Observation

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,241 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Observation Game Cover
Flipping the usual narrative on it's head and putting you in the role of the AI.... you must help discover what happened aboard Observation.
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Observation is a sci-fi thriller uncovering what happened to Dr. Emma Fisher, and the crew of her mission, through the lens of the station’s artificial intelligence S.A.M.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,241 reviews
story792 positive mentions
grinding78 negative mentions
  • Excellent atmosphere and immersive sound design that enhances the experience.
  • Unique gameplay perspective as the AI controlling the space station, providing a fresh take on the genre.
  • Engaging story with intriguing twists that keeps players invested throughout.
  • Controls can be clunky and frustrating, especially when navigating the sphere and using the camera.
  • Lack of clear objectives and guidance can lead to confusion and aimless wandering.
  • Technical issues such as resolution resets and bugs can detract from the overall experience.
  • story1,731 mentions

    The story of "Observation" is widely praised for its engaging and atmospheric narrative, which combines elements of sci-fi horror and mystery. Players appreciate the unique perspective of controlling an AI on a space station, unraveling a plot filled with twists and emotional depth, reminiscent of classics like "2001: A Space Odyssey." However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, predictability, and gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience, suggesting that while the story is compelling, it may not fully compensate for the game's technical shortcomings.

    • “The story is gripping from start to finish, weaving a compelling narrative that keeps you on edge in the best way possible.”
    • “This is the pinnacle of immersive storytelling and game design.”
    • “A masterpiece in science fiction storytelling.”
    • “The overall story I found lacking.”
    • “The main story/brand of cosmic horror is mediocre at best though, and the camera bugs are inexcusably frequent.”
    • “The story is not really original.”
  • gameplay631 mentions

    The gameplay of "Observation" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it both unique and frustrating. While the concept of controlling an AI navigating a space station through camera feeds and puzzles is intriguing, the execution often leads to tedious and clunky mechanics, lack of clear direction, and repetitive tasks that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game's strong narrative and atmospheric design keep some players engaged, making it more of an interactive story than a traditional game.

    • “The mechanics are so well executed, it's a delight to explore.”
    • “The gameplay offers enough variety to keep things fresh.”
    • “The story is absolutely beautiful, and the gameplay is incredibly unique.”
    • “The gameplay, however, was way too often frustrating.”
    • “The controls are needing readjusting; half the time there's no clear indication of what to do. The game told you the mechanics just once and ever so briefly, and the other half of the time I had no clue I was supposed to be doing something.”
    • “The gameplay is slow, boring, repetitive, and often confusing.”
  • atmosphere393 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and gripping qualities, effectively blending elements of sci-fi horror with a sense of isolation and tension reminiscent of classics like "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Event Horizon." Players commend the game's sound design, visuals, and attention to detail, which contribute to a haunting and oppressive environment that keeps them engaged throughout the experience. However, some reviews note that while the atmosphere is exceptional, gameplay mechanics can be frustrating, occasionally detracting from the overall enjoyment.

    • “This game masterfully builds atmosphere and suspense without resorting to cheap tricks.”
    • “The atmosphere is absolutely immersive, but sorry, the experience is just painful.”
    • “The atmosphere was grim and frightening, and they captured the feel well.”
    • “The sci-fi plot is intriguing; the atmosphere of loneliness, an extending catastrophe, and escalating despair in deep space is tense... but the game design, unfortunately, ruins it all.”
    • “The atmosphere is oppressive and claustrophobic being set in space, but beyond that I had many times I felt my heart beating because it was so nerve-wracking.”
  • graphics393 mentions

    The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere, often compared to high-quality cinematic experiences. While many reviewers highlight the impressive detail and aesthetic design, some note inconsistencies in character animations and occasional graphical bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's engaging narrative and setting.

    • “The graphics are amazing, to the point where it really feels like footage from the ISS.”
    • “The visuals are stunning and sometimes the game tries to put minor pressure on you as a player, which I personally appreciate.”
    • “The graphics and visual design bode well for affecting the mood of a scene.”
    • “The quality of the graphics also leaves a lot to be desired.”
    • “Horrible performance on a 4090, graphics settings change themselves seemingly randomly during play, and there's no sign of anything getting fixed.”
    • “Graphics resolution setting does not save correctly, so I had to keep on setting it every time I started the game.”
  • music85 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its haunting and suspenseful qualities that effectively complement the story and visuals. It is described as fitting seamlessly into the gameplay, creating a sense of tension without overwhelming the player, and contributing significantly to the overall immersive experience. While some players found the music memorable and engaging, a few noted that it was less impactful or even forgettable at times.

    • “Music was also good, felt like I was a part of a creepy sci-fi film.”
    • “The music is profoundly haunting and beautiful at the same time, adding a certain depth to the story of the game.”
    • “The music and sound design was fantastic.”
    • “The music is quite ominous, and the lack of dramatic music in large parts of the game really sets you on edge when it starts playing.”
    • “Having finished the game about an hour ago, I can say that I don’t remember the music at all.”
    • “The graphics are great, though the music choice is quite bad.”
  • grinding80 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight that the game's grinding aspect is characterized by tedious and repetitive puzzles, frustrating controls, and slow navigation, which detracts from the overall experience. While the story and atmosphere are praised, many players find the gameplay to be a chore, often leading to disengagement and a desire for more streamlined mechanics. Overall, the combination of clunky interactions and unskippable cutscenes contributes to a sense of tedium that overshadows the game's potential.

    • “The interfaces of all the systems we interact with are satisfactory, and panning the cameras about is surprisingly not too tedious.”
    • “Navigating with the sphere is awkward and not very rewarding, but it adds a unique challenge to the grinding experience.”
    • “While grinding can feel repetitive at times, the overall gameplay mechanics keep it engaging.”
    • “The puzzles are tedious to the point of tears, and they're stupid, and they're incessant.”
    • “Instead, I got baited by the intriguing beginning of a story, only to end up spending 5-6 hours playing one of the most tedious games I've seen in my life.”
    • “The actual gameplay, while stylish, is often tedious and frustrating; the game assumes you have an encyclopedic knowledge of the station.”
  • stability53 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that detract from the overall experience. While some users appreciate the atmosphere and story, many find the technical issues—such as animation glitches, character clipping, and freezing—frustrating and immersion-breaking. Despite these problems, a few players noted minimal issues or even a bug-free experience, indicating variability in stability across different playthroughs.

    • “I do not remember coming across any glitches in the game.”
    • “Apart from being completely bug-free, this game is both intriguing and thrilling.”
    • “I really want to give this game a positive review, but even as of version 1.17, almost 3 years after the release date, the game is a buggy mess.”
    • “Extremely buggy, had around 8 crashes when I played this game, which kind of ruined the whole horror experience for me.”
    • “In the end, it's a nice space thriller but it's buggy as hell and space walks are a pain in the buttocks.”
  • replayability40 mentions

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its minimal replayability, with many players noting that it is a short, linear experience lasting around 4 to 10 hours. While some mention the potential for collecting achievements or exploring lore, the consensus is that once completed, there is little incentive to replay, making it more suitable for purchase during sales rather than at full price.

    • “Despite the game being liminal, it has a solid replay value by collect-a-thons or trying to unravel more of the Lovecraft-esque story.”
    • “Cheevos leave some room for replayability, but if you're not obsessed with that kind of thing, you can get plenty of enjoyment out of one playthrough.”
    • “☐ replayable to gain different endings or reactions.”
    • “I had high expectations for this game but it was really short and has zero replayability.”
    • “The only thing holding it back is the fact that you will complete this game most likely in about 4-5 hours and it has little to no replay value.”
    • “Honestly the only downside I can come up with is that there is zero replayability; once you're done, you're done.”
  • emotional19 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with some feeling deeply engaged and connected to the story and characters, while others experience frustration and confusion that detracts from their emotional involvement. The portrayal of the AI character fosters a unique emotional connection, yet the gameplay mechanics can lead to feelings of inadequacy and discomfort. Overall, the game offers a remarkable audio-visual experience that resonates emotionally for some, but may leave others feeling detached or overwhelmed.

    • “I enjoyed this experience as it put a whole new spin on the genre and made me feel almost more involved in the story than any typical protagonist ever could.”
    • “The computer took on an almost human personality and you felt there was an emotional connection between the two characters, even though one was not alive.”
    • “All in all, a truly remarkable audio, visual and emotional experience, mired by some frustrating moments.”
    • “The emotional depth of the story is overshadowed by tedious gameplay and uninspired puzzles.”
    • “I found the narrative to be lacking in emotional engagement, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “Despite its attempts at emotional storytelling, the game feels flat and fails to evoke any real feelings.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including erratic resolution changes, poor frame rates, and inconsistent graphics settings. While some users noted solid performance on ultra settings, others experienced severe drops in frame rates even on high-end hardware. Overall, the game appears to be poorly optimized, particularly for keyboard and mouse controls, with a recommendation to use a gamepad for a better experience.

    • “Solid graphic performance on ultra settings.”
    • “The only thing I could complain about is the execution of some scenes and game performance, but that can be easily forgiven because of all the attention to detail.”
    • “4K performance is suboptimal (unless you like 'cinematic' 30fps), but otherwise a great game.”
    • “In regards to performance and optimization, there appear to be some quirks, such as the game doesn't load up when I have an Xbox controller connected wirelessly via Bluetooth, and rendering resolution tends to shift on its own accord (for instance, my preference of 1920x1080 would drop at random to 1366x768 or 1680x1050).”
    • “Horrible performance on a 4090, graphics settings change themselves seemingly randomly during play, and there's no sign of anything getting fixed.”
    • “I'll admit, I'm a huge fan of sci-fi, and further still, I'm a huge fan of works inspired by Lovecraft, so what should have been a slam dunk for me ended up as just a very tedious experience due to awful optimization, bland gameplay, and a design that felt dated by 2012 standards.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as quirky and engaging, with players finding amusement in unexpected scenarios and character interactions, such as a humorous primate. While some puzzles are challenging, they are also noted for their logical yet funny design, contributing to the overall comedic experience. However, there are mixed feelings about the control mechanics, which some players found frustrating.

    • “Going completely blind into this game like I did, knowing nothing other than you are a base AI and there's a funny little primate yelling in front of you has a certain thrill to it.”
    • “I don't know what I'm meant to be observing, but that hexagon was kinda funny.”
    • “Puzzles are hard, but logical and funny.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development is generally well-received, with players finding it believable and engaging, which enhances their investment in the story. However, some reviewers feel that additional time could have been spent on character development to deepen emotional connections, despite praising the overall character design and graphics.

    • “Taking the puzzle concepts in their previous endeavor and adding a larger play area and character development.”
    • “Probably needed some extra time with character development for the player to really care about the people.”
    • “The character development was believable enough to have me very invested in the outcome not only of myself and the AI, but the other characters in the story.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy primarily revolves around microtransactions, which have received mixed feedback from users. While some appreciate the optional nature of these purchases, others feel they can create an imbalance in gameplay or detract from the overall experience.

    • “The game is riddled with microtransactions that feel exploitative.”
    • “I can't enjoy the game without being constantly bombarded by ads and paywalls.”
    • “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it frustrating to progress.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

Buy Observation

Play time

7hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
6hMain story
9hCompletionist
5-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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