Observer Reviews

Observer is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
3 / 10
Aug 21, 2017

Observer is rough. Some neat narrative beats and a beautifully presented cyberpunk world paired with an exceptional performance from Rutger Hauer end up being the only redeeming qualities present in this title. This is a game that, despite being short, feels overlong, due in part to some tedious and obnoxious gameplay segments, and some of the least subtle “horror” we've encountered in recent memory. Throw in a bevy of technical problems and a third act that is complete nonsense, and Observer is, at best, a bit of a mess. To call this game a letdown would be an understatement.

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7.8 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2017

Observer is a very interesting first person adventure game featuring a well-crafted setting and characters as well as the team's signature transitions, which manage to carry everything forward in spite of the gameplay which gets slightly repetitive over time. While the single elements may not be particularly original, the sum of the parts more than makes up for it, making Observers a worthy purchase for fans of psychological horror and dystopian settings.

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74 / 100
Aug 16, 2017

What starts out as poorly articulated, corny dialogue starts to feel very fitting of the environment as you begin to realize everyone is only a fragment of themselves.

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Feb 11, 2019

Observer is a love letter to cyberpunk and Blade Runner in particular, but if you look past that it's also a really great game in its own right. We are taken on a graphic and dark journey, in a bleak but believable world, meeting all manner of interesting and isolated characters as Dan searches for his son. Dripping with atmosphere, blood and chrome, this game is a slow, dark deliberate journey through the dark heart of a hellish future and the nightmares within.  Observer is available from the Nintendo e-shop for £26.99

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75 / 100
Feb 12, 2019

Observer on the Switch brings back all the good aspects of the game and gives you more flexibility on how to play it with new touch inputs and, of course, the option to play it on the go.

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8.5 / 10.0
Dec 12, 2017

Observer is a strange experience, punctuated by many "what the" moments. It's a game you have to talk to somebody about, that will make you reflect, and assault your saneness.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 4, 2017

Despite some minor technical quibbles and uneven voice acting, Observer is a nightmarish gem. Drawing heavily on seminal sci-fi film Blade Runner for its overall cyberpunk aesthetic, this new game from Bloober Team adds fantastic game design and an engaging narrative to keep you coming back despite the terror it induces.

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9 / 10
Aug 30, 2017

Through the painting of a dystopian society controlled by a powerful corporation, this narrative experience fascinates as much as it disturbs. It interrogates the player about transhumanism and virtual reality in a very original way, directly involving him in the heart of his reflection. Observer is one of those games you remember for a very long time.

Review in French | Read full review

2.5 / 5.0
Aug 24, 2017

While gameplay might not break any new ground, puzzles and crime scenes provide enough interaction to keep you engaged beyond just watching the story unfold. The way in which the Observer uses implants as a means to explore memories is inventive, giving the narrative a grander sense of scale without technically leaving the building.

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6 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2017

Observer is brilliant in dozens of ways, yet deeply flawed in just as many. The quality of its story ranges from a confusing mess to some of the best written characters of this generation. The game's biggest issue is its inconsistency on when and where to deliver its moments of horror. There was little to keep me going besides the next opportunity to speak to a troubled citizen of futuristic Krakow's most interesting building block.

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ACG
Top Critic
Buy
Aug 16, 2017
Observer Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Rent, Never Touch?" video thumbnail
Aug 14, 2017

Whether or not you suffer from simulator sickness, Bloober Team's latest, Observer, will make you queasy.

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81 / 100
Feb 19, 2019

Varied horror psychotrip into an atmospheric cyberpunk world with annoying stealth passages.

Review in German | Read full review

8 / 10
Feb 27, 2019

Observer is something unique on the Nintendo Switch catalogue, a game that brings two very different gameplay styles together and which creates a haunting and disturbing experience, in the background of a marvelous cyberpunk dystopian atmosphere and with a plot that allows for several different endings. This is a game everyone should try at least once.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Nintendo Enthusiast
Benjamin Weeks
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2019

Ultimately, Observer excels at world building and gameplay variety, keeping the player busy with a list of things to do.

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9 / 10
Feb 7, 2019

Despite the technical downgrade compared with the other versions, Observer is still an extraordinary game with a magnificent cyberpunk atmosphere and some visual effects that would certainly please David Lynch.

Review in French | Read full review

8 / 10
Feb 7, 2019

Despite threatening to fizzle under the weight of its reverence for Blade Runner, Observer manages to craft an impressive and affecting horror experience on Switch that doesn't outstay its welcome. It's arguably at its best when you surrender to the barrage of imagery and sounds rather than scanning pools of blood with detective vision. This port walks a technical tightrope and falters a little in docked mode, but fares much better as a handheld experience – its ambition and rich world-building are admirable enough to make up for any technical shortcomings. If Bloober Team doubles-down on the horror genre and keeps producing work of this quality, we'll gladly play whatever's next in the pipeline.

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Feb 7, 2019

The Rutger Hauer-starring cyberpunk noir adventure game >observer_ arrives to the Nintendo Switch in an extremely well-crafted and impressive port.

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8 / 10
Oct 4, 2017

Observer is incredibly solid. It's steeped in narrative and features dark and beautiful environments. It captures the dystopian feel of an uncertain and technologically filled future. And there's certainly enough to spook you or keep you on your toes. No mind interrogation is easy or makes much sense, but you can never fully understand the mind either. Aside from the creepy, intense leaps into other's minds or completing a forensic investigation into a crime scene, much of the story is told through slow exposition. The world is seemingly devoid, and aside from a few places, I never felt pressured or frightened. It was more of a "I'll just keep going this way until something changes." The lack of interactions in the world makes me question a lot of what Lazarski experiences, making it seem like reality is suspect in itself.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 24, 2017

Unusual but fantastic take on cyberpunk. Observer is an exciting title for every fan of the depressing sci-fi worlds. Not without its faults, the game is worth your attention and your money.

Review in Polish | Read full review