You’ll continually need to recalibrate your deteriorating mental state using the convenient medication provided by an oppressive mega-corporation. You uncover a gruesome murder and must use your augmented enhancements to track down the perpetrator.

Soon after arriving at his grimy apartment, the complex is locked down due to fear of a plague outbreak and the residents are all locked in their quarters. Formerly the antagonist in the film Blade Runner, he must now take on the role of detective and uncover why his estranged son has chosen to reconnect now. The game stars Rutger Hauer in both voice and likeness playing Daniel Lazarski. Rightfully so, everyone in the universe has a healthy fear of your ability and responds differently when they find out who you are. The game designates these levels as dream eater sequences. You play as a special detective classified as an “observer,” aptly named after your ability to hack into suspects’ memories. These enhancements are a boon for the gameplay as so much of your time is spent carefully scouring crime scenes, speaking with tenants, and slowly wandering the labyrinthian apartment complex so named “The Stacks.” Whether you’re returning to the game or waiting to jack-in until now, you certainly won’t be disappointed in the presentation. Now including 4k textures, enhanced lighting, shorter load times, and running at native 4k/60fps, the System Redux version also includes more narrative content, mechanics, and side missions. This latest version sports a suite of enhancements to take advantage of the next generation of hardware. If any of these dystopian universes appeal to you, grab a pair of headphones, draw the curtains, and jump into the grimy, neon surveillance-state of 2084.

Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and George Orwell’s 1984. Furthermore, there are direct thematic references to the aforementioned film’s basis in Phillip K. The game as a work of fiction sits somewhere between an homage and an alternative universe of Ridley Scott’s seminal film Blade Runner. Observer: System Redux’s next-gen treatment of its original 2017 release adds new story elements, faster loading times, and all the accoutrements you would expect of your shiny new next-gen hardware.

Observer system redux review