Head under the mountain to a place where anything can be bought and sold, nothing is off limits in OBSCURA, a beautifully illustrated and well-written work of dark fiction.

^{Note: Game was in early access when review was written (at this time of reading, game is still in EA)}

This novel does not shy away from the spice, so much so that the game gives a “safeword” you can select at any time. Also it provides aftercare following some spicy scenarios that help tone down the event. This can include reading a book, cuddling, a warm drink, etc.

Some routes are dark, that is a given. Most visual novels have bad endings and this one is no exception. But pay attention to the trigger warnings on the store’s page for a list of in-game scenarios that may make you uncomfortable.

But for those of you who like the occasional visual novel that does delve a bit deeper and push the boundaries then this one you will enjoy.

🌶️ Most of the spice of the novel comes through (at least so far) in the descriptive text and some sound effects more than the imagery. The imagery is suggestive but not outright graphic or gore filled.

The Story & Reputation System

The backdrop is a dark fantasy marketplace in the middle of a violent and turbulent city with a religious undertone. The relationships in this game between the main character and potential romances is a slow burn. You don’t meet each other and are instantly in love. There is actual character development building up to something more in the end, for good or bad.

Your character is known by default as Vesper but you can change your name at the start of the novel when you pick the mask you will wear in the market (choice of three available). The main character is chatty, bold with their words and willing to do whatever they must to seek a particular item, only found in the market, for those with large pockets. We do not have large pockets, however there is always a way to obtain what you need if you don’t have the coin. ;)

In the background there is a reputation system at play but no way to check our overall standing with the characters at this time. So getting the ending you want is not easy. It requires many steps in some cases and obtaining so many good or bad reputation points to get the ending you want (and there are many per romance).

❗ There are guides available but to be honest they are not that helpful in getting certain achievements even when followed. The guides however are not laid out the best in terms of step by step so I am not sure if it is the guide not explaining it properly or me for not understanding. From the discussions board a few people seem to be stuck on getting similar achievements.

The Romances

So far with the two chapters available the most fleshed out is Cirrus and Keir’s routes.

• Cirrus – Cirrus intrigues me the most. The store page describes him as humble, mmm, I am not sure that is how I would describe him myself. Maybe in front of others. He certainly believes in being in control and punishments. He offers help but not for free and the price can be pretty steep. Getting his good ending is not easy but worth the trial and error.
  
• Keir – The Sarcastic Thief who may be ruthless and deadly but respects loyalty and once you prove your worth to him he shows his softer side. He cares about the people he runs with and steals to no only help himself but others.
  
• Francesco – Spirited Adventurer. He is all about wanting to have fun and live life to the fullest. He seems gentlemanly enough and innocent but what would really bring one so seemingly naive to such a place?
  
• Oleander – A merchant who seems to be able to get almost anything you need for a price of course. Hedonistic and charming. I am still exploring what is available in the game for him so far. My meetings with him have mostly been through interactions with Keir.

Settings, Features & Gameplay

Settings & features include; display options, rollback side, skip text options, font choice, timed or no timed choices, screen shake or turned off, safeword options, flashing visuals, dialogue size, audio controls and text speed. There are lots of save slots so feel free to save at choice points! Also you can hide the text box by hitting “H” to take screen captures.

Extra features include; in-game achievements, aftercare options, an unlock-able CG gallery and the ability to see all endings you’ve achieved in-game.

* Game lets you choose your own safeword at the start and to either always show it in the top right corner or set it to be visible over hover. You can also press “X” any time to pause the game and bring you to the safeword menu. The game also lets you chose your name and pronouns.

The Visuals & Audio

For me the one thing that drew me to this game above all else was the artwork. I love the look of each character and the masks just add to the intrigue. The character art is so well done. The backgrounds have a dark tone to them with splashes of light and are not highly detailed, they are more there to set a mood.

There is some CG art but not many at the moment, maybe one per romance interest at the moment but I hope for many more to come along as the game progresses. I would love to see special CG art for all endings eventually.

The music fleshes out the world nicely. Take a listen to the music on the store page for the trailer. That is the music you mainly hear in the background and similar sounding tracks. A very hypnotic, lo-fi, entrancing sound. I really enjoy the music in the novel.

In between notable spaces are ambient sounds filling out the scenes (such as crowds murmuring, the wind whispering or a fight breaking out in the distance).

Overall Experience

I normally do not purchase visual novels in early access but the art style of this one really grabbed my attention. It is quite away from being complete with a two year window given in the details. However my experience so far has been pleasant shall we say. Well-written, fleshed out characters and a very interesting backdrop for the story. 🖤

Review also posted on Steam ➞

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