Observer

Through the painting of a dystopian society controlled by a powerful corporation, this narrative experience fascinates as much as it disturbs. It interrogates the player about transhumanism and virtual reality in a very original way, directly involving him in the heart of his reflection. Observer is one of those games you remember for a very long time.

If you don’t like ‘walking sims’ then Observer isn’t going to change your mind, even if it does include some rudimentary detective work. However, if you like to be swept away by a story and pulled in to a world where every door has a new experience behind it, then close the curtains, turn off the lights, crank up the surround sound and immerse yourself in this great cyberpunk horror tale.

Bloober Team’s latest is one of the scariest horror experiences I’ve played in a long time, and its strong sense of place, story, and action put it above the majority of other games in the genre. Observer is simply the best of both worlds and is a must-play for anyone who considers themselves a fan of either sci-fi or horror.

If you like good, creepy atmosphere, a world that draws you in, and a well done narrative, then you should probably give this horror game a try. It’s smart and well done. And while it can be a bit predictable in story, it makes up for it with a good, well thought out presentation. I'm starting to feel like Bloober Team might be the place to go to get that pyschological horror fix. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for their next project.

The beauty of its terror is that it is not earned cheaply.

The horror in this cyberpunk nightmare provides plenty of shocks, and the story is engaging, especially with Rutger Hauer at the helm.

I’ve always thought thinking of the future could be scary, but Observer takes it to the next level. The story should keep players on edge, and the constant assault of visual and audio overload go a long way to truly make this not only a game but an experience. From excellent world building, to fantastic sound, I was pulled into the game from the moment I hit start and the white words scrolling on black began. It’s bleak, dark, depressing, and twisted. The gameplay elements are typical of the genre, but never felt annoying to me, and require a bit more thought then most others in the genre.

Despite the fact that there are some technical and acting issues, Observer absolutely excels. Not only is it a great genre entry, but a fine example of interactive entertainment as a whole. The world that Bloober Team has created is one that is wide open for more exploration. I wouldn’t mind prequels exploring the fall of modern society or alternate perspective takes on the tale. Heck, even a Chiron management sim, where the company needs to keep the people just happy enough to accept their oppression would be interesting. This is not reggae, but it deserves to be as popular.

With Observer, Bloober Team have crafted an interesting, and often clever, sci-fi horror game. There’s a few tiny technical hitches, some detective work that feels a little too obscure, and a lead character voiced in an inconsistent manner, yet the strength of the game’s world-building, and execution of its memorable literal head trips, softens the blow considerably.

While the long, immersion-breaking load times and repetitive nightmare sections are disappointing, horror fans will still find a game worth sinking their teeth into with Observer. Observer‘s story is reason enough to play the game to completion, but even those that aren’t driven by the disturbing cyberpunk tale may still enjoy its puzzles and compelling crime scene investigations.

Observer is a rather well done indie title with tons of style and appeal. Think Blade Runner‘s dystopian motif with Orwellian sensibilities and shades of Snatcher. Sign me up!

It's compelling. It's one of the most gripping short games we've had the pleasure of playing in recent months, it's seven-hour lifespan never outstaying its welcome or diffusing the innate tension or intrigue. [Issue#192, p.73]

Observer crafts an intriguing and richly detailed futuristic world but it's let down by awful performance issues as well as some drawn-out and tedious segments. If you're into the cyberpunk aesthetic, it's still worth a look just to experience its lovingly created environs. However, unless it gets a patch to fix its problems, you might be better off playing it on a high-end PC.

An impressive blend of old school cyberpunk and modern survival horror, that’s almost ruined by one of the worst acting performances of the year.

A beautifully realised and often harrowing cyberpunk tale let down by repetition and gameplay which is both simple and frustrating in equal measure.

Observer is brilliant in dozens of ways, yet deeply flawed in just as many. The quality of its story ranges from a confusing mess to some of the best written characters of this generation. The game’s biggest issue is its inconsistency on when and where to deliver its moments of horror. There was little to keep me going besides the next opportunity to speak to a troubled citizen of futuristic Krakow’s most interesting building block.

In its worst instances, the game crashes and breaks, which is something that should never happen in any video game.