I'm on Observation Duty

About I'm on Observation Duty

I'm on Observation Duty is a short horror game by Notovia, released on Steam in 2019 for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is the first in the series that later included I'm on Observation Duty 4.

Your job, for a mysterious organisation, is to monitor live surveillance camera footage of an apartment through the night: a kitchen, living room, bedroom, toilet, corridor and outside. Anomalies appear in the rooms, and when you spot one you file an anomaly report choosing the room and the type, from furniture movement, extra objects, missing objects and door opening, to light anomalies, camera malfunction, distortion, ghosts, intruders, shadows and an abyss presence. A clock in the corner counts toward morning.

It sounds simple, but the footage is grainy and black and white, the rooms are full of small details, and the game depends on your memory of how each room looked. The store says you need sharp eyes and good memory to survive the night, and hints at secrets to discover along the way.

The store warns of frightening monsters and some mild nudity. It suits players who like spot-the-difference tension, The Exit 8 style anomaly hunting, or the camera-watching of Five Nights at Freddy's without the animatronics.

How to play I'm on Observation Duty

1. Buy I'm on Observation Duty on Steam for Windows, Mac or Linux.
2. Click through the camera feeds of each room and memorise how they look.
3. Watch for anything that changes, moves, appears or disappears.
4. Open the anomaly report, choose the room and the type of anomaly, and send it.
5. Keep reporting correctly until the clock reaches morning.

Tips

• Take a good look at every room at the start of the night; you will compare against that memory.
• Pick the right anomaly type, not only the right room.
• Paintings, doors and small objects are easy to miss; check them each time you switch cameras.

Questions