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Fun: This was released in Europe some six months ago so I've had ample time to go through the game many times, and exhaust all the possibilities. I think this is a fairly definitive review :-) "Obscure" ("Mortfilia" in Japan) follows the age-old story of a gang of unruly teenagers as they attempt to uncover the mystery behind several disappearances of students in their high school (what is it about U.S. high schools that make the creatures of darkness want to kill, kill kill? Answers on a postcard to.... etc). So far, so unexceptional. What really sets this game apart is the absolute self-confidence with which it plaigirises not only classic teen slasher movies, but also several other Survival Horror peers, and the aplomb with which it presents itself as a totally new game. It's not. But that lack of originality certainly doesn't mean it's not a fun game to play. Read on! GRAPHICS: 4/5 Smooth, gorgeous protagonists and really wonderful poly backdrops are complimented by a super-high frame rate and truly disturbing monster design. Cut scenes blend seamlessly with the action and may be skipped at any time, and the whole visual impression is one of top-class excellence. This is no 'Silent Hill 4' or 'Resident Evil 4' in terms of visuals, mind (the facial expressions are fairly nondescript and the overall level of detail is somewhat lower), but all in all it's a very high-class affair. SOUND: 5/5 That's right, top marks here. Excellent voice acting and truly chilling sound effect are coupled with some really atmospheric in-game tunes to produce the same degree of aural atmosphere as heard in Obscure's more heavyweight peers like Fatal Frame and Silent Hill. The school anthem heard in the opening sequence will raise the hairs on your arms and it just gets better from there. There are one or two translation flaws (the script was originally french) but these are few and far between (I only counted three in the entire game) and don't have any impact at all - bar being unintentionally comical - and don;t take from the game's atmosphere in the slightest. PLAYABILITY: 3/5 And here's where it goes a little wrong. Superb audio-visuals creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Jamie Lee Curtis in the original 'Hallowe'en' cannot mask the fact that this game is, in places, a trial to play. Two-player mode is very cool in theory, and in practise is good fun at times, but overall comes across as frustrating, and the controls and cameras angles work in direct opposition sometimes. Like SH 4, menu selections are in real-time (which is a nice touch, no break in the action here!) but there is an overall feeling of "Oh, dammit, come ON!" that another month or so in development could have really sorted out. On the plus side, the controls for the most part do exactly what they're supposed to do, and any true-blue survival horrorist won't mind the small quibbles. The real issue with the playability is the extreme difficulty level, even on Normal mode. Now, games like 'Devil May Cry 3' and 'Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2' may appear to be unfairly difficult at first play, but that's toughness with a point - or at least, toughness with a viable means of progression. 'Obscure' seems to lack this, and while it's perfectly logical that a bunch of sixteen-year-old kids wouldn't have the physical reserves of strength and endurance as, say, Dante or a member of S.T.A.R.S., the developers simply haven't included enough medical items or ammunition to make direct confrontation a viable option. And, when you consider the fact that there are areas of the game where the bigger, tougher enemies simply HAVE TO be tackled, this becomes a real negative point. LASTING VALUE: 3/5 Once around the park is enough in the very short world of 'Obscure'. There are costumes and extras to be unlocked, but since the game presents itself as a once-off there's no impetus to replay the thing, once you're finished. Mind you, the extraordinary difficulty of the second half sort of makes up for this. OVERALL: 3.5/5 Unoriginal, frustrating, and, at times, amateurish, the most part of 'Obscure' is a solid, scary and all-round entertaining Survival Horror game. 'Silent Hill' it is not, but then again, neither is 'Silent Hill' anymore. If you can get it cheap it's well worth the ride, though the more dedicated amongst us will get it anyway. Recommended. Comment | Permalink | function showYesNoCommunityResponse(uId,result,value) { var msgLayer = getElement("thanks" + uId); if ( result == "SUCCESS" ) { msgLayer.innerHTML = "Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided to other Amazon.com readers and reviewers. Your vote will be counted and will appear on the product page within 24 hours."; } else { showVoteErrorResponse(msgLayer,result,value); } } (Report this)

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