Obscure

Publisher: Ubisoft

Platform: XB

Category: Action / Adventure

Rating Info

Release Date: 01/10/2004

Member Rating:

Number of Players: 1-2

Obscure Description

With the survival horror genre in the upper echelons of gaming popularity, there's been no better time for a Resident Evil clone or Silent Hill beater. Cue Obscure, a high school horror story from French developer Hydravision that follows the twisted tale of five unfortunate students as they discover the wrongdoings of their 100-year old school and its inhabitants. With a story not that dissimilar from cult move The Faculty, Obscure begins as a clear-cut survival horror affair complete with mystery and monsters. Your ultimate goal is very much story-driven, and as the adventure pushes forwards, answers are given and further questions are raised. As one of the five students in question, you'll have to make good use of your character's remarkable intelligence and defensive abilities as you negotiate the secret halls and caverns of the century-old building. Like Resident Evil Outbreak, each of the playable characters have their own advantages and weaknesses. For example, Shannon is good with medicine, Stanley has a penchant for picking locks and Ashley has some skill with martial arts combat. Furthermore, Obscure takes a step away from single-player gaming, again like Resident Evil Outbreak, instead encouraging a two-player co-operative adventure that sees players partnering with another in order to overcome the obstacles that await them. This helps to make Obscure far more involving than other games in the genre. But that's not to say the single-player game has been neglected. On the contrary, brave gamers playing alone will find themselves accompanied by a computer controlled character that can follow commands issued to them. Computer AI is adequately smart too, and instances where gameplay suffers as a result of your partner's actions are virtually non-existent. The game is graphically up to date, and the demonic beings of Obscure are every bit as disturbing as they are challenging. The overall feel and presentation seen in Obscure is very much what you would expect from a game of this type. It's chilling, deeply atmospheric and holds a few heart-stopping tricks up its sleeve. Well worth getting frightened for.

Screenshots

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Write a review of Obscure

Reviewed by: thekingofguff	Date: 18/04/2006	Rating:
I was very suprised with this one. I expected a bland and mediocre Resident Evil clone (how many of those have we played now...) but this was a title that stood up on its own merits. Aside from the American high-school guffness, and the ridiculous inclusion of Sum 41 on the soundtrack (I'm still waiting for a horror game with Amon Amarth pounding out the speakers!) it was a great and enjoyable game, and one which I thought was well worth replaying. The only problems I could see were some annoying camera angles and the voice acting, which was dire. The bonus features were relatively easy to unlock, and the story was very well produced, giving the game a Faculty-esque coolness factor. Rent this and have some fun with it, with the lights off and the beers in.

Reviewed by:	Date: 27/02/2005	Rating:
Obscure is a fairly standard delve into the world of survival horror. You've got all the classic aspects; the fixed camera angles that often leave you firing your gun into; the eternal conflict of when to fire and when to run and conserve your ammunition; and, best of all, the fact that when you do run away like a girl, the enemy can't follow you into the next room. Obscure also presents you with a fairly standard storyline, atmosphere and musical score, not that the game isn't involving and scary. As far as the puzzles go in Obscure, they are a lot more basic than someone who is used to playing Resident Evil titles. Often fairly obvious, the ease of the puzzles does mean however that the experience remains more story driven rather than intelectually challenging. This may well be the point though, Obscure presents itself in the style of a teen horror film. Focusing around a group of sexy(!) high school students. After one goes missing the others, in traditional Scooby Doo fashion, set out to find their friend and ultimatley solve the mystery of the bizzare goings on at their school. This game does display some innovation however. You are free to pick from one of 5 students as your progress through the game, each with there own special ability, such as the school journalist who is able to point out areas of interest, or the jock who can run (away) faster. You can use 2 characters at a time, allowing the computer to control one and issue it simple commands such as 'follow me' or 'stay here', or alternatively if you have a friend, you can allow them to control the second character. This is what really made the game stand out for me. In conclusion, if you want to play a cooperative survival horror game and are able to overlook the fact that this game is average at best then Obscure is exactly what you are looking for.

Features

Co-op
Players can switch to any one of the five characters when nearby. A second of the characters also follows, either controlled by AI or by a second player if they fancy some co-op action.

Unique gameplay elements
- Obscure has more to it than just shooting zombies:
- The monsters don't like light, so you can use your torch or break windows to fend them off.
- The five characters have special skills: Josh is a journalist (he knows when you've finished searching a room), Shanon is a medical student (she can heal others), Stan's a bit of a lad (he can speed-pick locks), etc.
- Players will need to get to grips with numerous puzzles too (rewiring a fuse box to get lights working, taking objects from place to place in a time limit, etc.)

Added-value unlockables
Including a making of directory, music videos, concept art, etc.

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