Return of the Obra Dinn Reviews

Return of the Obra Dinn is ranked in the 99th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
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

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

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

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.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
Oct 26, 2018

An artistic manifesto of overflowing power.

Read full review

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
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.

Read full review

9 / 10
Oct 22, 2018

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

Read full review

Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
9 / 10
Oct 21, 2019

The best detective game ever made, that tells its unpredictable story through a mix of idiosyncratic visuals and equally unique puzzle gameplay.

Read full review

Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
9 / 10
Nov 1, 2018

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.

Read full review

Andy Kelly
Top Critic
90 / 100
Oct 19, 2018

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

Read full review

9.1 / 10.0
Nov 9, 2018

The year is 1807. The good ship Obra Dinn, missing at sea for five years, mysteriously reappears devoid of her crew.

Read full review

9.2 / 10.0
May 13, 2021

Return of the Obra Dinn is truly a little gem, with many unique mechanics that will make every player very happy. Everyone should give this title a try, even if some player might find it a little too complicated.

Review in Italian | Read full review

9.2 / 10.0
Nov 19, 2018

A unique game that makes new things using old mechanics. An example that proves us that there's still room for new things on videogames.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Tom Marks
Top Critic
9.2 / 10.0
Oct 22, 2018

Return of the Obra Dinn stands as something wholly unique, a challenging detective game that empowers you to solve its mysteries through actual investigation.

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Oct 26, 2019

Return of the Obra Dinn is the most complex and imaginative whodunnit-style murder mystery puzzle game, ever! Despite the aesthetically pleasing 1-bit design, underneath lies a perfectly crafted 3D world full of emotion, tragedy, murder, and deception. With two possible endings to uncover based upon how many people you correctly name, along with their cause of death, you could be trying to solve the mystery for many hours based upon your skills as a sleuth. If you have any interest at all in puzzle, mystery, narrative, unique, or cryptic games, you need to buy this today on whatever platform you own.

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Oct 24, 2019

Return of the Obra Dinn is a must play not just for fans of puzzle games, but fans of games in general. The game achieves exactly what it sets out to do, and then does so much more. For the price you pay, there’s a lot to explore, and multiple endings to discover.

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Oct 25, 2019

Thickly atmospheric with an impeccable sense of place unmatched by other games, Return of the Obra Dinn is the smart, stylish and curiosity detective adventure that you've always wanted.

Read full review

ZTGD
Top Critic
9.5 / 10.0
Dec 5, 2018

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.

Read full review