Beyond Eyes

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 879 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Beyond Eyes Game Cover
Over quickly and hardly exhilarating, but illuminating in a way games rarely bother to be.
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"Beyond Eyes" is a visually striking adventure game that tells the story of a blind girl, Rae, as she explores the world around her. Through her senses, players will help Rae navigate her surroundings, meeting various animals and overcoming obstacles. The game's unique art style and emotional narrative create a memorable and immersive experience.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 879 reviews
story153 positive mentions
grinding46 negative mentions
  • Beautiful watercolor art style that enhances the emotional experience.
  • Unique concept of exploring the world through the perspective of a blind girl, using sound and touch.
  • Touching story that evokes empathy and emotional responses from players.
  • Extremely slow walking speed that can frustrate players and make exploration tedious.
  • Limited gameplay mechanics with very few interactions and puzzles.
  • The story feels thin and predictable, lacking depth and engagement.
  • story535 mentions

    The story of "Beyond Eyes" centers on Rae, a blind girl on a heartfelt journey to find her lost cat, Nani. While the narrative is touching and visually stunning, many players find the pacing frustratingly slow, leading to a mixed reception regarding its emotional impact and overall engagement. Despite its artistic presentation, some reviewers feel the story lacks depth and complexity, making it more of a simple, linear experience rather than a compelling game.

    • “Beyond Eyes tells the story of a blind girl named Rae, who must navigate the world using her other senses in search of her lost cat. The emotional journey is beautifully conveyed through the game's unique art style and sound design.”
    • “The story is touching and I was connected to Rae, making it a memorable experience. The visuals and narrative work together to create a heartfelt exploration of loss and courage.”
    • “This game is a beautiful, gentle story about a blind girl searching for her beloved cat. The watercolor art style enhances the emotional depth of the narrative, making it a unique and poignant experience.”
    • “The story is also very disappointing and unsatisfying.”
    • “The story didn't grab me at all and the gameplay was a slog to get through.”
    • “The story is utterly inconsequential as well, following a little girl leaving the safety of her garden and getting lost in search of a stray cat.”
  • gameplay295 mentions

    The gameplay in "Beyond Eyes" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively slow and lacking in engagement. While the unique mechanics of exploring a world through sound and touch are praised for their artistic intent, they often lead to a tedious experience characterized by minimal interaction and repetitive tasks. Overall, the game is described as a walking simulator that prioritizes atmosphere and storytelling over traditional gameplay elements, which may appeal to some but frustrate others seeking a more dynamic experience.

    • “The gameplay is slow but effective.”
    • “The game's unique art style and gameplay mechanics set it apart from other games in the genre.”
    • “The story is charming, albeit brief, the gameplay uniquely shares the experience of what it may be like to experience the world through the eyes of a child with blindness, and the visuals are beautiful.”
    • “The gameplay is dull and uninspired, lacking any real challenge or engagement.”
    • “The story didn't grab me at all and the gameplay was a slog to get through.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is horrible though.”
  • graphics287 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful watercolor art style, which effectively complements the game's themes and emotional narrative. Many reviewers highlight the unique visual presentation that reveals the environment as the player progresses, creating a charming and immersive experience. However, some players find the overall visual appeal diminished by the slow pacing and limited gameplay, leading to mixed feelings about the game's engagement despite its aesthetic strengths.

    • “The graphics are beautiful and unique.”
    • “The watercolor graphics are just so lovely and the plot so sweet/touching, that my enjoyment level trumped my frustration level.”
    • “The art style is really beautiful and there was a lot of effort put into this game.”
    • “Visually, the game looks okay, but nothing fancy; it's under the Unity engine, so visuals are very limited.”
    • “Apart from the visuals, there isn't much offered by this game.”
    • “The story is empty, and though the graphics are pretty, they hide an overall obsession with the gimmick of a blind girl.”
  • emotional163 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling and beautiful presentation, often evoking strong feelings and even tears from players. While the narrative about a blind girl searching for her cat is touching and visually stunning, some players found the gameplay slow and frustrating, which detracted from the overall emotional impact. Despite mixed opinions on its execution, many agree that the game successfully delivers a poignant and immersive emotional experience.

    • “The story about a blind little girl mustering all of her courage to leave the safety of her home and search for her lost kitty was also really touching.”
    • “The game's story is told through beautiful and poetic narration, which adds to the game's emotional impact.”
    • “Beyond Eyes is a short, beautiful, and touching game that allows you to vicariously have that experience, and in that regard, it is immensely successful.”
  • music112 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with soothing piano melodies and ambient soundscapes that complement the watercolor visuals. However, some players noted that the music can be sparse and repetitive, leading to moments of quiet that detract from immersion. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, its limited presence during exploration may leave some players wanting more.

    • “Wonderful music and sound effects in combination with really touching watercolour textures, creates a unique game atmosphere.”
    • “The game's music is relaxing and meditative, perfectly matching the game's art style and gameplay.”
    • “The music complements the emotion in the game and added a lot to the whole experience while not being too intrusive.”
    • “The repetitive music does little to enhance the experience, and the sound effects, such as the incessant mocking of seagulls in the docks, become grating over time.”
    • “While the music and art are pleasing, the gameplay, or lack thereof, is incredibly boring.”
    • “Aside from the sound effects, there's hardly any music.”
  • grinding46 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with players noting the slow movement speed and repetitive backtracking as major detractors. While the game's artistic visuals and concept are appreciated, they are overshadowed by the monotonous gameplay that quickly becomes boring and tiresome. Many players express a desire to enjoy the experience but ultimately find it too laborious to continue.

    • “The novelty of uncovering the environment quickly wears off, leaving you with a meandering and tedious journey.”
    • “I really wanted to like the game, but it's just so tedious, and after an hour you just don't want to do this anymore.”
    • “Unfortunately, any real enjoyment of the concept and art within this game is completely suppressed by the overwhelmingly tedious movement speed.”
  • atmosphere41 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is a prominent feature, characterized by beautiful visuals, touching sound design, and a unique artistic style that creates a relaxing yet emotionally engaging experience. While some players find the atmosphere immersive and evocative, others criticize it for being dull and tedious, particularly due to slow pacing and a lack of substantial gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both whimsical and poignant, effectively conveying the challenges of blindness and offering a serene journey through its world.

    • “Wonderful music and sound effects in combination with really touching watercolor textures create a unique game atmosphere.”
    • “The art style is unique and so is the atmosphere.”
    • “It's a very wholesome and atmospheric experience, which I highly recommend if you want a quiet evening in the countryside that makes you feel things in a good way.”
    • “But the effect doesn't stand up to scrutiny as a metaphor for actual blindness, and the writing, music, and atmosphere are all pretty mawkish, so there's not a lot to feel invested in.”
    • “The game works hard to set up the proper mood and atmosphere, but ultimately it is all wasted: the game just ends when the girl <rot13d for spoilers>qvfpbiref ure xvggl vf qrnq.”
    • “There's also the problem that you walk very slowly which adds to the atmosphere of a blind girl slowly uncovering the world around her, but makes it very tedious to backtrack.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    The game is generally considered to have low replayability, with most players noting that it offers a short, linear experience lasting only two to three hours. While some may find value in revisiting the calm and beautiful gameplay or pursuing achievements, the consensus is that there is little incentive to replay once the story is completed. Overall, it is recommended to experience the game thoroughly in one go rather than expecting significant replay value.

    • “Though I do think it is replayable if enough time has passed, it doesn't have high replay value, I'll admit.”
    • “At $15 retail in the US, and about 2 hours of standard gameplay (though replayable for a small number of achievements), the game isn't for everyone; in particular, if 'walking simulator' doesn't get the juices flowing, this one won't either.”
    • “While not particularly long and lacking replayability, I enjoyed the game.”
    • “This is a shorter, linear game without much replayability.”
    • “At the price of £9.99, I wouldn't say it's worth it because once the 2/3 hour story is completed, it doesn't have any replayability whatsoever.”
    • “Replay value is almost completely non-existent; two or three hours is all you need to really see everything.”
  • humor6 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mixed reception regarding the game's humor, with some finding it lacking compared to titles like "The Stanley Parable." While certain moments are noted as funny, others suggest that the humor feels awkward or overshadowed by the game's narrative elements. Overall, the humor is described as inconsistent, with some players appreciating its charm while others feel it falls short.

    • “Don't go extracting hidden meaning and touching moments from games and characters that aren't there - buy this instead - a fun, meaningful, touching, funny, sad little beauty.”
    • “Isn’t it kinda funny, that a game about blindness is so gorgeous?”
    • “I mean, walking simulators are always a little boring, but at least Date Night was funny and Gone Home had something to figure out.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, user reviews indicate mixed stability for the game; while some players experience significant bugs that may require replaying entire chapters, others report no major glitches. Additionally, there are concerns about specific issues like fullscreen functionality on Mac and a lack of options, though performance at 21x9 resolution is noted to be good.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the performance is, even during intense gameplay.”
    • “The frame rate remains consistent, providing a seamless experience.”
    • “It's also super buggy, so you might have to redo an entire chapter, which takes so long anyway.”
    • “I could write a lot about the lacking art assets, lack of options, buggy Mac fullscreen, and the high price point.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, user feedback on optimization is mixed; while some praise the smooth performance, others report issues with graphical glitches and subpar performance.

    • “It is neat; yes, it runs smoothly, or rather walks, haha, yes.”
    • “Performance is great.”
    • “The graphics are glitchy, and the performance is not good.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and stuttering, making it nearly unplayable.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is praised for its emotional depth and progression throughout the story, leaving players feeling fulfilled by the end. However, some users express a desire for even more development beyond the conclusion of the narrative.

    • “The ability to explore and uncover the world and experience new things makes my heart melt, as does the character development by the end of the story.”
    • “I kind of yearn for a bit more character development afterwards.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

54% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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