Sans Other Obvy 5 is a very bold, normal width, monoline, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Stallman' and 'Stallman Round' by Par Défaut, 'Machinista' by T-26, 'Quayzaar' by Test Pilot Collective, and 'Acorna' and 'Caviara' by Umka Type (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, titles, game ui, album covers, retro arcade, industrial, techno, brutalist, comic edge, impact, retro tech, ui flavor, branding, display, angular, blocky, chamfered, notched, squared counters.
A heavy, geometric display face built from squared forms with crisp, chiseled corners and frequent notches that create a cut-out, modular silhouette. Strokes stay broadly consistent in thickness, while terminals and corners alternate between blunt right angles and small chamfer-like cuts that add tension and direction. Counters are compact and rectangular, producing dense, high-contrast letter silhouettes and tight internal spacing; openings in letters like C, E, and S are shaped as stepped apertures rather than smooth curves. The overall rhythm is rigid and grid-minded, with a slightly irregular, hand-cut feel introduced by the angled corner treatments and asymmetric nicks in places.
Best suited to short, high-impact settings such as headlines, posters, title cards, game or streaming overlays, and punchy packaging callouts. It also works well for logo wordmarks and event graphics where a retro-tech or industrial voice is desired, especially when set with generous tracking and ample size.
The tone reads bold and assertive, with a distinctly retro-digital attitude reminiscent of arcade titles, sci-fi interfaces, and stamped industrial labeling. Its sharp, faceted details add a playful menace—somewhere between game UI techno and comic-book villain energy—while still feeling graphic and controlled.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum impact through compact, block-built silhouettes while adding character via chiseled corners and notched detailing. The stepped geometry and squared counters suggest a deliberate nod to pixel-era and techno display traditions, optimized for bold, graphic presence rather than quiet reading.
In text, the tight counters and chunky joins make it most comfortable at larger sizes, where the interior cutouts and stepped apertures remain clear. The distinctive corner nicks give many letters a directional “bite,” helping the face feel energetic rather than purely utilitarian.