PLATFORM: Nintendo Switch
DEVELOPER: Bloober Team
TYPE OF GAME: the type that makes you think and scares you shitless
PLAYERS: single-player, engaging story
AVAILABLE: out now
FILE SIZE: 18 GB
Observer is a cyberpunk, detective thriller set in the year 2084 in Krakow, Poland. Developed by Bloober Team, the guys and gals behind ‘Layers of Fear’, this indie game quickly caught my attention as soon as it was announced to be coming to Switch. The setting mixed with the team’s track record of delivering quality experiences creates a perfect blend of deep story-telling and world-building that’s guaranteed to keep you hooked for the duration of the game. In fact, I have to say that I couldn’t put this game down, to the point where I stayed up for hours completely losing track of time. This was by far one of the scariest and most suspenseful games I’ve ever played. Thank God for portable mode and adult diapers.
THE STORY
You play as Daniel Lazarski, an Observer trying to unravel the mystery of his son’s disappearance in a world where Chiron, a powerful corporation, rules everything after devastating wars and a ‘nanophage’ plague lethal to people who’ve chosen to augment their bodies in various ways. The game features a deep backstory and delivers story elements through interactions, emails, posters and many subtle references and details spread throughout the environment. The developers should be really proud because every bit of information you find is interesting and adds layer upon layer to the gripping lore of Observer. Dialogue options are also available and help you steer the conversation in the direction you want. These options also let you alter your playstyle, which means that you can either play as a straight-to-the-point detective or take a more investigative route which allows you to get the maximum amount of exposition.
THE GAMEPLAY
The gameplay in Observer ranges from detective-like to run for your life while screaming “FUUUCK” at 2 AM in the morning while holding your Switch in bed (happened to a friend). As a detective, Lazarski has a few augmentations/implants of his own to help him scan objects and biological material. Interacting with the environment (doors, NPCs, furniture) is done in a realistic way without feeling tedious. For example, opening a door requires you to hold down a trigger and move the control stick to open or close. Objects can be picked up, examined carefully and be used to solve certain puzzles. The game sprinkles some great puzzle solving in intense situations and it can feel very rewarding once you actually find the solution. Gameplay feels smart and well done. Your character controls very well and the game can feel very intuitive and immersive.
THE WORLD
Observer is a beautiful game. The developers used Unreal Engine 4 to craft environments filled with incredible lighting, perfectly in tune with the game’s gloomy cyberpunk vibe of a world where a ‘nanophage’ threat can set a whole building on lockdown and people fearing for their lives. Whether you are outside between building complexes or indoors, no room or hallway feels the same. Trinkets, trash, scuffs, aged furniture and many small additions make the world feel realistic, as if it is actually populated. It doesn’t have that classic video game look because the team clearly worked to painstakingly add small details to every corner of the game world.
THE VISUAL DESIGN
Adding to the expertly crafted world of Observer are a long list of effects and great model work on the main character’s hands as well as the occasional NPC you meet. Colour grading is top notch, light bloom, reflections and texture work are some of the best seen on Switch. It’s really quite a joy to see such a good-looking game running on Switch and looking great in portable mode as well. I especially like the fact that despite this being a first-person game, your character is fully modelled when you look down and you can also see your character’s shadow if the lighting allows for it. Certain brain hacking sequences in the game are also impressive from an artistic standpoint. Observer is a thrill ride like no other on Switch. My only complaint is the uncapped framerate, which can be distracting at times since it ranges from around 30 to 60 depending on how “busy” your surroundings are. One particular “outdoor” sequence really tanked the framerate but thankfully it didn’t last long and didn’t impede the flow of the sequence. I’ve seen this type of framerate imbalance before in another UE4 Switch game which leads me to believe it might have more to do with Unreal Engine 4 challenges rather than the developer’s lack of optimisation.
THE SOUND DESIGN
Like I mentioned before, the fantastic world-building of Observer doesn’t stop with its story or visual design. A lot of it has to do with sound design and voice acting. The game’s excellent musical score, which you’ll get a taste of right from the main menu, blends perfectly with the game world and compliments the visual design perfectly, immersing you further into the well-crafted cyberpunk universe. I recommend playing the game with headphones if you have that option. Especially in some sequences which I won’t spoil, the visual elements on-screen combined with the sound design can send you on quite a thrill ride, if not running for the nearest bathroom. When a musical shift is enough to get your heart racing, that’s when you know the developers did their job well. Additionally, Observer has you constantly interacting with fully-voiced NPCs, all of which deliver their lines perfectly and with great direction. Dialogue feels natural and at times, haunting. Excellent voice acting by everyone involved.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re a fan of psychological-horror games with excellent, believable world-building, then it is very easy to recommend Observer to you. The choice to set this game in 2084 is not random. This does feel like a futuristic psychological-horror ‘1984’ game with many twists and turns and an ending that’s worth every penny. For the experience it delivers and the 8-10 hours of gameplay it offers, I believe this game should be an easy choice to make the next time you have some cash to spend on the Nintendo e-Shop. It’s deep, engaging, memorable and definitely one of the most unique games on the Switch right now. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to change my pants.