Return of the Obra Dinn Reviews

Return of the Obra Dinn is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10
Oct 22, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn is a startlingly original detective adventure full of murder, mutiny, and monsters.

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9 / 10
Oct 25, 2019

Some may struggle with the visuals as it can be a little too noisy in places, but if that's our only quibble, you can deduce that this comes highly recommended.

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9 / 10
Nov 20, 2018

With Return of the Obra Dinn, Lucas Pope once again aims for the heart : this post-mortem mystery demands quite a lot from the player, but delivers one of the most rewarding experiences of this year. Return of the Obra Dinn is not suited for everyone, but its wonderful disjointing storytelling will keep those who agree to its formula awake for long.

Review in French | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Oct 26, 2018

An artistic manifesto of overflowing power.

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Oct 25, 2018

Lucas Pope's Return of the Obra Dinn is a maritime detective mystery that is unlike most any other game in the genre of interactive fiction.

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Nintendo Life
Ross Keniston
Top Critic
9 / 10
Oct 24, 2019

Return of the Obra Dinn lives up to the hype, and then some. It's a beautifully crafted and intricately constructed detective mystery unlike anything you've played before with a harrowing narrative at its centre. Unravelling its secrets takes time and requires patience, but you'll be glad you allowed the story to play out at its own pace. What we have here is a thoroughly unique experience that will stay with you, and is among best this genre has ever had to offer.

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Dec 18, 2018

I love when something like Return of the Obra Dinn comes along and reminds me, even briefly, how many ideas are still unexplored.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 10, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn is a skillfully woven web of events and destinies. Unraveling it is not only an excellent workout for the mind, but also a real pleasure. Lucas Pope again remolded routine processes into an exciting gameplay, and, most importantly, he gracefully escaped the “second game syndrome”.

Review in Russian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Jan 9, 2019

Lucas Pope once again proved that in order to create a masterpiece, there's no need for big teams or huge budgets. Lucas Pope's key to success has always been focusing on new, brilliant ideas, and that's no different when it comes to Pope's latest game, Return of the Obra Dinn. Lucas Pope's works will probably inspire many developers who love creating Video Games but feel that they don't have enough resources for their projects for many years to come.

Review in Persian | Read full review

90 / 100
Nov 19, 2019

Return of the Obra Dinn arrives on consoles with the same quality and originality that made it critically acclaimed one year ago.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2018

If you're looking for a work that has the pleasure of solving riddles in games like Monkey Island, along with a fascinating story that's best told, you shouldn't miss Return of the Obra Dinn.

Review in Persian | Read full review

Mar 15, 2019

Return of the Obra Dinn is a great blend of style, story, and unique puzzle solving mechanics, creating an experience that is both incredible and unforgettable.

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9 / 10.0
Jan 30, 2019

Return of the Obra Dinn is stunning, original in concept, and features some of the most mentally-engaging gameplay that I’ve seen in any recent game.

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90 / 100
Nov 12, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn is an exercise in imagination, capable of making us discover a whole story and get to know its characters very well without telling us anything at all. It is a rather experimental game that requires a lot of patience and above all to use your head well. Not everyone will be able to find its appeal due to its repetitiveness and the weight of the gameplay because of its theme, but it is certainly an example to follow and will serve as a guide for future games.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8.9 / 10.0
Dec 13, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn is simply gorgeous, from the idea to the execution. Finally a gem in which your deductive skills, your logic and your patience are really important: this game doesn't help the player. With an amazing graphic art and a strong gameplay, another great game from Lucas Pope.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn marries challenging investigation puzzles to a striking visual presentation to create an adventure worth taking.

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87%
Nov 10, 2019

Games like Return of the Obra Dinn are rare. They alternately make you feel like a complete idiot for missing what was in front of you and a bloody genius for solving the mystery. It’s remarkable how important it feels to figure everything out, especially given the lack of immediate stakes. After all, everyone on the ship is dead or gone; there is no time limit; there’s not even an apparent threat to your safety. But after you’ve witnessed only a few deaths, you become fully invested in figuring out precisely what happened to the crew of the Obra Dinn (for insurance purposes, of course). It made me feel more like a dogged detective than any game I’ve ever played. Despite some minor control issues on consoles, Return of the Obra Dinn remains possibly the most successful detective game ever made.

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86%
Dec 9, 2018

One of, if not the best mystery adventures released to date.

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8.6 / 10.0
Nov 2, 2018

Lucas Pope once again proved that he has a great talent for making indie games and more importantly he showed us that games made by only "one person" can turn out amazing. his latest title, Return of the Obra Dinn is an exceptional detective game that you shouldn't miss. this game with its unique gameplay and excellent story, makes you sit on your chair from the start until you've solved the last mystery of the game.

Review in Persian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jan 15, 2019

So there you have it—we’re late to the party, but Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the best games of 2018. There are a good number of people who may not digest game criticism the same way we journalist folks may, so to be fair to us, Lucas Pope’s game is one that may fall through the cracks and be off the radar. Despite late game gripes, this mystery game is one that everyone with a computer needs to at least try. Pop in your earbuds, turn up the volume, perhaps close the lights, and get ready to watch some people die.

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