Obscure: The Aftermath review

Nail-biting difficulty adds cruelty to an experience that's already draining. Every time a pair of frat-monsters breaks through a wall, you can count on losing some health. Energy drinks, health kits, and ammunition aren't plentiful, so you're always tiptoeing ahead with the fear that the next encounter will kill you. And it probably will.

Conservation-induced tension is usually a good thing in a horror game, but it's a negative when there's no payoff in the action.

Ugly, last-gen visuals further dampen the fear factor. Muddy textures and low poly counts cause scenery and monsters to blend together into a murky mess. The brightness is dialed way back, which does make for a spookier atmosphere, but it also makes everything that much tougher to see.

Should you manage to work through Obscure: The Aftermath, you'll bear witness to a lengthy story that matches top-notch Hollywood flicks like Scream and Land of the Dead when it comes to edgy dialogue, likable characters, and surprise perils. Unfortunately, you probably won't get much enjoyment out of the game's actual hands-on aspects.

Apr 2, 2008