Observation

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 45
  3. Negative: 1 out of 45
  1. Slant Magazine
    May 21, 2019
    70
    The setting of the game is the familiar stuff of science fiction, but the lens through which it’s viewed is not.
  2. PlayStation LifeStyle
    May 22, 2019
    65
    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.
  3. New Game Network
    May 28, 2019
    64
    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.
  5. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jun 27, 2019
    60
    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]
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  6. DarkStation
    May 30, 2019
    60
    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.
  7. Daily Star
    May 27, 2019
    60
    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.
  8. Gameblog.fr
    May 22, 2019
    60
    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.
  9. PlayStation Country
    May 22, 2019
    60
    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.
  10. Wccftech
    May 21, 2019
    60
    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.
  11. Game Rant
    May 21, 2019
    50
    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.
  12. USgamer
    May 21, 2019
    50
    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.
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  1. Eurogamer
    May 21, 2019
    A smart sci-fi that isn't without problems, though they're balanced out by an incredible amount of style. [Eurogamer Recommended]
  2. Time
    May 21, 2019
    It’s also a short game, at about six to seven hours. But it forms a tight, thoughtful narrative woven together with simple and challenging puzzles. It’s quiet in its drama, and subtle in its horror. This is no Alien: Isolation, but fear lurks just below the surface regardless. It’s the slow-rolling mystery that makes Observation so compelling.

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019
87
#87 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 80 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 80
  3. Negative: 19 out of 80
  1. NewageLightbulb
    Jun 5, 2019
    5
    I remember playing Heavy Rain and not liking it, and talking to a friend who pronounced, with eyes shut, how the moment where you swing yourI remember playing Heavy Rain and not liking it, and talking to a friend who pronounced, with eyes shut, how the moment where you swing your son around (by pressing a single button on the controller) was one of the best moments he had ever experienced in a game. That was when I realized there are two different types of gamers: the ones who will excuse terrible story for a good game, and the ones who will excuse terrible gameplay for a good story.

    Observation is an interesting story. But it's a terrible game. So whether or not you will like it just depends on where you land on that scale.

    The 'gameplay' is just slowly panning around a screen using the left stick and clicking the only box presented to you, or entering simple patterns. That's it. It will never, ever be challenging because it requires thinking or planning or dexterity. It will be challenging because the interface is obtuse.

    I always think people who make games like this want to be screenwriters but lack the courage to try. They figure the bar for a good story is lower in games, and they're right, so they make a walking simulator or a trivial 'game' like this with an okay story, and it's called a good game.

    But it's not a good game.    … Full Review »
  2. psylife
    May 29, 2019
    4
    You will be spending your time solving kindergarten level 'puzzles' served through an intentionally convoluted and obtuse interface as toYou will be spending your time solving kindergarten level 'puzzles' served through an intentionally convoluted and obtuse interface as to create the illusion of challenge. That is if you consider challenging, the idea of bumping into every wall in search of some interactive pop-up. Tedious, boring, and repetitive, this is an experience that relies heavily on its audio-visual presentation in order to entertain. Intriguing and immersive, the game is heavily inspired by classics such as 2001: A space odyssey and interstellar, while never succeeding in offering a respectable narrative pay off. Observation is a genuinely mediocre game and a concrete example of what happens when the artistic and directorial aspirations of a developer takes precedence over genuinely fun, clever, and engaging design and mechanics.… Full Review »
  3. Rikidiki
    May 24, 2019
    9
    I have never seen a game quite like this. This game is practically a movie at this point. Amazing story and writing. It can be a little slowI have never seen a game quite like this. This game is practically a movie at this point. Amazing story and writing. It can be a little slow at times, but that kinda adds to the game.… Full Review »
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