The game’s eerie atmosphere and relentless tension—fueled by its unsettling anomalies and paranoia-inducing mechanics—make it a standout in indie horror, even if its content and UI occasionally stumble under scrutiny.
What it's about: As an employee of a mysterious organization your job is to monitor live surveillance camera footage and spot anomalies using your sharp eyes and good memory. Can you survive the entire night shift or will you succumb into paranoia?
In-game
« Tres drole avec des amis, la longueur des parties rend le jeu plus interessant comme la fatigue s'installe, et les yeux commencent a inventer des objets qui ont bougés ou des anomalies »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2021 · 17 h played« Le jeu des 7 différences en version Paranormal activity. Concept original et plutôt bien réussi ! »👍 anonymous review · May 2019 · 9 h played« Le jeu des différence version horreur, c'est vraiment cool et ce pour un tout petit prix ! »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 6 h played« Très bon jeu. Je suis traumatisé à vie. Je recommande. »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2022 · 10 h played« Jeu d'anomalies sur caméra très sympa, Il suffit simplement de repérer des anomalies de tout type et le tour est joué ! »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 6 h played« Pas cher du tout et très cool à jouer, une quantité de contenu suffisante pour le prix. Le jeu mérite plus de visibilité »👍 anonymous review · Jul 2024 · 3 h played
« Il y a un intrus en face de toi, tu essaies ghost, intruder, other, distorsion, light, object... Outside, et à l'intérieur dans la salle concernée. Rien, ça marche pas. Je dis pas que le jeu est mauvais, mais que les options le sont. »👎 anonymous review · Jan 2026 · 4 h played« jai joué au 1 et 2 et jaimais bien jusqua ce qu il y ai des scenes d'acte sexuel et jai vu a aucune place ou c'etais mentionné »👎 anonymous review · Apr 2023 · 11 h played« Is this game mining Bitcoin in the background? Why does a point and click adventure bring my GPU to 87°C? »👎 anonymous review · May 2026 · 1 h played« One of the cheapest, most low-effort games I’ve ever played. Don’t waste your money. »👎 anonymous review · Feb 2026 · 0 h played« Game is broken. The in game menu's flicker and are unselectable so you cannot actually do anything. I've applied for a refund as the dev's don't respond on the community page - I'm not the only one with this issue according to it. »👎 anonymous review · Aug 2025 · 0 h played« Je me chie dessus. Je vous le dis, je me chie dessus. »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2024 · 1 h played
In players' words
« Tres drole avec des amis, la longueur des parties rend le jeu plus interessant comme la fatigue s'installe, et les yeux commencent a inventer des objets qui ont bougés ou des anomalies »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2021 · 17 h played« Il y a un intrus en face de toi, tu essaies ghost, intruder, other, distorsion, light, object... Outside, et à l'intérieur dans la salle concernée. Rien, ça marche pas. Je dis pas que le jeu est mauvais, mais que les options le sont. »👎 anonymous review · Jan 2026 · 4 h played« Le jeu des 7 différences en version Paranormal activity. Concept original et plutôt bien réussi ! »👍 anonymous review · May 2019 · 9 h played« jai joué au 1 et 2 et jaimais bien jusqua ce qu il y ai des scenes d'acte sexuel et jai vu a aucune place ou c'etais mentionné »👎 anonymous review · Apr 2023 · 11 h played« Le jeu des différence version horreur, c'est vraiment cool et ce pour un tout petit prix ! »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 6 h played« Is this game mining Bitcoin in the background? Why does a point and click adventure bring my GPU to 87°C? »👎 anonymous review · May 2026 · 1 h played« Très bon jeu. Je suis traumatisé à vie. Je recommande. »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2022 · 10 h played« One of the cheapest, most low-effort games I’ve ever played. Don’t waste your money. »👎 anonymous review · Feb 2026 · 0 h played« Jeu d'anomalies sur caméra très sympa, Il suffit simplement de repérer des anomalies de tout type et le tour est joué ! »👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 6 h played« Game is broken. The in game menu's flicker and are unselectable so you cannot actually do anything. I've applied for a refund as the dev's don't respond on the community page - I'm not the only one with this issue according to it. »👎 anonymous review · Aug 2025 · 0 h played« Pas cher du tout et très cool à jouer, une quantité de contenu suffisante pour le prix. Le jeu mérite plus de visibilité »👍 anonymous review · Jul 2024 · 3 h played« Je me chie dessus. Je vous le dis, je me chie dessus. »👍 anonymous review · Jun 2024 · 1 h played
Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.
What players say, by aspect
PositiveMixedNegative
Gameplay
87 % pos · n=141
Story / writing
89 % pos · n=45
Content / longevity
28 % pos · n=32
Value for money
84 % pos · n=19
Multiplayer
92 % pos · n=13
Interface / UX
8 % pos · n=12
Graphics / art
14 % pos · n=7
Audio / music
86 % pos · n=7
Performance
20 % pos · n=5
Stability / bugs
0 % pos · n=5
Detailed data (table)
Aspect
Mentions
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Gameplay
141
122
9
10
Story / writing
45
40
2
3
Content / longevity
32
9
4
19
Value for money
19
16
0
3
Multiplayer
13
12
0
1
Interface / UX
12
1
0
11
Graphics / art
7
1
0
6
Audio / music
7
6
0
1
Performance
5
1
0
4
Stability / bugs
5
0
0
5
Positive reviews by playtime
🎮 Players who like it have spent 5.1 h on median; those who dislike it: 1.2 h.
🪤 60 % of negative reviews come from players who left in under 2h — the game often disappoints right away.
<2h
67 % (n=55)
2-10h
96 % (n=310)
10-25h
98 % (n=48)
>25h
100 % (n=6)
Fixed or still broken? Sentiment over time
➡️ Stable reception over time
% of positive reviews per month (months with ≥ 15 sample reviews).
💶 Price history
Steam price tracked automatically since Oct 29, 2026 · All-time low: €2.39 (Oct 29, 2026)
100% completion difficulty ("platinum")
12,7 %Moderate
of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 8 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 36 % of players.
The unsettling core experience dominates praise: **87 positive mentions out of 94** for its horror themes, anomalies, and paranoia, with keywords like *horreur* (56) and *anomalies* (28) appearing far more than any other aspect.
Gameplay shines as the most discussed strength (**122 positive mentions out of 141**), with players praising its immersive tension and replayability (**4 mentions**), despite some difficulty spikes (**6 mentions**).
Storytelling and audio earn near-universal acclaim: **40 positive mentions out of 45** for narrative, while **6 positive mentions out of 7** highlight its atmospheric sound design, reinforcing immersion.
Multiplayer, when engaged, receives overwhelming support: **12 positive mentions out of 13**, suggesting a niche but dedicated following for cooperative or competitive play.
Price is rarely criticized: **16 positive mentions out of 19**, with only minor complaints about value, indicating most players feel the experience justifies its cost.
Weaknesses
Content and UI are the game’s weakest links: **19 negative mentions out of 32** for content (likely due to pacing or repetitive elements) and **11 negative mentions out of 12** for UI, hinting at usability friction despite its core appeal.
Bugs and performance are rarely mentioned but universally negative: **5 negative mentions each** for bugs and performance, suggesting stability could be improved without detracting from the experience.
Graphics receive almost no praise: **Only 1 positive mention out of 7**, with **6 negative mentions**, indicating visuals are either overlooked or criticized—though this may not impact immersion for horror-focused players.
Who is it for?
This game is a must-play for fans of psychological horror who thrive on atmosphere, anomalies, and paranoia-driven gameplay. Players who enjoy indie titles with deep replayability and cooperative elements will also find plenty to linger over—though those sensitive to UI quirks or content pacing may need to temper expectations.
Is I'm on Observation Duty worth it in 2026?
Yes, without reservation for most players: 95% of 2,264 Steam reviews are positive (player score 92/100). Most-praised strength: The unsettling core experience dominates praise. Current price: 2,99€.
Verdict
Despite minor flaws in content and UI, *I'm on Observation Duty* delivers a gripping, tension-filled horror experience that keeps players hooked long after launch. Its near-perfect reception (**95% positive**) and dedicated fanbase prove its niche appeal is both real and rewarding, though stability and polish could elevate it further. For horror enthusiasts, it’s a rare gem worth the investment.
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