Gods Will Be Watching

Lore & Background

Gods Will Be Watching is set in a far future science fiction universe, in the year 2257 CFD (Constellar Federation Date). The player assumes the role of Sgt. Burden, an agent of the neutral organization Everdusk Company for the Universe Knowledge (E.C.U.K.). The first chapter begins with Burden infiltrating the idealistic resistance movement Xenolifer to aid in a hacking operation. The game features six chapters, each a resource and time management puzzle where the player leads a group of characters through various circumstances within a fixed time limit, often facing moral decisions such as killing a group member to conserve rations.

The game was originally developed for the Ludum Dare game jam #26, with the theme of minimalism. The original version was created in 72 hours and contained a single scenario similar to a chapter in the final game. It placed second in the competition, losing to Leaf Me Alone by Mark Foster and David Fenn. Following the jam, Deconstructeam launched an Indiegogo campaign with a goal of €8,000, which ended on 15 August 2013 having raised €20,385. The full game was released worldwide on 24 July 2014 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux. An epilogue was added as a free download in May 2015. Mobile versions were announced for iOS and Android, with Abstraction Games handling development; the Android release date was still to be announced at the time of the notes.

Reader's Guide

Gods Will Be Watching received 'mixed' reviews on Metacritic for its PC version. Critics praised its minimalist pixel art style, interesting story, and novel take on adventure games, but criticized its repetitiveness, tediousness, and excessive challenge. The primary concern was the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay and the lack of checkpoints, which required multiple, time-consuming attempts at single scenarios. Rowan Kaiser of IGN praised the game's simplicity and tense story, calling it 'a demonstration that even with the simplest of interfaces and old-fashioned graphics, new combinations of storytelling with gameplay are possible.' The game is notable for evolving from a 72-hour game jam prototype into a full commercial release through crowdfunding, and for its distinctive blend of point-and-click mechanics with resource management and moral dilemmas, which set it apart from traditional adventure games of the era.

Did You Know?

• Gods Will Be Watching was originally created in 72 hours for the Ludum Dare game jam #26, where it placed second.
• The game's crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo raised €20,385, exceeding its €8,000 goal.
• An epilogue was added to the game as a free download in May 2015.
• The iOS port was released on 17 December 2015.