The horror and sci-fi genres often get awkwardly lumped together simply because
some monsters come from outer space
or someone needed a plausible reason for the dead to come back to life.
Yet at times, the two blend together naturally due
to the more subtle and intrinsic fear of the unknown.
Such is the case with Observation from No Code and Devolver Digital which
has you begin in a perilous scenario that defies explanation.
Instead of playing as an astronaut on a space station, you play as the space station itself,
or more accurately, the AI program that keeps the station running.
Nicknamed SAM, you reboot after a catastrophic event has destabilized the station
and shut down most of its core systems.
With your memory damaged, there’s little record of what went wrong.
So it’s up to you and crew member Emma Fisher to get the station back in order, search for any other survivors,
and find out what happened.
The lonely and claustrophobic setting contributes to an enduring sense of dread,
as you uncover the game’s mysteries, the answers become even more ominous.
As an AI, you view the station through cameras placed in every room, and you switch between cameras
to search every angle for clues and items to interact with.
At times you’re also able to take control of mobile spheres that can move freely around the station.
The concept is presented strongly with various degrees of visual noise on every camera
and flashes of static when you bump into objects with the sphere.
There’s also a lot of text as well as a rudimentary operating system that appears on-screen,
allowing you to interact with objects and communicate with Emma.
It’s disconcerting when even your own functions get hijacked by messages
and symbols from unknown origins.
Through much of the story, you’re following commands and responding to Emma,
and there’s a convincing sense of working on problems together.
You run diagnostics, unlock doors, help put out a fire,
and troubleshoot various systems to reactivate them.
Often, interacting with the ship’s devices doesn’t necessarily feel like solving puzzles
so much as trying to follow instruction manuals for pieces of technical equipment
you’ve never laid eyes on before.
Thankfully, there’s enough variety in these interfaces so that the mechanics never grow stale.
However, there is one device that we ran into trouble with on multiple occasions.
When trying to input broadcast coordinates, they didn’t register as being the correct solution,
preventing us from moving on to the next step,
and leading to several wasted minutes of trying to sort out what we possibly could have missed.
It was only when we re-entered the same numbers out of frustration
that it suddenly worked and allowed us to continue.
During more dramatic events, you’re largely caught up in the moment,
responding to Emma’s requests, but there are times when you’re sent to distant locations,
giving you freedom to explore.
Optional audio logs on laptops as well as photos and documents affixed to the walls
flesh out the crew’s backstories
and help to give you a more comprehensive understanding of what led to the current crisis.
The cost of this freedom is that these periods can start to feel a little mundane,
particularly when you’re simply adjusting camera angles to scan for any clue you can find.
Combined with an effort to not lead you by the nose, the pace can slow down slightly in what amounts
to a good old-fashioned round of pixel-hunting.
Regardless of a few dry spells, it’s where this seven-hour adventure takes you that’s most compelling.
It isn’t a branching narrative, but there are multiple layers to how events unfold,
and the game puts you in the middle of complex situations without over-explaining them,
making them just as bewildering as if you were really there.
It’s well worth grabbing a pair of headphones, turning out the lights, and seeing where this dark tale leads.
Easy Allies Reviews are made possible by generous viewers just like you.
If you like what you see, check out patreon.com/easyallies to help us make more.
For just $1 a month, you can gain access to weekly updates, spoiler discussions, and exclusive shows.