'Beyond Eyes' game review: Visually appealing but gameplay may not be so strong
The great thing about video games is that the genres available widely varies. From games on shooting to racing to solving puzzles, there's always something out there for every unique player—even for those who just want to sit down and play something as calm as "Beyond Eyes," a game that revolves the world of 10-year old Rae who is blind due to an unfortunate accident.
Developed by Norwegian game designer Sherida Halatoe and U.K. game developer Team17, the game "Beyond Eyes" is not the usual video game that most people pick. It focuses more on the aesthetic portion or sentimental level of the gameplay as it follows the journey of Rae. After a brief flashback of her mishap, she will be seen sitting alone on a bench in the garden of her home.
She has more or less secluded herself from the world and that's why, when a cat came by for a visit, she instantly created a bond with it. She later names her feline visitor Nani. But upon the arrival of the cold days, Nani stopped showing up which relatively upset Rae. Even after spring and the bloom of the garden once again, Nani was nowhere to be found, which made her decide to go look for the her cat friend.
The adventure basically starts from there and it's really something noteworthy because Rae is blind. Anything can happen to her. But it's in that sense that makes the game a beautiful one. According to PlayStation Lifestyle, players will not be seeing the real world that they are exploring, instead, they will be in a beautiful world that Rae imagines.
The watercolor effects of the visuals is worth praising but when it comes to the gameplay, it might not be the same. PC Gamer comments that "while illuminating and restful, it's rarely 'fun' in the in the same way that, say, a Tomb Raider game is fun." Nonetheless, N3rdabl3 believes that the creators of the game did a good job in portraying the experience of visual impairment.
