Obsession

Spektor’s Obsession is a short, straightforward adventure which uses minimalist pixel art, sound design, and interactivity to tell a story that captures the essence of its title. Short fetch quests and passive conversations await players as they travel a road to tragedy and potential madness. A smooth interface ties together these elements to convey this heartrending tale.

Brother and sister duo Dima and Sonia have grown up together in an orphanage. Dima protects Sonia; he is her constant companion. He plays hide and seek with her and finds her lost teddy bear. As often happens, the pair grow apart in adulthood. After a bad day, Dima learns the news of Sonia’s sudden, gruesome death. He needs help to find those responsible and exact revenge.

Dima’s need for vengeance results in a kind of tunnel vision. He wants to stay indoors, and he won’t go to work. He’s beginning to lose track of his life. The austere pixel art perfectly mirrors Dima’s attitude because the graphics denote the shape of things but not the details. The characters are faceless, as if Dima is too preoccupied to notice them. Dimas's actions –walking, running, and pushing – are well-animated, but Obsession prefers to tell its story through text rather than advancing it through intricate visuals and animations. 

The sound design bolsters the sense of intense preoccupation. The title screen plays the sound of a ticking clock, evoking a feeling that time is running out. When the game starts, the music is upbeat and charged with youthful energy. Later it strikes a darker note, reflecting Dima’s mood. When he walks home from work after a hard day, players hear soft, brooding notes, as if his bad temper is stalking him. There is no voice acting, but the soundscape successfully enhances the game’s melancholy atmosphere on its own. 

Exploring this world of sight, sound and suspense takes place via a keyboard-only interface. The “A” key moves Dima to the left and the “D” key propels him to the right. The spacebar allows him to perform any appropriate action. “R” chooses whether the text automatically advances. The keyboard controls everything except saving and loading the game, which is done automatically at the beginning of the story’s two parts: childhood and adulthood. (There are no other alternatives for saving the game.) Fortunately the sections are rather short, making it possible to take a break and return without losing track of the narrative. 

Players guide Dima through fetch quests and dialogs with various characters. For instance, one mission involves checking a piece of evidence against a vehicle to see if they match. Players solve puzzles like this one by watching the screen for Dima’s prompting as to which actions to take. Walking up to a character and pressing the spacebar initiates dialogs while players passively watch, unable to select topics. After the conversation ends, it's usually easy to know what to do.

However, there is one place in Obsession where interactions aren’t particularly reasonable: the shop. Players can buy things here by moving to the register, selecting their purchases and pressing “confirm.” But it’s difficult to understand how these purchases are relevant to the game. There’s no inventory and no way to access the objects once they are acquired. Additionally, some of the items cost more than the three hundred dollars Dima possesses. I saw no opportunities to earn the extra money required to obtain them.

Aside from the automatic save/load system and the frustrating shopping sequence, Obsession provides a decent gaming experience. Utilizing its minimal assets, it successfully connects players to Dima’s all-consuming feelings and his vengeful quest. 

The Good

• A sturdy interface yokes simplistic yet engaging visuals to a story that teaches the meaning of obsession
• Music complements the pixel art environments and strengthens their spell
• Most of the gameplay is logical and well-clued

The Bad

• It’s difficult to understand the purpose of the shop, how it fits into the game or how to use the items purchased there
• Frustrating save/load utility

Our Verdict

Decent

A qualified success; the positive aspects still outnumber the negative, but the weaknesses noticeably hinder the experience.

Players looking for a short, but emotionally engaging and harrowing adventure, should consider playing Obsession.