The mid-aughts are alive and bloody in Obscure: The Aftermath.

Author’s Note: I played the PlayStation 2 version of Obscure: The Aftermath.

Schools, whether active or abandoned, make great set pieces for survival horror games. That was the setting for Obscure, a somewhat obscure unknown game released in 2004 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Adding to the school setting was a teen slasher movie vibe. The characters were goofy, had irreverent one-liners, and wore clothes that will make millennials feel nostalgic for malls. Monsters were grotesque and hard to kill. Items and ammo were in short supply. Most notably, the game featured multiplayer. A second person could take control of a character at any time.

Nowadays, Obscure is a pricy investment of a game that is sadly not worth its short playtime and issues. Fortunately, players don’t need to have much familiarity with it to fully enjoy its more affordable sequel called Obscure: The Aftermath because introduction talks about the events that happened in the first game before you start playing. The Aftermath is a mostly enjoyable survival horror game for sixth and seventh generation consoles.

The game opens with Stanley Jones from the first game reminiscing about the events that transpired during his formative high school days. He reflects on how he and his friends went their separate ways and laments about himself landing in prison for a few years. The perspective shifts to Fallcreek University. As students are merrymaking and getting ready for a party at one of the fraternity houses, we meet Corey Wilde and his girlfriend Mei Wang. They are heading to the party, too. They meet at their friend’s dorm, which is where we meet two more characters: Sven Hansen and Amy Brooks. The four students, as well as most of the student body have started smoking black flowers that have been springing around campus because they induce lucid and crazy dreams. After a toke, Corey finds himself waking up from a seemingly bad trip but soon discovers that other students that have taken the new drug have transformed into monsters. 

I’ll start by saying I never played the first Obscure. However, I did watch a commentary-free playthrough video of it and still got to know the characters. The ones that return in The Aftermath, as well as the new ones we get introduced to create a memorable cast. The dialogue between them is always pointed, corny, and rarely to be taken seriously. Even when the situation is grim, they always find a way to crack a joke. It’s clear that this is another attempt to turn a teen slasher film into a game. That said, there’s a surprising amount of depth to each student. For example, Amy looks like the type of girl that will reject any suiter, but she’s got a sharp mind and a knack for solving puzzles. A downside to the story is that some characters get killed too quickly before we can learn more about them. I understand it’s used to move the story forward, but I would have liked to have seen more. The story itself is interesting. Its ties to the first game enhance the stuff in the sequel.

 Like other games in the genre, The Aftermath has players going from location to location solving puzzles, gathering information, acquiring documents/journals adding extra perspective to the plot, finding items and other usual trappings. Unlike other games in the genre (at least from what I’ve played), The Aftermath has a seamless co-op mode. Most of the time, you’ll be controlling one character while the computer controls another. You can swap between the controlled character at any time. The computer is moderately reliable. The monsters in The Aftermath hit hard and fast. This pertains especially to the bosses. Healing items are naturally in short supply. The last thing you want is for your teammate to be staying in the enemy line of fire. So, having a two-player mode is not only nifty, but somewhat necessary.

 I need to point out that the game was released in 2007. I finished the game shy of its 20-year anniversary. Needless to say, the controls don’t feel as smooth as something contemporary: Awkard movements. Swapping camera angles. Finnicky aiming. The usual. If you’re planning on playing, then I highly recommend finding a second player to help. You’ll find an array of melee and long-range weapons. Players that take the time to find special, small keys can unlock weapon boxes that contain more powerful weapons. Another weapon in a different sense is a flashlight. Many of the enemies are weak to light and you can tape a flashlight to a weapon for an added effect. Weapons include a crossbow, a rechargeable stun gun, a chainsaw, a flare gun, and plenty more. Swapping weapons and items is a mostly swift process.

 Going back to the point about the game being released in the 2000s, The Aftermath still looks and sounds good. Most of the time. One of my biggest issues with the game is the music. The game features ambient music by the Boston String Quartet and the Paris Opera Children’s Choir. You’ll be constantly hearing dirges and anthems that don’t quite feel at home with the game’s setting. They’re not creepy or eerie, either. Honestly, the game would have been better with no music unless it’s during a story event. Silence would have helped add to the atmosphere. That issue aside, everything else is as it should be. Monsters are bloody and nasty. The characters look like they all shopped at Hollister in the mid-aughts. Using weapons and seeing their impact is a fun, gruesome time. Sometimes, the story moves forward with polished (and gory) FMVs. These are always a welcome addition.

One major hurdle in The Aftermath is saving. If you use a save point once, then it’s gone forever. The game is already linear; it can be easy to permanently miss a good weapon or extra healing. Having one-and-done save points will add additional frustration. On the other hand, the game can be finished in as little as five hours. So, if you were to “mess up” then it’s not detrimental to start over. It’s just frustrating. My file took me about 10 hours after all my reloads and retries. The ending left some room for another entry, but I sadly don’t see that ever happening. “Obscure” is a good way to describe this series. The PlayStation 2 had multiple Fatal Frames, Resident Evils, and Silent Hills. Obscure and Obscure: The Aftermath faded into the background. That said, I still recommend checking out the more cost-effective Obscure: The Aftermath. It comes with expected issues, but it also comes with unexpected frights and fun. 

Overall, 6.5/10: Obscure: The Aftermath combines survival horror and teen slashers with couch co-op gameplay. It’s a clumsy but overall enjoyable experience.