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CNET editors' rating:
2.0 stars
Mediocre
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Product summary
This survival horror sequel is clumsy and frustrating and not suspenseful in the least.
Specifications: ESRB: Mature; Genre: Adventure; Number of players: 1-2 Players See full specs
Price range: $16.99 - $29.99
Gamespot editors' review
- Reviewed on: 04/09/2008
- Updated on: 04/10/2008
- Released on: 03/25/2008
In Obscure: The Aftermath, young college students take on demonic monsters while their friends and fraternity fellows get ripped into bloody shreds. Most reasonable people would react with shock or fear, yet this horror adventure game's characters are more interested in clinging to outdated stereotypes. Corey Wilde, for example, isn't concerned about the giant ogres bursting with bulbous tumors that have infiltrated Fallcreek University. Rather, his beloved car's been totaled, and someone must pay. And so it goes with Corey and his chums, who approach the campus's mutant infestation with the same degree of intensity that they would a study session.
An example of some of Obscure: The Aftermath's Shakespearean dialogue.
It's easy to assume that developer Hydravision was trying to deliver a Scream-like parody of teen slasher films. Perhaps that's so, but the tongue-in-cheek irony necessary for such an endeavor is missing, instead replaced with bad sexual innuendo and humorless one-liners. From bad dialogue ("I've seen all of Corey's x-rays; I know him inside out") to third-rate voice acting, every character is stripped down to a cliche. At least the characters provide something tangible to grasp because the plot is paper thin, though it does offer some veiled commentary on the perils of drugs and sexual debauchery. What the plot lacks are the most important elements of a good survival horror game: scares and suspense. If the main characters can't bother to feel the occasional chill, there's no reason why we should ever get goose bumps of our own.
Nevertheless, there are some atmospheric touches, though many of them are undermined by the general lack of tension. Some scenes are viewed through a grainy black and white filter, an effect that has been used in games countless times but is still utilized with some success in Aftermath. The darkest environments, such as a murky forest, are the most fitting partially because they offer much-needed atmosphere and partially because clearer lighting reveals that Aftermath does not live up to the visual standards of its platform. Character models are stiff and lifeless, textures are rendered in low resolution, and cutscenes are pixelated (though some of them reveal some nice cinematic flourishes). Some areas look properly dingy and degraded, but the game doesn't have a cohesive artistic vision, so elements like these feel practically accidental. The main saving grace is Olivier Deriviere's moody soundtrack, which features some nice string tracks and interesting vocal stylizations.
As in 2005's Obscure, in The Aftermath you'll take control of one student at any given time, though another AI-controlled teammate will tag along. The game's hook is that each character has a given strength and that you will need to alternate between the two of them or use them together to solve various puzzles. For instance, Mei can hack into security devices using her PDA, while Kenny is strong enough to push around heavy objects. Other times, they'll combine forces, such as when Corey pulls Amy onto a fire escape. There are a few interesting puzzles that result from this arrangement, such as one where you shine a spotlight onto your light-fearing foes using one character while the other bashes away at the baddies. Yet for the most part, these tasks are relatively straightforward and unspectacular. To spice things up, you can beg a friend to grab a Wii Remote and join you, at which point he or she will take control of the second character. This might be a refreshing improvement over the game's mediocre AI, but it doesn't make the experience any more engaging.
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