Observer

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 104 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 104
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 104
  3. Negative: 20 out of 104
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  1. CoreGamer1408
    Aug 25, 2018
    7
    What is wrong with the performance the frame rate drops and frame rate stuttering on the standard PS4? Coming off the back of just playing and finishing Soma by Frictional games I think they do the spooky/creepy walking simulator with a few puzzles thrown into the mix better. The lacking part is the main local which is just plodding around small tiny corridors knocking on doors talking toWhat is wrong with the performance the frame rate drops and frame rate stuttering on the standard PS4? Coming off the back of just playing and finishing Soma by Frictional games I think they do the spooky/creepy walking simulator with a few puzzles thrown into the mix better. The lacking part is the main local which is just plodding around small tiny corridors knocking on doors talking to people through just a intercom service. The game does kick up a gear now and again and that is when the Observer, becomes really stylish and interesting. 11/10 clever move for the developers getting an iconic cyberpunk actor from Blade Runner as the playable character in a cyberpunk game. When I really think about it? I bought the game based solely on the fact he was in it. I can't say I am disappointed with my purchase.… Expand
  2. lipesg
    Sep 24, 2017
    10
    Observer is like Blade Runner meeting Layers of Fear. The atmosphere is insanely well crafted. The story makes us go forward. And the parts where we hack into the mind of people are just insane as Layers of Fear, with nightmarish visions and abstract things happening around us, the surroundings shifting, and we never know what to expect next.
    Bloober Team just did it again!
    I'm loving    Observer is like Blade Runner meeting Layers of Fear. The atmosphere is insanely well crafted. The story makes us go forward. And the parts where we hack into the mind of people are just insane as Layers of Fear, with nightmarish visions and abstract things happening around us, the surroundings shifting, and we never know what to expect next.
    Bloober Team just did it again!
    I'm loving this game just as I loved Layers of Fear.

    Update: After finishing the game I can say that for me this is really a masterpiece. The ending has a mind blowing plot twist that will make you keep thinking about this game long after the credits rolls on the screen. And there are also some short side stories that are so sick and will make you think about the way we use technology today and in the future. Thank You Bloober Team!    … Expand
  3. Ascyltus
    Aug 16, 2017
    10
    It really is Layers of Fear meets Blade Runner, the soundtrack is great, I love the graphics and the atmosphere, very unsettling use of analog video and retro-futuristic set-ups.

    On another note, the fps tends to drop even on the PS4 Pro. I used to think that there was screen-tearing but it's actually a feature of the game if you forget to take your Synchrozine Pill. 10/10 would accept    It really is Layers of Fear meets Blade Runner, the soundtrack is great, I love the graphics and the atmosphere, very unsettling use of analog video and retro-futuristic set-ups.

    On another note, the fps tends to drop even on the PS4 Pro. I used to think that there was screen-tearing but it's actually a feature of the game if you forget to take your Synchrozine Pill. 10/10 would accept Corporation-approved drug again. Insane cyberpunk dystopia that Philip K Dick could be proud of.    … Expand
  4. SuperkenGaming
    Aug 17, 2017
    8
    Observer
    Slow start but a great finish
    Observer is an about 6 and a half hr long cyberpunk styled psychological horror game where you play as detective Daniel Lazarski investigating an apartment building after he gets a call from his son adam, you spend the rest of the game trying to find out exactly what happened to your son and to the other murdered victims in this building.. This    Observer
    Slow start but a great finish
    Observer is an about 6 and a half hr long cyberpunk styled psychological horror game where you play as detective Daniel Lazarski investigating an apartment building after he gets a call from his son adam, you spend the rest of the game trying to find out exactly what happened to your son and to the other murdered victims in this building..
    This game is developed by the same team that made one of my most favorite horror games of all time layers of fear, so I was extremely excited to try this one out
    and admittedly I was very disappointed in the games first half…
    The first half to me felt like a door to door salesman simulator..
    youre just knocking on door after door until someone answers and you interrogate them to help you progress through the game
    Youre finding codes and throwing switched to access different areas and youll eventually find yourself investigating a crimescene, there are computers around with mini games within the game as well as documents to get you deeper into these characters, but this is where you do batman style scanning of the items at the crime scene trying to figure out exactly what happened to the victim
    but you can take getting information a step further
    you play as an observer.. youre able to plug into minds and see a distorted reality of your target to get answers buried deep in their conscious and subsconsious through a chip they have in their head, which is found by scanning them..
    these moments arewhere the game becomes great,
    a lot of puzzles and mind tricks and survival horror , shifting rooms much like the layers of fear games…
    and each one offers an intriguing and unique experience, stopping it from feeling repetitive like the investigator part of the game
    I didn’t necisarily find this game to be scary, but its definitely unsettling..
    and once you reach the end of that characters story things are blurry and you have to take a pill… this happens as you wander around the building for too long as well..
    im not really sure the point of this mechanic.. its just makes the game ugly, choppy, and hard to look at.. but it’s a thing and you have to look for these pills around the rooms.. but then youre back to being a door to door salesman..
    until finally youre not anymore..
    theres one final door to door section underground which is where I ran into the only bug during my play time where the night vision wouldn’t click off, thankfully this was fixed by backing out into the menue and coming back into the game…
    but the 2nd half of the game is very linear and is like one giant chunk of the mind hacking stuff and its great..
    shifting rooms, illusions, questions, answers, monsters…
    I much preferred going through these mind bending moments that made me fall in love with layers of fear so much…
    I was worried with the initial direction the game was taking, but the brilliant story telling pulled me through to the good stuff
    Who knows, maybe you end up liking the door to door stuff and finding codes and investigating areas..
    I didn’t.. and if you don’t I promise you that its definitely worth getting through the slow drag of the games first half and dealing with all of its knocking on doors, puzzles and switches to get to its 2nd half..
    Bloober Team delivers again with a great psychological horror experience
    I give Observer
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  5. kraenk
    Aug 16, 2017
    10
    As soon as I realised this game was made by some polish developers I got curious. By experience most developers from Eastern Europe always care a lot for a unique style, story and atmosphere and luckily I was not disappointed. A dystopian horror adventure with great character and a likeable protagonist! Sadly performance on PS4 isn't that great but ok for such a game.
    Do me a    As soon as I realised this game was made by some polish developers I got curious. By experience most developers from Eastern Europe always care a lot for a unique style, story and atmosphere and luckily I was not disappointed. A dystopian horror adventure with great character and a likeable protagonist! Sadly performance on PS4 isn't that great but ok for such a game.
    Do me a favour...watch the first hour or so in a let's play...if you like what you see buy it! Small developers who dare to bring us experiences like that deserve to be supported!    … Expand
  6. fastdak25
    Aug 27, 2017
    6
    If I was grading this on PC it would be an easy 0 as it wasn't even functional. No in-game audio and progress froze before I could eve get out of my squad car. Refunded it immediately on Steam then bought on PS4. Still on my PS4 Pro it still had severe frame rate issues throughout the game.

    Game itself was ok at best IMO. Didn't really get a horror feeling, though there were a few    If I was grading this on PC it would be an easy 0 as it wasn't even functional. No in-game audio and progress froze before I could eve get out of my squad car. Refunded it immediately on Steam then bought on PS4. Still on my PS4 Pro it still had severe frame rate issues throughout the game.

    Game itself was ok at best IMO. Didn't really get a horror feeling, though there were a few cheap jump scares tossed in. Has a few areas where you must avoid a monster that pats around (typical horror game trope) almost exactly like in Outlast. A lot of the visuals were pretty crazy though, being high might make the game too much for you. Get it on sale, worth a walk through (80% of game is just a walking sim) if you're into the whole distopian, cyber-punkish scene.    … Expand
  7. Turbodowg
    Nov 21, 2017
    8
    The Observer is one of those neat little hidden gems you find. I'd heard nothing about it, I accidentally stumbled on it in the PSN Halloween sale. Within minutes I was drawn into the interesting dystopian sci-fi world that resembled Bladerunner mixed with George Orwell's 1984. The world has a rich detail complemented by lighting and a foreboding synth sound score. The protagonist isThe Observer is one of those neat little hidden gems you find. I'd heard nothing about it, I accidentally stumbled on it in the PSN Halloween sale. Within minutes I was drawn into the interesting dystopian sci-fi world that resembled Bladerunner mixed with George Orwell's 1984. The world has a rich detail complemented by lighting and a foreboding synth sound score. The protagonist is voiced well by Rutger Hauer who plays the aging cop like a film noir character.
    Game-play consists of searching for clues, questioning NPCs, exploration and a bit of stealth. The story moves the game-play along and keeps you wanting to know more.
    The protagonist is an observer, someone who can hack into peoples minds to find out what they have witnessed, when inside their minds game-play because very trippy and a little disturbing.

    The observer is one of those games that sticks with you and gets you thinking. It's a good and solid story driven game and I hope the studio behind it keeps on producing unique games like this.

    It's not perfect and there are some frame-rate drops and at times the mind sequences can leave you a little puzzled and go on a little too long. But I'd definitely recommend this game to horror and sci fi fans.    … Expand
  8. Odogreviews
    Aug 29, 2017
    6
    Observer is an indie cyberpunk survival horror game that stars famed actor Rutger Hauer who is famous for playing Roy in Blade Runner. Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies of all time and as a fan of survival horrors games I was thrilled to play Observer. Sadly, Observer seems to get the cyberpunk atmosphere mostly down but suffers from frustrating gameplay sections at times and aObserver is an indie cyberpunk survival horror game that stars famed actor Rutger Hauer who is famous for playing Roy in Blade Runner. Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies of all time and as a fan of survival horrors games I was thrilled to play Observer. Sadly, Observer seems to get the cyberpunk atmosphere mostly down but suffers from frustrating gameplay sections at times and a plot that seems like it is going to tell a philosophical story but instead opts to tell a simple murder mystery rather than a thought provoking story that I was hoping for. Let’s start with the positives. Observer has pretty great visuals for an indie game. The graphics are detailed and gritty and show the neon soaked streets of the game’s setting of Krakow Poland. The game is also atmospheric and can be very tense at times putting the player on edge. Observer tells a very creative story about a world destroyed by a terrible war that caused Krakow to be the only remaining main city in the world. The city is controlled by a corporation that profited from the war. You play as Daniel Lazarski who is an Observer a special detective that works for the corporation’s police force who has the ability the hack into the minds of others. He is given an emergency call from his son telling him that he needs his help. Daniel tracks his son’s signal down to an apartment in the bad part of town and the mystery begins. Overall the story is good and toys with many interesting concepts such as what it is to be human, the dangers of technology, the threat of unchecked capitalism, and privacy in the digital world. The game is well written and the dialogue between the tenets of the apartment building are interesting and thought provoking. Despite the game’s twist and turns Observer ends on a basic horror twist ending and makes the events that have just happened feel meaningless. The gameplay in Observer is very basic which mostly gets the job done. The player is tasked with investigating crime scenes and hacking the minds of people throughout the game. The player can switch between Daniel’s two visions to organic or inorganic material. The gameplay will sometimes do something different and ends up failing such as hide and seek sections and scripted moments where you forced to solve puzzles which can be frustrating. The game also does a poor job of letting the player know where to go. Often the player is forced to just wander around and randomly button mash to see what will happen next. Observer is a decent experience that has a great atmosphere, plays decently when the game isn’t forcing failed gameplay experiments on the player, and tells a compelling story that sadly ends on a sour note.

    6/10: Above Average    … Expand
  9. badgerryan19
    Aug 27, 2017
    8
    Really liked the game. Pretty cool Cyberpunk story and scenery. The games story is pretty interesting even though it was a little confusing at moments. Good voice acting and engaging/thrilling scenes make this one a good one. The game is sometimes really bad laggy though. But not all the time.
  10. PS-Online
    Nov 5, 2017
    8
    I remember as a teenager an actor that stood out for me and a movie, that movie was Wanted Dead Or Alive staring Rutger Hauer. I was made up to learn that he would be playing the main character in the new horror game from Bloober Team.

    You play as Daniel an investigator, receiving a call from his son asking for help which leads him to an apartment block that gets locked down as soon as    I remember as a teenager an actor that stood out for me and a movie, that movie was Wanted Dead Or Alive staring Rutger Hauer. I was made up to learn that he would be playing the main character in the new horror game from Bloober Team.

    You play as Daniel an investigator, receiving a call from his son asking for help which leads him to an apartment block that gets locked down as soon as he has entered, cutting it off from the outside world. The block is full of mad, strange tenants that remain locked behind doors where interacting with them comes through a game of door knocking to try to solve riddles and find out what has happened to your son.

    The game soon gets very bloody and anyone with the faintest admiration for jump scare games or who are in any way won over by mad trippy mind bending soul searching are in for a treat. Observer starts off slow but intriguing. You visit your sons apartment to find a 'mess', to search through this to gather clues you have a scanner to view electrical surges or general object scanning. This forms the main part of the game, clue searching.
    It's essential that I point out that you have a glove that monitors your health etc. You have a bit of a fit now and then and have to stabilise yourself. I thought the game had gone wrong. Poor frame-rate and messed up visuals is corrected by taking a pill. Ooops.

    The game really kicks off when you first use the little prong that can enter a chip in a victim to scan what they have been up to. My first use of this was quite frankly...mad. Brilliant but mad and reminds me of so many movies I've seen over the years, the wtf movies. I can't say any more than that as it would spoil things for you.

    Observer is a dirty game. The old run down but futuristic Blade Runner type look to the world is brilliant. Look into a old smashed up toilet and you will repulse at some of the fantastic artwork on show. Lights flicker, rain streams down glass, sparks everything is designed to make you feel uncomfortable, it works. Did I mention blood? Some of the imagination that has gone into the game simply can't be talked about in a review, it would just spoil things.
    Sound plays a huge part to the game ramping up the tension. People calling out in desperation wondering whats going on adds to your own claustrophobic feeling.

    Observer wants to play with your mind and does a really good job of what I feel the developer has set out to do. Games like this come and go but you'll talk about some of it's moments in years to come and that's what makes a great game.

    Original and scares at the right turns not just for the sake of it make this game a worthy contender to the walk-horror game genre. Now get in and try to find your son!    … Expand
  11. SWERY_51
    Aug 22, 2017
    5
    As a huge fan of Blade Runner, this game seemed to be awesome. Unfortunatly, the atrocious framerate on base PS4 (sometimes it's not higher than 10 fps!) make it just completely unplayable for the moment. I hope a patch will correct that ASAP, right now, avoid it at all cost...

    (This review will be updated when the game will have a stable framerate)
  12. NikolayG
    Aug 27, 2017
    10
    An awesome beautiful game. If you like cyberpunk; if you liked Blade Runner, the short story, movie, or game, you will love Observer. This is a stylish, first person adventure. There are few games in the history of gaming, like it.
  13. 555ppp
    Aug 20, 2017
    1
    >Observer_ is not a pleasant experience. The gameplay is limited to Electrical and Biological scanning, picking up objects and talking to people. If the story had been worthwhile, this would not have bothered me, but missions only make sense in the end when an exposition dump is given and you have it all explained to you. Hacking sequences are the worst - I got sick to my stomach every>Observer_ is not a pleasant experience. The gameplay is limited to Electrical and Biological scanning, picking up objects and talking to people. If the story had been worthwhile, this would not have bothered me, but missions only make sense in the end when an exposition dump is given and you have it all explained to you. Hacking sequences are the worst - I got sick to my stomach every time I went through these nightmarish scenarios, which are supposed to give us "answers" but do nothing but quease you out. The ending is itself good, but not worth the asking price.… Expand
  14. Krotos
    Sep 11, 2017
    0
    DO NOT BUY! GAME-BREAKING BUGS!

    While Observer has an intriguing plot and great atmosphere, it also has *serious* bugs that, if they come up, can make it impossible to progress in the story. Since the game has only a single, continually-updating autosave, whenever you encounter one of these bugs, you have to RESTART THE ENTIRE GAME FROM THE BEGINNING. I ran into one of these when I    DO NOT BUY! GAME-BREAKING BUGS!

    While Observer has an intriguing plot and great atmosphere, it also has *serious* bugs that, if they come up, can make it impossible to progress in the story. Since the game has only a single, continually-updating autosave, whenever you encounter one of these bugs, you have to RESTART THE ENTIRE GAME FROM THE BEGINNING. I ran into one of these when I was maybe 80% completed.

    It is unforgivable for any software studio to release a title in this state. Maybe they'll patch it up eventually, but for now, save your $30 for a game that isn't going to suddenly stop working when you're most of the way through it.    … Expand
  15. slomofojoe
    Jul 7, 2018
    10
    Ok, maybe not a 10/10 like The Witcher 3, but for it's genre, wow. Talk about a mind f*ck. It's visually stimulating and just insane at times. Almost like walking through an amazing haunted house at times. If you dont like dream sequences with flashing lights, and environments constantly shifting and transitioning into to new horrific and groteqes scenes when you least expect it, or a mindOk, maybe not a 10/10 like The Witcher 3, but for it's genre, wow. Talk about a mind f*ck. It's visually stimulating and just insane at times. Almost like walking through an amazing haunted house at times. If you dont like dream sequences with flashing lights, and environments constantly shifting and transitioning into to new horrific and groteqes scenes when you least expect it, or a mind bending plot that twists the realms of the mind, technology, and reality so much you question what is real, then this game is not for you. And the story is actually great to, youll be given hints, and you may figure some parts out, but youre never really sure. It reminded me of SOMA, another awesome game, but if you disliked SOMA, then this might not be for you because it follows a very similar formula... also, this is not straight up horror. Its a science fiction, murder detective, thriller, with strong horror elements... th only bad really is that the acrual gameplay is weak. I mean, no inventory management, or weapons, or anything like that. Its 85percent ineractive narrative and a visual experience. My mind was blown!!!!… Expand
  16. destinyfan1
    Sep 20, 2017
    8
    I normally don't buy this games but a friend of me forced me,he is my best friend now ( actually not)
    This game is amazing ,the atmosphere ,the story, memorable characters
    I saw some bugs but nothing groundbreaking
    I also found the first half of the game to be sometimes boring ,but believe me the second half is awesome
    Buy this polish game!!!!!!!
  17. BITESCREEN
    Oct 4, 2017
    9
    Das Indie-Horrorspiel Layers of Fear versetzte uns in den verdrehten Verstand eines wahnsinnigen Malers. Technisch beeindruckend und überzeugend erzählt, war die Psycho-Geisterbahn des polnischen Bloober Teams jedoch nicht mehr als ein fast interaktionsfreier Walking Simulator. Das ändert sich mit Observer: Deutlich ambitionierter in Inszenierung, Story und Gameplay, geht es als DetectiveDas Indie-Horrorspiel Layers of Fear versetzte uns in den verdrehten Verstand eines wahnsinnigen Malers. Technisch beeindruckend und überzeugend erzählt, war die Psycho-Geisterbahn des polnischen Bloober Teams jedoch nicht mehr als ein fast interaktionsfreier Walking Simulator. Das ändert sich mit Observer: Deutlich ambitionierter in Inszenierung, Story und Gameplay, geht es als Detective Daniel Lazarski in eine von Implantaten und dem Orwellschen Tech-Unternehmen Chiron beherrschte Cyberpunk-Zukunft. Der Staatspolizist sucht in einem abgeschotteten Apartmentkomplex nach Cyber-Terroristen – und der Quelle des mysteriösen Funkspruchs seines eigentlich verstorbenen Sohnes. In bedrückender Stimmung und einer stark von Blade Runner-inspirierten Umgebung befragen wir paranoide Bewohner via Gegensprechanlage, suchen mit der Detektivsicht an blutigen Tatorten nach Hinweisen und loggen uns per Kabel in die Hirne von Toten. Besonders in diesen surreal-durchgeknallten Sequenzen wird Observer richtig fies, während der Rest mehr stimmungsvoller Psychothiller als Horrorspiel ist. Der aber überzeugt immens: Die Spielwelt ist bedrückend authentisch und voller kleiner Geschichten, Kultstar Rutger Hauer mimt den zynischen Detective perfekt – und die Wo-hört-der-Mensch-auf-wo-beginnt-die-Maschine-Thematik überzeugt wie einst in Soma.… Expand
  18. ToMajonez
    Jul 27, 2018
    10
    The storytelling and visual art are excellent. This game is a masterpiece. PS: One of the best mini - games "With Sword and Fire: Spiders".
  19. rodericrinehart
    Dec 10, 2018
    5
    The game had a good premise and looked like something I would enjoy. For example, I thought Soma had a decent story but mediocre gameplay and a slow first half. I thought Outlast 2 had decent horror but still was just a ok/good game. This game has cyberpunk and dystopia, but the gameplay is pretty atrocious. It absolutely definitely feels like a 20-year-old game, warts and all. I gave itThe game had a good premise and looked like something I would enjoy. For example, I thought Soma had a decent story but mediocre gameplay and a slow first half. I thought Outlast 2 had decent horror but still was just a ok/good game. This game has cyberpunk and dystopia, but the gameplay is pretty atrocious. It absolutely definitely feels like a 20-year-old game, warts and all. I gave it enough time to see if I would like it, but it was too much time, honestly. It was simply boring and reading the summary of the story was more than enough to escape the poor gameplay.… Expand
  20. wesker2012
    Mar 6, 2019
    6
    Layers of Fear was one of my favorite horror games ever, so I really wanted to like The Observer. I love the graphics and Blade Runner atmosphere. The gameplay and pacing was not good though. The controls were under par too. Some of the nightmare sequences went on and on. I loved the visual effects in Layers of Fear, but in this game, it just gets repetitive. Great setting, but itLayers of Fear was one of my favorite horror games ever, so I really wanted to like The Observer. I love the graphics and Blade Runner atmosphere. The gameplay and pacing was not good though. The controls were under par too. Some of the nightmare sequences went on and on. I loved the visual effects in Layers of Fear, but in this game, it just gets repetitive. Great setting, but it needs better gameplay.… Expand
  21. arrivist
    Dec 8, 2022
    7
    An amazing mind-f*ck. Like your worst nightmare an acid trip combined. Observer is unique and a nice change from the usual mindless an badly written games. The developers clearly put a huge amount of work into it. It never gets dull or lets up.
  22. CamyVero
    Jun 7, 2020
    7
    This is a first-person horror graphic adventure, very much like the studio's previous works such as 'Layers of Fear', or like classics such as 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent', incorporating a very successful cyberpunk setting.

    The strength of the game is its story, almost a science fiction film with elements of horror. It has some easy to solve puzzles and a linear development with few    This is a first-person horror graphic adventure, very much like the studio's previous works such as 'Layers of Fear', or like classics such as 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent', incorporating a very successful cyberpunk setting.

    The strength of the game is its story, almost a science fiction film with elements of horror. It has some easy to solve puzzles and a linear development with few secondary ramifications.

    Good game to finish in a rainy weekend.    … Expand
  23. angelknives
    Dec 11, 2020
    8
    A small but intriguing cyberpunk game that has a lot of smaller details to discover. I really enjoyed exploring the world and can still find new small stories I hadn't noticed before. The main story is interesting, even if it could've used a bit more content. I also love the art style of the game.
  24. Bakoluk
    Aug 31, 2021
    5
    Graphics 7/10
    Playability 5/10
    Entertainment 4/10
    Story 6/10
    Overall 5/10
  25. Blood8282
    Feb 23, 2019
    7
    By the creators of the horror game 'Layers Of Fear', Bloober this time take the player into a dystopian future in which a major corporation rules society. Mainly taking place inside an apartment block, in the most run-down part of the city, a police officer goes looking for his son. The awesome cyberpunk atmosphere, great script and intensely psychedelic passages while hacking intoBy the creators of the horror game 'Layers Of Fear', Bloober this time take the player into a dystopian future in which a major corporation rules society. Mainly taking place inside an apartment block, in the most run-down part of the city, a police officer goes looking for his son. The awesome cyberpunk atmosphere, great script and intensely psychedelic passages while hacking into people’s minds make it a fresh and enjoyable horror experience. However, while the game makes you think at first you'll be solving puzzles to advance in your case, you soon realize that this is mainly a walking simulator. I hope they make a sequel that includes deeper gameplay.… Expand
  26. beta_Critic
    Oct 21, 2019
    9
    Think phsychological psychadelic horror. Amazing horror with tons of puzzles/easter eggs and butt-clenchers, and I mean true effin buttclenchers,

    Only a few jumpscares compared to the constant, deep and inescapeable horror. I rarely like horror games as I don't like not being able to use defensive strategies, but in oberserver I felt nothing bad against the game that I coldn't attack.    Think phsychological psychadelic horror. Amazing horror with tons of puzzles/easter eggs and butt-clenchers, and I mean true effin buttclenchers,

    Only a few jumpscares compared to the constant, deep and inescapeable horror.
    I rarely like horror games as I don't like not being able to use defensive strategies, but in oberserver I felt nothing bad against the game that I coldn't attack. The aestethics are amazeballs, but if you are prone to seizures this is a game you should be careful playing.

    Great easter eggs and much to find for the thorough player, Even more to find for the thoughtful player.

    Aesthetics 9.5/10
    Atmosphere: 10/10 Bladerunner meet guillermo del toro
    Textures/Models: 9/10
    Audio/OST: 9/10 Great soundtrack, Menu soundtrack can get a bit loud though.
    Story: 9/10

    Gameplay: 8.5/10
    Puzzles: 8/10, ranging from very easy to challenging,
    Choice: 7/10, Most of the time you can make a choice, but sometimes you are unwillingly stifled.
    Easter Eggs: 10/10.
    Mechanics: 7/10, left some to be desired.

    Overall: 9/10    … Expand
  27. piscian18
    Apr 26, 2020
    0
    The PS4 version is both boring and broken. I wanted to like it. I like adventure games, I like noir and I like Blade Runner. This is the suckiest version of all those things. Its ultimate failure to grab me disappointed me so much that I had say something, even if its just on metacritic. As far as the gameplay goes it claims to be an adventure game, but in reality its a very, very boring,The PS4 version is both boring and broken. I wanted to like it. I like adventure games, I like noir and I like Blade Runner. This is the suckiest version of all those things. Its ultimate failure to grab me disappointed me so much that I had say something, even if its just on metacritic. As far as the gameplay goes it claims to be an adventure game, but in reality its a very, very boring, walking simulator. 5 hours in Id completed one puzzle. When I ultimately gave up on it I'd walked up 3 floors of an apartment building, talked to at least 14 people, through door speakers and had maybe 2 or so interesting things happen. After talking to so many people in loooong boring conversations, only one person gave me any info progressing the plot. It just felt tedious. Rutger Hauer phones it in as a kindly old man whos supposed to be a scary orwellian thought cop. He's supposed to be a highlight, instead I actually looked to see if there was a foreign language option with a voice more invested in the conversations. I found myself spacing out and checking my phone waiting for him to stop talking when it was clearly not going anywhere. ALL of the games personalities are cliche and tired. The apartment building is flush with decorative trash and filth. So much so that I got lost in the cluster wandering around looking...whatever it was I was supposed to be looking for. None of this was helped by the bugs. On PS4 Pro at least, theres a near constant frame drop and stutter despite the fact that all you're doing is walking around. I experienced a bug at the end of a obnoxiously long nightmare sequence that mimiced the dream sequence from the original Max Payne, excepting that it goes on for about 20 minutes. When it finally ended I was stuck staring at a ceiling light while a dog barks in the distance, my controller just stopped responding. I had to close out, restart and do the whole stupid dream sequence again. I'm just done with this game.… Expand
  28. hldr91
    Apr 15, 2020
    1
    Historia atrapante, apartado técnico deplorable.

    Habré jugado 3 horas máximo y consiguió atraparme. Pero no pude seguir jugando debido a los problemas técnicos. El juego presenta constantes caídas de fps y finalmente la pantalla se congeló durante 10 minutos por lo que tuve que cerrarlo. Mi consola mueve juegos como RDR2 y Uncharted 4 sin inmutarse. Es una lástima que una propuesta tan    Historia atrapante, apartado técnico deplorable.

    Habré jugado 3 horas máximo y consiguió atraparme. Pero no pude seguir jugando debido a los problemas técnicos.

    El juego presenta constantes caídas de fps y finalmente la pantalla se congeló durante 10 minutos por lo que tuve que cerrarlo.

    Mi consola mueve juegos como RDR2 y Uncharted 4 sin inmutarse.

    Es una lástima que una propuesta tan buena no pueda disfrutarse. Y es una vergüenza que Sony haya permitido su lanzamiento a sabiendas de que es una estafa.

    Como pasaron mas de 14 días desde la compra perdí la posibilidad de reembolso.    … Expand
  29. painava
    May 21, 2020
    7
    Big improvement from Layers of Fear! Engaging story, good gameplay mechanics and cool visuals. At some point I felt like there was too much going on and felt there were too many nightmare sequences.
  30. AbuAyoub
    May 3, 2020
    6
    I liked the atmosphere a lot, great soundtrack and the sound effects in some particular areas were splendid.

    It is like an a walking simulator, but with much more depth to it. I would recommend it, but be aware that there might be some glitches trophy-wise. I has to do a second playthrough to achieve the Platinum, but should be doable in one. Also the game crashed on me a few times. But    I liked the atmosphere a lot, great soundtrack and the sound effects in some particular areas were splendid.

    It is like an a walking simulator, but with much more depth to it.

    I would recommend it, but be aware that there might be some glitches trophy-wise. I has to do a second playthrough to achieve the Platinum, but should be doable in one.

    Also the game crashed on me a few times. But other than that it was a great journey!    … Expand
  31. hileger
    Jan 19, 2023
    5
    обсЁрвер хуйня визуал будто на ссали на ебло мылом и от этой игры (умер рутгер хауэр) постскриптум ДА Жалко было этого добряка !
  32. bergcamp101
    Aug 24, 2020
    8
    I wouldn't call it a horror, but some moments are definitely scary. Otherwise - great game with distinct ambience, good puzzles and interesting plot.
  33. Awanka
    Feb 27, 2021
    7
    A fascinating dark journey into a futuristic dystopia where technology is used to control, oppress, and exploit almost every facet of life. I had put off playing this for quite a while because I didn't know what to make of it from the descriptions. It's definitely not what I expected. Reminds me a bit of Soma with its claustrophic techno/steampunk atmosphere. The first half of the gameA fascinating dark journey into a futuristic dystopia where technology is used to control, oppress, and exploit almost every facet of life. I had put off playing this for quite a while because I didn't know what to make of it from the descriptions. It's definitely not what I expected. Reminds me a bit of Soma with its claustrophic techno/steampunk atmosphere. The first half of the game starts off very strong. The game is very atmospheric, and the setting is ingenious in its environmental storytelling, which speaks of people suffering quietly and beaten down, ruled by sociopathic corporations that don't care about them. Playing the game, there is an ominous feeling of constantly being surveyed, and a voyeuristic thrill exploring other people's homes and horrific secrets. This game is blacker than "Black Mirror" as it references cannibalism, organ farms, and child abuse. The walls are covered in holograms that show brilliantly subversive and disturbing advertisements.

    The second half of the game was less interesting for me. This game was developed by the same people who did Layers of Fear, and if you've played that game, you have a good idea of what it's about. You enter surreal visually impressive and schizophrenic dreamscape sequences which involve taking a linear path forward and experiencing various sequences, kind of like a haunted ride crossed with an escape room. When you get stuck, you must experiment trying different things until you find the "trigger" to allow you to continue to the next sequence in the simulation. Often this involves ping-ponging back and forth randomly wondering what the trigger is supposed to be, and it can be frustrating. These are interspersed with some bad stealth sections similar to the games Soma and Amnesia(There has to be a way to make these more engaging.)

    I was worried towards the end that the storyline was becoming sappy and cliched, but it turned out I didn't need to worry. 7/10 for being kludgy, frustrating, and a bit buggy, but also dark, disturbing, and original.    … Expand
  34. Vokrug_Vostok
    Oct 16, 2022
    0
    boring, stupid, the walking game from a bunch of psychos . not scary, very easy platinum, but i even don't want to get it. frame drops on ps5. graphic is awful...

Awards & Rankings

87
#87 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. DualShockers
    Dec 12, 2017
    85
    The beauty of its terror is that it is not earned cheaply.
    Read full review
  2. The Digital Fix
    Oct 18, 2017
    60
    A beautifully realised and often harrowing cyberpunk tale let down by repetition and gameplay which is both simple and frustrating in equal measure.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Oct 15, 2017
    90
    Bloober has constructed a little game with a story that feels so much bigger than most Triple-As will manage this year. [Nov 2017, p.92]
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