Beholder

Dystopian strategy adventure about spying on tenants for the state

Alawar Stargaze (Warm Lamp Games) · Published by Alawar · Released Nov 9, 2016

Reviews: Very Positive; 92% of 31K
Recent reviews: Very Positive; 88% of 137 in 30 days
Playing now: 138; right now
Steam Deck: Verified
Last update: 3 years ago; May 27, 2023

What is Beholder?

A single-player strategy adventure set in a totalitarian dystopia, where you manage an apartment building while secretly surveilling its tenants for the state. You talk to residents, complete quests, plant bugs, search apartments, profile suspects, and decide whether to report, protect, or blackmail people, shaping the story toward multiple endings.

For you if...

+you enjoy morally difficult choices in bleak political stories
+you like combining building management with covert surveillance
+you prefer single-player, story-led strategy adventures

Not for you if...

−you want a cheerful setting or clear moral victories
−you prefer relaxed management without financial pressure
−you dislike trial-and-error progression or opaque requirements

What players say

92% of 31,134 reviews are positive · 88% of 137 in the last 30 days

Players praise the somber atmosphere, art, music, story, and the consequences attached to decisions. The most common complaints call the play loop repetitive and menu-heavy, with too much waiting, financial pressure, and trial-and-error progression. Some recent players also report bugs and awkward English dialogue.

Screenshots and trailer

Beholder system requirements

As published by the developer.

Minimum

OS: Windows 7/8/10
Processor: Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2180 2.00GHz
Graphics: GeForce 600M / ATI Radeon HD 5450 (1GB)
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Storage: 1600 MB available space
DirectX: Version 9.0c

PC version details

DRM, required accounts, controller support and Steam features.

DRM: None declared on Steam
Controller: Keyboard and mouse
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Achievements: 60
Steam features: Cloud saves, Family Sharing, Trading cards
Age rating: 1+

Steam Deck: Verified

All functionality is accessible with the default controller configuration
Shows Steam Deck controller icons
In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck

Multiplayer and co-op

Single-player

Languages

Full audio: English, Russian, French, German, Simplified Chinese, Italian, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Spanish - Spain, Portuguese - Brazil, Dutch, Korean. Text only: Turkish.