Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You

About Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You

Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You drops you into the role of a human researcher for a massive surveillance state program called Orwell. Released in 2016 by Osmotic Studios, this title blends adventure, simulator, and visual novel elements to create a gritty digital mystery. You play as the first human operator tasked with rooting out terrorists after a bombing hits the capital city of Bonton. The game launched across PC, Mac, Linux, and various mobile platforms including Android and iOS, later arriving on Nintendo Switch. Your job involves scouring online profiles and private files to build cases against suspects while grappling with the moral weight of invasive data collection.

Gameplay

You spend most of your time clicking through fragmented digital trails rather than running or shooting. The interface mimics a browser where you open social media feeds, read hacked emails, and listen to chat logs. Each session involves filtering information to decide what gets reported to security forces and what stays hidden from the investigation. You might dig into a suspect's medical records or analyze their dating history to find connections between people. The game forces you to make choices about privacy versus security on a minute by minute basis. A typical hour looks like reading dozens of messages, tagging relevant data points, and watching how those specific selections alter the profile of a person in the database.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community has reacted strongly to this title with an average IGDB rating of 77.6 out of 100 based on 139 user scores. Players report a completion rate that suggests many stick around until the end, despite the heavy themes. Average playtime sits around 8 hours for a standard run through the campaign. User moods lean heavily toward "thoughtful" and "disturbing" rather than purely fun or exciting. Review snippets frequently mention the tension of deciding what information to reveal to authorities. One common sentiment is that the game feels less like entertainment and more like a job simulation with high stakes. The data shows players value the narrative consequences over traditional scoring systems or replay speed.

PlayPile's Take

This game demands you sit down and think hard about surveillance ethics rather than seeking quick thrills. It costs money on most platforms but offers a solid 8 hour experience packed with achievements that track your specific choices. You should play if you enjoy text heavy adventures where every click matters to the story outcome. The mature content warning is accurate for language and themes involving privacy violations. Do not expect fast action or open world exploration since the entire game happens inside a computer interface. Finish the investigation only if you are ready to accept that your decisions carry real weight within the narrative.

Storyline

Big Brother has arrived - and it’s you. Investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences… Orwell is a new governmental security program that has the power to survey the online presence of every person in The Nation. It can monitor all personal communications and access any computer. To preserve the privacy of citizens, human researchers examine the data Orwell finds and decide which pieces of information should be passed on to the security forces, and which should be rejected. Selected from thousands of candidates, you are Orwell’s first human researcher. And when a terror attack rocks the Nation’s capital city of Bonton, Orwell, and you, are immediately put to the test. Starting with a single person of interest, you'll help the security forces build out and profile a network of potential culprits. But are these people really terrorists? What does the information you reveal to Orwell say about them? What if you find out things about them that not even their loved ones know? What is the real price of maintaining the security that the Nation is yearning for? Key Features Investigate the digital lives of citizens. Search web pages, scour through social media posts, dating site profiles, news articles and blogs to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Invade the private lives of suspects. Listen in on chat communications, read personal emails, hack PCs, pull medical files, make connections. Find the information you need to know. Determine the relevance of information. Only the information you provide will be seen by the security forces and acted upon. You decide what gets seen and what does not, influencing how the suspects will be perceived. Secure the freedom of the Nation. Find the terrorists so the citizens of the Nation can sleep safe, knowing Orwell is watching over them. MATURE CONTENT WARNING Please note, Orwell includes mature language at multiple points throughout the game as well as mature themes and is not suitable for younger players.