Happy New Year, all! My celebrations involved snacks and gaming, so the usual song and dance. It has been fun getting to play some of the games I’ve accumulated over the last few months, and what better time to do that than the holidays?
One of the most notable ones is Obenseuer, a bizarre life sim focused on renovating apartments while surviving the brutal, dystopian world of Stalburg. While it sounds a little like House Flipper with guns and copious substance addiction, it is so much more than that. Developed by Loiste Interactive, it has been in Early Access since 2018 with impressive review scores. Despite the level of jank I’ve experienced, this might be one of the most unique life sims I’ve played. As I only had time to play this recently, I’m treating this as an early impression. So far, however, it might just be the grimy life sim/management game I’ve been looking for.
Losite Interactive also created Infra, another awesome exploration game focusing on infrastructure. These guys like their renovations and buildings, huh? Anyway, Obenseuer sets the tone of its core gameplay immediately. You have been forced to relocate into Stalburg’s most chaotic district, now under a strict quarantine regime where no one can leave. After picking your starting addictions and character traits, you are assigned an abandoned tenancy through typical corporate errors and sent out into Stalburg for your new life. As predicted, your assigned place is a dumpster fire, but it is a new start. How you follow that is entirely up to you. This game is a full-blown survival life sim as much as a renovation simulator, and Obsenseur provides challenge and enthralling gameplay in equal measure.
While the graphics and world design of Obenseuer may not be groundbreaking, they excel at creating a gloomy, immersive atmosphere. The game proves that graphics alone don’t make a game immersive. Despite the relatively small world size, it’s packed with places to explore and things to interact with. This game proves that less can be more and that depth is more important than breadth in an open-world game.
There is an emphasis on survival mechanics, which are more in-depth here than in most survival games I have played. Players must address human needs like hunger, thirst, and sleep, and keeping mental health in check is essential, too. Given the dystopian conditions, that is a constant but realistic challenge. With all the substance addictions to manage as well, it is as much a pain simulator as anything else! I’m yet to mess around with the tenancy management mechanics as I’ve spent most of my time trying to stay alive, but I have plans to write articles on games I have previously covered this year.
This review is shorter than I would like, but this is a quick piece on my first impressions of the game. It is usually available for $15 but frequently goes on sale for 10$, and that is easily worth the price of entry. The mix of simulation and business management mechanics on offer here is quite impressive, and while it has been in Early Access for 6 years now, it’s coming from strength to strength. Overall, this is a tentative recommendation for Obenseuer, but expect a follow-up review from me in the next few months when I have more time to play it!
