When does Return of the Obra Dinn get good?

Give it 5 hours. In the first 2 hours almost 1 in 3 reviews are negative (29%); after 10h it's 1 in 85 (1%). Fully opens up by hour 7.

How many players finish Return of the Obra Dinn?

72% of players who start reach the ending.

All games

AdventureIndie

Return of the Obra Dinn

Oct 18, 2018 Steam: Overwhelmingly Positive

Give it 5 hours

Gets good by 5h then rated almost like by veterans

Fully opens up by 7h rated like by long-time players

Reach the ending 72% of players who started

Started playing 62% of owners

Steam reviews 97% positive of 35,603

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours almost 1 in 3 reviews are negative (29%); after 10h it's 1 in 85 (1%).
Fully opens up by hour 7.
72% of players who start reach the ending.
Most players drop off before “Obra Done” (Solve the entire book): only 72% of starters get there.
Only 62% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 35,809 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 299 reviews: 10.8h for positive, 5.8h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (61.7% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Started playing 100%
Obra Done Solve the entire book. Most players quit here 72% −28

story milestone ending biggest drop-off

Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.

All achievements (16)

story milestone ending side

Any 6 Solve any 6 fates. 100%
Any 15 Solve any 15 fates. 86%
A Bitter Cold Solve all fates in chapter II. 85%
Loose Cargo Solve all fates in chapter I. 79%
Any 30 Solve any 30 fates. 77%
The End Solve all fates in chapter X. 75%
Murder Solve all fates in chapter III. 75%
Any 45 Solve any 45 fates. 74%
Unholy Captives Solve all fates in chapter V. 74%
The Calling Solve all fates in chapter IV. 73%
Escape Solve all fates in chapter IX. 73%
Soldiers of the Sea Solve all fates in chapter VI. 73%
The Doom Solve all fates in chapter VII. 73%
Obra Done Solve the entire book. 72%
Abandon Ship Leave the ship without solving all available chapters. 38%
Captain Did It Loosely true, in the eyes of Company and Crown. 12%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.