Before Your Eyes

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 10,107 reviews
  • story
  • emotional
  • gameplay
Before Your Eyes Game Cover
A unique game mechanic woven wonderfully into a life story.
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"Before Your Eyes" is an emotional narrative-driven game that tells the story of a soul's journey through pivotal moments in their life, leading up to their death. The unique gameplay mechanic involves blinking to advance the story, encouraging players to reflect on their own memories and emotions. It explores themes of love, loss, and the value of the human experience in a thought-provoking and poignant way.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,107 reviews
story1,935 positive mentions
stability32 negative mentions
  • story3,760 mentions

    The story of "Before Your Eyes" is widely praised for its emotional depth and innovative storytelling, utilizing a unique blinking mechanic that immerses players in the protagonist's life journey. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, often leading to tears as players navigate poignant moments of joy, loss, and reflection. Despite its short playtime of around 90 minutes, the narrative is described as impactful and beautifully crafted, making it a must-play for fans of story-driven games.

    • “The story combined with the soundtrack is just spectacular.”
    • “The story, the characters, and the profound depth of the narrative completely took me by surprise, tearing my heart apart in ways I never anticipated.”
    • “Before your eyes is a beautifully told and poignant story about a life told in flashes of memory.”
    • “The story will jump forward mid cut scene if you blink so you might often find yourself wide-eyed trying to also listen to the story which can just simply be uncomfortable and will make you miss out on some little parts of it which is quite sad since the whole point of the story is to enjoy those little parts.”
    • “The blinking mechanic really takes it to that next level immersing you in the story.”
    • “The story is easy to follow, characters feel like real people.”
  • emotional2,362 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Before Your Eyes" is overwhelmingly praised by players, with many expressing that it has made them cry multiple times throughout the experience. The game's unique blinking mechanic enhances the emotional storytelling, allowing players to engage deeply with the narrative, which explores themes of life, loss, and memory. Overall, it is described as a beautifully crafted, heart-wrenching journey that resonates long after the game ends, making it a must-play for those seeking an emotional gaming experience.

    • “This is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played, and it made me cry so much my face was red. 10/10.”
    • “Before Your Eyes is an emotional masterpiece that, despite its less than 2-hour game time, will leave you thinking about it for days on end.”
    • “The story is heartwarming, emotional, and most importantly enlightening.”
    • “I was expecting this game to be a cute gimmick, but it turned out to have a boring story that just dragged on for too long.”
    • “Short, boring story.”
    • “It's long enough to receive pleasure from the plot, yet short enough to not become boring story-wise and annoying control-wise; it's unusual and not the optimal way to play a game, so it might lose its wow effect in the longer run.”
  • gameplay1,294 mentions

    The gameplay of "Before Your Eyes" is centered around a unique blinking mechanic that uses webcam technology to advance the story, creating an immersive experience that ties directly into the game's emotional narrative. While many players praise the innovative integration of this mechanic, some report issues with calibration and reliability, which can detract from the experience. Overall, the game is lauded for its ability to evoke strong emotions through its storytelling and gameplay, making it a memorable and impactful experience despite its simplicity.

    • “The unique mechanics of blinking, waiting, and listening were truly remarkable.”
    • “The blinking mechanic allows you to interact with eye symbols to change scenes or progress the story when a metronome appears.”
    • “The blinking mechanic is so unique and effective here; I even played it a second time in order to try to keep my eyes open longer and wring every bit of dialogue out of each scene.”
    • “The blinking mechanic can be a bit tiring after an hour, so just take a break and you are fine.”
    • “The blinking mechanic is not completely reliable but once you calibrated it well enough it really adds a whole layer of immersion to this game.”
    • “The blinking mechanic, although a little faulty sometimes, is very innovative.”
  • graphics444 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, simplistic, and colorful art style, which effectively complements the emotional storytelling. Many reviewers highlight the charming low-poly visuals and the unique "blink" mechanic that enhances the immersive experience, although some note minor graphical flaws and bugs. Overall, the visuals are described as evocative and fitting for the game's narrative, creating a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “The graphics are stunningly simple yet evocative, like watercolor paintings brought to life.”
    • “The art style is captivating, and the soundtrack complements the experience perfectly.”
    • “The visuals, music, story, and interactions are beautiful.”
    • “But just some criticism, I saw many flaws in the art style and certain sprites not fully leaving the scene.”
    • “I found the story a bit clichéd and the art style not particularly effective—especially when compared to other narrative games out there.”
    • “The graphics weren't great, and I found the dialogue somewhat corny.”
  • music397 mentions

    The music in "Before Your Eyes" is widely praised for its emotional depth and beautiful composition, enhancing the game's narrative and overall experience. Players frequently highlight the soundtrack's ability to resonate with their feelings, often describing it as tear-jerking and unforgettable. The combination of evocative music, compelling voice acting, and charming visuals creates a powerful atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression on players.

    • “The soundtrack is the best part of this game and the music enhances the scenes where it leaves the most emotional impact.”
    • “The music swells and recedes with the ebb and flow of the story, creating a symphony that resonates with the player's heartstrings.”
    • “The art and music beautifully complement the narrative, enhancing the emotional depth and immersion.”
    • “The music felt right and I ended up buying the OST when I saw that I was able to, which should hopefully tell you at least something.”
    • “The soundtrack mostly consists of one main melody that was first introduced as a song your mother had written.”
    • “The music works to complement the emotional scenes remarkably well, and it never felt as though the music was trying to force you to feel a certain way.”
  • humor42 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a delicate balance of funny and poignant moments, often eliciting laughter amidst emotional storytelling. Players appreciate the engaging narrative that combines heartfelt experiences with lighthearted interactions, resulting in a rollercoaster of emotions that can lead to both laughter and tears. Overall, the humor is seen as well-executed, enhancing the game's relatability and charm.

    • “The narrative unfolds with a delicate balance of humor and poignancy, keeping the player engaged while immersing them in the intricacies of a life's journey.”
    • “The story is heartfelt, relatable, and surprisingly hilarious at times.”
    • “It was scuffed, it was stupid, and it was funny.”
    • “Not funny, cried.”
    • “Not funny.”
  • replayability40 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many reviewers noting its short playtime and limited branching paths. While some players appreciate the emotional impact and unique experience, they often recommend purchasing it on sale due to the minimal incentive for multiple playthroughs. A few users mention slight variations in choices that can enhance replay value, but the consensus leans towards it being more of an interactive story than a game with significant replayability.

    • “I have played this game through twice now and my original complaint of the game being too short has been thrown out of the window as this game has a lot of replay value trying to find out things you missed in the last playthrough by blinking as well as allowing you to make new choices.”
    • “The story is excellent, with multiple paths to follow as well for a bit of replay value.”
    • “This game's story is so beautiful no matter how you play it; there is infinite replayability and the art style suits it so well.”
    • “Replayability is pretty low and the game itself is fairly short.”
    • “It's playtime is incredibly short, and there's little to no replayability in sight.”
    • “Choices don't really matter - actually they don't matter at all - and replay value is extremely low.”
  • stability33 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, particularly with the blink detection mechanic and occasional freezing or crashing. While some users found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others noted that the game can be frustratingly unstable, especially on lower-spec systems. Overall, while the game offers a beautiful aesthetic and emotional depth, players should be prepared for a somewhat buggy experience.

    • “Aside from this, the game was not buggy.”
    • “Before Your Eyes is a frustrating buggy mess.”
    • “The majority of the glitches came from the blinking mechanic.”
    • “Very buggy, blink calibration does not work, keep getting a black screen at a certain part.”
  • grinding19 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment, with many suggesting it feels tedious and repetitive. While some appreciate the depth it adds to the experience, others feel it detracts from the enjoyment, making the gameplay feel like a chore.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding!”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The only grinding is for achievements.”
    • “I liked in the first playthroughs best - you tend to relive the scenes multiple times and that to me got tedious.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its emotional depth, captivating music, and strong storytelling, creating a powerful and immersive experience that resonates with players long after completion. Reviewers highlight the game's artistic visuals and voice acting, which contribute to a fairy-tale-like ambiance, while also noting that the unique gameplay mechanic enhances the overall emotional tone. Overall, the game successfully builds a beautiful and engaging atmosphere that draws players into its narrative.

    • “The raw, authentic portrayal of emotions creates a powerful atmosphere that stays with you long after the game concludes.”
    • “Beautiful game with a lovely story and atmosphere.”
    • “It is a visually captivating and immersive game with a beautiful atmosphere.”
    • “No review will convey the atmosphere.”
    • “Yes, you will still be able to hit the notes and play the game, but you will miss all the atmosphere and immersion that stems from playing behind the eyes of your character.”
    • “It has an interesting gimmick, but it's more than just that; it's a very emotionally heavy story, with lovable characters that felt like real people, and a consistently strong sense of atmosphere throughout.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    Overall, while the voice acting and storytelling in the game are highly praised for their emotional depth and authenticity, several users report that the game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues such as overheating and visual glitches. This detracts from the overall experience, particularly on lower-end hardware.

    • “I tried playing it on a crappier laptop at first but had to switch because if there are issues with lighting or performance, it takes away greatly from the enjoyment.”
    • “There were a couple of times where my camera picked up a blink that didn't happen, so it could be optimized just a bit better, but it really hammers home the point, time passes by so quickly.”
    • “The way the storytelling works, the genius ways the eyes are used, as well as the performances, all make up for a profound and moving experience.”
    • “Some sections of the game are poorly optimized.”
    • “The only complaint I have is that the game is not super optimized; my computer was getting pretty warm running this.”
    • “There were a couple of times where my camera picked up a blink that didn't happen, so it could be optimized just a bit better.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its emotional depth and storytelling, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the clever character design and engaging narrative, which contribute to a deeper understanding of the characters. While some express mixed feelings about the storyline, the overall consensus is that the character development significantly elevates the game's quality.

    • “The storytelling, character development, and emotional depth are unparalleled.”
    • “Storytelling game with deep story delivery and great character development, making this game much easier to understand.”
    • “Overall, I enjoyed every moment of this game, from the simplistic graphics to the beautiful story, voice acting, and character development; the list goes on!”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization of the game is viewed positively, as it avoids typical cash grab tactics and instead enhances the experience through its core mechanics. Players appreciate the balance between ads and gameplay, suggesting that the developers intended for certain moments to be experienced without interruption, which contributes to the game's artistic value. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing departure from the norm in a market often criticized for greed.

    • “In a market that is filled with greedy cash grabs, overused themes, and single-layer stories, it is games like this that give me faith in video games as an artistic medium, where creators can convey sincere emotion and passionate storytelling.”
    • “I found this game through ads, and I've been waiting for today to buy it ever since.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
2-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 36 analyzed playthroughs

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