Observer: System Redux

With visuals completely redesigned from the ground up, rebuilt mechanics, and even a dose of extra content, Observer System Redux delivers on the gritty retrofuturistic cyberpunk world of horror. Rebuilt stealth sections fixed the largest complaint, and the hitching in the original release is gone. The original was good, but this is great.

Observer: System Redux on Xbox is an example of the ideal remaster. The best bits are amplified; in this case the mangled, filthy cyberpunk visuals and the immersion in a grotesque horror story. Equally, the worst bits are excised, as the terrible stealth sections and the thin exploration are left on the neurosurgeon’s floor. What you’re left with is an emphatic horror title, an easy recommendation to the acquainted and unacquainted, and an experience that will live long in the memory.

As the first horror game on a next-gen system, Observer: System Redux has me really excited for the future of the genre - and for Bloober Team's next project.

Observer plays out much the same way FMV games from the 90s did. Fittingly, players are in this game as an observer, and those who chafe at lack of agency should look elsewhere. This is Daniel Lazarski’s tale, and it’s not a happy one, but it is one worth playing for any sci-fi or cyberpunk fan.

Observer: System Redux is well worth playing if you enjoy psychological thrillers, a dash of cyberpunk, and noir detective fiction, and it all looks fantastic on the new consoles. The story has many layers to it, exploring the nature of parent child relationships, corporate domination, human augmentation, and mental health.

Observer was a fine game three-plus years ago, but this re-make is head and shoulders above the original thanks to an awesome presentation, three new side missions, and a price that’s hard to pass up when compared to many games being more than twice as expensive. While we all look forward to Bloober Team’s next one, The Medium, you can’t go wrong with Observer: System Redux if you’re looking for a captivating cyberpunk mystery thriller.

System Redux brings the original Observer to new heights thanks to revised gameplay mechanics and redesigned visuals. Looks gorgeous on next-gen consoles.

The gameplay elements may be basic and not exciting on their own, but it’s more about the journey you undertake than reaching the end point. The level design is brilliant and some of the experiences are very memorable even though it has flaws, namely the forced stealth sections. If you’re into the cyberpunk genre and want to experience something completely unique and twisted, look no further than Observer: System Redux, especially if you have an Xbox Series X or S to get the best visual experience unlike any other.

Observer: System Redux is an intriguing and thrilling dark cyberpunk adventure, finally graced by stunning graphics and some added content. It's got some performance problem and it's still missing the promised ray tracing implementation, but it's definitely a game to play on Xbox Series X.

A great entry point for the new generation of consoles with an excellent technical side, and a good gameplay proposal lingering between a modern point'n click adventure an survival horror.

Observer: System Redux uses familiar sci-fi themes to create a compelling murder mystery in a haunting dystopian future. Though it takes place entirely in a derelict apartment building, the setting never feels restrictive, thanks in part to the clever mind-hacking sequences that let you explore the victims’ memories. It’s genuinely creepy, with the constantly building tension only interrupted by a few frustrating stealth sequences that feel like they came from another game. Even so, Observer: System Redux is a great display of survival horror storytelling.

It may not be different enough to justify a replay for those who’ve already experienced the original version, but for those wanting something crisp and clean on new consoles, or for those intrigued by Bloober Team’s work but put off by tense horror, >Observer_ is a great choice.

There’s an expectation for next-gen remasters to be cash-grabs, but Bloober Team went beyond resolution upgrades. Observer: System Redux shares a similar release history with Blade Runner: a newer version releasing with extra content and impressive visual polishes. It doesn’t avoid all the pitfalls endemic of walking sims nor of this studio, but it deserves augmented respect like its closest inspiration eventually earned.

Observer is still a fascinating game with a compelling story and some really interesting set pieces that both confuse, scare, and bring out emotion. Fans of the adventure genre, especially ones that include investigation and a great cyberpunk coat of paint on it, should pick this one up. Players that already own the original version of Observer may want to think twice if they’re looking for a high-profile visual upgrade. While it’s no slouch in the graphics department, I don’t know if it’s worth double dipping for that.

Observer: System Redux is an excellent presentation of the masterful environments that indie teams can create on newer hardware. Out the gate, Bloober Team has raised the bar of what we can expect to see graphically, but the gameplay portion of this supernatural adventure limits its overall appeal. Still, I can’t stress enough what a work of art this experience is through its narrative and brilliant sound design.

With Observer’s original atmosphere intact, System Redux is an exceptional refinement and redelivery of one of the generation’s most underrated titles. The loss of Rutger Hauer felt even more profoundly exploring these tenement halls again, but his offbeat and quirky role as Daniel Lazarski will live on for another generation.

>Observer_: System Redux represents a solid improvement over the 2017 original and, therefore, a worthwhile upgrade. It’s a little too long for my liking, but it looks gorgeous at points and tells a terrific story that’s worth experiencing. With a reasonably friendly price, it’s also a relatively cheap way to show off your new toy. Absolutely worth a look.

As a remake, Observer: System Redux not only ticks all the right boxes in terms of gameplay improvements but it also showcases what next-gen consoles are capable of for pre-existing titles. Gone are the long loading screens and texture pop-ins of the past. In their place come significantly improved graphics and silky smooth animations, alongside load times that truly make a bigger difference than they seem at first glance. Combined with the quality-of-life enhancements, this remake is certainly worth playing even for those who have already experienced the original title. For those new to the series, though, this is the perfect time to jump in and enjoy Observer: System Redux.

Depsite these niggles I enjoyed my time with The Observer; it looks great, has atmosphere for days and if you cankeep track of what is going on then there is a lot of additional lore to find and piece together. The mind hack sections were the most engaging parts, with some genuinely clever presentation and execution among some truly bizarre imagery and themes. It might not be Bloobers best work, but it’s worth a look if you’re a fan of the team’s games.

Observer still is a great adventure, full of mystery and with a solid narrative, that looks better than ever with this version.

Observer: System Redux is a good proposal, but it repeats the same errors as the original game.

Blooper Studio's attempt to take advantage of the cyberpunk genre's hype created by Cyberpunk 2077 neither fails nor pays off, as Observer: System Redux is mediocre adventure game that can't really challenge the new generation consoles.

Observer: System Redux is an instant enhancement to the 2017 game. It looks better and plays better, but still has the biggest problem the original had: its slow pace.

The System Redux edition looks stunning with all the advantages of the new generation consoles, but besides that, there is nothing essentially new or improved.

Observer: System Redux improves on the original’s visual style and wonderfully disturbing nightmare sequences, but it doesn’t fix an uninspired plot or lack of consistent horror elements.

4K and ray-tracing seem to push the Series X to the limit, but in perfomance mode System Redux definitely looks better than the original – and runs smoother. Nonetheless the core stays the same: a weird cyberpunk thriller with repititive mind-games.

If you ignore all the needless meddling with graphic options in the console versions of the game, you can call Observer: System Redux a pretty good remaster, with some great visuals and a portion of a completely new content. But at the same time System Redux carries on every single problem the original release had, basically being yet another walking sim. It's quite likely that Observer: System Redux will take its place among some other games, that no one will ever remember a year from now.