Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,548 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You Game Cover
Investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terrorist attacks. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences.
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Orwell: Ignorance is Strength is a single-player mystery simulation game with an interesting plot and excellent gameplay. As the first human researcher of a new governmental security program, you must investigate citizens' online presence to prevent terror attacks, with consequences for the information you supply. The game features phenomenal visuals, a spectacular soundtrack, and a wonderful atmosphere, but some bugs and grinding may be present.

  • iPad
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  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Epic Games
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,548 reviews
story1,243 positive mentions
grinding46 negative mentions
  • Engaging and thought-provoking storyline that explores themes of surveillance and privacy.
  • Unique gameplay mechanics that allow players to make impactful choices that affect the narrative.
  • Well-designed user interface and art style that enhance the immersive experience.
  • Gameplay can feel repetitive and linear, with many choices being highlighted and lacking depth.
  • Some players may find the pacing slow, especially during phone calls and text conversations.
  • Limited replayability due to the linear nature of the story, despite multiple endings.
  • story3,121 mentions

    The story of "Orwell" is a compelling exploration of surveillance, privacy, and morality, drawing players into a narrative that challenges their ethical decisions as they investigate a terrorist plot. With rich character development and unexpected plot twists, the game effectively immerses players in its dystopian world, though some find the gameplay linear and the overall experience somewhat short. Despite its simplicity, the narrative's depth and the impact of player choices make it a thought-provoking experience that resonates with contemporary issues.

    • “A compelling story that capitalizes on tension, obfuscation, bias, and morality and how our online presence exposes our most personal details, yet can be completely at odds with who we are.”
    • “The writing is compelling, creating a sense of urgency and moral complexity that keeps players invested in the unfolding story.”
    • “Your actions feel meaningful as the story does change based on which text you've processed, yet at times I felt forced to upload something even if I didn't want to just to proceed with the story.”
    • “Your actions affect nothing, and you don't need to look for anything: all the important bits of information get highlighted, all you need to do is drag-and-drop them, which just makes the story go slower.”
    • “To be frank, the story basically plays itself out.”
    • “The story is very linear, and the conclusions you draw only affect minor plot points for most of the game.”
  • gameplay904 mentions

    The gameplay of "Orwell" is characterized by its unique mechanics that revolve around reading and analyzing text-based information to make decisions that affect the narrative. While the game offers an engaging story and thought-provoking themes, many players find the gameplay to be simplistic and repetitive, primarily involving dragging and dropping highlighted text without much challenge. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate narrative-driven experiences but may disappoint players seeking more complex gameplay mechanics.

    • “The gameplay mechanics of Orwell are unique and engaging.”
    • “Its unique gameplay mechanics and thought-provoking narrative make it a standout experience for those who appreciate story-driven games that challenge both intellect and ethics.”
    • “The gameplay consists of reading through information and sorting out the important bits, and making choices as to which bits to include.”
    • “The gameplay is very disappointing and tiring.”
    • “The gameplay consists of reading through these sources until the game highlights information of importance for you, and you decide whether or not to put it on record.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, but effective.”
  • music326 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional impact of the story, with many reviewers noting its seamless integration into gameplay. While some found the soundtrack to be repetitive, others appreciated its dynamic shifts that corresponded with key plot developments, creating tension and immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength of the game, contributing to a captivating and engaging experience.

    • “The music is really an integral part of the atmosphere.”
    • “The way the music syncs perfectly with your emotions as you discover new information is a super cool experience.”
    • “The soundtrack is wonderful and the story is intriguing.”
    • “The music was boring and would let you know you would hit a twist before you even read it because it changes song when you click on a page that has a plot twist written on it and has only one song it uses for every single twist.”
    • “The final problem I have with this game is the soundtrack as it is overly generic 'dramatic' electronic music that keeps repeating and sounds like menu music to a war shooter.”
    • “Voice overs would have made this game much better as the music got really repetitive after a while.”
  • graphics307 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist and unique art style that many players find appealing, despite its simplicity. While some reviews note that the visuals may not be groundbreaking or realistic, they effectively complement the game's narrative and user interface, creating an immersive experience. Overall, the graphics are described as clean, distinctive, and fitting for the game's themes, enhancing the storytelling rather than detracting from it.

    • “Visually, Orwell adopts a minimalist yet effective aesthetic.”
    • “The art style ages well and the visuals are amazing, adding more believability to the characters as well as immersing you in the universe.”
    • “The graphics are simplistic but captivating, paired with immersive soundtracks.”
    • “The plot is excellent and relevant, and despite having horrifically bad graphics (which is intended), it doesn't actually detract from the experience.”
    • “I mean the game was okay but for a game made 2 years ago, with minimalistic graphics, little gameplay and taking 3-4 hours for a playthrough I think that it is a bit overpriced, I would be asking half as much.”
    • “Very unoptimized graphics with no settings.”
  • replayability271 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting the presence of multiple endings and choices that can significantly alter the narrative experience. While some find it highly replayable due to the variety of outcomes and achievements to unlock, others criticize its linearity and limited replay value after the initial playthrough. Overall, it offers enough incentive for players to explore different paths, but the enjoyment may diminish after multiple runs.

    • “Overall great writing, interesting characters, nice visual interface, and replayability to see how different choices affect the game's outcome.”
    • “There are three main endings and a whole lot of different states + achievements so there’s a surprising amount of replayability, and after two playthroughs I definitely haven’t seen it all.”
    • “The ability to explore multiple endings gives it replay value for achievement hunters and people who want to see what would've happened if they did things differently.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game has no replayability as it's plot-driven and based on mystery.”
    • “The biggest downside is that the game is short and fairly linear; there are only so many branches/possibilities to explore, so once you've exhausted them, there's really not much replay value.”
    • “The game lacks any sort of replayability but is pretty fun the first time through.”
  • emotional73 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with players describing it as an intense and thought-provoking experience that evokes genuine feelings of conflict, sadness, and guilt. Many reviewers noted how the narrative and character development made them feel deeply invested in the story, often leading to emotional reactions that lingered long after gameplay. The game effectively challenges players' moral choices, creating a sense of unease and responsibility that enhances its emotional impact.

    • “This game was an emotional rollercoaster and a great one at that.”
    • “I never knew I could get so emotionally invested in a game.”
    • “It genuinely made an emotional impact on me at the end of the first chapter, and that's rare.”
  • atmosphere71 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by a haunting and fitting soundtrack that complements the visuals and storytelling. Reviewers note that the combination of art style, sound design, and narrative creates a tense and thought-provoking environment, effectively reflecting themes of surveillance and morality. While some critiques mention pacing and writing inconsistencies, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to draw players into a compelling and atmospheric experience.

    • “The music adds so much to the atmosphere of the game, creating a professional sound that turns alarmed and alert when critical information is discovered.”
    • “The atmosphere and tone really fits in with all the suspicion, fear, and intensity when progressing through the story.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is sober, at times haunting, and at times pulse-quickening depending on what's going on.”
    • “In my opinion, both of those points should have been checked at least mentioned, but they weren't, and it really broke the atmosphere for me.”
    • “Nevertheless, the game still manages to evolve an intense atmosphere after the first episode with almost text only, only by viewing live-chat and call protocols.”
    • “What it lacks in mechanics, it absolutely makes up for in story, atmosphere, tension, and replayability!”
  • grinding51 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to non-skippable dialogues, lengthy conversations, and repetitive mechanics that hinder replayability. While the immersive story and gameplay are appreciated, the lack of fast-forward options and the need to revisit content for achievements can make multiple playthroughs feel laborious. Overall, the experience is described as engaging but marred by the tedious nature of data collection and dialogue.

    • “But the experience isn't tedious as playing the game for the second time gives you some insight into things you might have overlooked during the initial playthrough.”
    • “Decent grinding.”
    • “A lot of grinding.”
    • “The first playthrough was exciting, but playing it again in order to get different outcomes can be tedious because you cannot skip dialogue, and it is typed out rather slowly.”
    • “It's tedious to wait for the conversation to finish when unlocking the achievements and playing other endings, especially the group chat of all characters in the last chapter lasts 10 minutes and you cannot skip at all.”
    • “I would have, on my own, replayed at least once to try different choices, but the structure of the game and lack of fast-forwarding through certain portions makes replays extremely tedious.”
  • stability27 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of freezing, bugs, and glitches that hinder gameplay progression. Many players experienced significant issues, such as being unable to advance due to missing elements or requiring restarts to resolve technical problems. While some found the game enjoyable despite these flaws, the overall consensus is that the stability issues detract from the experience, making it difficult to recommend without further updates.

    • “Runs great on Linux.”
    • “Orwell is unique and immersive, so it does have that going for it, but the flow-chart progression heavily relies on the game being bug-free.”
    • “It just freezes during the first opening cinematic for me and does not work.”
    • “Very buggy. I created my first profile and got stuck in a part where something was supposed to show up in the feed on the first day, but it simply didn't, and there was no way of advancing in the game. I read that you have to restart, so I created a second profile only to encounter a similar bug even earlier in the game, which didn't let me advance. The page that you need to analyze simply doesn't show up.”
    • “At the time of this writing, the game was plagued by a number of technical glitches and problems, but they were not insurmountable.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of dark and situational comedy, providing levity amidst serious themes of surveillance and societal critique. Players find themselves laughing at absurdities within the narrative and character interactions, while also experiencing a range of emotions from joy to frustration. Overall, the humor serves to enhance the game's exploration of its themes, making it both engaging and thought-provoking.

    • “Having both elements of seriousness in maintaining the peace and order of the nation, coupled with a few occasionally humorous moments helped to offset the tiresome feeling of focusing too hard on the 'job' and rather reminds us to realize that the system is, in fact, still inept at reading human communications.”
    • “Very fun, surprisingly funny at times.”
    • “I found myself laughing at the detail written into the not-Facebook profiles and the musician's website.”
  • character development19 mentions

    Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and realism, with players appreciating the intricate writing and the way characters evolve throughout the story. The game successfully humanizes its characters, making them feel like real individuals with their own desires, which enhances the overall narrative experience. While some aspects of character development may feel stereotypical at times, the majority of players find it engaging and integral to the game's compelling plot.

    • “I am very impressed with the writing and character development.”
    • “The atmosphere that the game creates, the character development as the story goes on, and the like are expertly done; the surveillance that the game encourages you to do shows the targets to simply be real people with their own desires and lives, and while humanizing them, you get the sense of seeing them as something else.”
    • “Character development is on point - not only was there development in the people I investigated, but I also felt myself developing as well.”
    • “When I first got into this game, I was hopeful that it wouldn't be a flimsy investigative journalism style that left gaping holes in character development in favor of quick story progression.”
    • “Beyond that, the art direction is phenomenal and the character development is scary for being a person literally looking on from the outside.”
    • “I also love how the characters actually come off as 'real' instead of having just one 'static' personality that most games have and end up failing with character development.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly for the most part and offers good performance for its price, players have reported significant bugs and performance issues in the final chapter, leading to occasional hiccups and the need to reload. Additionally, the graphics are considered unoptimized with limited settings available.

    • “The game runs smoothly.”
    • “The game runs smoothly and for the price of $9.99 (bought it during the winter sale though) it really is worth every penny in the end.”
    • “[occasional hiccups in performance]”
    • “Very unoptimized graphics with no settings.”
    • “Occasional hiccups in performance.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is cleverly integrated through realistic advertisements and in-game websites, enhancing immersion while reflecting real-world advertising practices. Players appreciate the attention to detail, including fictional memes and news panels, which contribute to a believable and engaging environment. Overall, the game's approach to monetization is seen as a thoughtful commentary on data collection and targeted advertising.

    • “They had advertisements on websites and also had weather and news panels on the menu.”
    • “I would liken Orwell to any big-name company out there, collecting information, creating a profile, then using it for advertisements, but this shows what that concept could become.”
    • “But there are many things to learn and discover, and everything is so perfectly arranged, down to the advertisements on the in-game websites you read.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
4-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 50 analyzed playthroughs

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