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Return of the Obra Dinn

An Insurance Adventure with Minimal Colour
Created by Lucas Pope

Spoilers

Return of the Obra Dinn is primarily a mystery game. Please avoid screenshots, text, or video with overt spoilers about the story.

General Information

Visuals

Return of the Obra Dinn is rendered in 1-bit color with dithering to simulate shades of gray. The core rendering resolution is fixed at 800x450. This combination can cause problems when playing for extended periods. One may wonder why a long detail-oriented game would use this style...

If playing the game makes you uncomfortable, try one of the alternate "Output" options from the settings/pause menu. The "Sharp (Shrink X)" modes are recommended if you're playing very close to your monitor.

Capturing Video

Youtube murders video of this game. Modern codecs have curiously overlooked the needs of 1-bit low-resolution video. I found some small success with the game's "Output: Smooth" mode, recorded and uploaded at 1080p.

Audio

Audio is a core component of the game so speakers or headphones are required to play. There is currently no closed-caption option.

Difficulty and Length

This is a difficult game to 100%. There are two primary endings. The Bad Ending can be reached without much challenge in around 3 hours if you play quickly. The Good Ending usually takes between 6 and 40 hours on first play. Content-wise, the Bad Ending covers ~90% of what the game has to show you, and you can get a solid gist of the game within the first hour.

Long 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


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.