Orwell: Ignorance is Strength
- February 21, 2018
- Osmotic Studios
- 5h median play time
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
Get on SteamIn Orwell: Ignorance is Strength, you continue as an agent in the Orwell program, monitoring citizens and networks to uncover threats to the nation. This second season delves deeper into the themes of manipulation and information control, as you struggle with the morality of your actions and the government's agenda. Your choices will shape the ultimate outcome of the narrative, with multiple endings available based on your investigative focus.
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Reviews
- Engaging storyline that explores themes of surveillance and media manipulation.
- New mechanics, such as the Influencer tool and time management, add depth to gameplay.
- Voice acting enhances immersion and character development.
- Significantly shorter than the first game, leading to a feeling of incompleteness.
- Less character depth and fewer impactful choices compared to the original.
- Some gameplay mechanics feel underutilized and the pacing can be frustrating.
- story708 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in "Orwell: Ignorance is Strength" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it lacks the depth and complexity of its predecessor. While some appreciate the intriguing themes of surveillance and moral choices, others criticize the narrative for being too linear, predictable, and shorter than the first game. The addition of voice acting and new gameplay mechanics is seen as a positive, but many feel that the overall storytelling does not live up to the expectations set by the original.
“A story game, like the first, where choices make differences to how the story plays out, and there are lots of twists and big moments that keep you invested.”
“The story and lore are interesting and thought-provoking enough.”
“Amazing game with a gripping storyline and lots of depth.”
“The story is much shorter and less in-depth, the narrative is all over the place, and it feels like a lot of context is missing.”
“The sequel to Orwell comes with a much more boring storyline and less control over its development, shorter play time and irritating protagonist.”
“The story itself is somewhat inferior to the original one.”
- gameplay301 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Orwell: Ignorance is Strength" retains the core mechanics of its predecessor while introducing new elements like a time-based mechanic and an "influencer" tool, which, unfortunately, are underutilized and only come into play late in the game. While the game offers a unique experience with improved voice acting and some interesting ideas, many players feel that the execution lacks depth and that the overall gameplay loop can become tedious, especially given the shorter length compared to the first installment. Overall, while the game is engaging, it falls short of fully exploring its new mechanics and delivering a compelling narrative.
“It's a unique gameplay experience, I'll give it that.”
“The new mechanic in the third episode had a lot of potential, but given its late appearance in the game, it actually makes the end feel a little rushed.”
“The time mechanic adds some more depth to the choices you make, which is a nice improvement from the first season.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay loop soon starts to feel like actual work.”
“The new time passing mechanic either has you punished for playing the game the wrong way or you remain utterly stuck between passage of time moments trying to find minor trivialities to submit to make the time pass.”
“The time mechanic adds unnecessary pressure and sometimes feels like a chore rather than a fun gameplay element.”
- music48 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the storyline effectively. While some tracks are noted for their quality and emotional resonance, others feel repetitive or fail to evoke strong feelings, particularly during key moments. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, though some players express a desire for more dynamic musical shifts to match the narrative's intensity.
“The game soundtrack is genuinely really good and captures the atmosphere exceptionally well!”
“This dystopian themed game will give you a great experience in its great story, accompanied with good soundtrack and good vocal characters.”
“The music is well done and suits the moods of the story.”
“The game's improvements on its predecessor with audio phone calls and a much clearer plot; however, its length and music do leave some things to be desired.”
“The music is alright - its tracks don't really evoke much emotion in me, but I found listening to them as a good fit for my experience in the game.”
“The chosen music makes me feel rather negative due to the monotonous and heavy sounds.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their unique art style, which combines low-poly aesthetics with vibrant colors, creating an immersive atmosphere that complements the storytelling. While some players appreciate the visual design and interface, others note that the graphics are not the primary focus, emphasizing that the game's engaging narrative and sound design are equally important. Overall, the visuals are described as appealing and well-crafted, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
“The pictures in Orwell itself are also quite well-made, with its own unique low-poly art style that resembles both paintings and photos.”
“Great job to the developers for creating a storyline which holds your interest, with graphics that don't distract you, and a whole atmosphere which leads you to feeling immersed in your job.”
“The game has a well-crafted story, beautiful music, good voice acting, and a colorful art aesthetic.”
“Graphics.”
“🔲 graphics don't matter in this game”
“This is higher quality with fancier graphics and voice acting but I do agree that I liked the original slightly more.”
- replayability29 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its multiple endings and branching storylines that encourage exploration, while others find the overall narrative too fixed, limiting the incentive to replay. Many agree that despite its shorter length, the game offers considerable replay value, particularly for those interested in uncovering different paths and outcomes. However, a few reviewers noted that the experience can feel tedious after multiple playthroughs, suggesting that while replayability exists, it may not be as engaging for everyone.
“This game is quite short and has considerable replay value.”
“I highly recommend what is ultimately a short but intense experience of a few hours that has a lot of replayability potential as you explore what could have been without ever forgetting your first run, and its consequences.”
“On the other hand, like the first, it feels like it has quite a bit of replay value, and I am quite eager to find out all the different paths the story could have taken.”
“Replayability is limited, as everything just feels like it's so set in stone, and that there's such little variation in the story that there's little point in trying to explore different avenues.”
“Short, no replayability, lackluster compared to the original.”
“This kind of left the game feeling really boring and tedious and unreplayable for me.”
- emotional19 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the deeper personal connections and moral dilemmas presented, while others feel it lacks the emotional impact and character development of its predecessor. Many found themselves conflicted and guilty over their actions, highlighting the game's ability to evoke strong feelings about surveillance and personal agency. However, some critics argue that the sequel fails to build meaningful emotional bridges, resulting in a less engaging narrative overall.
“With that being said, the sequel feels much more personal and emotional. The state is willing to spend so many resources against one man who isn't in the right state of mind; there is something deeply twisted in an engaging way, and it tells an even more horrifying tale of what encompassing surveillance can do compared to the first.”
“Its an excellent story, interesting characters, and greatly timed emotional and heart-wrenching beats.”
“Well, you did it again; you made me feel conflicted about the nature of safety and truth.”
“The sequel to Orwell comes with a much more boring storyline and less control over its development, shorter playtime, and an irritating protagonist (now with voice dialogues! Wow...).”
“The developers may have been trying to make a point that totalitarian governments are thin-skinned, but it often just feels like they wrote themselves into a corner with a boring story about a blog.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 56 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, especially when pursuing 100% achievements. While some appreciate the branching storylines and replayability, many feel that the process of gathering information and completing tasks becomes monotonous, leading to a long and sometimes frustrating experience. Overall, the grinding is perceived as more pronounced and less enjoyable compared to the previous installment.
“No grinding needed.”
“Decent grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“More often than not, you have to sit through all of these messages before continuing to upload new data chunks, which isn't so bad at first, but if you go after 100% achievements like I do, man does it begin to feel tedious.”
“Regardless, it sure became a long and tedious experience to obtain all of the achievements.”
“This kind of left the game feeling really boring and tedious and unreplayable for me.”
- humor9 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as dark and immersive, with moments that provoke both laughter and anxiety. While some players find the writing overly direct or tone-deaf, others appreciate the satirical take on surveillance and the absurdity of the situations presented. Overall, the humor is hit-or-miss, with some finding it engaging and others feeling it detracts from the experience.
“Dark, humorous and hella immersive.”
“+ funny investigation game”
“There's humor too in various parts and it also gave me anxiety in others, when I feared I was making the wrong choices.”
“Just take a coffee, and get ready to be bored rapidly while waiting for Orwell to digest the smallest piece of information... not funny!”
“The attempts at humor feel forced and fall flat, making the experience more tedious than entertaining.”
“I expected some clever jokes, but instead, I was met with cringeworthy puns that made me cringe more than laugh.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while many players report solid performance with minimal bugs, some have experienced frustrating mechanics that feel like glitches. A few users noted specific instances of bugs affecting gameplay, particularly in later episodes, but there is confidence in the developer's ability to improve the experience based on past performance.
“The game itself runs smoothly but has some mechanics that honestly feel like bugs, even if they probably aren’t.”
“Amazing performance.”
“I’m going to recommend this game based on past performance and knowledge that the developer has a lot of skill.”
“The ending that I got was stupid.”
“Solid performance with no bugs, but an annoying mechanic.”
“System info & performance report.”
- stability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and frustrating mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some players noted that it runs well on Linux, the general consensus is that the game suffers from significant stability issues, leading to a lack of enjoyment and patience.
“Runs great on Linux.”
“This game was a buggy mess that often turned into 'grab useless data so the next useful piece of information will appear.'”
“I've lost patience with this short and buggy game, unfortunately.”
“In short: I didn't like the story at all, I was stuck for too long, the game is too short, and a little buggy.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its exceptional soundtrack that enhances immersion, alongside engaging storylines and thought-provoking ethical dilemmas. The graphics are designed to complement the experience without distraction, contributing to a captivating and immersive environment. Overall, players appreciate the developers' ability to create a compelling atmosphere that draws them into the narrative.
“The game soundtrack is genuinely really good and captures the atmosphere exceptionally well!”
“Great job to the developers for creating a storyline that holds your interest, with graphics that don't distract you, and a whole atmosphere that immerses you in your job.”
“I do agree that the Orwell series is a thought-provoking game with a nicely arranged atmosphere.”
“This season of the Orwell game expands upon the first without changing the working formula and simply adds new stories to explore with the same kind of puzzling atmosphere and ethical quandaries.”
“Including better atmosphere and scenarios with the voice acting is awesome.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling that the content does not justify the price, likening it more to a prequel than a true sequel. Overall, there is a strong recommendation against purchasing it.
“This game feels like a cash grab that makes no sense. I wouldn't call it Season 2; it's more like a prequel or something. I don't advise buying it.”
“The monetization strategy is frustrating and feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“I was disappointed to find that the game heavily pushes microtransactions, which detracts from the overall experience.”
