Spectator
- February 6, 2023
- Neko Machine
Get on Steam"Spectator" is a cooperative game where players monitor their office for paranormal activity through cameras and take action when unusual phenomena occur. Miss too many anomalies, and your life may be at risk. The game boasts high-definition graphics, touchscreen and game controller support, and community-created translations. It features six levels inspired by popular urban horror legends, each with over 60 uniquely generated anomalies.
Reviews
- The game features great atmosphere and sound design, enhancing the horror experience and immersion.
- It includes a variety of levels based on popular horror games, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- The gameplay is easy to learn but offers a challenge, especially on higher difficulty levels, keeping players engaged.
- Some players find the game too easy, even on higher difficulty settings, which may reduce replay value.
- The story mode lacks depth and feels underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more narrative content.
- The game suffers from optimization issues, leading to performance problems on some systems.
- story14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it minimal and lacking depth, while others appreciate its simplicity and unique presentation. Although the story mode introduces a novel gameplay element, many feel it doesn't significantly enhance the overall experience, often feeling incomplete. However, some users enjoy the well-voiced narrative and engaging environment, suggesting it can still be enjoyable for those who appreciate a straightforward plot.
“The plot is simple, but it is well-voiced and not cringy.”
“The story was fun to go through!”
“The underlying storyline is also easier to understand and more engaging as well.”
“Nights are long and boring, and the story mode lacks any story; it's just kinda... nothing.”
“I thought this was a novel idea, but the story is barely existent and feels like it hasn't even begun when you've already finished the game.”
“Story mode can pretty much be ignored, but as a spot the difference thing, it's pretty good.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its accessibility and engaging mechanics, making it easy to learn yet challenging, even at higher difficulty levels. Players appreciate the variety of locations and anomalies that keep the experience fresh, alongside a well-executed sound design that enhances the eerie atmosphere. While some minor bugs were noted, the overall execution is considered polished, making it a recommended entry point for fans of horror-themed gameplay.
“Overall it is a well-finished game with original gameplay that is easy to learn but challenging.”
“Big variety of locations and anomalies to keep the gameplay fresh and unpredictable.”
“The game's sound design is also noteworthy, as it skillfully employs different sounds and music to create a spooky and eerie atmosphere that complements the visuals, further enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
“So these two gameplay elements make the game quite easy, even on the highest difficulty level.”
“While the mechanics certainly are there, I'd like to see some level representation for the series as well!”
“The idea of making observation duty style maps but basing it on other horror properties was a great idea and I believe there is a lot of potential for new maps and ideas for the dev if they decide to keep adding content into this game.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their high quality and ability to create an immersive and tense atmosphere, with many references to other horror titles. While some minor graphical bugs were noted, the visuals significantly enhance the overall gameplay experience. Players with older systems may need to adjust settings for optimal performance, but the game remains playable even on less powerful hardware.
“The visuals are really good, with a lot of references to other famous horror games.”
“Great atmosphere and graphics that create a sense of immersion and tension.”
“The story, gameplay, and graphics are just great and totally worth it!”
“You can leave those graphic settings up, but it is going to lag between camera switches too much to be enjoyable, so go with a medium setting and only lower it fully if needed.”
“If you turn the shadows off and leave graphics at ultra, that also worked fine for me.”
“I cannot guarantee it will run on anyone's system of course, but I would say you can give it a try with an older system and probably be able to play it fine if you are willing to not have the best looking graphic quality.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a deeply immersive and creepy environment, enhanced by impressive graphics and exceptional sound design that evoke tension and horror. While the initial sense of dread is compelling, some players find the experience can become repetitive, leading to a paradoxical sense of relaxation. Overall, the atmosphere effectively balances disturbing elements with a spooky ambiance, appealing to various player preferences.
“The sound design is also noteworthy, as it skillfully employs different sounds and music to create a spooky and eerie atmosphere that complements the visuals, further enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
“- Great atmosphere and graphics that create a sense of immersion and tension.”
“Wow, this is the atmosphere, oppressing the stench of creeping horror.”
“The game's sound design is also noteworthy, as it skillfully employs different sounds and music to create a spooky and eerie atmosphere that complements the visuals, further enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
“This may be good or bad depending on your skill with this type of game and/or how much real disturbing/horror vibe versus spooky atmosphere you want.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some users report good performance following a recent update, others criticize it as poorly optimized overall, leading to a lack of recommendation.
“The game has good performance.”
“Controller support and game performance improved after the recent update.”
“It's worth mentioning that the game is horribly optimized; I can't say I recommend it.”
“The controller support and game performance have significantly declined after the recent update.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music and sound design effectively create a spooky and eerie atmosphere that enhances the visuals and overall gameplay experience.
“The game's sound design is also noteworthy, as it skillfully employs different sounds and music to create a spooky and eerie atmosphere that complements the visuals, further enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users feel that while the game offers some replay value, particularly through its higher difficulty levels, playing on lesser difficulties can feel like a tedious time sink after completing the more challenging content.
“The game offers a variety of choices and paths, making each playthrough feel unique and engaging.”
“With multiple endings and character builds, I find myself coming back to explore different strategies.”
“The dynamic events and random elements keep the gameplay fresh, encouraging me to replay it often.”
“I understand the need for replay value, but once you beat the nightmares, playing on lesser difficulties feels like a time sink.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage me to replay it; once you've seen everything, there's no reason to go back.”
“After completing the main story, I found that the side quests didn't offer enough variety to make me want to replay the game.”
