Observation

Observation is a thought provoking, eerie space drama with dubious computers, failing equipment, and very threatening geometry. Don’t let it get away from you.

We don't get many games that aspire to be true and honest works of art, but Observation is one.

If you’re after an experience like no other, that will challenge your problem-solving skills in logical and believable ways, you absolutely need to play Observation. It’s one of the most compelling and surprising games I’ve played in recent years. Its biggest achievement, though, is that it didn’t make me feel like I was playing a game; it made me feel like I was genuinely assisting a crew member in distress.

Observation's novel approach to puzzle design and gripping plot combine to create a unique science-fiction experience.

Observation is a fantastic game, bringing gripping science fiction and unique gameplay together for a truly remarkable experience.

I ripped through Observation in one six-hour sitting, propelled forward by the novel blend of challenging puzzles and gripping storytelling. Though at first glance, Observation may appear to be your traditional first-person horror game, I’ve never played anything quite like it. Challenging and unnerving in equal measure, Observation shouldn’t be missed by anyone in search of a mind-bending and unsettling thrill.

Observation spins a chilling and seductive science fiction tale of suspense and mystery, juxtaposed against strong adventure gameplay and stellar production values.

The No Code space odyssey will delight those in the genre and those looking for a playful experience that only a great indie could offer.

Observation is a fantastic interactive adventure, with great ideas when it comes to puzzles and gameplay mechanics, as well as an outstanding story and narrative.

Observation inserts players into the circuits of the onboard AI. And because it is difficult to overlook how unnatural it is for a human mind to mimic the smooth functionality of a machine, the game effects a gap between the player and the player’s avatar that is intriguingly disorienting.

Kubrick would surely approve. [Issue#334, p.106]

Observation is a smart, atmospheric and creepy sci-fi thriller that subverts the AI-gone-rogue trope by making you think about what it means to be the AI.

Overall, No Code takes sci-fi survival horror in a different direction using clever gameplay design and a powerfully uneasy story to drive the experience. It’s not perfect for all gamers, but for those brave enough to stick with it, they will find some special.

Observation is a wonderful example of how to do focused, self-contained science-fiction storytelling in a game. It's well-written and clever, and nails the sci-fi tropes and aesthetics it both plays to and builds upon. It's a game that demands to be analyzed and thought about further once you're done with it, and while the internal world of the game is small, inhabiting it is a real pleasure.

It’s unsettling and unconventional, and I was totally unable to turn away.

A unique sci-fi adventure in which the player assumes the identity (and control) of an AI. Dozens of puzzles, a fantastic storytelling and a great sense of isolation are its best features.

My frustration never soured my enjoyment of Observation’s story and its wonderfully unnerving atmosphere.

Observation is an important confirmation for No Code. Despite a slight puzzle solving component, the sci-fi horror adventure captures and convinces thanks to a great atmosphere and a well written story, just as it fascinates the new perspective change and a good technical sector.

Observation isn't perfect, particularly with gameplay that some players may find a little restrictive. However, No Code has once again managed to tell a chilling horror story, this time wrapped up in mind-bending elements that will likely have players thinking on them for weeks to come.

Observation is an intriguing, sometimes terrifying, sci-fi thriller. Exploration and puzzle solving, combined with a great atmosphere, create a unique tribute to some classic movies such as Alien, 2001 A Space Odyssey, MOON and Gravity.

Despite those occasionals falter — and a somewhat polarising, disappointing ending — I was desperate to complete Observation to get to the bottom of its mystery. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately went out to acquire No Code’s last game, Stories Untold.

No Code’s sophomore title nails the organic intricacies of feeling like an artificial intelligence system while also telling a compelling and ambitious science fiction narrative.

An exquisite atmosphere and fresh premise make up for some slightly obtuse puzzles. Observation brims with ideas and images that fill your head.

It feels personal and emotional, even if the ending is decidedly oblique. After a rush of pure action games, this is a welcome palate cleanser; a game that really just wants to tell a spooky, evocative, and engaging story. At maybe 5-7 hours (if that) Observation isn’t a huge time sink either, but will likely be a game that sticks in your mind long after you put the controller down.

Observation is a sci-fi thriller that puts you in a situation quite unlike any other. You never quite know what to expect, but the writing is solid enough to make sense even at its most unbelievable, and the characters of Sam and Emma really grow on you. A few niggly navigational hiccups and a couple of dull puzzles can break the immersion a bit, but even so any sci-fi fan should have a look at Observation.

Observation uses the unfathomable vastness of space to wonderful effect, conjuring a palpable sense of both isolation and dread that rarely falters across the six or seven hours it'll take for you to see it though. Minor quibbles with some aspects of the storytelling and a couple of quality of life issues don't detract from what is an engrossing adventure that thrills far more frequently than it frustrates.

Observation is original and entertaining, but sometimes also quite confusing journey into deep space and the mind of an AI.

No Code presents another story that catches us from the first moment in which they have taken much care of both the atmosphere and the ambience. A thriller that we will want to play without stopping to solve all the mysteries that it contains.

Observation has its flaws (mainly in the technical side), but is a great example of how videogames can come up with new ways of telling stories.

As a cinematic experience, Observation can easily be considered one of the highest points of the genre. Cool photography and a great reproduction of the space environment supports a solid and unnerving narrative. On the gameplay side, however, something did not work to the end and at least part of the screams I left to wander in space were not one of terror, but of frustration.

Obversation is a weird little game. With little means, it dares jostle the player and has a good balance between its unique gameplay and its sci-fi scenario. A true UFO.

Observation does a lot of things correctly. Honing in on the isolation of space generates a wonderful tension on its own. Some pacing issues keep it from excellence, but there is plenty of appeal here for many different gaming preferences.

The setting of the game is the familiar stuff of science fiction, but the lens through which it’s viewed is not.

Observation has a handful of issues but is still an enjoyable game if you’re a fan of the puzzle and sci-fi genre. It takes around 8-10 hours to play through, which I believe is enough content to justify the $25 price tag. Despite only having one centralized location and some confusing puzzles along the way, the overall player controls and narrative of the story are intriguing enough to draw you in for the journey through space.

Having a high-concept idea is all well and good, but it doesn't matter what kind of story you tell, or the world you create, if the act of playing the game is so unpleasant. While occasionally putting the pieces together, often Observation left me bored and frustrated.

Great when it’s delivering gripping, cinematic moments. It’s just a shame that the bits when you’re controlling a slightly menacing AI aren’t the highlights. [Issue#164, p.91]

After tediously fiddling through all the menial puzzles, the ending just made me shrug my shoulders instead of giving me shivers that I was supposed to have felt. It’s too bad that the promising premise fizzled as soon as the gameplay showed its true colors, watering down the prevailing mystery in the process.

Observation is a game that has a deeply captivating story with a lot of heart, which makes it worth playing for those who love the mysteries of space and artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, some aspects, such as SAM’s janky controls and unenjoyable space sequences made an otherwise enjoyable game, feel weighed down by space debris.

Observation delivers an interesting thriller story sets in space, through the eyes of SAM, the AI of a lost station. Fascinating until the very end, the story will appreciates itself only if you accept to endure cryptic puzzles and ever changing rules, in a labyrinth that can really drive you crazy.

Observation is a science fiction thriller with a solid concept that puts you in control of an AI on a space station. The presentation is top notch and the story goes places but I found the pacing and lack of true interaction to be frustrating.

Observation spins a solid sci-fi yarn steeped in ominous atmosphere, but it fails to live up to its intriguing “Play as HAL 9000!” pitch. Too much of the game feels like irritating busy work as you wait for something interesting to happen. Folks who care about story first and foremost will want to give Observation a look, but those hoping for both an engaging plot and mechanics may find this space odyssey a drudgery.

Observation has the visuals, atmosphere, and story that would put it in the conversation of the best horror games of 2019, but the nausea-inducing camera, uninspired puzzles, and frequent lack of clear direction ruin it.

Observation has no trouble grabbing you from the go, with gripping central mysteries and questions that demand answers. Painstaking progress through even the simplest commands and instructions counteract any sense of progress in Observation, and ultimately dilutes and cheapens the experience.