Return of the Obra Dinn Critic Reviews

By hewing close to genre origins, both visually and thematically (though not without some genuine innovations of his own), Lucas Pope has delivered one of the best games of the year, and certainly one of the best murder mystery games of all time.

Lesson of purpose and purity of game design. All the technical and game principles are subject to great narrative and an experience you will not forget.

This is a game I can not stop thinking about. I think about it at work -- either remembering crazy moments I didn't see coming, or reflecting on recently discovered information and its implications. This is absolutely a "thinking man's game," and it's one that I hope other developers (or Mr. Pope himself) decide to ape and expand on. Despite the fact that this isn't a detective game, I've never felt more like a dick.

Return of the Obra Dinn is a genuine and amazing adventure mystery game with an incredible narrative and surprising art style. Is one of the most clever and extraordinary games of the last years.

The only downside to Return of the Obra Dinn is that I foresee someone attempting to copy this game’s formula, and it will fail. There is not a single piece of this game that can’t be deduced from the information the game presents. I feel copycats will understand the general concept but not succeed in tying up every loose end like Pope did here. All four years of development are on display. Return of the Obra Dinn is a unique experience worth every penny. I can’t recommend this game enough. There is nothing quite like it.

Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the best detective games I’ve ever played, and now I want so much more of it.

The creator of Papers Please offers us a modern classic again.Return of the Obra Dinn uses an original and personal narrative in a development that makes us feel like true detectives. Visually it is an exercise in retro love and good taste. Lucas Pope delivers us one of the games of the year.

Lucas Pope's Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the best detective games on the market.

Unapologetically old-school, the captivating tragedies of the Obra Dinn are in a class of their own. Visually striking and extraordinarily immersive, a must-play for any mystery fan worth their salt.

A unique game that creates new things using old mechanics. An example that proves to us that there's still room for new innovations in videogames.

A unique art style and a fantastic puzzle hook make Return of the Obra Dinn a detective story worth experiencing, especially if you can do it all in one go.

A beautifully constructed and powerfully atmospheric mystery that you really have to work to solve.

Return of the Obra Dinn has emerged after four years in development, and it was truly worth the wait. Pope takes us on a magical journey that may seem plain at first glance, but there’s plenty of excitement and beauty to be found here - if you’re willing to dig a bit deeper.

Delivers a wonderfully evocative method of storytelling as you gain glimpses into the lives of each person on board at vital moments along the Obra Dinn's journey and piece together who they were, what they had to deal, what motivated them, and how they responded when tragedy struck. You may only see them in scratchy monochrome stills and hear them in brief snatches of urgent conversation, if at all, but if you're paying attention then you should feel like you know (almost) every one of these sixty people intimately by the end of the game.

If you had to choose just one detective game, it should be that one. Return of the Obra Dinn is incredibly smart, has an amazing atmosphere and tells its story with great intelligence. A true masterpiece.

An artistic manifesto of overflowing power.

This game will test your detective skills to the utmost. The art of deduction! Its style is something else and the story is very interesting, but the game will not make things easy for you.

Easily the best detective game of the modern era, with challenging and rewarding gameplay combined with some of the most evocative visuals of the year.

A unique graphic style, an exotic theme, and a story that is well suited to being told through a unique game system make Return of the Obra Dinn a detective game unlike any other.

With an eye and an ear for the theatrical, the wonderfully evocative staging turns you into a horrified, fascinated voyeur; you might be late for the Obra Dinn's fateful voyage, but you have a front-row seat to its frequently thrilling demise.