Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You

 PC
Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You Image
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 141 Ratings

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  • Summary: Big Brother has arrived - and it’s you. Investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences.

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Orwell - 5 Minutes of Profiling Gameplay

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. GameGrin
    Nov 21, 2016
    95
    If you like getting an hour per monetary unit, then you definitely get that in Orwell. The campaign is as long as Titanfall 2, and it has a heck of a lot more gameplay to it than BATMAN the Telltale Series, both of which cost more and are written just as well.
  2. Polygon
    Nov 29, 2016
    90
    Orwell grabs the problem of how we balance our own liberty and our safety and turns it into a thrilling adventure. It unfolds complex debate points into a dazzling satire, that neatly presents all the relevant arguments as a series of moral problems, dressed up in a frighteningly convincing world.
  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Dec 14, 2016
    90
    Unique, fun and entertaining, Orwell is a little masterpiece and a great thriller which deals with a much-debated topic of these years: where the privacy of individuals ends and the safety of the community begins?
  4. RPG Fan
    Jan 18, 2017
    86
    With such a compelling tale and well-crafted characters, it's easy to look past the fact that gameplay solely consists of absorbing information and choosing to pass certain things on. Though there are no random puzzles to solve, the main puzzle for the player is clear: are you willing to let a government do this to its citizens? Where are the boundaries of freedom of speech and privacy in such an interconnected world? Is it more important to guarantee the safety of all by being paranoid, or to ensure that everyone has the right to be innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt? If asking difficult questions and finding a way to your own answers sounds like a good time, Orwell is the game for you.
  5. GameStar
    Jan 16, 2017
    85
    If you are willing to read a lot, Orwell can send shivers down your spine when working as a profiler.
  6. GameSpot
    Nov 30, 2016
    80
    Orwell is a hard experience to pull back from, even as the dirtiness of your job sinks in. It uses simple mechanics to tell a complex and engaging story, one that feels particularly relevant right now. This is a game where your choices matter and resonate, and which will leave you with plenty to think about once it’s over.
  7. PC PowerPlay
    Dec 18, 2016
    40
    Big Brother may be watching, but if I was him I would have switched off from boredom. [Issue#257, p.65]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 20 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 37
  3. Negative: 8 out of 37
  1. bluefrisky
    Nov 28, 2016
    10
    Great game. It's insightful, interesting and draws you right in with a compelling story and unique presentation. If you're looking forGreat game. It's insightful, interesting and draws you right in with a compelling story and unique presentation. If you're looking for something casual, intriguing and mysterious, you'll be satisfied.

    P.S. it really makes you feel like a creeper, conversations between characters seem very authentic and I felt like I shouldn't have read some of them.    … Expand
  2. dg51829
    Nov 20, 2017
    9
    I really love this game. I originally got the game because it was relatively cheap. I fell into a pit of four hours of a gaming non-stop. II really love this game. I originally got the game because it was relatively cheap. I fell into a pit of four hours of a gaming non-stop. I couldn't stop till I had finished. I was engaged in the story and with the characters. Sure, they weren't perfect but if you think enough they are three dimensional, for the majority of the characters at least. It actually managed to evoke feelings. The first time around it hit me like a brick, what had I just done? Though i was just wanting to give data to help the program twists it into all sorts of things I didn't mean. I didn't want the game to end. I wanted the story to continue. I highly suspect the sequel isn't going to give me that closure I want. My only compliant is the comments every single time I collected data, I just wanted a certain person to shut up so i can do my job without being interrupted. If there was a way to turn that off I would. Give me a short tutorial then let me go at it and make my choices without feeling like it was a never ending tutorial to the end where all your choices pretty much limit your choices. It also glitches sometimes depending on choices you made where you can't move forward, that is always so irritating. But it's worth buying and is very thought provoking. If you have any background in government or psychology it's really interesting and eye-opening. Hello Milgrem's experiment on a bigger and very real scale.… Expand
  4. robly
    Nov 10, 2017
    9
    Really innovative take on a detective game. It plays like a really flash, atmospheric, choose-your-own adventure. The story is really engagingReally innovative take on a detective game. It plays like a really flash, atmospheric, choose-your-own adventure. The story is really engaging and exciting, with many twists and turns. It's not hugely difficult, but you are often presented with moralistic choices and dilemmas. What you upload to the system can really sway the outcome.

    It is almost an art piece, a commentary on the modern rush towards total surveillance we see in politics now. I felt totally creeped out for most of the game, and I believe this is Orwell delivering exactly what is intended.    … Expand
  5. NightGeisha
    Apr 12, 2019
    8
    Orwell is hard to describe but it a very enjoyable experience!
    In Orwell, you are the investigator that is using a "Big Brother" look-a-like    Orwell is hard to describe but it a very enjoyable experience!
    In Orwell, you are the investigator that is using a "Big Brother" look-a-like tool to investigate a series of terror attacks.

    Is a game of choices and your analysis of the suspect and events can allow interesting outcomes, that so many times make you feel that you are not playing for the good guys. Is a curious approach about digital privacy and the invasion of it, the pros and cons, and what would you do if you had "the power".

    An awesome experience that I fully recommend.    … Expand
  6. SimoneGhetto94
    May 6, 2021
    7
    Short game but pleasant overall that allows you to spend 5-6 hours in a very "light" way in terms of gameplay but committed in terms ofShort game but pleasant overall that allows you to spend 5-6 hours in a very "light" way in terms of gameplay but committed in terms of "ethical" implications.
    The game looks like a normal "guided" detective game but then after the first few episodes its ethical and social implications emerge.
    I particularly enjoyed chapters 3-4. At times it may seem a bit too driven and even if there is a sense of "freedom" in the investigative choices, the ending remains quite scripted on 2-3 different choices.
    Overall recommended.
    Gameplay: 6/10
    History: 8/10
    Duration: 4-6h    … Expand
  7. aditya1101
    Oct 5, 2017
    6
    Cool, casual indie game that gets into some cool themes and has a unique way of putting across its message, but not deep or interesting enoughCool, casual indie game that gets into some cool themes and has a unique way of putting across its message, but not deep or interesting enough to deserve a higher score.… Expand
  8. dajhorn
    Sep 2, 2017
    0
    A reading game that is slow, boring, and lacking the story or characters of a good book. Orwell might be hero fantasy fulfillment forA reading game that is slow, boring, and lacking the story or characters of a good book. Orwell might be hero fantasy fulfillment for bureaucrats and paper pushers that accomplish nothing in their actual lives. Too clever by half to have any kind of general gaming appeal.… Expand

See all 37 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
41
#41 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

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