mystery.
- Interconnected character fates (weight 0.18): The game emphasizes the interconnectedness of characters' fates, requiring players to deduce relationships, roles, and outcomes for a large cast (e.g., 60+ crew members). This creates a complex web of mysteries to unravel.
- Clue scarcity and creative problem-solving (weight 0.14): Some puzzles are designed with limited or obscure clues, forcing players to think creatively and connect disparate details. This adds challenge but may frustrate players seeking more guidance.
- Chapter-based progression (weight 0.11): Gameplay is structured into chapters, with progression tied to solving puzzles, uncovering clues, and advancing the narrative. Some chapters require revisiting scenes or connecting details across different parts of the story.
- Observation and memory skills (weight 0.1): Success in the game hinges on strong observational skills, attention to detail, and memory. Players must track character details, environmental clues, and dialogue fragments to solve puzzles and progress.
- First-person investigative gameplay (weight 0.08): The game adopts a first-person perspective, immersing players in the role of an investigator. This viewpoint enhances the detective experience, allowing players to explore environments and interact with clues directly.

Performance notes:
- Motion sickness and discomfort (weight 0.05): Players experience motion sickness, though 3D effects are not the primary cause. Mods and monitor adjustments are used to mitigate discomfort, indicating a need for better in-game comfort settings.
- Limited graphics customization (weight 0.05): The game lacks in-game graphics settings, forcing players to rely on command-line options or mods for adjustments. This includes a 1-bit filter with only a color palette adjustment available.
- V-Sync issues and screen tearing (weight 0.04): Players report persistent screen tearing on high-end PCs and recommend using GPU software or external tools to enable V-Sync. This suggests a lack of built-in V-Sync support or improper handling of frame synchronization.
- Framerate and refresh rate handling (weight 0.03): The game supports unlocked framerates and auto-detects monitor refresh rates but defaults to 60 FPS. This may not align with player expectations for high-refresh-rate displays.
- Slow transition animations (weight 0.02): Players note that transition animations feel sluggish and heavy, impacting the overall fluidity of the user experience.

Recommendations:
- Must-play for deduction enthusiasts (weight 0.35): The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy deduction, mystery, and logic-based puzzles, with many reviewers calling it a benchmark for the detective genre. It appeals to fans of narrative-driven experiences and those who appreciate deep thinking and note-taking.
- Take notes for success (weight 0.31): Reviewers emphasize the importance of note-taking to succeed in the game, as it involves complex deduction and revisiting clues. This is particularly useful for players who enjoy thorough investigation.
- Atmosphere enhances experience (weight 0.29): The game’s atmosphere is frequently praised, with reviewers recommending it to players who enjoy slow, immersive gameplay. The gothic and narrative-driven elements contribute significantly to its appeal.
- Niche appeal for specific players (weight 0.26): The game is not universally recommended, as it caters to a specific audience that enjoys logic, patience, and challenging puzzles. Players who prefer simpler or less demanding games may find it less appealing.
- Highly recommended overall (weight 0.16): The game receives widespread high praise, with many reviewers giving it strong recommendations, even at full price. It is frequently described as a must-play experience, particularly for its challenge and replayability.
- Play blind for best experience (weight 0.12): Reviewers strongly advise playing the game without spoilers or guides to maximize immersion and satisfaction. This approach is emphasized as critical to fully enjoying the game’s unique mechanics and narrative.
- Avoid guides for immersion (weight 0.11): Players are encouraged to avoid using guides or online resources during their first playthrough to preserve the game’s challenge and immersion. This aligns with the game’s emphasis on independent problem-solving.
- Buy during a sale (weight 0.1): While the game is highly recommended, many reviewers suggest purchasing it during a discount to maximize value, especially for players who may not typically enjoy puzzle or deduction games.
- Play in focused sessions (weight 0.06): Reviewers suggest playing in either short sessions to avoid fatigue or in one dedicated sitting to maintain immersion and track details. This flexibility caters to different player preferences for engagement.
- Sequel potential highlighted (weight 0.06): Players express a strong desire for a sequel or similar games in different settings, citing the game’s unique mechanics and enjoyable system as reasons for their enthusiasm.
- Recommended for group play (weight 0.05): Some reviewers suggest playing with others to discuss ideas and enhance the experience, particularly for those who may struggle with the game’s complexity or enjoy collaborative problem-solving.
- Translation patches available (weight 0.03): For non-native speakers, reviewers recommend using bilingual or fan-made localization patches to improve the game’s accessibility and translation quality.

Other player notes:
- Motion sickness settings recommended (weight 0.03): Players frequently suggest enabling anti-motion sickness mods or adjusting visual settings to reduce discomfort. This is a common accessibility concern for visually sensitive users.
- Developer reputation influences interest (weight 0.03): The game's association with Lucas Pope, creator of *Papers, Please*, is highlighted as a key reason for player interest and trust in the project.
- Solo developer challenges noted (weight 0.03): Players acknowledge the game was built by a single developer, which may explain limited updates or niche technical issues (e.g., keyboard layouts).
- Long completion time with replay value (weight 0.03): The game takes ~11 hours to complete with a friend, with an additional 2.5 hours for replayability (e.g., assigning blame), indicating strong multiplayer engagement.
- Review bombing for non-gameplay reasons (weight 0.02): Some feedback focuses on external factors (e.g., reading literature instead, personal gaming preferences) rather than gameplay, indicating low constructive value.
- Skip option for repetitive animations (weight 0.02): Players request a skip feature for repetitive in-game animations to improve pacing and reduce frustration during extended play sessions.
- Improve save file notifications (weight 0.02): Feedback suggests clearer notifications about save mechanics to prevent confusion or accidental progress loss, especially in narrative-driven gameplay.
- Occult themes present (weight 0.02): Players note the inclusion of occult elements, which may appeal to or deter certain audiences depending on personal preferences.
- Aged game lacks updates (weight 0.02): At seven years old, the game is perceived as unlikely to receive future updates, which may limit bug fixes or new content for players.
- Non-QWERTY keyboard issues (weight 0.02): Players using non-QWERTY layouts report compatibility problems, likely due to hardcoded controls or lack of localization support.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.19): Players experience satisfaction primarily from solving puzzles, deducing the fates of characters, and uncovering the game's narrative through logical progression. The sense of accomplishment is amplified by the game's rich storytelling, tactile UX, and the rewarding feedback from successfully piecing together clues, such as confirming identities or causes of death.
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Frustration stems from gameplay mechanics that hinder progression, such as slow pacing, repetitive animations, unclear visuals, and a lack of accessibility features (e.g., note-taking or bookmarking). Players also struggle with ambiguous clues, reliance on guessing, and difficulty in identifying characters or parsing death descriptions, especially in later stages where evidence becomes scarce.
- Admiration (weight 0.09): Admiration is directed toward the game's innovative design, including its unique art style, immersive storytelling, and meticulous attention to detail in puzzle mechanics. Players praise its ability to challenge deductive skills while maintaining logical consistency, as well as its replayability and the emotional depth of its narrative and characters.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement is driven by the thrill of solving puzzles independently, uncovering shocking narrative twists, and the engaging gameplay loop. The game's immersive atmosphere, impactful soundtrack, and the 'dopamine rush' from correct deductions contribute to a highly stimulating experience, particularly during key revelations or cinematic moments.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment arises from the game's addictive puzzle-solving mechanics, brain-teasing challenges, and the satisfaction of piecing together the mystery. Players appreciate the unique presentation, atmospheric storytelling, and the overall experience of engaging with a well-crafted, immersive detective game.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Disappointment occurs when the game fails to meet high expectations, such as underwhelming story resolutions, repetitive mechanics, or poor execution of its promising concept. Players also criticize the lack of built-in accessibility options, abrupt plot shifts, and instances where the narrative or puzzles rely too heavily on guessing or brute-forcing.
- Awe (weight 0.04): Awe is inspired by the game's surreal atmosphere, gothic storytelling, and the depth of its interconnected characters. Players are struck by the meticulous design of scenes, the immersive mystery, and the game's ability to convey intense themes through its pixelated art style, creating moments of profound emotional or intellectual impact.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game's unique visuals, sound design, and its trust in the player's deductive abilities. The minimalist graphic style, attention to detail, and the focus on human stories and character depth are frequently highlighted as standout features that elevate the experience.
- Immersion (weight 0.03): Immersion is achieved through the game's black-and-white art style, atmospheric soundtrack, and theatrical storytelling. The historical setting, eerie ambiance, and the feeling of being part of an interactive detective story contribute to a deeply engaging and memorable experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked by the game's retro art style, comparisons to classic games, and the desire to relive the first-time experience. Players express a longing to forget the game's mysteries to replay it fresh, highlighting its lasting impact and status as a modern classic.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from the game exceeding expectations, such as discovering that all necessary clues were available early on or uncovering shocking narrative twists. Players are also surprised by the depth of details in scenes and the emotional impact of key revelations, which often subvert initial impressions.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement is driven by the game's captivating mystery, Lovecraftian storytelling, and the cohesive narrative that ties together puzzles and character fates. Players are deeply involved in piecing together the ship's story through animations, clues, and the overarching investigative gameplay loop.
- Curiosity (weight 0.02): Curiosity is sparked by the game's complex mystery, such as uncovering the fate of the *Obra Dinn*'s crew or exploring the mathematical and logical approaches to solving puzzles. The desire to investigate and connect story elements keeps players invested in the narrative.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement arises from the game's unique premise, humorous moments (e.g., deducing identities based on names), and the juxtaposition of joyful melodies with tragic events. Players also find humor in translation errors, recurring characters, and the absurdity of the game's dark narrative.
- Discomfort (weight 0.02): Discomfort is caused by the game's gory visuals, 3D motion sickness, and eye strain from parsing small details or high-contrast visuals. The art style and perspective can induce dizziness or headaches, particularly during prolonged play sessions.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from the unique gameplay experience, such as solving characters' fates, the emotional impact of the narrative, and the satisfaction of correct deductions. Players also enjoy the game's presentation, atmosphere, and the overall sense of accomplishment from completing its challenges.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is expressed through strong recommendations for the game, particularly among fans of puzzle or deduction games. Players praise its exceptional quality, unique murder-solving concept, and the detailed observation mechanics that make it a standout experience.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief is felt when players overcome challenges, such as resolving motion sickness with mods, completing the game without guides, or realizing the game lacks time pressure or gaslighting mechanics. The face-blurring feature and the absence of jumpscares also contribute to a more comfortable experience.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from unclear gameplay mechanics, particularly during initial playthroughs, or uncertainty about whether key clues or mechanics were missed. Some players also struggle with the origin or role of specific characters, leading to a sense of disorientation.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is driven by the desire to replay the game, explore its mysteries again, or experience future titles from the developer. Players look forward to uncovering new details or reliving the game's unique investigative experience in subsequent playthroughs.}