Observation

 PlayStation 4
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

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Deus667
    May 21, 2019
    9
    This game is just awesome! I love it. A bit slow with the camera speed, but that's no big deal IMO.
    The atmosphere is gripping, the story interesting. The puzzles are sometimes a bit confusing, because most time there is no tutorial or specific information about what you have to do unless a small sentence in the menu.
  2. piec
    Jul 2, 2020
    2
    I can't even explain how cool the game idea is, and how poorly is made. I was searching for some small objects entire game wasting my time. Most of the mechanics are a joke, and there are there just to fill the hole in gameplay. Click here, go here, go there, see these numbers? Let's write to them. Most of the time I was guessing what game designer want me to do, and the ending of the gameI can't even explain how cool the game idea is, and how poorly is made. I was searching for some small objects entire game wasting my time. Most of the mechanics are a joke, and there are there just to fill the hole in gameplay. Click here, go here, go there, see these numbers? Let's write to them. Most of the time I was guessing what game designer want me to do, and the ending of the game is so bad...… Expand
  3. horrorpunx610
    May 22, 2019
    8
    It's a simple puzzle game at its core, but it's made unique by a compelling story that believably gives context to the gameplay.

    It does require some patience; I got stuck a few times and the plot is a bit of a mind bender, but the game's strengths greatly outweigh the few negatives and make it worth playing to the end.
  4. leighbutler1980
    Sep 6, 2020
    5
    Great game concept with great story let down by awful, just awful navigation. When having to locate other parts of the space station when navigating outside it is confusing, disorientating and slow. Game is not recommended.
  5. That_DL_Kid
    Jun 3, 2019
    9
    I really enjoyed this game as it had a great story and gameplay was unique from most other games. If you like a game with a great story look no further. If you prefer your games to be full of fighting and action this is probably not a game for you. It is a twist on the walking simulator genre.
  6. Farigol-lo
    May 22, 2019
    8
    Cool little science fiction game. Observation's concept is awesome, very well thought and (if not original) refreshing. Graphics are not top notch but the game looks pretty and has a very strong personality. Music, sound effects and voice acting are superb. In terms of gameplay (the aspect most people will complain about) it serves very well the story and stands in a middle ground betweenCool little science fiction game. Observation's concept is awesome, very well thought and (if not original) refreshing. Graphics are not top notch but the game looks pretty and has a very strong personality. Music, sound effects and voice acting are superb. In terms of gameplay (the aspect most people will complain about) it serves very well the story and stands in a middle ground between games like Firewatch and Portal. I think the gaming industry needs a lot more of little/medium games like Observation providing variety.… Expand
  7. Corbinsdad
    May 24, 2019
    10
    I had played Stories Untold just last week. I was excited to hear that Observation was made by the same developer. I just finished the game and it reminded me of a blend of 2001 Space Odyssey and Event Horizon. It was a story I didn't want to put down. A great story that you get to interact with.
  8. bobbydigitales
    May 24, 2019
    10
    Awesome game on PC and PS4. Lighting and atmosphere is great, I love the setting. The slow pace is awesome for building tension, i was very anxious!
  9. AriaJD
    May 29, 2019
    10
    Fantastic, eerie storyline from a new and unusual perspective. I loved it! It had me dying to know what happens all the way to the end. I am very satisfied with how it all wrapped up!
  10. 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 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, andI 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.    … Expand
  11. 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 slow at times, but that kinda adds to the game.
  12. psylife
    May 29, 2019
    4
    You 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 presentationYou 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.… Expand
  13. inopinatus
    Jan 18, 2020
    2
    I was disappointed, especially given the positive critic reviews. I felt the director/writer's artistic demands overrode any attempt to build a game.

    In practice, Observation is a linearly told short story in the sci-fi horror genre. Your role is to occasionally push some buttons. There's no exploration or intellectual challenge here. You have no player agency, and there are no win/lose    I was disappointed, especially given the positive critic reviews. I felt the director/writer's artistic demands overrode any attempt to build a game.

    In practice, Observation is a linearly told short story in the sci-fi horror genre. Your role is to occasionally push some buttons. There's no exploration or intellectual challenge here. You have no player agency, and there are no win/lose states.

    The story itself borrows so much from Arthur C Clarke's 2001 that only great gameplay or execution could save the title. Unfortunately, the sole element I thought well executed was the interior of an ISS-style spacecraft, with the attending spatial disorientation and peculiar soundscape.

    The player's perspective of an unreliable onboard computer had tons of potential, but this novelty was diluted into insignificance by the inability to affect any outcome and the absolute linearity of progression.

    Gamers with even basic comprehension of orbital mechanics, structural engineering, crew psychology, electrical engineering, computing, or any of the other scientific or engineering elements of spaceflight, will likely be unable to suspend disbelief thanks to the repeated butchering of these fields at the expense of narrative. There needs to be some element that is really great to overcome such concerns, but no such element is present.

    It seems to me the kind of title that will primarily impress journalists and artists.

    I can't help but compare Observation unfavourably to the brilliant intersection of exploration, challenge, immersion, and narrative revelation, that I saw recently in The Witness or in Return of the Obra Dinn.

    A missed opportunity.    … Expand
  14. nofunaloud
    May 29, 2019
    7
    I highly doubt it is actually possible to fail this game. I messed up on a jettison puzzle in the very beginning, I almost restarted the game because of it, but when I continued the narrative of the game claimed I did it no problem. One time I got confused on the Simon says portion, it was like the third or fourth time it happens, and I was accidentally selecting the wrong symbol, over andI highly doubt it is actually possible to fail this game. I messed up on a jettison puzzle in the very beginning, I almost restarted the game because of it, but when I continued the narrative of the game claimed I did it no problem. One time I got confused on the Simon says portion, it was like the third or fourth time it happens, and I was accidentally selecting the wrong symbol, over and over and over and it just keep giving me the prompt over and over and over.

    The controls are very frustrating on PC. There is no ascend and descend control, you have to look down and move forward to descend, to ascend look up and move forward. This has to have been overlooked. Using mouse to turn and look around is also frustrating because the camera does not move with the mouse, the camera moves in the direction you are moving you mouse, like you are using a joystick instead of a mouse.

    Other than that it is pretty much a mash up of the movies Interstellar and Cloverfield Paradox. It was interesting enough to captivate me to the end, even with the incredibly simple puzzles that you can't lose. And if the controls weren't so poor I would probably play it again and try to complete everything, but now, going back would just be more frustrating than interesting.    … Expand
  15. Spidor
    Sep 6, 2020
    7
    Observation is an exploration and puzzle game, where players have to solve problems as the ship's AI to progress the story, unravel the mystery of the broken down space station and protect the crew.

    Observation subverts the genre of claustrophobic space horror by pacing itself, building suspense, and putting discovery and interactivity ahead of scares and heart-pounding action,    Observation is an exploration and puzzle game, where players have to solve problems as the ship's AI to progress the story, unravel the mystery of the broken down space station and protect the crew.

    Observation subverts the genre of claustrophobic space horror by pacing itself, building suspense, and putting discovery and interactivity ahead of scares and heart-pounding action, sidelining horror for immersion. But it also completely fails to deliver a satisfying narrative, ending up with a regurgitated third act straight from some sci-fi schlock. It's the same ending as a terrible sci-fi horror movie that came out a few years ago, which I won't name to not spoil, and this is just too bad. It feels like the whole epilogue is hastily written, and, in retrospect. makes the game feel like it was written and built around set-pieces rather than a cohesive, interesting and fresh story. And that's too bad, it's how you end up with interesting immersive game design and some fairly interesting characters colliding with a very mediocre narrative that falls flat on its face at some point and stays firmly on its face throughout what should be a climax. This is why you need a writer - a good one would've made this game a classic.    … Expand
  16. OverClusterARG
    May 28, 2019
    9
    Observation es un juego recomendado solo para los amantes de los desafíos. No tanto mentales, ya que muchas veces es cuestión de explorar y buscar elementos puntuales. Sin embargo, la propuesta del juego es atrapante y la historia se va contando de gran manera.

    Eso sí, las primeras horas de juego tienen poco dinamismo y sumado a puzzles difíciles, es un combo letal que puede llegar a    Observation es un juego recomendado solo para los amantes de los desafíos. No tanto mentales, ya que muchas veces es cuestión de explorar y buscar elementos puntuales. Sin embargo, la propuesta del juego es atrapante y la historia se va contando de gran manera.

    Eso sí, las primeras horas de juego tienen poco dinamismo y sumado a puzzles difíciles, es un combo letal que puede llegar a frustrar. De todas maneras, así es el espacio.    … Expand
  17. Hardsmoker
    May 22, 2019
    8
    Good adventure sci-fi game based on situation caused on the international space station. Especially like mini games and space station atmosphere with investigations mechanic. A little bit strange why i cant not swith to the flyable sphere at any moment. My own rate is 8 out 10 for this kind type of games.
  18. Faber222
    Jul 20, 2022
    7
    Nice idea and a good story even if Interstellar and 2001 SO cut/paste are so evident.
  19. Eyes_Grim
    Apr 19, 2021
    8
    The game's gorgeous. Story is fantastic and leaves the feeling for a real space movie. Voice acting is brilliant, puzzles are not quite good though. Look for a discount price IMO
  20. Guados
    Nov 17, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
    There was a lot of bugs on PS5, but story is decent.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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. The Digital Fix
    Sep 4, 2019
    90
    Observation is an unnerving, beautiful, and captivating space station thriller that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
    Read full review
  2. Washington Post
    Aug 7, 2019
    80
    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.
    Read full review
  3. 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]
See all critic reviews »