The Occupation Reviews
The Occupation's clever real-time investigations and immensely engrossing story are undone by its dedication to inducing tension by restricting saving, which is exasperated by uneven technical performance.
A staggeringly ambitious, gun-free immersive reality detective game set in an alternate 1980s Britain, whose admirable intentions are undermined by technical problems.
The Occupation is a classic example of a concept with great promise but poor execution.
The Occupation is an investigation game that tries to make every second count but is ultimately a missed opportunity.
The Occupation is an investigation game that tries to make every second count but is ultimately a missed opportunity.
The Occupation is an excellent concept for a game, and something I hope to see done more in the future, but it failed in several regards this time around. The story is perfectly functional, but the implied intrigue is nothing more than an implication, and any curiosity I had to learn more was purely in disbelief that it could be as simple as it seemed. The mechanics and systems, particularly those built around stealth, are far from refined, and further still from “fun.” Even fundamental interface components are tremendously flawed, as well as a bunch of other technical issues throughout. I love the premise of The Occupation so much, and I genuinely hope to see more in its ilk, but I simply can’t recommend this game.
The best bit of The Occupation is creeping around and scrabbling through paperwork, and that bit is bloody brilliant.
The foundations are present for a really enjoyable, unique game, and given more time, it could be. In OnlySP’s interview with White Paper Games, the team already outlined plans to tweak the game after release. If White Paper Games can fix these initial problems, The Occupation may yet be one of 2019’s best releases, just not upon initial release.
The Occupation is a smart, story-driven stealth adventure, the sort of game that gets under your skin in ways you didn't even realize.
The Occupation doesn't live up to its promises. After one hour of investigation, the player won't even try to understand what's going on anymore, as the narration feels way too elusive. Not to mention all the technical issues (framerate drops, glitches) and the bland art direction. It's a shame, given the interesting themes mentioned in the game.
Review in French | Read full review
The Occupation could, should and would be easily a gaming experience to recommend. Alas, the experience is tarnished with not just little, forgettable or mildly acceptable, bugs.
The Occupation is not recommend to those players that care for graphics ou how much time you will pass in front of the TV. Even with some technicals issues, it's recommended for those that appreciate a beautiful investigative story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
A superb, smart and taut detective thriller lay beneath the stack of technical and design issues that The Occupation has, it's just a shame that, in its current form at least, those shortcomings are at the forefront of the experience.
The Occupation is so many things I have wanted to see in a game, but I can't give it the love and adoration I want to.
The Occupation might not be the first of its kind, yet it manages to provide a distinct experience that delivers on everything it promises. With completion only lasting a few hours, you’ll find yourself craving more, whilst not actually feeling like your time with the game was cut short.
Playing The Occupation is like puzzling over a dense little knot of tangled priorities, information, and pressures. It’s tense to play through, and even more fun to go back and try the process again, armed with information from previous runs.
The Occupation is an inventive political thriller that does something new, but is let down by poor AI and some frustrating bugs.
The Occupation is a unique and intriguing investigative thriller, that is sadly ruined by a multitude of performance issues that see it never reach its full potential
An occasionally brilliant immersive sim blighted by bugs and a restrictive save system.
The Occupation tries to present itself as a political thriller emphasizing stealth. Sadly, it has neither the thrills nor the mechanics for both.