Observation Reviews
No Code's sophomore title nails the organic intricacies of feeling like an artificial intelligence system while also telling a compelling and ambitious science fiction narrative.
Observation is almost a great game. Characters are interesting enough to hold up an often-surprising story, gameplay sweats intensity and is rewarding more often than not, and what No Code has managed to put together in spite of its small budget is tremendous. What stings more than anything is the thought of what could be. The game has a lot of things that need fixing, even if the hiccups are mostly surface level and technical. Observation truly seems to be only a few patches away from cementing itself as a worthwhile experience in the narratively-driven genre of games. Until then, Observation’s shot at the moon left it drifting into space.
Observation is one of the most immersive interactive narrative-based games I've played outside of Virtual Reality. Instead of taking control of the protagonist directly, you'll be in control of the AI which can traverse through the various systems as you investigate the disappearance of the crew. You'll be fooled into thinking you're watching an '80s Sci-fi film with all of the VHS post-effects and familiar surroundings which look like they've been ripped right out of the set from Alien. Although built around the incredibly strong narrative and immersive interactions, you'll have to overcome various puzzles as you move around the ship trying to uncover the truth.
My own lack of emotional investment doesn’t negate what Observation does so well. No Code has created something truly unique. It defies easy “x meets y meets z” categorization. While there are recognizable component parts—the map of a ship-builder, the numerous small mechanics of a microgame collection, the rubberneckery of an immersive sim—I have never played anything quite like Observation. But, I’m guessing it would be awfully familiar to the AI in my pocket.
It's not that Observation brings revolutionary mechanics to its gameplay or narrative, but what makes this a special project is the incredible execution and use of the interactive nature of video games to tell an intriguing Sci-fi thriller. It may sound cliché, but the in-game situations are so well implemented and contextualized that you really feel as an important and operative part of this story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Observation will undoubtedly make a lot of best of 2019 lists. Its unique design and mesh of a thrilling space station story that’s bound to get the heart racing and well-implemented puzzles make it a standout.
For whatever visual blemishes show up, or for however far the third act strays, Observation remains a deeply fascinating experience.
Observation is one of the best pieces of science fiction in recent memory, and touchy controls can't hold this title back from being an incredible title.
"Does this unit have a soul?" Fans will recognize the quote to belong to Legion from the Mass Effect series, an AI who ultimately, leaves it up to the player on whether artificial intelligence can have a soul or not. With SAM, that question is arguably already answered due to you being in control of the AI in the first place, but it is still a fascinating concept to consider and I deeply enjoyed the intrigue behind it.
Observation’s tedious gameplay and intriguing story kept me asking myself if it would have been better as a film than a game.
Observation is a game that is dripping with potential, and starts brilliantly, but the further you go through the game the more your desire to keep playing drains, a bit like a leaky space suit with oxygen depleting issues. It is worth a play through to soak up the brilliant atmosphere and gasp at the visuals. But only the most hardened walking-sim gamer will find much game in this.
"Observation" turns out to be an exciting sci-fi thriller that makes use of a unique concept and gives the player a completely new perspective. With each additional puzzle, the player delves deeper into the dark history of space and is driven by the question of the original events. Even though the game concept and storytelling are convincing, the gameplay is sometimes a bit difficult due to the catchy and partly generic puzzles. All in all, players with "Observation" get a thrilling sci-fi adventure, which can convince with its story as well as audio-visually.
Review in German | Read full review
An intense and memorable experience.
NoCode second game is just brilliant. Observation is a “walking sim”, that easily can make us feel like HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The studio created a story filled with tension and an unexpected ending. Also the art direction and interface design is one of the greatest I've ever seen this generation.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
This is a good game that prioritizes the story and the setting above everything else, which would be good if some arguable design decisions and a handful of bugs that tarnish the experience had not been added.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Throughout it’s 5-7 hour campaign Observation will take you on a thrilling journey and put you front and centre inside a space craft. Slowly uncovering the game’s mysteries by completing numerous puzzles. While I really enjoyed my time with Observation I would have loved for some of these puzzles to be more complex to solve. And while the environments on the ship look great No Code haven’t quite hit that AAA level of quality when it comes to the primary character models just yet. But they have definitely produced a quality title here and I’m really looking forward to see what the team puts out next.
If you’re after an experience like no other, that will challenge your problem-solving skills in logical and believable ways, you absolutely need to play Observation. It’s one of the most compelling and surprising games I’ve played in recent years. Its biggest achievement, though, is that it didn’t make me feel like I was playing a game; it made me feel like I was genuinely assisting a crew member in distress.
An amazing, unique and genuinely mind-bending entry into the science-fiction genre, Observation draws on its distinct set-up to pull you into a mystery set deep in space. It's existential dread condensed into roughly six to eight hours of gameplay. Discounting the sometimes buggy levels, it has everything you could ever ask for in an original sci-fi title: an intriguing premise, a foreboding theme, and an AI player character, whose motive eludes even yourself.
Observation is truly a thinking person's game... and it's a rare gem for that.
Observation promises an eerie space thriller, and it delivers. Almost. There's a great game there but its flaws too often make it feel like it's trying to hide from you.