Observer: System Redux

This is more of a heads up than a review. The game has a rich premise, the sound design and music is really cool. Maybe its a little slow paced for me, but that's not why I'm reviewing. I'm writing this review is to warn potential purchasers against plunking down the cash unless they have a high tolerance for eye strain. It has a standard seizure warning, sure. Just be aware that, even if you aren't at risk for a seizure, you may walk away after a session feeling nausea, eye pain and headache. But if that's not you then go ahead and check it out.

The original Observer game is a must-have game for sci-fi, narrative game fans. Highly recommended!! 4.5 star game. The Redux version is a big step up in improved graphics, gameplay and additional game content. But... The Redux version as of November 23, 2020 has some annoying and somewhat persistent performance issues. Specifically micro stutters and significant frame rate drops. Fortunately I've seen the developers responding on various forums, so they are aware and working on the issues. So given enough time I'm sure they'll fix the problems. But I would suggest being patient and wait until you see evidence on forums and other sources that the performance issues have been fixed. I had previously purchased the original Observer, so I was able to buy the Redux version for only $6.99. But I would recommend full price for either version. Buy original version for an older PC and Redux version for a newer PC. As a comparison my PC specs are: Intel i5-8400, nVidia GTX 1660 Super 6GB, 16GB RAM, Windows 10 Home Edition. On Original version I got consistent 60FPS at 1920x1200 max video settings (measured using MSI Afterburner). Occasional micro stutters. On Redux version I averaged FPS of 45-50 with best FPS of 60 with regular FPS drops down to 30-35 FPS. Frequent micro stutters. Dropping resolution down to 1680x1050 did not eliminate micro stutters or the drastic frame rate drops. It was better than at 1920x1200, but it was still pretty bad. I had to go all the way down to a horrible 1280x800 resolution to get reasonably consistent frame rates, but even then micro stutters were fairly common. Once the developers work out the kinks on micro stutters and frame rate drops, the new Redux version is a definite improvement on a really great game.

I know “walking simulator” is pretty much an insult for a game, to most people. But the thing is... I don’t really agree. It might be weird to read, but I don’t really play games for gameplay per se. I play games for an emotional/intellectual experience (TM) – to feel something, or reflect on something interesting. If I wanted perfect gameplay, I’d just play chess over and over again. And “Observer” is generally a solid tier walking sim in my opinion – definitely engaging enough to keep me going. It’s a rather classic cyberpunk story, in a way – it doesn’t do anything that outrageously innovative or mind-blowing, but it has enough set pieces to keep me engaged. You play as Daniel Lazarski, an Observer in the 5th Polish Republic of 2080s. What’s an observer? It’s kind of a neural interrogator, that can connect to the minds of others, and get their deepest secrets laid bare. Don’t let me lie to you – the game really IS an epitome of a walking simulator. There’s really nothing to do in the game than just walking and looking around – most of the “puzzles” solve themselves, the “dialogue” usually consists of choosing one of two options, and there are really no enemies to speak of that would require any meaningful action out of you, barring one or two pre-set stealth sections. But if you relent to that, I think the exploration and the story in Observer are actually not half-bad. The game has a very bleak color-palette, which if fitting, since it takes place in Poland. Heh. The story hits a lot of tried and true cyberpunk tropes – as I said, none of them are particularly groundbreaking, but they are well presented enough to still be kinda interesting. Overall, though, Observer was good enough for me. Not mindblowing, but intersting enough to not make me feel like I wasted my time after playing it. If you’d like to see how it plays, you can see it on my youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P--E6h7FlSw&list=PLp4TpsJ7HUWUFA0AZPNnv1q7Ebh-90f70&index=2

The redux may have better textures and lighting, but the contrast is horrendous, all the colors look desaturated, I prefer the og version, it has a strong contrast that intensifies the visual effetcs and feels more fitting for the game, And that's why I give it fours stars instead of 5, the story is great and the whole journey is bonkers, impecable voice acting, amazing music, just woonderful. If you can get your hands on the OG version, do so.