ICYMI: The Return of Return of the Obra Dinn

Return of the Obra Dinn, Lucas Pope's follow-up to Papers, Please, quietly sailed onto all major consoles last week. This prompted IGN staffer Michael Swaim to put some thought into why he enjoys it so very much. The answer involves Loom, Spelunx, Cthulhu, and the humble art of programming in-house implementation tools.
#ign #icymi #gaming

[@yephph]

why is this the most well spoken ign review i’ve ever seen

[@youraveragepasser-by7367]

Watch the legend of Zelda: link's awakening review. The reviewer in that one was amazing too

[@EricGranata]

Swaim. Check out his short stories on the Tales from the Pit podcast.

[@buckleygeneration]

Because Michael Swaim is Michael Swaim.

[@evanchurch9404]

"...experience the transcendent, mundane joy of untying a logic knot, only to find an eerie, gripping, and very human story hiding inside."

[@0002pA]

What is Swaim?

[@evanchurch9404]

Michael Swaim, the creator of this review and founder of Small Beans. One of the Cracked legends@@0002pA

[@scottheldorf]

Michael Swaim is the IGN staff member who did did this review @@0002pA

[@pixel_moo64]

​@@0002pAthe reviewer in this video

[@kyasuriin413]

I loved papers please and have been curious about this game. Great video, I'm going to have to give this one a try!

[@stacybishop6089]

Swaim! I'd recognize that voice anywhere. A reason to come back to IGN 😊🍻

[@georgemorin9346]

Facts!

[@Wakizashi25]

I exclaimed the same thing the moment I heard the voice!

[@EmmaBonn96]

3:34
I can’t tell you how many times I was just walking through a memory and would be like
Hey Maba
Like I was talking to a friend
Before going about my business
It has a weird potential for sympathy of these doomed souls

[@Stratilex]

Hey Brennan

[@smal7812]

Thank you so much for a great narrative and content itself.

[@TheGoncas2]

Love this game! One of my favorites in 2018!

[@paradoxacres1063]

Why is there no *credits* on this video..?
Who's the Narrator? Who Wrote the script..?
(Yes, you can find out it's Michael Swaim by reading the Comments, but still..)

[@siangchengpang772]

This person is Michael Swaim.
He's alive in America.

[@DJZ3XY]

Kudos to this guy for being a real enthusiast and knowing all his stuff.

[@CheerfuEntropy]

hello mister swaim, glad you got the gig!

[@movieguy4]

I'm deff gonna play this now, it looks awesome.

[@roentgen822]

Oh dayum Cracked Michael Swaim whaddup

[@mrhappyforever5133]

This game was so unique

[@ColombianThunder]

This looks like the video game version of the lighhouse, in style at least

[@jasonandrews7355]

Are ye fond of me lobster?

[@docgarby5558]

I'd heard of this but never seen any footage. Will definitely be buying it.

[@Tempo1337]

Seriously
Weird
And
Interesting
Mechanics

[@TheGreatMandalore]

This is the best game of 2018. I love it, I LOVE IT!

[@trubi22]

I loved playing this on PC, definitely looking forward to the playing console version!
No matter what it’s an amazing game.

[@mommy2sstupidchannelahahah787]

i thought the music was similar to papers please as I was watching the trailer lmao thats a surprise he made both

[@mbithiz]

cracked nostalgia engage!

[@cloudy772]

Yesss! Everyone get this game. It’s so much better than it looks! And it doesn’t look that bad!

[@liamx6636]

It looks dreadfully boring.

[@mekassah5288]

@@liamx6636 just turn the game on and let it enter your DNA and you will feel like a detective.

[@clintdona4586]

I actually love how it looks. Might give it a try :0

[@mekassah5288]

@@clintdona4586tips for help:
1 be patient .
2 don't finish the game without solving every single person on the obra dinn.
3 you will need to use your brain alot. ALOT

[@orachs1461]

Man this looks awesome

[@LuisGomez-fr1yb]

GREAT game. everyone should give it a try,

[@RH1812]

Welcome Michael.

[@TheRealZoranto]

its such a mindblowing game

[@cycopl]

one of the best games I've ever played

[@zombieowen]

More Michael Swaim!!!!

[@jamo3976]

Incredible one of a kind game. Nothing like it

[@THB192]

Loom wasn't 1-bit native. It was originally designed for 16-color EGA.

[@Jambunctious]

Yes! I can finally talk my console peasant friends into playing this great game!

[@ultimatevtgb7551]

@DeSPoTNemanjaS I'm going to tell you what's so great about it: story, music, puzzles, voice acting, graphic. Personally I have no problems with the graphic, but some people might get thrown off by it, so if it's your cup of tea then I highly recommend to check it out. There's a clear reason so many people like this game, you'll see when you play it, it's not as simple as connecting the dots, trust me.

[@ultimatevtgb7551]

@DeSPoTNemanjaS oops sorry lol

[@ultimatevtgb7551]

@@melxb Here is what's so great about this game: story, music, gameplay, puzzles, voice acting, graphic. Personally I don't have problems with the graphic at all, but I understand why some people don't like it, so if it's your cup of tea then go for it. There's a reason why folks like this game so much, it's not as plain and simple as you might think, you'll see when you play it.

[@movierates247]

Give me more Michael Swaim!

[@cloudvoid0]

Superb review!

[@alecchvirko6578]

Love you Michael Swaim

[@hombreerana]

Is the dude from cracked voice over-ing this video?

[@TheWatcher51393]

He works at IGN now full-time.

[@Justin-Theobald]

The escapist Game of the year.

[@biffenheimer]

Such
Wonder!
An
IGN
Mvideo

[@jaysmith9683]

Loving the Cyberpunk graphics. It's a BUY from me!

[@utsavbasu1048]

🙆‍♂️

[@serg4308]

So many Michael Swaim supporters here 😃😃😃

[@tobydammit]

Swaim!

[@switeatul]

Interesting game I like it I will play it

[@deadfr0g]

I have no idea what the point of this was, but it was all very entertaining.

[@ausbandit84]

Here because of the 1Upmanship podcast

[@Fromage10x]

Ok FINE I'll actually buy the damn thing instead of letting it sit in my wishlist for another year.

[@v343devils]

David Schallert and how is it?

[@Fromage10x]

@@v343devils ...I didn't say It'd play it yet, heh. Still working on Pathologic.

[@The_Essential_Review]

@@Fromage10x How about now??

[@digodinn]

@@Fromage10x Champ ?

[@mattyb584]

I don't think he played it

[@leevilness1772]

how bout that Swaim

[@MsDJ619]

Looks like phil burnell

[@willofthewater]

SWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIM

[@ljyearwood9]

So glad this game won two BAFTAs

[@AwesomeNick94]

If you decide to play this game, BE PREPARED TO TAKE NOTES! It's pretty much required unless you're planning on binging it and you have an incredible memory.

[@sawney.21]

I dit it without notes. Although, I exploit the mechanic of 3 fates. For example, if someone was chinese, and I have all the data except for the name, I usually try a few combinations with all chinese people until the correct name appears

[@LPTheGas]

*watches new Michael Swaim video*
*doesn’t laugh once, not because the jokes didn’t land, but because none were attempted*
IGN, what the hell are you doing? You don’t hire Picasso to just paint your fence regular old monotone white. I assume you brought Swaim onboard for his comic talent - why are you not using it? If this is what we have to look forward to, I’m even more bummed about Off Hours getting shelved for the foreseeable future.

[@monohymn]

Maybe this is how Swaim wanted it, seeing as he's a huge video game nerd as well...

[@juggernaut_collective]

It's more kinda like sad satan

[@jack_mj]

Ah yes more games

[@DraculaTepes420]

Wtf are you doing here?

[@jack_mj]

@@DraculaTepes420 er what

[@DraculaTepes420]

@@jack_mj smh

[@isakayyik966]

@@DraculaTepes420 huh whats happening

[@stevemeters3090]

I've heard nothing but rave reviews of this game.

[@dungeonkeeper42]

what game is this?

[@Pyromaniac963]

Shut up

[@puppetmaskerr]

Title lol

[@connerbarhorst72]

#SwaimTrain

[@Louiekill4u]

$19.99 for ps4 is just crazy to much

[@ImJustJAG]

OooOooOooOO

[@fillybuster]

thanks for nothing

[@cammantia3482]

I don’t understand how people like this game.

[@liamx6636]

Honestly. It looks and sounds awful.

[@GuyOnTheInternet53]

Yikes

[@utsavbasu1048]

But it's just below la noire for the best pc detective games??

[@thegameranch5935]

Cuz it’s amazing, at least for a lot of people

[@kosterix123]

I already got a headache watching this review. It is not for me. Thanks.