Ian's Eyes

About

Ian's Eyes is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by Florida Replay and was released on September 1, 2016. It received negative reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"Ian's Eyes" is a horror written adventure game where you play as a blind boy's guide dog. Help Ian navigate through a dark and frightening world using your senses as a dog. Uncover the mystery of what happened to Ian's family while avoiding dangerous creatures.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 56 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and original concept, allowing players to experience horror from the perspective of a blind child guided by a dog.
The graphics and art style are charming and effectively create a creepy atmosphere reminiscent of Tim Burton's work.
The gameplay mechanics, while challenging, provide a rewarding experience as players navigate through puzzles and evade enemies.

The voice acting is often criticized for being poor and unconvincing, detracting from the overall immersion of the game.
The controls and camera angles can be frustrating, leading to unpredictable deaths and a steep learning curve that may deter casual players.
The story and plot execution are seen as lacking coherence, with many players expressing disappointment in the ending and overall narrative.

gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
63%
9%
The gameplay has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players citing frustrating level design, poor camera angles, and unresponsive controls that detract from the experience. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and aesthetic reminiscent of Tim Burton, others find the gameplay inconsistent and overly difficult, leading to a "die and retry" approach that can feel tedious. Overall, the game struggles to deliver a polished and enjoyable gameplay experience, hampered by design choices and execution issues.
- “The gameplay is pretty simple and the story is easy to follow, so you never feel lost as to what to do next.”
- “Nice gameplay and puzzles, lovely aesthetics which remind me of Tim Burton.”
- “The gameplay itself goes on smoothly with a few minor bugs that don’t affect the experience; in fact, some are quite funny, so no biggies.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly frustrating, with terrible level design, camera angles that are so bad that they will get you killed in stupid ways, and awful default controls for keyboard.”
- “I couldn't help but be reminded of the legendary bad rats: fantastic premise (blind boy dodging zombie schoolkids with the aid of his guide dog), but the gameplay is so inconsistent and unpredictable that merely trying to repeat what worked for you the last time is a crap-shoot at best.”
- “The dialogue is terrible and the gameplay is not as expected (as per videos and trailers).”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
60%
10%
The story centers on an 8-year-old boy named Ian and his guide dog, North, as they navigate their first day at Blue Norholm Primary School in the fictional town of Wintreal. While the concept is intriguing and the narrative aims to evoke emotional engagement, many reviewers criticize the plot for being confusing, poorly executed, and lacking depth, with some noting that the voice acting detracts from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the game is praised for its unique mechanics and immersive design, which help to create a compelling atmosphere.
- “The gameplay is pretty simple and the story is easy to follow, so you never feel lost as to what to do next.”
- “All in all, Ian's Eyes is a great game with a well-thought-out story, unique mechanics, and some riddles and puzzles in there.”
- “Since the moment that you enter the school, the story of Ian’s Eyes gets you completely.”
- “While the story answers some things, there are a lot of things that simply don’t make sense and needed better clarification.”
- “The rest of the plot is either boring or just stupid.”
- “The story does not make one bit of sense.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
19%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and charming visuals that evoke comparisons to Tim Burton's work. While the aesthetics are noted as appealing and well-crafted, some critics argue that the graphics alone cannot compensate for the game's shortcomings in gameplay and narrative. Overall, the visuals are seen as a highlight, but they are not enough to elevate the overall experience.
- “The graphics in this game are really quite good, which at least makes the game look more appealing.”
- “The art style is so cool and the idea is neat.”
- “Aesthetically, it is very well made, very coherent, and both textures and lighting are carefully treated.”
- “But this game shows its art/graphics even though the animation still needs some work.”
- “Yet don't let yourself be blinded by 'ian's eyes' eye-catchingly cute graphics, as the game becomes difficult right after the start, requiring a strong learning curve to continue.”
- “Aesthetically, it is very well made and coherent, but the textures and lighting could use more attention.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fittingness to the overall theme and its ability to enhance the atmosphere, drawing comparisons to the styles of Tim Burton and other popular games. While many reviewers appreciate the originality and quality of the music, some feel it alone isn't enough to fully engage them in the experience. Overall, the soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's entertainment value and ambiance.
- “The music in the game is incredible.”
- “The music is extremely fitting to the overall theme and various scenes in the movie.”
- “Ian’s eyes had a high start; with its Tim Burton-style art and quirky music, it felt like a game that was going to take a beloved style seen in Don't Starve and Limbo and mix it with an interesting new game concept.”
- “What I love: animations, originality, the music, and the atmosphere in general...”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's atmosphere is heavily influenced by Tim Burton's aesthetic, creating a macabre and eerie environment that enhances the retro tension through its gameplay and visuals. Players appreciate the unique animations, music, and careful attention to detail, which collectively contribute to a compelling ambiance, despite some feeling it lacks the depth to fully engage them. Overall, the atmosphere is recognized as a standout feature, effectively immersing players in a creatively crafted zombie-infested setting.
- “As to the creative part and ambiance, a great work is also noticed; the illumination is very slick to create such a dismal atmosphere at certain moments.”
- “The tightly defined camera and controls are no real default but another means to increase the retro-ish tension through gameplay alone, adding to the macabre atmosphere visibly drawn from Tim Burton movies such as Frankenweenie.”
- “The concept is unique; I love the Tim Burton-like aesthetic of the characters, and the atmosphere that the game creates as you go around the zombie-infested high school with Ian and North (Ian's dog) is eerie, which is what you're looking for in this genre.”
- “As to the creative part and ambiance, a great work is also noticed; illumination is very slick to create such a dismal atmosphere at certain moments.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely regarded as humorous, featuring polished animations that make zombie chases amusing and entertaining gameplay that includes minor bugs adding to the comedic experience. Players particularly highlight a memorable and funny exchange towards the end, contributing to the overall lighthearted tone of the game.
- “All in all, it’s a very funny game.”
- “That’s hilarious!”
- “The gameplay itself goes on smoothly with a few minor bugs that don’t affect the experience; in fact, some are quite funny, so no biggies.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences some stability issues, including glitches and bugs like jittering characters and minor clipping problems, which are attributed to the Unity engine. While these issues can be distracting, they do not significantly hinder gameplay for all players.
- “The only issues I had with the game were glitches and bugs, such as a jittering/vibrating dog and clipping through the floor slightly. But that's the Unity engine for you.”
- “I encountered numerous stability issues, including frequent crashes and frame drops that made the game nearly unplayable at times.”
- “The game suffers from severe stability problems, with constant freezing and unexpected errors that disrupt the overall experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without any reported issues from users.
- “The game runs smoothly, and I have had no problems!”
- “The optimization is top-notch, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs on my system; it’s clear that optimization was a priority.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users note that the game's design enhances both playability and replayability, suggesting that players are likely to return for multiple sessions.
- “The game offers a variety of choices that significantly enhance both playability and replayability.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic events and multiple endings.”
- “With numerous character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself coming back for more.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and repetitive, often requiring significant time investment without guaranteed rewards. This can be frustrating for those who prefer a more dynamic gameplay experience, while some may enjoy the challenge of repeated attempts.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Unless, of course, you're one of those people who enjoys doing the same tediously pedantic bits over and over and over again, with absolutely no guarantee of success even when you plan things out to the nth degree.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is significantly undermined by the narrator's voice, which lacks depth and authenticity, leading to a disappointing experience for players who had high expectations. This has resulted in a sense of heartbreak among reviewers, as they feel the game's potential was not realized.
- “This really is one of the most heartbreaking reviews I've ever had to write, because I sincerely had high hopes for this one.”