Obduction

August 24, 2016 Gareth Griffiths

Paid Cyan Exploration puzzle adventure PC VR • Rift • Vive • PS VR

Released 24 August 2016 • Rift VR version 31 October 2016 • From Rand Miller, co creator of Myst

Obduction

From the creators of Myst comes a mysterious puzzle adventure. Abducted from a campsite at night, you wake in Hunrath, a small Arizona mining town sealed inside an alien sphere, and must explore four linked worlds to find a way home.

Developer: Cyan Worlds

Price: Check store

Platform: PC, Rift, Vive, PlayStation VR (and non VR)

Subject: Logic • Problem solving

6.2

/10

XR School Score

Worth a Look

From the makers of Myst • Beautiful, strange worlds • Deep, demanding puzzles • Playable in or out of VR • Long and slow paced

76 • Metacritic (PC) Favourable reviews

Overview

Obduction is an exploration and puzzle adventure by Cyan Worlds, the studio behind Myst and Riven, led by Myst co creator Rand Miller. It was funded through a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 that raised more than $1.3 million, and released for Windows on 24 August 2016. A virtual reality version for Oculus Rift followed on 31 October 2016, HTC Vive support in March 2017, and a PlayStation 4 version in August 2017 that was later patched to support PlayStation VR.

You are abducted from a campground and arrive in Hunrath, an early twentieth century Arizona mining town enclosed inside an alien sphere. Hunrath is one of four linked worlds, along with Soria, Kaptar and Maray, connected through great trees. To get home you must restore power and water the trees, and your choices affect the ending. Cyan describes it as Myst in space. Reviews were favourable, with a Metacritic score of 76 on PC.

Patient Problem Solving Like Myst, Obduction gives you almost no instructions. You must observe carefully, take notes, notice patterns and connect clues across different worlds. It rewards the same habits as a long investigation in science or history: patience, record keeping and testing ideas.

How It Plays

🏜️

Explore

Wander Hunrath and three other alien worlds.

📝

Observe and note

Record symbols and clues as you go.

🔗

Connect worlds

Use links between worlds to solve puzzles.

🌱

Restore

Power the town and water the trees to get home.

Practical Notes Obduction is a long, slow paced game rather than a short experience, and its puzzles are demanding. It can be played with or without a headset, which helps if only one VR set is available. It is entertainment, best suited to older students who enjoy puzzles.

Classroom Value

Problem solving

8.0

Atmosphere

8.6

Curriculum links

3.0

Ease of setup

5.5

Accessibility for beginners

4.0

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

From the creators of Myst
Beautiful, imaginative worlds
Deep, satisfying puzzles
Choices affect the ending
Playable in or out of VR

Considerations

Demanding puzzles with little guidance
Long and slow paced
PC or PS VR only, not standalone Quest
Mixed console reviews
Entertainment, not curriculum content

For Teachers: An Investigation Club Obduction suits a KS4 or KS5 puzzle club willing to play over several sessions. Ask students to keep a shared notebook of clues and theories, as investigators would, and to explain the evidence behind each breakthrough.

Check store

PC, Rift, Vive and PlayStation VR • Also playable without VR

Cyan website → More puzzle apps →

Quick Facts

Developer: Cyan Worlds
Release: 24 August 2016 (Windows)
Rift VR: 31 October 2016
Vive: 22 March 2017
PS4 and PS VR: August 2017, VR added later
Metacritic: 76 (PC)
Funding: Kickstarter, more than $1.3 million

Verdict

Obduction is a rich, mysterious puzzle adventure from the makers of Myst, beautiful in VR and demanding in its logic. It is long, slow and entertainment first, so it belongs in an older students' puzzle club, where it is worth a look.

The XR School

The XR School

Obduction

Obduction

Gareth Griffiths