Obscure (video game)
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| ObsCure | |
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| Developer(s) | Hydravision |
| Publisher(s) | DreamCatcher Interactive |
| Series | ObsCure |
| Engine | RenderWare |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC |
| Release date | October 1, 2004 (PAL) April 6, 2005 (NA) |
| Genre(s) | Survival horror |
| Mode(s) | Single Player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature (M) |
| Media | 1 DVD |
ObsCure is a survival horror video game that was developed by Hydravision and published by DreamCatcher Interactive[1] for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows. It was released in October 1, 2004 in PAL regions and North America on April 6, 2005.
Contents |
[edit] Storyline
Some strange things seem to be happening at Leafmore High. Four teenagers set out to search for their missing friend. They’ve found themselves locked inside the school overnight, and they now have to get to the bottom of the strange occurrences.
You'll take control of the five desperate teens as you explore the massive school and battle a number of different types of infected students.
The students discover that the enemies they face are sensitive to light, with direct sunlight being able to destroy them. Flashlights help to slightly weaken their foes and the malevolent black aura surrounding them.
The students wind up discovering a conspiracy about the injections turning students into mutated monsters, mostly experimentations based on a rare plant spore with the possibility to allow people to live forever. It is discovered that the Nurse and the Principal are over 100 years old but seem only to be in their 60s thanks to the tests they had performed on others.
The students later come across their principal whom is killed by a teacher seeking to cure himself of the infection caused by Herbert's experiments. Herbert's brother, Leonard, however lurks in the back of that room and seeing his brother dead gets quite angry. He murders the teacher and that leaves Kenny and co. to defeat the biggest mutant seen yet, the first mutant.
After defeating him, you return to the gym and inject yourself with the cure. However Leonard returns. After a quick and painless battle, Leonard gives into the sunlight and everything is back to normal.
[edit] Features
The focus of the story is a group of senior high students who stumble upon a laboratory in which Resident Evil style experiments are being performed. The students must then fight their way to in order to survive and warn the remaining student body.
One of ObsCure's most notable features is the a two-player cooperative mode that allows you to complete the campaign with a friend. ObsCure also allows players to combine items, for example taping a flashlight to any firearm. Some critics, including the review show X-Play, have stated that this was the only redeeming quality, and mocked id's Doom 3 for not implementing such a concept.
ObsCure also contains tracks performed by the bands Sum 41 and Span.
[edit] Player Characters
ObsCure gives players the ability to control and switch between any of five playable characters on the fly. Given that you'll be playing in pairs of characters, the other characters will be computer-controlled A.I., or a second player can join in and take over for the computer at any time. Aside from the multiplayer capability this could be considered an updating of Capcom's Sweet Home. Your choice of characters includes:
Josh Carter - Born on 29 November 1984. A shy and reserved reporter for the school paper. He can tell if there's anything left to do in an area, such as items to pick up, or locations that advance the storyline. First received after the opening scenario involving Kenny. It is known that he survives the events of ObsCure, only to go missing by the time of the second game. A hidden video in Obscure 2 shows from the perspective of his camera, visiting the ruins of Leafmore High only to have him and Ashley both presumably killed by Leonard's mutant son.
Stanley Jones - Born on 20 June 1985. A stoner and a slack student at the school, good friends with Josh and Kenny. The only problems that he had in school is being a thief and hacker in computers(that hacking you see in the game if you meet up with him). He is able to crack locks easier, and with more skill, and he can and break into rooms as well. First received when entering the bottom left building on the map. He survives the events of Obscure.
Kenny Matthews - Born on 27 June 1984. He is the varsity athlete, and Shannon's older brother, who is blessed with quick speed and a powerful punch. First received at the beginning. He survives the events of Obscure. In the second game, he is a playable character for a short time, until he turns into a powerful mutated monster with huge arms.
Shannon Matthews - Born on 24 August 1986. Kenny's smart, younger sister. Shannon dresses provocatively to take the focus away from her brains. She provides tips on puzzles and heals other peoples wounds for them. First received after the opening scenario involving Kenny. She survives the events of Obscure.
Ashley Thompson - Born on 17 January 1985. She is a cheerleader, and is also Kenny's girlfriend. She has the ability to rapid-fire a pistol, and deals more damage with most weapons. First received after the opening scenario involving Kenny. She survives the events of ObsCure only to go missing (presumably dead) before the events of ObsCure 2, going with Josh to investigate the partially destroyed ruins of Leafmore High and suddenly getting attacked in the process. She is mentioned in Obscure 2 and a picture of the group is shown with both her and Josh.
Dan - A student that was held in a prison and is playable when Kenny saves him, however he cannot help you for long as he immediately gets killed when escaping a mutated experiment. He will appear again in the game clips as a fully mutated experiment.
While each of these abilities sounds useful, none of them are necessary to complete the game. Each character can perform the same physical acts even if it takes some characters longer and/or more effort than others. The puzzles generally aren't taxing enough to require much help, and if any teen cast members should die during the adventure, the player may simply continue on with those remaining.
[edit] Cast
| Character | Voice |
|---|---|
| Josh Carter | Michael Sinterniklaas |
| Stanley Jones | Scott Haze |
| Kenny Matthews | Sam Regal |
| Shannon Matthews | Stephanie Sheh |
| Ashley Thompson | Tara Platt |
[edit] Non-player characters
Denny Walden: A biology teacher of Leafmore High. He appears several times; sometimes offering help, other times obstructing the main characters in a frantic manner. You later discover this is due to him being infected.
Ms. Elisabeth Lucy Wickson: The nurse of Leafmore High. There is more to her than there appears to be.
Herbert Friedman: The principal of Leafmore High. A former scientist and co-founder of Leafmore high. Herbert and his brother Leonard discovered a plant in their expeditions that had a possibility to regenerate cells indefinitely. Lacking the proper funds and test subjects, they instead found a school and perform secret experiments in a lab benieth it. A rash of student disappearances start. He is over 100 years old.
Leonard Friedman: The twin of Herbert and cofounder of Leafmore High. He is the first person to be mutated by the spores of the plant he and his brother discovered, as is shown in a reel of film recovered by the students. His brother than seeks to find a cure for him through experimentation. Herbert's last words to Leonard are "Leonard, forgive me... I almost found the formula. I almost did it..."
Mr. Garrison: The school janitor of Leafmore High who was apparently an ex-police officer. He locks you into a room at the beginning without realizing you are there and later on has an interesting run-in with some monsters.
[edit] Enemies
Biter: A large mutated crab. It will stomp the ground and spikes will emerge from the ground and attack.
Stage 1 Mutant: Not that dangerous, it will simply attack with a knife.
Stage 2 Mutant: It is the easiest enemy in the game to kill. It looks like a human being, but with pale skin and a long, mutated-looking tongue.
Stage 3 Mutant: This hulking behemoth has huge tentacles that protrude from its mouth. It is a little over 8 feet tall (you see him in the beginning only ones but after some time).
Climber: They climb around on the ceiling and when your character least expects it it will grab the protagonist and attempt to strangle them, easy to kill with gun and light on it.
Queen: A disgusingly bloated former woman, twisted and immobile. Now just a monster that spews forth killer maggots.
[edit] Soundtrack
24 tracks, written and produced by Olivier Derivière.
- 1 Main Titles
- 2 Empty School
- 3 Something Hidden
- 4 First Ones
- 5 Blowing Up a Wall
- 6 Being Surrounded
- 7 Herbert Friedman
- 8 Who is Herbert?
- 9 Wickson, the Nurse
- 10 Infested Place
- 11 Give Us Eternity
- 12 The First Queen
- 13 Pure Suite
- 14 Wickson and Leonard
- 15 The Second Queen
- 16 Gardener's Story
- 17 Herbert's Secret Office
- 18 Old Movie
- 19 Friedman's Place
- 20 Finding Leo
- 21 Final Fight
- 22 Leonard's Death
- 23 Death
- 24 End Titles
There are also 2 tracks that play during the game that are not in the official soundtrack despite being advertised on the cover of the game..
- "Still Waiting" performed by Sum 41
- "Baby's Come Back" performed by Span
[edit] ObsCure II
The storyline of Obscure II takes place two years after the first game, the kids who survived are now at college living normal lives. They discover a strange plant on campus and things start going awry. The game will be released for Windows, PlayStation 2 and Wii.
