Observo
- August 8, 2022
- SpaceZeta
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Observo" is a survival horror game inspired by early 2000s classics, where you play as Edgar, a businessman trapped in a mysterious inn. To escape, you'll need to explore your surroundings, solve puzzles, and fend off hostile creatures with makeshift weapons. As you progress, collect items, documents, and unravel the inn's ominous secrets.
Reviews
- Observo successfully captures the nostalgic atmosphere of classic survival horror games like Silent Hill, with impressive visuals, sound design, and a well-executed art style.
- The puzzles are engaging and well-balanced, providing a mix of challenge and fun that keeps players invested in the gameplay.
- The game is a commendable effort from a solo developer, showcasing creativity and passion for the genre, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of retro horror games.
- The combat system is clunky and can feel unbalanced, with some enemies being overly difficult to defeat while others become trivial once the player acquires certain items.
- Fixed camera angles combined with camera-relative controls can lead to frustrating navigation and combat experiences, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The game suffers from pacing issues, with too many enemy encounters that can become tedious and disrupt the flow of exploration and puzzle-solving.
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Observo" is a mixed bag, featuring classic survival horror mechanics reminiscent of titles like Silent Hill, which include tedious puzzle-solving and frustrating movement due to pre-rendered camera angles. While the game offers clever enemy encounter mechanics and enjoyable puzzles, it suffers from a lack of innovation and can feel overly repetitive, leading to a somewhat short and tedious experience. Despite these flaws, the game's strong visuals, art style, and sound design contribute to an overall recommendation for fans of the genre.
“Overall, Observo is a visually stunning fun little game with flawed gameplay, and I am still glad I bought it and hope the developer creates another survival horror game in a similar style.”
“Awesome music, sound design, visuals, and fun gameplay.”
“Still - some really fun puzzles, barring some un-taught mechanical twists (e.g., you can use the ladder multiple times in different circumstances).”
“Observo starts out strong, especially because of the great visuals, art-style and music, but unfortunately the gameplay loop and main puzzle make the game a bit too tedious overall.”
“But the gameplay needs to be improved.”
“This game doesn't have much in the way of innovation from a mechanical standpoint, so it's a little disappointing to have trouble with this area of the game.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Observo is a mixed bag; while it draws inspiration from Silent Hill, it struggles to fully replicate that iconic ambiance. However, the game excels in its eerie environment, effective use of fog, and strong narrative, creating an immersive experience despite some gameplay frustrations. Overall, players appreciate the beautiful graphics and atmospheric design that enhance the storytelling.
“It absolutely nails atmosphere, enemy design, lighting, fog, the... almost copyright-infringed soundtrack.”
“What an atmosphere!”
“It is very nicely made, the graphics are not like I've seen before and the whole atmosphere is eerie and immerses you really into the story (which is very well written and executed!) and the environment.”
“Observo is clearly inspired by Silent Hill but ultimately fails to capture the same atmosphere; however, I must commend Spacezeta (dev) for the attempt made.”
“It is very nicely made; the graphics are not like I've seen before, and the whole atmosphere is eerie and immerses you really into the story (which is very well written and executed!) and the environment.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is heavily inspired by early survival horror titles, particularly evoking the atmosphere of the 90s Silent Hill series, with a blend of synth and noise elements that enhance the overall experience. While the soundtrack effectively contributes to the game's eerie ambiance, some players feel it could benefit from a darker tone. Overall, the music, along with the sound design and visuals, is praised for creating a compelling and nostalgic atmosphere.
“The music is very reminiscent of early survival horror games, as well as the art direction, although in my view it could be somewhat darker.”
“It absolutely nails atmosphere, enemy design, lighting, fog, the... almost copyright infringed soundtrack.”
“+ the sound design and music is straight retro 90s Silent Hill, awesome.”
“The music is very reminiscent of early survival horror games, as well as the art direction; however, in my view, it could be somewhat darker.”
“It absolutely nails atmosphere, enemy design, lighting, fog, and the almost copyright-infringed soundtrack.”
“The Yamaoka cutscene synth and noise-rage battle music, the PS2 era character models, and the environment textures (high res but point filtered to invoke the PS1), all covered in film grain post-process and swaddled in particle fog!”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are highly praised for their unique art style and visual fidelity, contributing to an immersive atmosphere that enhances the storytelling. While the visuals and sound design are standout features, some players feel that the gameplay loop detracts from the overall experience.
“Art style and fidelity are very pretty, and the sound design is good.”
“It is very nicely made; the graphics are unlike anything I've seen before, and the whole atmosphere is eerie, immersing you deeply into the story (which is very well written and executed!) and the environment.”
“Awesome music, sound design, visuals, and fun gameplay.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive combat mechanics that reduce the challenge and excitement. While the game begins with strong visuals and engaging elements, the gameplay loop can become monotonous, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, some players still find enjoyment in the game.
“My main complaint is the combat in this game... the reach you have with the pipe is absurd and initially early in the game your best bet is to run entirely up until the point you get a bear trap which makes the enemies comical, making a tedious process of simply laying the trap, hitting the enemy, rinse and repeat which totally detracts from the fear/threat the enemy might present.”
“Observo starts out strong, especially because of the great visuals, art style, and music, but unfortunately the gameplay loop and main puzzle make the game a bit too tedious overall.”
“It can be tedious at times, but it was very fun overall.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The story is described as immersive and well-written, effectively complemented by the game's eerie atmosphere and unique graphics. However, some users find the narrative to be surreal and lacking in direction, suggesting it doesn't lead to particularly interesting developments. Overall, the storytelling engages players, though opinions on its depth and progression vary.
“I found myself sucked into the combat, environment, and unfolding story... which I can't say too much about or I'll spoil it, little spider.”
“It is very nicely made, the graphics are not like I've seen before and the whole atmosphere is eerie and immerses you really into the story (which is very well written and executed!) and the environment.”
“The story is weird and surreal, par for the course of these games, but this one doesn't really go anywhere interesting.”
“The story is very well written and executed, but the overall atmosphere is eerie and doesn't fully immerse you into the narrative.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is enhanced by the persistent presence of enemy bodies, which remain in the environment and create a comically chaotic atmosphere as players navigate through areas filled with defeated foes. This design choice lightens the tension, especially in the later stages of the game, adding a humorous touch to the gameplay experience.
“Monsters frequently get repopulated throughout the relatively small environment, and because the enemy bodies don't actually disappear (nice touch!), it becomes a bit hilarious. By the time you are at the 11th hour of the game, wading through dozens of bodies strewn across the courtyard or lobby lessens the tension.”
“The game's humor shines through in its quirky dialogue and absurd situations, making even the most intense moments feel lighthearted and fun.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the ridiculous scenarios and witty one-liners that pop up throughout the game, adding a delightful twist to the gameplay.”
