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Rookie developer Hydravision delivers a good if shallow survival horror game. It is clear that the guys at Hydravision are fans of Capcom’s Resident Evil series as the similarities in gameplay are fairly evident. While this is one of the game’s best points (after all, the Resident Evil series is well liked), it simply cannot compare after Capcom totally modernized the genre with Resident Evil 4.
Obscure can be accurately summed up as a slightly scarier version of a typical teen movie. The game stars five teenagers from Leafdale High School who have been thrown in a survival horror game. Shannon and Josh, the nerds, use their logic skills to solve puzzles and alert you of tasks that need to be completed. Stan, the stoner, has excellent lock-picking skills while Ashley, the cheerleader, has enviable skill with a pistol. Lastly, Kenny, the jock, has superior strength. While not particularly enthralling, the plot is enough to keep you going forward. Survival horror, as a whole, isn’t known for principally absorbing plots.
In Obscure, you’ll be going through what experienced survival horror fans have gone through for the past nine or so years. Depending on your point of view, this is an excellent homage to the genre of past or an unnecessary step backwards. Nonetheless, you’ll be tasked with scouring various locales as you collect keys, push items, shoot monsters, and combine items into new ones. Hydravision added a nifty light element to the formula. It is possible to weaken and even destroy monsters by adding more light to the room, either by uncovering windows or setting your flashlight on high. Unlike Doom 3, it is also possible to use the flashlight at the same time as the pistol.
Obscure plays in a cooperative mode. You can switch between the two characters at a time and give simple orders to the other players. If you aren’t satisfied with your current team, you can always switch it at the game’s gathering area.
The PC version of the game supports the two-player cooperative multiplayer mode found in the Xbox version of the game. While it is infinitely more efficiently than relying on the A.I., the requirement that both players use the same machine is simply unnatural for a PC game. There is no online or LAN support, which would have been preferred. However, the mode is still there, though less useful than it previously was.
Visually, Obscure gets the job done. It isn’t a showcase of technical excellence by any means, but the game is more than competent. The high school looks quite freaky and intimidating, and serves as a decent backdrop for a survival horror game. The environments include a number of moveable furniture, adding to the atmosphere. The character models are nothing special, but do animate well, particularly when fighting. The lighting and shadow system further strengthens the atmosphere. The PC version obviously looks better than the Xbox version of the game, particularly if you have the power to maximize the resolution.
Aurally, Obscure performs just as well. The prominently advertised song from Sum 41 can be found alongside a forceful and fitting soundtrack. The sound effects further add to the atmosphere with unexplained noises popping up.
Obscure doesn’t attempt to do anything different. Hydravision is comfortable with crafting a respectable survival horror game and Obscure fits that profile well. The addition of co-op added some spice on Xbox, but it isn’t really a selling point for the PC version. Nonetheless, if you’ve been looking for a new survival horror game, Obscure is worth a play through, especially considering the game is only $20. -- Adam Nunez, PGNx Media
---- Jun 21, 2005
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