A review of the spy simulator Beholder

Alawar Entertainment is a studio known to gamers, which has gained incredible popularity thanks to its casual projects. They are considered unpretentious, designed for a range of completely unsophisticated users. That’s why, when the release of new Beholder game for iPad and iPhone was announced, nobody expected anything special from it.

But the predictions did not come true. The developers managed to release a game that doesn’t fit to the lineup of their previous projects. It turned out that this is not the usual entertainment for one evening, which is forgotten immediately after the end of the game. It has turned out to be a currently relevant simulation game. You have to survive in a totalitarian regime by all means.

The plot and characters

The player must control a character named Karl Stein. He is an ordinary working man. Quite by accident, he becomes a supervisor. When he checks into an apartment that turns out to be a basement with a few rooms, he gets a very disturbing scene. The former building manager is led out and taken away. This is followed by an immediate warning from his superiors that there must be no deadlines to meet. It is important to obey all his orders. It is from this time all ordeals of the protagonist begin.

Timeline

The action takes place in 1984. Some design and gameplay features refer us to other popular and beloved by many gamers projects. But at the same time, this game is an absolutely independent product.

The essence of the game Beholder

Evicting some tenants and searching for others is just a cover. The main activity: surveillance and mandatory identification of those who violate the rules and regulations of the country. You have to spy on everyone at all times and write denunciations and character references. There may even be a need to frame the tenants. That’s the hero’s job.

Mad officials issue new decrees every day. If the innovations are not complied with, the violators will be imprisoned or shot. Initially it seems as if this game is very simple.

You have to turn in the offenders and live your life the way you want. But then the protagonist is given a choice. He can denounce and earn credibility, or he can help his fellow residents and get fairly good rewards for it.

The non-linearity of the plot

It may seem that everything here ultimately boils down to truths that are quite obvious. You have to do well. Your deeds are sure to pay off handsomely. But this project is not your usual moralising. You can help someone in need. But it may well make him feel a lot worse. Such twists and turns are indeed unexpected. As a result, there comes a point at which it becomes very difficult to solve simple problems. It is very likely that the life of the character or his loved ones will be at stake.

In order to save the relatives, it will be necessary to sacrifice the occupants of the house. Carl needs to save his family from death. To do this, he buys up items that are forbidden and drops them off in the flats of a number of the residents who have been chosen. But even in this case, no one guarantees that all will end well.

Conclusion to the game Beholder

Initially it may seem that the gameplay is extremely primitive. In fact, it is hardcore. Getting through it the first time will not work. That’s why it’s worth remembering an important truth. Money is what counts. It’s the life and health of your loved ones. It’s the law of the jungle. That’s why to get resources Carl has to constantly set everyone up, steal, write all sorts of denunciations and do other bad things.

It’s only by taking a few tries that you’ll unlock the game’s main secrets. Not everyone will be able to pass the whole project. But it’s worth a try.