Decades before the Horror gaming landscape was completely transformed by the ground-breaking interactive drama that is "Until Dawn", there was a little known ensemble Survival Horror franchise called "Obscure". Released in the 2000s, "Osbcure" and it's sequel were lost among the sea of countless other Survival Horror titles hoping to piggy back off of the success of the big AAA franchises of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. This truly is a pity, given that "Obscure" is far, far more than the cut/paste affair that it was considered to be back in the day.

The game's story plays out much like an interactive version of Robert Rodriguez's "The Faculty", with it very own gang of stereotypical students investing strange goings on at their local school and squaring off against all manner of twisted Lovecraftian nasties in their quest to find out the truth.

As one would expect from this sort of game, each one of the playable characters has their own strengths and weaknesses. For example; the nerd is a skilled investigator who can pinpoint vital clues; while the tough girl is an expert with weapons etc. Utilising these various strengths and skills correctly is the key to success in this title, as is the imperative need to keep your characters alive lest they not be available at a crucial moment when their talents are especially required.

Perhaps the best feature in this game is how you can split into teams of two and play either with an AI companion (switching periodically between the characters as needed), or play locally with a friend. Back in the day, this would no doubt have proven to be the game's best feature and one which would have added a great deal of extra depth. Sadly this feature doesn't really work with online play, but of course that wasn't really considered an option in "Obscure"'s heyday.

Some may wince at the overtly early 2000s aesthetic of the game, complete with faux-Nu-Metal intro track in the opening cinematic and the character of resident rebel Stan who is was clearly modelled on Josh Hartnett. However, if a little cringy nostalgia is the worst that can be said about a game (especially one that plays as well as it does, give or take a few fixed camera issues) then that really is a minor complaint.

All in all, do I recommend "Obscure"? You bet your life I do. There are some games which, right from the boot up, you know that you're going to like. And for me, "Obscure" is definitely one of those games. Final verdict - 5/5 stars.

After almost three years, the highly popular Indy game developer duo of Tim and Lynn Cowles at last brings us their newest and most ambitious game to date. The much anticipated "Murderous Muses".

Mixing the more conventional puzzle-based walking simulator model with the FMV Interactive Drama format which has made the Cowles (and indeed publisher Wales Interactive) a household name among Indy gamers, "Murderous Muses" takes the looping Lovecraftian murder-mystery format of previous titles and brings it into the world of still life art. Think of it as "The Infectious Madness Of Doctor Dekker" meets "Layers Of Fear" which, as a major fan of both franchises, is already a big thumbs up from yours truly. :-D

Playing a night janitor at an obscure art gallery on an isolated island off the coast of Southern England, you are tasked with investigating the murder of a notorious artist and painter. As your tenure in the gallery draws on and more of the increasingly labyrinthine edifice is uncovered, you slowly piece together the sordid and often unethical past of both the victim and the various suspects who appear to you through a selection of haunted paintings.

In this regard, the walking simulator aspect of the game works extremely well. By making the game feel less linear than its predecessors, it allows the metaphysical aspect of the game to be played to the hilt. Along with the usual creepy and off-kilter performances (a ventriloquist with a 'sentient' puppet, a pair of twins where only one is ever present etc), players must also solve physical puzzles and find keys to unlock doors and progress through the story, encountering clues and the odd Easter Egg along the way.

True to par, the performances are the same top tier standard one would expect from a D'Vekki title. Each actor feels natural enough to be real with just enough pretence to always question their honesty. There are some notable appearances by regular favourites as always, most notably perennial talent Aislin D'Eath who once more crafts a uniquely human performance as an artsy off-kilter undertaker.

The only real problem with the game is that the pace can slow during the FMV sequences. Unfettered from the rigid constraints of pure Interactive Drama, it is sometimes easy to get stuck or lost while negotiating the gallery. This is especially the case with the puzzles which are Silent Hill level cryptic and may take literally ages for casual players to solve. The dependence on 'eyes' in order to access certain information can also prove troublesome on a first play through, as the acquisition of this currency is not made clear and their necessity for narrative progression can also lead to players hitting frustrating brick walls. This is not a game for rage quitters, clearly.

The video sequences also remain all in-game rather than zoom to full-screen which, while successfully managing not to break player immersion, can sometimes make the content a little difficult to follow.

This being said, on my first play through, I for one am really enjoying "Murderous Muses" and consider it another major win for D'Vekki. After the rigidly guided and tragically brief adventure which was 2020's "Dark Nights With Poe And Munroe", having a title which mixes content with longevity is almost certainly welcome. Excellent work Mr. and Mrs. Cowles, truly you are auteurs of Indy gaming. - 4.5/5