Observer Reviews
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.
With Observer, Bloober Team have crafted an interesting, and often clever, sci-fi horror game. There's a few tiny technical hitches, some detective work that feels a little too obscure, and a lead character voiced in an inconsistent manner, yet the strength of the game's world-building, and execution of its memorable literal head trips, softens the blow considerably.
I've always thought thinking of the future could be scary, but Observer takes it to the next level.
Observer causes the most strange and mixed feelings. Remaining true to the chosen genre, developers perfectly convey the atmosphere of a gloomy technological future with organoid themes, drugs and virtual psychedelics. But boring walking sections, strange and annoying stealth, and some terrible visual effects, as well as a too weak main story leave a taste of disappointment. However, you should still try this game for the sake of side stories and a superbly transmitted atmosphere.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Observer is a tad clunky as a straight detective game but its story, setting and mind-diving conceit make it much more than that. It's gorgeously depressing, uncomfortable in a number of ways, and you won't be able to shake it from your own thoughts for some time.
The Rutger Hauer-starring cyberpunk noir adventure game >observer_ arrives to the Nintendo Switch in an extremely well-crafted and impressive port.
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.
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
Ultimately, Observer excels at world building and gameplay variety, keeping the player busy with a list of things to do.
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
Varied horror psychotrip into an atmospheric cyberpunk world with annoying stealth passages.
Review in German | Read full review
Whether or not you suffer from simulator sickness, Bloober Team's latest, Observer, will make you queasy.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
A brilliantly unique experience later soddened with unusual game design decisions.
Need a refresher course on all things discordantly cyberpunk-y before October? Look no further. Developer Bloober Team and publishing partner Aspyr settle us in to an unsettling world through a point-and-click exploration of malignant mind and afflicted body.