This game is... odd. It's odd because there are a lot of good things to say about it, but there are also a lot of bad things. The fact that I haven't even completed the game is not a good sign, and I will probably never finish it for one very good reason, of which I will have to explain in just a minute.
First, this game did a lot of things right. It handled the controls and combat mechanics pretty well, in fact anyone who has played Resident Evil or Silent Hill may be very comfortable with it, though it's still different and takes some getting used to. I liked having the ability to scroll through inventory without switching screens, it was all real-time (so to speak) which made it easier to quickly switch weapons or items without breaking the action on the screen (if there is any).
The creatures are definitely scary and creeped me out quite a bit, which isn't too weird but I do enjoy horror movies and horror games yetI still get a little scared. Having things jump out at me randomly or just be visually hideous and disturbing will freak me out in a game moreso than in a movie, mostly because I'm more involved in the former and actually have to do something. In a movie it's all kind of passive-aggressive and I don't need to tell the person on screen to turn around and run, they'll do it on their own. Or not, depending on what movie you're watching.
Obscure is one of those games that can easily draw you in. The graphics engine isn't Bethesda-scale, but it's about what you'd expect from a survival-horror game. The characters are a little generic and predictable but considering they're all high school students I guess that's to be expected. The story is typical, sure, but it's got a unique twist to it that starts off as just a missing friend and ends up having some weird squid-face beheamoth chasing you through a dank tunnel.
But the one unique element of this game is what can frustrate a person most and keep them from finishing it. That thing is co-op play. Don't get me wrong, I love co-op and it's an awesome thing to have in such a game as this. But the creators of Obscure failed to put just as much effort into their A.I. as they did into co-op play, because once you have a friend play the game with you then you never want to play it alone again.
I'm not talking about scare-factor, I'm talking about how having a real person playing a second person actual helps your enjoyment of this game. Playing alone and letting the computer take over is laughable afterwards, they're useless and they just don't do exactly what you want them to. I guess that's to be expected of most PS2 games, but it's really a downer that they sacrificed smart AI-engines for improving the co-op portion instead.
That's my big nitpick about this game and what has prevented me from completing it. Maybe it's just me, maybe I should give it another chance because overall I really liked the game from the score (of which you could unlock entire tracks during gameplay) to the graphics and characters. Even having one character be really good at something so as to make them crucial to the game was a good implement, making you actually care about them because they had this skill that was valuable to you.
I would say it's worth giving Obscure a chance, and if you can find someone willing to play through a game with you then you'll probably enjoy it a lot. You may still enjoy it even without someone else to co-op with you, but I can't really confirm that 100% having not completed it myself nor played it in a few years. If you have played it or plan to, please let me know what you think. I'm willing to have my mind changed on this one.
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