Still Wakes the Deep

A shoo-in for scariest game of 2024 so far, Still Wakes the Deep duties you as electrician Caz aboard a bleak, ocean-rusting North Sea oil rig before an accident occurs and situations go awry. It’s best not to know too much before stepping aboard, but safe to say The Chinese Room have delivered an atmospheric horror for the ages, replete in equal measure dread and mystery.

]]> 601622 https://gamingbolt.com/the-medium-and-observer-sequels-are-possible-bloober-team-says https://gamingbolt.com/the-medium-and-observer-sequels-are-possible-bloober-team-says#respond Mon, 09 Jan 2023 10:35:28 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=540221 With Silent Hill 2 nearing the end of development and Layers of Fears set to launch in the early months of this year, Bloober Team has two major projects that it’ll be wrapping up in the near future, but details on what comes next for the studio are currently scant. With its next major games after the aforementioned pair currently unannounced though, is there a chance that the developer ends up going back to some of its older titles and working on sequels?

According to Kacper Michalski, who’s the head of production at Bloober Team, it’s not out of the question. Speaking in a recent interview with GamingBolt, when asked if the likes of The Medium and Observer could get sequels at some point, Michalski said that if the developer can “come up with a good idea”, it would certainly be “possible.”

“Who knows,” Michalski said in response to the question. “If we come up with a good idea on how to make a jump back to the universe of Observer or The Medium, then why not? Everything’s possible.”

Interestingly, there’s plenty else on Bloober Team’s plate as it is that’s yet to be announced in an official capacity. The developer recently confirmed that it has partnered with Private Division to work on an all-new survival horror game, while in November 2021, it also announced a partnership with Rogue Games for an unannounced next-gen title for PC and consoles.

The studio recently also hinted at the possibility of additional Silent Hill projects after the upcoming remake – though of course, one would assume that’s far from concrete at this point.

After releasing for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, Observer: System Redux is slated to release for PS4 and Xbox One. It launches on July 16th with Koch Media distributing the physical “Day One Edition” for $29.99. This includes the base game, official soundtrack and an art book.

Set in 2084, where the world has been ravaged by war and the Nanophage plague, players assume the role of Daniel Lazarski. As an Observer, he’s tasked with hacking into the minds of various citizens. However, things take a turn for the weird when he receives a call from his estranged son in a run-down tenement building.

Along with improved visuals, Observer: System Redux sports new missions, quality of life improvements, more neural interrogations and various secrets to find. It should be interesting to see if the title runs in 4K on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime and check out our review for System Redux here.

Bloober Team may have entered the new generation of consoles with a brand new ambitious release in The Medium, but at the same time, they also went back to one of their most beloved releases and brought it forward to the new hardware with significant improvements in Observer: System Redux. On the PS5, the game already featured support for ray-tracing, leaving many to wonder whether the same feature would be added to other platforms as well. Well, wonder no more.

Over on Twitter, the developer has confirmed via the game’s official page that the latest patch for Observer: System Redux (patch 1.3) enables ray-tracing in the game’s Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC versions. Other improvements have also been made, such as a dynamic resolution option being added, light and level streaming being optimized, and more.

Observer: System Redux is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and will also be getting a physical release soon.

https://twitter.com/ObserverRedux/status/1376581959439253510

As with the original, System Redux is set in the year 2084 in Krakow, Poland. The world has turned into a cybernetic dystopian future where virtually everyone has a microchip implanted in their brains and is monitored by the megacorporation Chiron. It’s such a familiar setting in media that the game never thoroughly explains how the world got the way it is, though there is a lot of world building regarding rebellious factions and other groups that don’t conform.

It seemingly expects you to accept the setting at face value and move forward from there, and it would’ve been nice to delve into more of the history behind the world. The plot revolves around Daniel Lazarski, a detective with the Observer subset of the police department whose work mirrors that of a homicide detective, though his tools are understandably much more futuristic. He can approach a murder or crime scene and scan anything with either a biometric or electromagnetic implant, which tells him details regarding evidence.

"Observer: System Redux is fundamentally the same game as the original, and many of its problems have persisted through the upgrade, but what was already a solid, if not particularly unique or groundbreaking, psychological horror game has been made that much better with more resources under its belt."

From the outset, Lazarski is tasked with finding and arresting the murderer of a tenant in an apartment complex, from which the game’s setting never really expands. This relatively straightforward investigation is the line that connects the entirety of the game’s plot, as a handful of murders make up the sequence of events that last the entire game. Some short side missions are the only divergences from investigating each crime scene and using the evidence to move either to the next one or to snuffing out the killer’s location.

Having such a compact game, which takes only 7-8 hours to complete, allows it to cut out a lot of the fat that other, longer games might contain, but it does get repetitive to see so little diversity in mission structure. Of course, there are larger and more complex themes at play that become more prominent as the game reaches its climax, but they don’t overshadow the relative simplicity of the plot’s substance. The story seems to want to explore some of these themes, especially regarding control, but it doesn’t ever give enough context to do so and leaves it to the player to sort out the pieces.

In place of a truly memorable plot are the visual style and highly memorable brain hacking sequences that occur throughout. Everything in the real world is constructed with colorful neon lights that give off a fittingly futuristic yet still engaging visual palette. The most interesting moments, though, come by way of Lazarski’s ability to hack people’s brain implants. One of his special privileges as an Observer is his access to any person’s brain chip, which lets him see inside their minds in the hopes of finding a clue as to who killed them or where a murder suspect could have come from. This access is manifested in the form of interactive nightmare sequences in which Lazarski watches and moves through what is effectively the victim’s life story.

While the game’s real world is contained primarily to the apartment complex, these nightmare sequences allow it to explore much more experimental and unique environments and visuals. Because they’re nightmares, there is no restriction on what can and can’t happen, so the game has the license to be as unsettling and ever-changing as it wants. As such, these sequences are easily the game’s most memorable and diverse. While there are only a handful of them throughout, each lasts long enough to have a lasting impact, and they don’t happen often enough to become stale.

Instead, I was always interested in what was happening within them. Whether things are seemingly normal within the apartment complex or completely absurd, like a puzzle that forces you to find and remove mind-altering computer chips that make a storage room look like a forest, they are always visually gripping and atmospheric, and they contain the most disturbing parts of the game because of how much uncertainty there is in what can come next within a nightmare.

"The story seems to want to explore some of these themes, especially regarding control, but it doesn’t ever give enough context to do so and leaves it to the player to sort out the pieces."

The nightmares are primarily linear walking simulators, but they do contain a handful of stealth moments that have luckily been improved from the original. Stealth no longer feels like a chore, though it has become much easier to walk virtually right past whoever is looking for you. Outside of the nightmares, the gameplay consists mainly of scanning environments for clues and talking to other people in the apartments. There’s very little that can go wrong in the real world, and the only obstacles you’ll face are the locked doors that lead to new areas, but these codes are almost always very easy to find.

The psychological horror aspects of Observer mostly lie in the atmosphere within the brain hacking sequences because of their wide-ranging possibilities, but the rest of the game mostly lacks any real tension that contributes to the same feeling. It’s unsettling to see a dead body or to hear the deranged conversations of people inside their apartments, but it never really put me on the edge of my seat.

An intermittent jump scare keeps you on your toes, but most of the scary sequences are more thrilling than downright terrifying, even in the nightmares. I found myself more unsettled by the state of a person’s mind than caught up in the fear that comes with games like Layers of Fear or Amnesia, and it quickly becomes monotonous when you get used to the dystopian tone, especially when you’re in the real world.

While System Redux isn’t solely a remaster, it’s easy to mistake it for one. The biggest upgrades are the noticeably improved visuals, which run at a solid 4K and 60 FPS and incorporate ray tracing. Needless to say, the game is downright gorgeous in its unique, often grotesque sense.

The number of particles flying across the screen and the way the lighting shines through the apartments are mesmerizing, further compounding the wide-ranging possibilities of the nightmare sequences to make them unforgettable. The other additions to the upgrade are new side missions, which are mostly in the shape of existing side missions and add some interesting new content but don’t make any real changes to the game’s core.

"The biggest upgrades are the noticeably improved visuals, which run at a solid 4K and 60 FPS and incorporate ray tracing. Needless to say, the game is downright gorgeous in its unique, often grotesque sense."

Observer: System Redux exemplifies the psychological horror dichotomy between visual style and concrete plot. There little truly interesting that actually happens within the story or that creates a consistently unsettling feel, but its visuals and environments do so much with so little. The brain hacking nightmare sequences are incredibly memorable pieces of mental exploration, and the environments in the real world are beautifully detailed.

The new additions to the package are highlighted by the gorgeous new visuals, which make the entire package’s presentation more intriguing. There are many uninspired aspects of Observer: System Redux that hinder the experience, but the game’s best moments make up for its downfalls with their truly remarkable explorations of the human psyche.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.

"The new story content is interwoven with the rest of the game, so it’s hard to put an exact number, but an average playthrough should be 20% longer."

Observer: System Redux is confirmed to feature new story content, but how hefty are these new additions going to be, in terms of how significant they are to the larger narrative?

The new story content allows the player to participate in a couple of additional investigations. They flesh out the game world. We want the player to better understand the harsh reality and unsettling minds that Observers like Dan Lazarski have to work with on a daily basis. We are excited to deliver a new immersive experience to the gamers.

How much gameplay time will this new content add to the game?

The new story content is interwoven with the rest of the game, so it’s hard to put an exact number, but an average playthrough should be 20% longer. Remembering, of course, that everything depends on the individual gaming style of the player.

Observer: System Redux promises improved visuals, and the reveal trailer certainly showcased some excellent graphics. Can you talk about the biggest improvements you’ve made to the game in that area, and how you’ve utilized next-gen hardware for that purpose?

Observer: System Redux offers Ray Tracing, high-quality textures, new approach on lighting and post-processing along with volumetric systems, more realistic particle effects, as well as revamped models and animations for NPCs. We are still working on improvements allowed by the new generation of consoles- for example, much faster map loading and zero freezing.

"Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers seem like a great opportunity to provide additional information about the environment – crucial for every investigator – or to create even more suspenseful experience, which you cannot overestimate in the horror genre."

Speaking of utilizing next-gen hardware, what are your thoughts on the PS5’s DualSense? Will Observer be making use of its unique features like haptic feedback or the adaptive triggers?

Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers seem like a great opportunity to provide additional information about the environment – crucial for every investigator – or to create even more suspenseful experience, which you cannot overestimate in the horror genre. We will for sure try to use these new options to enhance the dark and gritty atmosphere already present in Observer.

Something else the PS5 boast is its custom 3D audio engine, Tempest. I imagine 3D audio is something that can greatly benefit an atmosphere-driven title such as Observer. What are your thoughts on the tech, and can we expect to see it being leveraged in the game?

We can’t go into the details now. At the moment we can confirm next-gen graphics, enhanced gameplay in all the next-gen glory, and new story content.

But if you watch the reveal trailer closely you can find examples of new features we’re working on. Keep an eye out for more details on the enhancements in the coming weeks and months leading up to the premiere of next-generation consoles!

With this re-release, are you also taking the opportunity to rework or fix any issues that may have been brought to your attention by players or critics when the game first launched?

Yes – here we have analyzed most of the available comments on Steam and more. We also reviewed a lot of walkthrough on YouTube etc. Then we analyzed it and made a list of all the things that could be improved and we are doing it.

To mention just a few changes inspired by the community feedback, we are updating the save system, user interface, accessibility, and graphic options, as well as AI of some NPCs.

What’s the frame rate and resolution that you’re targeting for Observer: System Redux?

A stable, smooth gameplay and high quality of graphics are both very high on our list of priorities in this project. That being said, we cannot tell you the final frame rate and resolution just yet.

"The current launch window is Holiday 2020 and we will announce the exact date in the coming months. We are planning the premiere with the next-gen launch."

Will Observer: System Redux also be coming to PC and Switch at some point?

Currently we’re focusing on next-gen platforms. We will have more to say about other platforms at a later date.

Is Observer: System Redux going to be a launch title for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, or is an exact release date something you’ve not yet firmly landed on?

The current launch window is Holiday 2020 and we will announce the exact date in the coming months. We are planning the premiere with the next-gen launch.

Is this remaster of Observer indication that you’re looking at this IP that you want to invest in for the foreseeable future, perhaps even with sequels?

Observer is extremely important to us, which is why the idea of creating its definitive version came up. Currently we’re focusing on next-gen platforms, and on other projects like The Medium.

In January, Bloober Team sent out a mysterious and cryptic teaser that hinted at some new upcoming announcement related to their 2017 cyberpunk psychological horror game Observer. Now, they’ve pulled the curtain back on that announcement- well, to some extent, anyway.

Bloober Team have unveiled Observer: System Redux, a remaster of the game headed to next-gen systems. There are no more details given on this, such as what kind of enhancements this release will be making to the base game, or when we can expect it to be released, but a full reveal of the same is not far away. An image of the game on its official Facebook page mentioned a full reveal on April 16, just a week from now, and even though that has been updated to replace the date with a simple “stay tuned”, we have the original image for you below (via Gematsu).

Observer is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated on any new info on Observer: System Redux that comes our way.

Polish developer Bloober Team are making quite the name for themselves. They’ve made several horror games now, psychological and first person in nature. They’ve even worked on a major franchise now in their latest title, Blair Witch. Now it seems they are teasing a sequel to the 2017 hit, Observer.

Bloober Team have released a mysterious teaser called simply “Incoming Call”. While there’s not a lot there, it seems to have the same cyberpunk aesthetic of the first game. But the kicker? Gematsu decoded the binary code in the video, and it translates to “Daniel, are you there?” Daniel Lazarski was the name of the main character from Observer, which saw Lazarki hacking into people’s brains and having to navigate the horrors within.

It seems at this point it almost certainly is a tease for a sequel or spin off of some kind to the series. We’ll keep you updated when an official announcement is made.

It’s that time of the week again for the new free games on the Epic Games Store. There’s a lot of strong feelings surrounding the storefront, but if you can take a breath about it for a moment, you can download both Alan Wake’s American Nightmare and Observer.

Alan Wake’s American Nightmare is a standalone pseudo-sequel to Alan Wake, which was free on the Epic Games Store earlier. You play as Alan Wake, who must battle through hordes of terrors as you’re haunted by the evil doppleganger Mr. Scratch.

Obersever is a horror game from Bloober Team, the developers of the most recent Blair Witch game and Layers of Fear. It takes place in a cyberpunk setting, where you must hack into the minds of depraved criminals, though things aren’t as they seem, with mysteries about who is watching whom.

Both games are free from today until October 24th. When they go out of rotation, they will be replaced with Layers of Fear (another game from Bloober Team) and Q.U.B.E 2 until the end of the month.

WATCH DOGS

Of course, we’re starting with the most obvious (and by obvious, I mean publicized) choice. Watch Dogs is a game that is all about hacking. Hacking is your primary tool, and though you drive cars and shoot bad guys, hacking is ultimately what most stuff in the game centres around. From hacking into phones to extract private information on people of interest to hacking into traffic signals to turn the tide of car chases in your favour, Watch Dogs lets you do all that. It’s true that those mechanics aren’t nearly at the level that much of the game’s pre-release hype implied they would be, but all said and done, they’re still pretty solid.