ObsCure's Version Differences

ObsCure has had multiple re-releases over the years, and there's a lot of confusion about what the differences between each are.

The game was first released for the PlayStation 2, PC and Xbox on the 2nd of September, 2004, in Italy and France only. This was the very first version of the game.

Later, on the 30th of the same month, it was released on the rest of Europe. It's now known that there were some changes made between these versions, which are explained below..

The game was only released in North America later in March 2005, this version featuring only English, French and Spanish languages, and this is the version that introduced a lot of changes from the original version. We're currently working on listing all the changes in this page.

Later on, the game was released in Russia and China in December 2005 and February 2006, respectively, with both versions (although, we still have to confirm it for the Chinese version) being based on the North American version, meaning they feature the same changes.

Finally, the ObsCure Collection is the newest version of ObsCure and ObsCure II published on Steam by Mighty Rocket Studios on March 10, 2014. This version was only available in Spanish, French, English, German and Italian, and featured a couple of changes. First of all, controller support was improved, so that the game could work with modern controllers. Achievements were also added, and the licensed music had to be replaced due to it having expired by then. Now, there's a lot of confusion with this version, because many people played only the American/Russian/Chinese version of the game back in the day, which featured changes (mostly improvements) from the original European release, and the Steam version is based exclusively on the original European version, most likely because it would've taken too much time to read the rest of the languages to the American version. So for a lot of people, it feels like this version removed some features and changed stuff around, when in reality, it was the American version that added and changed things in the first place.

It's important to note that all the changes only really apply to the different regions, meaning, there's no real difference between the PS2, PC and Xbox versions, aside from technical stuff like controls, texture quality, etc.

Changes made in the second European version

• The music bonus menu was changed, having a lot more songs unlocked from the start. In the original release, only the main menu theme was unlocked before beating the game.
• The model of the Morgenstern bat was changed to that of the spiked bat, although it still uses the old texture, giving the bat a glitchy look. The sprite for the bat, used in the inventory and the bonus menu, is still the ball mace.

The Morgenstern bat in the original release

The Morgenstern bat in the second release (and the Steam version, which is the one used to take the screenshot)

Changes made in the American version

As said before, the European version was released earlier than the American version, which is why it and the Steam version seem to have missing details, as a lot of people have played either the American version or versions based on the American release, mainly the Russian and Chinese (unconfirmed) releases.

• The soundtrack bonus menu again works like in the first European release.
• At the beginning of the game, when running away from the ArbolTrebol with Kenny and Dan, it's harder to get past the two Biters that spawn in the room with the cages in the American version. This may be because of a slightly different placement.
• The sound that plays when lockpicking a door is different in the American version, being somewhat quieter.
• The sounds for the baseball bat are difference, both when swinging at the air and when hitting walls, in the American version.
• The game features more ambience noises in the American version.
• The game plays a slight "breathing" sound when near the dark aura effect around the walls, in the American version. In the original version, it'd only play a sound similar to stones moving.
• In the original game, when one watches the cutscene in the attic where Walden saves the player from the Biters, after you come out, the dark aura effect that's surrounding the door will still be there. In the American version, the effect slowly goes away when you exit.
• The Biters that appear in the classroom's entrance aren't present in the European version, and neither is the corpse that they're eating. This could've been added to scare new players and make them enter the room where you meet Stan. Interestingly, it seems that this may have been planned to be in the European version too, as in either version the two player characters will talk about the crazy things that are happening in the school as they enter, which would make sense when they're seeing Biters eating a corpse. It also makes more sense when either Josh, Ashley, or Shannon (depending on the current character play as) mentions the "monsters roaming the halls" to Stan, as in the European version he has only seen two, in the attic.
• The cutscene that plays when pouring the sulfuric acid on the locked chain is missing, instead being replaced by an in-game animation.
• In the library, there's one room where an infected student will jump through the window and due to sunlight exposure if you approach said window. He has a slightly longer pain sound in the American version, making it be somewhat desynced with the animation.
• In the European version, once the cutscene of the student turning into an Evolved Infected, 3 of the enemies will spawn. In the American version, only 2 will spawn, however, if you enter the bathrooms and come out, the third one will now spawn. No more of them will spawn in the European version.
• A small cutscene was added when you enter Mr. Garrison's office for the first time in the American version, showing a Crawler Fly climbing up a vent. In addition, the room features some dark aura effect, which will quickly go away if you're using a flashlight.
• In the same room, in the European version you find the shotgun, and two boxes of shotgun bullets. The American version added a box of pistol ammo here, likely because the cafeteria has a lot of enemies.
• In the cafeteria, you can find the Automatic Pistol besides the corpse of the girl killed by the first Crawler Fly in the European version. In the American version, it was moved to the kitchen.
• Some of the enemy placements have been moved around in the American version.
• In the European version, the game will claim that the Automatic Pistol can hold 8 bullets when you pick it up. It actually holds 10 bullets, this text was fixed in the American version.
• On the last room of the cafeteria, right next to a crab, you'll find the box with fuses that you need to fix the fuse box in the previous room in the European version. In the American version, the box is inside of a locker that you have to lockpick.
• In this same room, an extra box with shotgun bullets was added on a table.
• Also in the cafeteria, the box where you do the fuses puzzle is opened with the screwdriver in the European version, while it needs to be lockpicked in the North American version. (And more monsters appear while you lockpick it).
• Once you fix the fuse box, the game will play a cutscene of the lights in the cafeteria turning on. In the original European version, it'll only show the room with the fuse box, while in the American one, it's been extended to show the kitchen and the room where you have to fight a crab.
• When re-entering the Administrative building for the first time at night, you'll see a small cutscene showing you the area with the 3 Evolved infected in the American version, which wasn't present in the original European release.
• In the school parking lot, near the theater, the van containing a medical kit is completely missing during the day in the American version. Instead, it will only appear at night, and when opened two Evolved Infected will spawn. In fact, if one examines the American version of the parking lot closely, it can be noticed that the whole map has been slightly changed. There are fewer parking spots, the grassy area is expanded and has a new chain fence that prevents you from being able to see the wall, and the door is different, plus, it's missing the chain that it has in the European version (although, it only has it during day-time). Interestingly, the van will be moved to a different spot in the American version, and this adds a strange visual "glitch" to it; in the original version, it was right next to a lamp post that was shining light on it, and you could see the reflection of said light in the texture. This reflection was kept in the American version, but now it makes no sense because the lamp next to it emits no light.
• In the European version, the doors to the dressing room in the Amphitheatre are locked in the European version, and must be lockpicked. These locks were removed in the American version.
• In the American version, a new camera angle was added to the first fight with the Queen, pointing at her as soon as the CGI cutscene ends. Interestingly, she also starts attacking before the cutscene even starts; in the European version she won't do so until it ends.
• It's also worth noting that the worms that come out of her body have a longer reach distance in the American version, being able to crawl even to the elevator, while in the European version they'd disappear shortly after coming out.
• In the American version, the bar hook found in the basement's prison has been moved ever so slightly, making it harder to see.
• A camera angle that makes it seem like someone is watching the characters from a window that should appear after escaping the prison with Kenny was added in the American release. Another similar frame was added in the basement, in this one, the camera would be behind a ventilation fan.
• The dormitory's statue is inside a trophy case, instead of the stairs. This change might have been added because of players getting stuck here, as the statue is less obvious in the European version, and may have been moved to the stairs later to make it hard to miss.
• A small animation of the Leafmore Survivors being attacked by 2 Flies after opening the door of the first floor of the library was added.
• In the upper floor of the library the door will be closed by a simple lock that you can remove using the cutter in the European version. In the American release one has to retrieve the key from a room, whose entrance is hidden by a wardrobe that you have to push.
• In the European version, in the woods after grabbing the Two Barrel Shotgun, one will be attacked by a Crab coming out from the trees, the crab was replaced by a 3 Biters in the American release. Also, in the American version, the Evolved Infected that spawns outside the shed won't attack or follow you until you go outside, while in the original release it'd eventually enter the shed if you never came out. Interestingly, in both versions, you'll be able to hear an ArbolTrebol growl, however, none are present in either version.
• In the woods, in the second area, an ArbolTrebol that attacks just past the door will come out from the trees blocking the escape characters in the original European release, in the American version it instead arrives at them from the front.
• The Morgenstern Bat that you unlock after beating the game, looks like a medieval mace in the bonus menu. However, in-game it looks exactly like the regular Morgenstern Bat, except it seems its textures have a problem with transparency (it has black spots in it), which also suggests it wasn't yet finished, and that the medieval mace was actually the beta version of the weapon. This was all fixed in the American release.
• On the original European version of the game, if you went to the second floor of the courtyard and looked at the basketball court below, you'd see a basketball there that doesn't actually appear when you're at the bottom level. This ball was later removed on the American version.

The walls around the door are full of dark aura before killing the monsters

Afterwards, the darkness goes away, but only in the American version.

We can find the van in the parking lot during the day in the European version, and find a medkit inside after lockpicking it.

In the American version, we just won't find it there during the day, only at night. How did it get there?

In the European version (this is a screenshot of the Steam version, which was based on the original European version only), we can see a strange basketball on the court from the second floor of the courtyard that's not there when we go down.

This was fixed in the American version.

The classrooms first floor hallway in the European version. No monsters to be seen here.

The American version added two biters eating the corpse of another biter. If you take too long to enter Stan's room, they will eventually attack you. They disappear once you exit.

In the European version, when you pour the acid on the rusted lock, you'll see it fall down in-game.

The American version adds a very short CGI cutscene for this animation, along with the in-game one.

There are 3 enemies in the European version in the library (image brightened up so the corpses are more visible).

Only two will spawn at first in the American version.

No more enemies will spawn after coming out of the bathroom in the European version.

In the American version, the third enemy will spawn at this point (while it's not visible on this image, you can see Shannon is looking at it).

The cutscene that plays in Mr. Garrison's office in the American version (it shows a Crawler Fly climbing the vent, but it's not visible in this image)

Garrison's locker has 2 boxes of shotgun ammo in the European version

Plus an extra box of pistol ammo in the European version

The Automatic pistol near the hanged girl in the European version (Brightness increased for clarity)

Nothing is found here in the American version (Brightness also increased)

It is found in the kitchen instead

The European version mistakenly claims the Automatic Pistol can hold 8 bullets

This was fixed overseas

We can find the fuse box on the ground in the European version

While in the American version, it was hidden in a locker

No items besides the fuse box can be found in this room in the European version

The American version adds an extra box of shotgun bullets for us

We can simply open the fuse box with the screwdriver in the European version

While the American version makes it a little harder by having us lockpick it while enemies spawn

The European version only shows us the lights being restored in the fuses puzzle room...

while the American version also shows us the kitchen...

and the room right behind the infirmary.

The American version adds...

...a little cutscene in the administrative building...

...showing an overview of how it looks like now.

The European version puts you right in the action.

And as a consequence of the American cutscene not allowing you to move, the Evolved Infected will attack you sooner there.

One can see that the lamp's light is correctly shined on the van's front window in the European version.

This, however, makes no sense in the American version as the light next to it is turned off.

Also in the American version, two Evolved Infected will spawn when trying to open the van's lock.

This door in the Amphitheatre must be lockpicked in the European version...

...this one too!

This is the new camera angle that the American version adds, plus, one can see the worms reach the elevator.

Said camera angle doesn't exist in the European version, plus, the worms have a much shorter reach.

It's hard to see, but in the European version, you can see the bar hook on the ground.

It seems to be almost completely hidden from view in the American version.

This cool camera angle was added to the American release.

This was the original camera angle found in the European version.

Changes introduced in the steam version

While the Steam version did not introduce any of the changes mentioned above, it did change a few things, which are the following:

• The opening credits were cut, as the game is no longer under the publication of *Hydravision and MC2 Microids.*
• The songs "Still Waiting" and "Don't think the way they do" by Sum 41 and "Baby Come Back", which accompanied the opening credits and closing credits respectively, are no longer present, presumably for copyright issues. The same applies to the unique songs found in the Spanish and German versions (there may be other unique songs for other versions as well).
• The music videos of the copyrighted songs have been replaced by a video showcasing a prototype version of the game, and the game's trailer.
• The safety of the lift lever in the theater is already off.
• The model for the shotgun you can find in the basement is incorrectly rotated, making it look like it's buried in the ground.
• There's a strange visual "glitch" that's in nearly every room in the basements. It's unknown what it's supposed to be, though it looks like the claws of a biter, and seems to be unaffected by lighting.

The buried shotgun

The strange claws in the basement, highlighted in red.

Ditto

Ditto