DEATHWATCHERS: WHEN PHASMOPHOBIA MEETS "I'M ON OBSERVATION DUTY" IN A DARK ALLEY
If you've ever thought to yourself, "You know what would make ghost hunting more fun? If I had to spot the difference between two haunted living rooms while a naked entity tries to eat my face," then boy, do I have the game for you. Deathwatchers is the bastard child of Phasmophobia and I'm on Observation Duty, raised by a sleep-deprived indie developer with a penchant for the macabre. Let's dive into this Early Access nightmare, shall we?
GAMEPLAY: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE OR DIE TRYING
Deathwatchers throws you into the deep end of the paranormal pool faster than you can say "ectoplasm." Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and let's face it, you already bought the game, so you kind of have to), is to identify anomalies, gather evidence, and banish entities back to whatever hellscape they crawled out of.
The game offers two modes: Classic and Deathwatchers. Classic mode is essentially I'm on Observation Duty with multiplayer, where you and your soon-to-be-traumatized friends sit in a room, flipping through cameras and trying to spot differences before the entity decides to redecorate your face. Deathwatchers mode, on the other hand, lets you roam around like a budget Ghostbuster, armed with an array of equipment that looks like it was cobbled together from a garage sale and a haunted Radio Shack.
The gameplay loop is addictively simple yet frustratingly complex. You'll find yourself squinting at shadows, debating with your teammates whether that chair moved or if you're just losing your mind (spoiler: it's probably both). The tension builds as you try to piece together the puzzle of what the hell is going on while avoiding becoming the entity's next snack.
GRAPHICS: SPOOKY MEETS JANKY
Visually, Deathwatchers strikes a balance between "genuinely atmospheric" and "my first Unity project." The environments are detailed enough to be creepy, with lots of nooks and crannies for your imagination to run wild in. However, don't expect AAA polish – this is indie horror, baby, where every texture pop and glitchy shadow just adds to the "charm."
The entity itself is a sight to behold. Imagine if someone tried to make a realistic human model after only ever seeing humans described in a book written by an alien. It's unsettling in all the right ways, and when it suddenly appears, you'll find yourself screaming in a pitch you didn't know you could reach.
AUDIO: A CACOPHONY OF TERROR (AND BUGS)
The sound design in Deathwatchers is like a roller coaster for your ears – thrilling, terrifying, and occasionally making you want to vomit. The ambient noises do a great job of keeping you on edge, with creaks, whispers, and the occasional blood-curdling scream to remind you that yes, you are indeed playing a horror game.
However, the audio mixing seems to have been done by someone who thinks "balance" is just something you do on a tightrope. One moment you're straining to hear a ghostly whisper, the next you're blown out of your chair by a jump scare loud enough to wake the dead (and probably your neighbors).
MULTIPLAYER: MISERY LOVES COMPANY
Deathwatchers shines brightest (or should I say, looms darkest) when played with friends. There's something beautifully chaotic about a group of people trying to maintain their sanity while pointing out that "the fucking vase moved again, I swear to God." The game's difficulty seems to scale with the number of players, ensuring that no matter how many of you there are, you'll all be equally terrified and confused.
Communication is key, leading to some of the most hilarious and panic-stricken conversations you'll ever have. "Is that a new crack in the wall or am I having a stroke?" becomes a legitimate question that could mean the difference between victory and a game over screen.
BUGS: FEATURES IN DISGUISE
Being in Early Access, Deathwatchers comes with its fair share of bugs. But here's the genius part – in a game about spotting what's out of place, how do you know if that glitchy texture is a bug or a feature? It's like playing Russian roulette with your sanity.
Some players report getting stuck in geometry, which, let's be honest, is probably the safest place to be in a house full of paranormal activity. Others have experienced crashes, freezes, and the occasional disappearing item. The developer, bless their caffeinated heart, seems to be on top of these issues, patching them faster than you can say "Is that my character's arm clipping through the wall or is the entity trying to shake my hand?"
FINAL THOUGHTS: A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH (VERY ROUGH)
Deathwatchers is like that weird kid in school who ate glue but also somehow aced every test. It's bizarre, often frustrating, but undeniably intriguing. The game takes familiar concepts and smashes them together with the finesse of a sledgehammer, creating something that's greater than the sum of its parts – and occasionally just as broken.
Is it perfect? Hell no. Is it fun? Abso-fucking-lutely, especially if you've got friends who enjoy a good scare and don't mind a bit (okay, a lot) of jank. The developer's active involvement and the game's potential for growth make it an exciting prospect for horror fans looking for something fresh.
Final Score: 7 out of 10 Misplaced Vases
Deathwatchers is a flawed gem that shines brightest in the dark. It's rough around the edges, buggy as hell, and will probably give you trust issues with your own furniture. But damn if it isn't a good time.
We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn’t impact our review in any way.