Gods Will Be Watching
- July 24, 2014
- Deconstructeam
- 8h median play time
Gods Will Be Watching is certainly a unique experience, but that doesn't make it an interesting one. It relies too much on random chance and does nothing to compensate for the frustration that will cause. Unless you enjoy punishment you might want to avoid.
Get on Steam"Gods Will Be Watching" is a point-and-click thriller game that explores tough ethical decisions and their consequences. Players control a group of characters facing various survival scenarios, where the right choice is rarely clear. With multiple endings and a focus on narrative, the game challenges players to make difficult decisions in high-pressure situations.
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Reviews
- Engaging and thought-provoking story that explores moral dilemmas.
- Unique gameplay mechanics that require resource management and strategic decision-making.
- Beautiful pixel art and an atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- Punishing difficulty that often relies on random chance, leading to frustration.
- Repetitive gameplay due to having to restart entire chapters after failure.
- Lack of meaningful consequences for character deaths, as they often reappear in subsequent chapters.
- story962 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Gods Will Be Watching" is often praised for its depth and complexity, weaving a dark narrative filled with moral dilemmas and character development that keeps players engaged. However, many reviewers express frustration with the gameplay mechanics, which can detract from the storytelling experience due to their reliance on trial and error and random chance. While some players appreciate the narrative's philosophical themes and emotional weight, others feel that the lack of meaningful consequences for choices undermines the overall impact of the story.
“Amazing game, outstandingly difficult, heartbreaking, and the story is phenomenal.”
“The story is beautiful, the world building is fantastic; if you slow down and talk to everyone, you really get to see the world you are playing in.”
“The story is alright, but the pixel art is amazing in my opinion.”
“The story is short and simple, but the experience of playing this game is recommended.”
“The story kept me somewhat involved, until a random event caused me to lose and replay a big section... no thanks.”
- gameplay428 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Gods Will Be Watching" is characterized by its emphasis on resource management, decision-making, and trial-and-error mechanics, often leading to a frustrating experience due to its high difficulty and reliance on luck. While some players appreciate the unique mechanics and narrative integration, many criticize the gameplay for being tedious, repetitive, and overly punishing, with a lack of clear guidance on mechanics. Overall, the game presents a challenging experience that may appeal to those who enjoy complex decision-making but can deter casual gamers seeking a more straightforward gameplay experience.
“This game is a blast; the freedom of your choices alongside the realism of not everything being guaranteed allows for unique gameplay every single time you play.”
“The gameplay is pretty unique and gives you lots of great well-designed scenarios where you have to give orders around.”
“The gameplay features an emphasis on decision making and time management puzzles.”
“Mechanics are obtuse and hidden, cycles are not clearly obvious, difficulty is unnecessarily spiked, and your time is wasted.”
“The plot is mildly interesting, but the gameplay is not fun at all, even on narrative difficulty.”
- graphics195 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a distinctive pixel art style that many players find charming and fitting for its narrative. While some appreciate the retro aesthetic and detailed environments, others criticize technical issues like screen flickering and unclear visuals that detract from the experience. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, with many praising their ability to complement the game's atmosphere and storytelling, despite some players finding them outdated or frustrating.
“The art style on this game is also very interesting, in a way being blocky yet detailed at the same time.”
“Wonderful graphics, very good story, good music and sound, and superb dialogs, like in a Hollywood movie!”
“The pixel art style was a very nice touch to the game; I couldn't think of an art style more fitting for it.”
“I want to play this game, but the visuals and flashing screen issue every time I click something makes it unplayable.”
“Screen flickering and can't see the character graphics.”
“Some graphics, and most notably the text, did not upscale properly on my 1440p screen, creating a pixelated blurry effect that was annoying.”
- music178 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. Tracks like "Gods Will Be Watching" and "Legend" are highlighted as standout pieces that contribute significantly to the game's emotional depth and immersion. While some players noted that the music can become repetitive during extended gameplay, the general consensus is that the soundtrack is a major strength, complementing the game's narrative and art style beautifully.
“The soundtrack is very atmospheric and complements the tension and immersion.”
“The music is masterful in its creation of an atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic and the writing is out of this world.”
“This game elicited no emotion from me at any point, not even from the soundtrack or potentially charming pixel graphics.”
“Even on the 'easiest' difficulty setting you're likely to need to redo missions a number of times before you succeed, meaning you can be hearing the same music and reading more or less the same dialogue between characters over and over for 30-60 minutes.”
“The music was not memorable, which is unfortunate.”
- grinding65 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- -3 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, often requiring players to repeat the same tasks multiple times without sufficient checkpoints or saves. Many reviewers found the gameplay frustrating, with a reliance on trial-and-error mechanics that detracted from the overall experience, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. While some players appreciated the mental challenge and story, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding significantly hampers enjoyment.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
“The grind is satisfying and keeps you engaged, with each level feeling like a significant achievement.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers something new to strive for.”
“That's where I gave up; if they at least placed checkpoints every 5 days or gave you 3 'lives' for all the 20, I would be glad, but no, sucks to be you and enter automatic grinding 4 buttons again and again...”
“This is a complete waste of money; do not buy this game unless you enjoy the idea of performing the same tedious thing over and over and over and over again.”
“The grinding just absolutely kills it.”
- atmosphere48 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive soundtrack, and strong storytelling, which together create a tense and engaging experience. Many reviewers highlight the effective use of music and art to enhance the emotional depth and mood of each chapter, although some note that repetitive gameplay can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its standout features, making it appealing to fans of narrative-driven and aesthetically rich games.
“Soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous - fingerspit did a stellar job capturing the atmosphere of each chapter.”
“Fantastic atmosphere, a story that keeps you guessing and challenging, innovative gameplay.”
“The way it subtly builds tension and creates an undeniable atmosphere for each scenario is uncanny, and is easily one of the strongest parts of the game.”
“But ultimately once you’ve finished 'Gods Will Be Watching', the tense atmosphere of not knowing what’ll happen next gets lost during your second and third playthrough.”
“The moral choices and brooding atmosphere suck you in and don’t let go, giving the player an uncomfortable, tense, and thrilling rollercoaster of a ride, even if it’s only good for one go around.”
“While it is hard to really compare the atmospheres between the two modes (original lite and puzzle mode), I think if I had been able to play puzzle mode from the get-go, I would have had a much more intense playthrough rather than just clicking through the menus hoping for the stars to align.”
- emotional40 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as both gripping and heart-wrenching, forcing players to make difficult decisions that evoke strong feelings of empathy and attachment to the characters. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a profound emotional connection, despite its challenging gameplay and dark themes, making it a memorable experience for those willing to invest emotionally. However, some players note that repeated playthroughs can diminish this emotional impact, leading to a sense of detachment.
“Prepare to make some of the most emotionally painful, twisted, and difficult decisions of your gaming life with 'Gods Will Be Watching.'”
“Gripping, high tension, and emotional story coupled with a gruesome and unforgiving group management style gameplay makes 'Gods Will Be Watching' a memorable yet painful experience.”
“It is depressing, emotional, devastating, and borders on being nihilistic depending on how you want to look at it, but oh my god this is an absolute gem of a game.”
“I noticed quite a few people have been giving bad reviews because it is too hard with a basic and boring story.”
- replayability32 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding value in the randomness and achievements that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others feel that the limited choices and reliance on RNG diminish long-term engagement. Many agree that while the game offers a unique experience each time, it may not hold up for extensive replaying, especially for those not driven by completionist goals. Overall, the game is enjoyable for a single playthrough, but its replay value varies significantly among players.
“In FTL, you can often avoid many of your mistakes, and the replayability is fun and different every time.”
“Great game overall, with loads of replayability baked in with the achievements and the two main ways to play.”
“The story itself is about as bleak as things get, ramming home an overarching theme of nihilism and the insignificance of the individual on a cosmic level, but twists and turns along the way make for near-infinite replayability.”
“Not a replayable game once you've done it all, but it's a storybook game that is worth experiencing once.”
“But unless you are an achievement hunter, there is close to no replay value.”
“This is another problem: while there is some replayability, the game is extremely short, and your choices end up having little impact on the end.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of charming dialogue and dark, silly moments, with some players appreciating the comedic elements like pixel art animations and character glitches. While there are instances of funny scenarios and memorable characters, some reviewers feel that the humor can be inconsistent and that the characters lack depth, leading to a somewhat bland comedic experience. Overall, the humor adds a unique layer to the game, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“One of the best, if not the best, I have ever seen in a video game. The characters are deep, the dialogue is funny and charming, and I really want to know more about what's in the universe, what other factions, planets, aliens, etc. there are!”
“I was hoping for hilarious evil options like in KOTOR, and there's some of that. The pixel art animations for people who are stressed out are funny, but mostly it's just silly.”
“(I spent a lot of time laughing at the shaman for being such a bad hacker). The repetition can be frustrating at times, but it doesn't detract from the great story 'Gods Will Be Watching' has to offer.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with multiple users reporting frequent freezes and crashes, particularly after completing levels. While some players noted a few technical glitches that didn't severely impact their experience, others experienced severe issues, including memory leaks that caused the game to freeze during critical moments. Overall, the game is described as "buggy," which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“Now the game freezes randomly in the middle of levels.”
“From what I've experienced, the game freezes and crashes after every level.”
“Buggy as hell and made every other program on my computer stop responding while starting it up.”
- character development7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game is praised for its engaging pacing and well-written dialogue, allowing players to form connections with both major and minor characters. While some reviews highlight a lack of depth in character development, others commend the strong presentation and atmosphere that enhance the storytelling experience.
“I actually kind of enjoyed this section, just because it was comfortably paced and filled with enough character development and interactions that I was always entertained and engaged. If not with the gameplay, then with the dialogue and characters, which are very well written.”
“The character development is great; you quickly feel connected to some of the not-so-important looking characters.”
“If you value presentation, story, atmosphere, and character development (there's quite a bit considering how 'short' the game is), then I highly recommend it.”
“The character development... minimal if none at all.”
“There is mystery, and character development also.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is tied to its unique storytelling and resource management mechanics, which are influenced by player choices. While the advertising accurately reflects the game's premise, it could benefit from clearer communication regarding the resource management elements to better inform potential players.
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“I feel like the game is designed to push players towards in-game purchases rather than rewarding them for their time and effort.”
“The constant ads and prompts to buy premium currency disrupt the gameplay experience and take away from the overall enjoyment.”
Critic Reviews
Gods Will Be Watching Review
Gods Will Be Watching is certainly a unique experience, but that doesn't make it an interesting one. It relies too much on random chance and does nothing to compensate for the frustration that will cause. Unless you enjoy punishment you might want to avoid.
60%PC Review - 'Gods Will Be Watching'
55%
