Observer

About

Observer is a single-player horror action game with an intriguing story and atmospheric environment. It boasts good game mechanics, delightful graphics, and an outstanding soundtrack. Despite some bugs and grinding, players will find themselves immersed in its highly emotional and suspenseful setting. The game describes itself as a first-person perspective horror experience with a focus on a dark, atmospheric environment and deep storytelling.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,899 reviews

story469 positive mentions

optimization16 negative mentions

Incredible atmosphere and visuals that create a haunting cyberpunk world.
Engaging story with deep themes of transhumanism and societal decay.
Strong voice acting, particularly from Rutger Hauer, enhances the narrative experience.

Gameplay can feel tedious with excessive walking and limited interactivity.
Stealth sections are poorly designed and detract from the overall experience.
The game relies heavily on visual effects that can cause discomfort and motion sickness.

story
1,170 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The story of the game is a compelling blend of cyberpunk and psychological horror, featuring a detective narrative that unfolds through exploration and interaction with the environment. While many players appreciate the rich atmosphere and intriguing plot twists, some criticize the pacing and convoluted storytelling, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the narrative is often described as engaging and thought-provoking, making it a worthwhile journey for fans of story-driven games.
- “The story is compelling, the overall design is cohesive, the presentation is polished.”
- “One of the best dystopian cyberpunk horror-crime stories I have ever experienced.”
- “The story is fairly compelling and covers some interesting philosophical ground.”
- “The story is painfully slow to develop, and the hallucination level is far too drawn out, beyond tedium.”
- “The story is a bit hard to understand, as it deals with some psychological and technological concepts.”
- “The story itself is a mess, scattered around the place with a weak central plot in an attempt to tie everything together.”
graphics
548 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
43%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, often likening it to iconic films like "Blade Runner." However, some players have reported that the intense and glitchy visual effects can be overwhelming, leading to discomfort or headaches, which detracts from the overall experience. While the art style and attention to detail are frequently highlighted as standout features, the excessive use of visual effects has also been criticized for making gameplay confusing and disorienting.
- “The studio is really good at making immersive visuals; there is a lot of stuff here that is a feast for the eyes, be it modeling and textures, or some of the visual effects.”
- “The graphics and sound in this are really good; Rutger Hauer sounds old (which to be fair, he is) and a bit flat, though he has his moments, but the other voice actors do a great job.”
- “The graphics are incredible, and there are scenes that are fantastic, really psychedelic and flashy.”
- “During the gameplay, it can be hard to tell reality from visuals.”
- “This game seems to have a lot of potential and I would love to dig deeper into it, but man, the visuals are literally making me sick.”
- “The constant change of vision types (bio/electric) and the 'glitch' graphics when moving between them is practically designed to cause you an epileptic seizure.”
gameplay
435 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
70%
10%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it primarily consists of exploration and simple puzzle-solving, often feeling more like a walking simulator than a traditional game. While the atmosphere and visuals are praised, the mechanics are criticized for being repetitive, simplistic, and at times frustrating, particularly during stealth sections and dream sequences that disrupt the flow of the narrative. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize story and ambiance over complex gameplay mechanics.
- “The gameplay is decently varied between different parts of your job as an 'observer', but you'll mostly be walking to places and talking to people, all of which goes on in relatively creepy areas.”
- “Observer features the same creative, clever, and creepy gameplay as Layers of Fear, but with a cyberpunk spin.”
- “The gameplay consists of investigating, solving puzzles, and scary encounters, of course.”
- “What doesn't help either are the cheap and unnecessary jump-scares and trial-and-error deaths that occur without prior warning in between long stretches of purely exploratory gameplay.”
- “The gameplay feels a bit rough around the edges, leaving much to be desired in clarity of what is expected of the player in utilizing the controls and their end goal.”
- “The gameplay is very slow and gives you plenty of time to look around each area with your various augs.”
atmosphere
403 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
36%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively blending cyberpunk aesthetics with psychological horror elements. Reviewers highlight the stunning visuals, exceptional sound design, and strong voice acting, particularly noting Rutger Hauer's contribution, which enhances the overall experience. While some players appreciate the slow-burn tension and rich world-building, others express frustration with gameplay mechanics that disrupt the otherwise captivating atmosphere.
- “The atmosphere and the voice acting is phenomenal.”
- “Incredible atmosphere!”
- “The atmosphere is great and does a good job of conveying the cyberpunk corporate dystopian future.”
- “The rest of the game is spent having either jump-scares or disturbing imagery thrown at you, often without context and with barely any attempt at setting atmosphere, leaving the whole experience feeling not unlike an 18-rated haunted house ride.”
- “A lousy attempt at an eerie atmosphere and jump scares that made me laugh.”
- “The atmosphere is either too quiet or your ears are being pounded by screeching violins and voices.”
music
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, drawing strong comparisons to iconic soundtracks from "Blade Runner" and "Ghost in the Shell." Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the game's eerie ambiance, with excellent sound design that complements the visuals and voice acting, creating a captivating psychological horror experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, significantly contributing to the game's unsettling and engaging atmosphere.
- “The music, voice acting, and graphics all contribute to make this game a wonderfully creepy sci-fi experience.”
- “The sound design is fantastic, from the impressive soundtrack to the noise of creaky doors and your footsteps; it all lends itself to a truly great psychological horror game.”
- “Amazing horror game, good mix of jump scares and ambience, characters and plot that makes you think and become invested in the story, outstanding visuals and graphics, and by far one of the greatest soundtracks I've heard in a video game.”
- “They are not enjoyable or scary and the only thing you get out of them is a migraine thanks to screaming, flashing lights, unbearable music, warped levels and other cheap genre tropes that exist to cover up the fact this is an extremely limited walking simulator.”
- “While clearly taking visual and musical inspiration from Blade Runner (I mean, come on, they got Rutger Hauer) and Ghost in the Shell, this game lacks the depth and philosophical themes that underpin both.”
- “The game then takes a turn from sci-fi 80's milieu straight into a grotty visual palette of a grungy 90's music video.”
optimization
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
52%
26%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and crashes across various platforms, particularly on Linux and older hardware. While some players with high-end systems experienced smoother performance after adjusting settings, the overall consensus indicates that the game suffers from poor optimization that detracts from the experience. Many reviewers express frustration over the lack of improvements in newer versions, suggesting that the game could greatly benefit from further optimization efforts.
- “Initially the framerate was bad, but after turning off motion blur and lowering lens flares and shadows, it ran smoothly.”
- “Performance-wise, I ran everything on maximum quality and encountered no issues on my GTX 1080 Ti card, which is to be expected.”
- “Good technical optimization (runs good on SLI 980 Ti, 1080p on max settings at 120 fps stable).”
- “The game performance is terrible, really low FPS for the quality it puts out.”
- “The poor optimization resulted in several PC crashes and screen tearing.”
- “This is the 2nd game from this dev with horrible optimization, the 1st being Layers of Fear.”
grinding
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspects of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many sections involving long corridors, excessive dialogue, and frustrating puzzles that detract from the experience. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and story, the overwhelming consensus is that the gameplay often feels drawn out and unnecessarily prolonged, leading to a sense of annoyance rather than engagement. Despite these criticisms, a few players noted that the game eventually picks up pace, suggesting that the initial grind may be intended to reflect the protagonist's experience.
- “All you do is run around in some corridors while using two types of scanner implants and having mostly pointless conversations with residents via intercoms -- and this gets very tedious very fast.”
- “The story concept was interesting and the visuals were great, but ultimately, it was a lot of tedious walking around to reach an ending of a confusing story.”
- “Doing the detective stuff is fun but that stuff is very tedious and just seems like a way to pad the game's length.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing significant glitches and bugs that hinder gameplay, such as freezing, save file loss, and unresponsive mechanics. Others report a smoother experience, noting that while visual glitches are prevalent and sometimes intended, they can be distracting or even headache-inducing. Overall, the game's reliance on digital glitches to enhance its cyberpunk aesthetic has led to varied player experiences, with some appreciating the artistic choice while others find it frustrating.
- “It was put together well, no bugs, no glitches, no pun intended.”
- “The graphics are fantastic and the movement is fluid and bug-free.”
- “Sometimes it felt like a project where the goal was to find as many ways as possible for making glitches and visual effects.”
- “Also, the game is buggy; I randomly lost my save files a few times and even encountered doors that would glitch and refuse to open, stopping my progress in the game.”
- “I did my best to work through the issues and give the game as fair of a chance as I possibly could, but in the end, it was an assortment of glitches that completely killed any enthusiasm I had.”
replayability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
79%
11%
Overall, the game exhibits limited replayability, primarily due to its linear structure and short playtime of around 5 to 10 hours. While some players appreciate the potential for alternate endings and collectibles, many feel that once the story is known, the experience loses its charm, making it more of a one-time playthrough. A few users expressed a desire for additional content or expansions to enhance replay value.
- “I just wish it had a little bit more content and replayability; a DLC or an 'Observer 2' with other cases from other observers would be nice.”
- “The collectibles and possible multiple endings add replay value to the game.”
- “You'll even be faced with making a couple of choices throughout the game, which may or may not be black and white sometimes, which also adds some replay value to the game.”
- “There is no replayability for me... the game is great for a first run, but when you know what's going to happen, I guess it loses its charm...”
- “Basically it is a one-time game (not something replayable) and I have completed it in 8 hours.”
- “Yes, it’s short and has, outside the collectibles and the other final decision, little replay value.”
emotional
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as intense and often uncomfortable, with a mix of oppressive moments and emotional trauma tied to character relationships. While some players found the experience mesmerizing, others criticized the lack of impactful choices and the stilted delivery of the main character, which diminished the overall emotional engagement. Overall, the game elicits strong feelings, but its design choices may leave some players feeling disconnected or overwhelmed.
- “They really went hard with these sequences and had the liberty of creating very oppressive moments, mixes of both emotional memories and digital hell.”
- “It wasn't as much frightening as it was mesmerizing and emotionally intense.”
- “All whilst chucking in an element of emotional trauma from the relationship between your character and the victim.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of dark, black comedy and nostalgic elements, particularly resonating with players familiar with Polish culture. While some discussions and character interactions are amusing, the humor can become repetitive, and the game's attempts at eerie atmospheres often lead to unintentional laughter. Overall, the writing is praised for its clever blend of sci-fi themes, character depth, and humor, creating a unique and engaging experience.
- “A lousy attempt at an eerie atmosphere and jumpscares that made me laugh.”
- “Whats hilarious is that at the end your son manages to upload his mind into a computer but is being attacked by the nanophage and needs a host to escape and survive. What's funny is that if you choose to save him and let him take you as a host, he doesn't realize that you've already touched someone with the phage and are still not a safe host.”
- “Excellent game, cyberpunk setting in an environmental mix of the 60s and the movie Tron, with fine humor and a Polish film noir detective flair.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
22%
44%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the lack of depth and clichéd designs, particularly for the antagonist. However, others appreciate the strong voice acting that enhances emotional engagement, suggesting that while the character designs may be uninspired, the narrative development can still resonate with players. Overall, the game struggles to balance its character development with its visual and audio elements.
- “By character development, I mean narrative development, not leveling up.”
- “Some of these games rely on clever systems, some on character development, and some on world building, but all of them have a great story to tell.”
- “A delightful and uplifting trot through beautiful environments with profound character development at every corner.”
- “I do not recommend this game, due to the audio becoming headache-inducing, visuals being lackluster at best, and a complete lack of character development.”
- “The climax left me in disbelief as I could not even comprehend why they went with such a terrible, clichéd character design for the antagonist.”
- “Voice acting is generally pretty awful, character designs are bland and uninspired, and the game tries way too hard to convince you it's a thoughtful and deep experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is subtly integrated into the environment through various in-game advertisements and posters, enhancing the immersive atmosphere. Players can also engage with an in-game mini-game, providing a break from the main horror experience, which adds value without feeling intrusive. Overall, the monetization elements contribute to the game's world-building rather than detracting from the gameplay.