Developer: Bloober Team
Platforms: macOS, PS4, PS5, Switch, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X (Reviewed) |S
Genre: Adventure, Horror
Publisher: Bloober Team
Observer: System Redux is a psychological horror thriller set in a futuristic cyberpunk world. You play the role of Daniel Lazarski (Rutger Hauer) an observer detective. You investigate an anonymous call and you follow this journey through this dystopian world.
The first thing is the striking visuals mixed with the mixture of cyberpunk elements, modified humans and a sense of unease of your surroundings. It’s a first-person detective game where you have to get to the bottom of a series of strange events. As a neural detective, the key elements involve investigating crime scenes using your additional powers (human mods). There is one critical ability which is the ability to hack the minds of humans. Observer draws on this gameplay mechanic to help further the investigation. It’s also used for dramatic effect to provide further tension, suspense and horror to the game.
The voice acting is superb, the interactions with NPCs is fantastic, there is an amazing amount of detail. Corridors and hallways are dimly lit, it’s a dark world with neon lights that stand out. The artwork, levels and the whole game combines all the aspects superbly. The game is linear but there is a wonderful build-up of the atmosphere, tension and dread throughout. The voice acting and characters you meet make each interaction noteworthy and interesting. It all plays into this fantastic horror game. The tone, music, and effects all add to the air of uncertainty too.
I played on the Xbox Series X, this version has updated graphics (textures, models and effects), the graphics look superb and provides a much-needed update for next-gen consoles. PS 5 and Xbox Series X support 4K at 60 fps, this is with no ray tracing.
Characters, details, voice acting and cinematics add a superb sense of dread, horror and an uneasy sense to the whole game. This game has a tense and thrilling atmosphere that underpins the whole game. It’s eerie, moody and full of dread. The game gets the mix of cinematics and cyberpunk elements right. All the elements work amazingly well together.
Overall: 8/10
Enjoys more than the odd game, long time gamer, somewhat a technologist and everything else in between.
Also enjoys a good solid game of FIFA online. Currently PS4, XBOX 360 and STEAM.
