The Outlast Trials
The Outlast Trials
Game
Game2024
The Operator
Developer Bureau 81
Welcome to the FDI. As our newest Operator, your role is to use your detective skills to assist our field agents and investigate mysterious crimes. Use cutting-edge FDI software to dig for clues, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth. From the Steam store page
365 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
266 positive · 54 negative
95% range 79–87%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 266 | 54 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 15 | 0 | 29 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,450 of 3,849 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
82% recommend · 228 yes, 49 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 277 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (8,191 of 8,950 positive).
Players praise the game's immersive presentation and engaging story. [1][2][3] Many reviewers note the game is too short and lacks replay value. [4][5][6] Some players criticize the linear story and unsatisfying ending. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [9]
It's well made, and I enjoyed it, but I don't think it has enough substance for full price. The gameplay feels like Orwell in a way. The narrative is good, though your choices don't really matter, and it's way too short. Like a prologue to a bigger story. It ends right as things start getting interesting, and the ending itself feels like a second Act was starting before the rest of the game got cut. It's not a bad …
- [7]
This game essentially feels underbaked. It was building up a compelling mystery and then it gets cut short in a rather unsatisfying way. However, I feel like what is present in the game is strong enough to still recommend. If you like other investigative computer type games such as Orwell or The Roottrees are Dead, you will like this and I think it's still worth playing despite the flaws.
- [2]
I hardly ever write reviews for games... However, after this one... Just play it. You won't regret it. I went in thinking it was going to be a basic puzzle solving operator simulator game...HOW WRONG I WAS. This game, I should've seen it coming. I should've seen where it was going...But it kept me too immersed to really care about anything else. This is such a beautifully written concept turned into an equally …
- [3]
I just finished this and it was... honestly, some of the best writing I've experienced in a game in a while. On the surface it looks like an interactive OS job simulator that might have "dark secrets" or something of the sort. But it throws those assumptions completely out the window, and seeing how little people actually finished the game.... I feel like most aren't even aware of that. The voice acting, the …
- [1]
---{ Graphics }--- ☑ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS screen-focused visual style fits the concept perfectly and feels surprisingly realistic ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't Core mechanics work smoothly and are easy to understand. However, many systems are introduced only once, …
Summarised from 34 of the 318 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked The Operator talk about immersive and realistic interface design; those who didn't talk about very short playtime, around 2-4 hours. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 365 · most liked firstAre you a dev making a "Fake OS", Interface based game a la Her Story, The Operator, Desktop Explorer... or Imprinted? : D We are organizing a dedicated steam sale and would love to include your game as well!! forms.gle/5G4uSLroqq7r...
neutral · AI labelView post →🎂 The Operator is now 1️⃣ year old. 📈 More than 125K copies sold on Steam! 🎉 Free for a week on the Epic Games Store! 🎮 The game released on Nintendo Switch! All of this thanks to the wonderful people who helped me and, of course, the players! Thank you, everyone 🫶 PS: Yes, a sequel is coming 👀
neutral · AI labelView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☑ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS screen-focused visual style fits the concept perfectly and feels surprisingly realistic ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't Core mechanics work smoothly and are easy to understand. However, many systems are introduced only once, which limits depth and replay potential. ---{ Audio }--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🔥 The Operator is out now on Nintendo Switch! 🔥 This version was a real challenge — the game was only designed for PC but after a lot of work, I’m super proud of how it turned out. 💪 🎮 Full gamepad support 🖐️ Touchscreen support ⚡ Rock-solid 60 FPS Can’t wait for you to try it on the go!
neutral · AI labelView post →It's well made, and I enjoyed it, but I don't think it has enough substance for full price. The gameplay feels like Orwell in a way. The narrative is good, though your choices don't really matter, and it's way too short. Like a prologue to a bigger story. It ends right as things start getting interesting, and the ending itself feels like a second Act was starting before the rest of the game got cut. It's not a bad game, but I completed it feeling uncertain that I'd got my money's worth, even…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is brief, with frustrating mechanics, obvious plot from the start and feels super lacking in choices mattering at all. Overall one-dimensional, predetermined path you must play "correctly" and just see the events unfold in the only way possible. There is absolutely no freedom, second path or any autonomy at any point - just like entering the credentials - you just need to type anything and watch the correct letters appear - so is the game deciding what you do and where you end up, the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Operator reached 95% positive reviews on Steam (in the recent reviews). 🤯 That's huge. I'm so glad players like the game, it really gives me the motivation to keep working on games I want to make.
neutral · AI labelView post →The Operator from @bastienre4.bsky.social is genuinely a great game - this is the last day to get it for free from the Epic Game Store.
positive · AI labelView post →🎉 The Operator is Steam Deck ready! If you want to try the beta, join the "beta" branch on Steam (Right click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Betas -> Set "beta" in the dropdown). If you encounter any issue, report them on the discord: discord.gg/WmJrKCvk8d
neutral · AI labelView post →i have a strong aversion to the term 'GM' in my games... i have called the role the Liege, the Administrator, the Operator... part of this is feel, i believe that what a game calls its facilitator role (if it has one) can have a huge impact on the Feel and Vibe of its writing [1/2]
neutral · AI labelView post →I absolutely love this game’s design and idea but sadly I don't think it was executed very well. Rather than feeling in control of the narrative, most of the game was spent watching the story unfold with little player-contribution. There were different options to choose during conversations, which would somewhat influence the story plot-wise, but given that it's a mystery game and the choice of options available were very limited and surface-level (e.g. will you lie or not lie), replaying it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game essentially feels underbaked. It was building up a compelling mystery and then it gets cut short in a rather unsatisfying way. However, I feel like what is present in the game is strong enough to still recommend. If you like other investigative computer type games such as Orwell or The Roottrees are Dead, you will like this and I think it's still worth playing despite the flaws.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really enjoyed this game! Loved the game style and puzzles, love that it wasn't that predictable. Great story, Just wish that it was a longer game and I think it would've been good if it had multiple endings.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm very on the fence about recommending this game. I would say pick it up on sale for a few reasons. For one, the game is very linear with almost no replay value outside of getting achievements. Their seems to have been many opportunities for branching story paths but your choices don't really matter much. The presentation and mechanics are the game are really cool and I hope in future game they can be expanded on more. The story kind of devolves into an ending I didn't really find satisfying…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Operator: If you are an X-Phile, you will LOVE this game. You are behind a computer screen working as an "FDI" agent helping those in the field. Mystery and story abounds. I shouted and paced the room at one point. So good. store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/...
positive · AI labelView post →I hardly ever write reviews for games... However, after this one... Just play it. You won't regret it. I went in thinking it was going to be a basic puzzle solving operator simulator game...HOW WRONG I WAS. This game, I should've seen it coming. I should've seen where it was going...But it kept me too immersed to really care about anything else. This is such a beautifully written concept turned into an equally beautiful game. Games never leave an impression on me, really. I mean I play…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Has promise, but doesn't deliver. Mechanically there are a handful of things that seem interesting and like you should pay attention to them that just don't go anywhere. There is no real point in taking notes because you are handed solutions to every problem without needing to look around or remember anything. Cool, I can run programs from my terminal - e.g. I can call certain people if I pay attention to their IP addresses . But does that come up at all after I'm shown it? No, it's a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Mechanics are great, but they're wasted on constant hand-holding to the point where I almost never felt like I was actually "playing" the game. "Click this. Now click this. Now listen to a voice actor veeerryy sloooowly deliver tons and tons of exposition-heavy dialogue, and you have to listen because it can't be skipped." I could see several of the twists from a mile away. The story is severely underdeveloped. Functions are introduced (for example, the license plate database) and then never…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really enjoyed the style of investigation and the way the story was unfolding piece by piece. However, the ending fell flat and painted my overall opinion as negative. None of your actions mattered in any shape or form, there is really only one ending to be had. The choices are just an illusion, all paths lead to the same end. I guess some people like it, but for me this immediately detached all the emotion I had invested to the game and the characters and it felt like I had waisted all that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good game, overall, and Operator 2 will be an instant buy for me. My two nit-picks: 1) One major part of the story was pretty obvious (to me at least). 2) It's far shorter than I would have liked (which tells you it's a good game or I wouldn't care).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wish there would've been more actual choices to make rather than just playing out the story. The twist at the end was good, but i definitely would've been happier with more explanation and closure.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Was hoping to be left to do some investigations on my own but the constant handholding, railroading, and forcing a narrative down my throat is just too much. I was looking for an investigation game, not a story game with occasional puzzle-solving.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved the game design, the story and the ending. Just amazing, if I were to put something negative, is it is very very short for a 9 pound game, I got 3 hours out of it, if there were a non-story element to it where you could just solve cases unrelated to the story that would make up for it in my opinion
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally got a piece of gear (my first custom amp) in Warframe and GOSH does that improve the parts of the game where I have to use the Operator (Very broad context: the Warframe is basically a mech,the Operator is basically the pilot, an amp allows the Operator to fight on their own, which happens)
neutral · AI labelView post →Okay The Operator, the game on Steam, delivered. Worth a play. Love an ending like this. Truly.
positive · AI labelView post →Game is interesting, concept also. Story line good. But after the end, i want to play more like sandbox or endless game, so random agents just asking to find car or person etc. IT would be great if after storyline we have somethink like that. Because i finished story just under 4h
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →@Little_Writer played and reviewed The Operator for AGH. Read his brilliant review here: adventuregamehotspot.com/review/4290/... #indiegame #adventuregame #pcgame @bureau81_games #NintendoSwitch
neutral · AI labelView post →I love this genre of games, the "investigate things from the terminal" genre. Unfortunately this may be the least favorite for me of the ones I played. The puzzles are either really easy or full of moon logic. The ending is so insanely obvious I thought they were setting a twist, but no they didn't. Also the ending and the credits is an example of fairly poor storytelling that I won't get into details over to avoid spoilers. It's only saving grace is that it is fairly short. I genuinely don't…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very cool game that was scratching the itch for a detective game. It really falls short for when you look at the playtime. You think you would be solving different cases left and right except it's one long case. The case in my opinion isn't that interesting and the twists aren't even that surprising. It's good "one night stand" game and that's it. What I really liked about it was the video feed. That was cool. I wish there was more segments of analyzing video feed. It reminded me of FMV…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great gameplay, interesting story, terrible ending. If it weren't for the ending I would recommend the game but it just ruined the whole experience for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Popping in to share two pieces of content that I think more people should know of: 1. Video Game: The Operator 2. TV Show: The Great North The Operator is a recently-released indie story game where you play a desk operator at the "FDI" doing investigative work for field agents... (1/2)
neutral · AI labelView post →I would not recommend buying this game for full price. It feels more like an interactive visual novel than an detective mystery game, and little of the choices have consquences that matter. There is only one ending that makes the game feel like it was cut off short.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really enjoyed this game, it was like a mix of Orwell and Cyber Manhunt! It's a quick one, and easy to get all the achievements on one play through. The story is interesting, and I really wish there was a part 2 so I could figure out more! The voice actors were fantastic. Great for casual gamers too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is a very good game, and I do recommend it if it goes on sale. for now there's not much content to really play with. Honestly its not worth A$20 I paid for. Finished the entire game in 3 hours.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game with an intriguing story. Though I do wish it was longer. Highly recommend for anyone that enjoys story games
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🤔 Ever wondered what The Operator could have looked like with different designs? As I'm cleaning up The Operator's Unity project for a new game, I found some old assets that I want to share with you! For instance, this was the first profile picture for Evan 🧵⬇️ 1/14
neutral · AI labelView post →I just finished this and it was... honestly, some of the best writing I've experienced in a game in a while. On the surface it looks like an interactive OS job simulator that might have "dark secrets" or something of the sort. But it throws those assumptions completely out the window, and seeing how little people actually finished the game.... I feel like most aren't even aware of that. The voice acting, the mechanics, the soundtrack... Just incredible. I can see the love that was poured into…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great fun, nice story, although the ending is a bit "meh" was engaging throughout the rest of the story though. I do love a game where i am scanning images and looking at files.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Operator Bureau 81. Steam disclosure -y
neutral · AI labelView post →BANGER!!!! Wish this game was longer tbh, unreal work from everyone and the finale was just. AMAZING! I absolutelly recommend this game to every single one of you who like story mode games as much as i do!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed this game, but it was just too short to justify the cost (4 hours for >$10 on sale). It also sort of feels like the ending you get is "the bad ending," even though it's the only one possible. There is, I believe, just one event where the player actually influences the outcome.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Me an hour ago: "Oh boy, 'The Operator', huh? A new uplink-like game!? I love the hackersim genre! This'll be fuuuun!" Me now:
positive · AI labelView post →Fun game, good mechanics. I enjoyed the story - nothing particularly ground breaking but it's executed well. My main issue is that while the game is the right length for its story, I wanted to spend more time solving cases using the game mechanics.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →for someone who finds story driven games difficult to follow, i found this game to be very engaging and interesting throughout. I highly recommend this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →etanner> Really interesting story, pulls u in bit by bit with clever clues & puzzles. My favourite is the bomb defusal event, really exciting!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is going to be the oddest negative review I have ever left. This game got me philosophical about reviews: Is a game review to describe whether I think the game is well made? Or is the game review to describe whether I enjoyed it? It's so rare that these two things are out of alignment, I wasn't sure what to write here. I have decided to write a review based on my enjoyment. So let me just say: This game is well made. It is VERY well made. It's mechanics are a little bit "Papers, Please",…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EDIT: I've been thinking about this a lot, and I just wanted to add one more thing. You can see how I go into quite a bit of initial, just-coming-down-off-finishing-the-game detail down below if you'd like, but I'd like to quickly say here, at the start, that I think a big part of the issue was a fundamental misunderstanding of what this game was. I went into this expecting a puzzle game, but it isn't so much a puzzle game as it is a story game. I feel it's advertised as more of a puzzle game…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A Thriller That Rekindled My Creative Spark 🖥️ 🔍 ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 🕹️ Great on Steam Deck One of the reasons I became a software developer was the dream of eventually making games. Over the years, there have only been a handful of titles that truly reignited that spark and made game development feel possible again. The Operator unexpectedly became one of those games. From its presentation to its atmosphere, the game pulled me in quickly, but it was the storytelling, especially toward the final…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I truly enjoyed the story, I do wish we could dive deeper into the info besides the story to make the game a bit longer. Perhaps a endless mode (gen ai makes a case and we have to go through the evidence)? Overall 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Operator has opened a call for portrait pictures to be added into the game. If you don't know the game, the demo is still up on Steam. form.jotform.com/bgiafferibur...
neutral · AI labelView post →I highly recommend this game. Mechanics, the usage of terminal, the lore itself, plot twists... Find them incredible!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →*Well made thriller, intriguing story, albeit flawed and very short* The Operator has you play as Evan Tanner, the titular operator of the fictional FDI. Your task is to sit behind a computer and conduct forensic inestigations with state-of-the-art tools to help your colleagues in the field. You quickly become part of a major conspiracy and need to uncover the secrets of a series of missing cases and murders. I did enjoy my time with the games but it has a fair amount of shortcomings, my…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →7/10 Mixed feelings but recommend. Mostly I just wish the game was longer- it takes 2-3 hours to complete this across four in game days. We hit our first major plot beat on day 1 and every case is tightly related. Our only break is the cutscene of downtime between shifts (which honestly, great touch, love it). I would have preferred a longer game with a slower burn. A longer gameplay time could have also given us the chance to master these systems and use that mastery later, but no such luck.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is good, ngl. The storyline, voice acting etc. BUT IT'S DAMN WAY TOO SHORT! The puzzles are quite easy too. I will give this game an 8/10, but i won't recommend it because just like i said, the gameplay's too short. It's not worth at full price, even 35% price discount. It felt like a cashgrab, sorry. My 21 hours gameplay time because i was AFK for the rest 90% and did second run for the achievements, gameplay is like 2 or 3 hours max
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best idea for a Matrix game is *my* idea, where you play in pairs, one person gets to go in the game and do karate and shoot guys, and the other person is the Operator who has to play a bunch of hacking mini game simulators that let you get new items or change the gravity
neutral · AI labelView post →Your self-insert is the Operator/Drifter, but you spend the vast majority of your game time playing your Warframes, and while there is a symbiosis between Operator and Warframe there’s still enough separation that the Operator can appear as someone else communicating to you during missions
neutral · AI labelView post →good morning, picked up a new game on steam called The Operator. I am about 2 hours in and loving it, shit is my jam. indie games carrying 2025
positive · AI labelView post →The Operator is an investigation game, putting you in the role of the "guy-in-the-chair" of an FBI-like fictional organisation. It has lots of characters in the searchable database in-game - and the studio has a form to submit your own picture to be added to it. Here is the form: t.co/d5EbONofOU
neutral · AI labelView post →The Séance of Blake Manor, The Operator, and now, The Incident at Galley House, another game teaching me to love investigative adventures! I don't typically explore this genre, but Galley House stands out not only as a winner in its field but as one of the best games I've played this year.
positive · AI labelView post →The story is short and yet really good. The game is worth every penny and second!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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