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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45 / 100
Aug 23, 2017

Brainhacking will blow your mind, but you'll want to get the cop out of your head by the end.

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5 / 10.0
Mar 20, 2024

All told, Observer showcases the quintessential cyberpunk world, offering a bleak glance at a future that oozes distrust, oil, and injustice from every pore. The visuals, even on the Switch, are impressive, and portray a world so dingy that it’s borderline uncomfortable. Creeping through the jumbled mind of Dan Lazarski (Hauer) is oftentimes legitimately troubling, but despite the effective styling and a well written score, the experience is severely hampered by sluggish controls, unclear storytelling and an almost complete lack of gameplay.

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50 / 100
Feb 25, 2019

Observer is a good title. Good story, a solid core, and a great setting. Simply, if you can play anywhere else, the experience will be more satisfying than on Switch.

Review in Spanish | 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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Cubed3
Top Critic
6 / 10
Mar 2, 2019

Observer could have been more. It has style and exceptional art direction, a creative premise but flaccid and unimaginative gameplay. Maybe this comes with the territory when it comes to walking-sims or first-person adventure games, but there really is no excuse for the lack of imagination because much older games have found ways to keep things fresh while adventuring. There is very little attention to detail when it comes to interaction and player-choice. Observer should have been like playing a pacifist run on the original Deus Ex.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2017

A beautifully realised and often harrowing cyberpunk tale let down by repetition and gameplay which is both simple and frustrating in equal measure.

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6 / 10.0
Aug 14, 2017

Observer feels like a step down from Layers of Fear. It's intriguing and mind-bending enough for sure with its atmosphere sure to creep out people. But the lead VA, annoying artefacts and some of the horror elements just don't click.

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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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Aug 14, 2017

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

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6.2 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2017

Observer is one of those games that not everyone can communicate with. If we ignore game-play issues, Observer is definitely worth experiencing once. Having said that, before you start the game, you need to know you’d better not compare it with other games with similar genre as you’ll get highly disappointed!

Review in Persian | Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Feb 7, 2019

You’ll play the game as Dan Lazarski, a sort of cyber-detective operating in a dystopian future world full of augmented humans...

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6.5 / 10.0
Aug 14, 2017
Observer Review | Brilliance Shrouded by Populism video thumbnail
6.5 / 10.0
Feb 14, 2019

WORTH CONSIDERING - There are a few times where Observer shines when you relinquish your mind to its sensory overload. The gameplay can be painfully slow and the story really takes its time to get going. If you’re into Blade Runner it will whet your appetite for a cyberpunk world, but it won’t spark any deep conversations or existential crises you’ve come to associate with the genre.

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6.5 / 10.0
Sep 24, 2017

Overall Observer is good at what it does, but it's not the sort of place I overly enjoyed being in. Rather than pelting headlong down the horror route, it straddles an awkward thriller line that didn't overly entice me. At no point was I desperate to boot it up and find out what happened next, no doubt partly due to the busy, often dizzying art style that made me feel like I was sat in the back of a hot car on a long journey. For those after a narrative driven, cyberpunk fix Observer certainly fills a hole though, provided you can deal with yet another take on technologies potential impact on humanity.

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6.5 / 10.0
Aug 24, 2017

As far as budget titles go, this one is a little steep for the relative lack of gameplay and storyline you get packaged with it-- but if you like incredibly detailed and spooky atmospheres coupled with plenty of jump-scares, this one may be worth a buy for you.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 28, 2017

Observer is a first-person cyberpunk horror title from the minds behind the reputedly excellent Layers of Fear, Bloober Team. Stepping into the cybernetically enhanced mind of Daniel Lazarski, modeled after and voiced by cyberpunk veteran Rutger Hauer, as he investigates the disappearance of his son. Exploring a dark, retro-futuristic world full of dark secrets, "Big Brother" and mind-hacking, Observer is an interesting tale that, more often than not, is an exercise in patience more than it is a horror story.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 12, 2019

With dated yet distinctive visuals, Observer is sure to suck people into the Dystopian world that Bloober Team created, but it won’t be for everyone.

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7 / 10
Aug 29, 2017

Observer is a suave, confident cyber-punk adventure that starts strongly then loses its way before the credits roll

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7 / 10.0
Feb 7, 2019
Observer Switch Review (Psychological Sci-Fi Horror!!) video thumbnail