OVERALL IMPRESSION



I'm incredibly impressed by Obduction, Cyan has done it again! The game has the familiar myst-like feeling that brings OVERALL IMPRESSION



I'm incredibly impressed by Obduction, Cyan has done it again! The game has the familiar myst-like feeling that brings me right back to my childhood when I first got to explore the Myst Island and I had no idea why I was there and what was going on, arriving in Hunrath has the exact same feeling. It also brought me back to taking my first steps in The Cleft and Minkata in Uru (even the footsteps sound suspiciously alike). Except this time things are alien, even eerier, even more beautiful, even more awe-inspiring, even more confusing.



The game feels like a more matured version of the Myst games; you can tell that the developers have taken everything they learned from the previous games and with that experience (and perhaps the wisdom gained with age) have crafted a story that has a new kind of depth - where puzzles are not just intricate parts of the environment, as was the case in the Myst games, but that feel truly handcrafted with purpose by different civilizations, puzzles that takes it one step beyond the Myst games in how they merge with the setting.



PERFORMANCE



I have a GTX 660 graphics card, i7 2600k processor, 8gb ram, SSHD, and Windows 10 x64 which basically puts me at minimum spec with my graphics card and above recommended with processor. The game is pretty well optimized provided I play on low settings with the exception of textures that I put on medium. I experienced a few lag spikes and long loading screens here and there but nothing major or that I can't live with but it definitely seems the game is graphics intensive.



That said, I get the feeling this game would still be playable with a graphics card one tier below mine but it's hard to say so don't take my word for it. The graphics aren't super amazing on low settings with some pixelation, especially with the shadows but it's still a fairly pretty game. If you really care about good graphics for your gaming experience I would suggest playing this game with the recommended or above specs, I believe at that level this game will be absolutely astonishing.



PROS:



* Myst-like

* Fun unique mechanics

* Beautiful graphics, textures, sounds etc. the ambience is just superb

* Nostalgic moments and great easter eggs

* A riveting and unsettling story that leaves you guessing throughout

* Pretty well optimized for the most part but not perfect with minimum spec graphics card

* Good mix of easy, medium, and mind-boggling hard puzzles that make you want to rage quit in a good way like good old Riven. A couple of things are pure evil and I think the devs had a little bit too much fun torturing us poor Hunrathians but at the same time it's kind of funny in hindsight.

* Great to play as a family or with multiple people to help solve puzzles. While the rating says 10+ it's probably okay with adult supervision under that, but that's just my opinion. I think the Cyan games in general are great educational tools for problem solving, patience, and out of the box thinking.



CONS:



* Occasional lag spikes with minimum spec graphics card

* Occasional long loading screens

* a few minor glitches/bugs here and there but nothing major and most are hardly noticeable, a couple of small slightly irritating mechanics but again nothing gamebreaking.



CONCLUSION



Would I recommend this game? Absolutely. If you love puzzles, mystery, eerie atmospheres, casual exploration, and an immersive environment - you do NOT want to miss out on this game. If you are new to the genre this game will be a great example of a stellar casual adventure puzzle game. If you care a lot about graphics play on recommended or higher spec. Overall, very much worth every penny. 10/10 … Expand