Beyond Eyes in an interesting idea. What would it be like to lose a sense you’ve had for some time and then not only have to adjust to the initial shock of it, but also relearn how to function without that sense?
A young girl at play, a terrible accident, and the loss of her eyesight all lead to the start of a game that attempts to tackle this very question. Alone and isolated after the accident this young girl stays very close to what’s familiar to her, her home. As time passes an unlikely friend appears, a cat that helps the girl forget her terrible situation and just be a young girl again, however; this newfound friend ventures forth beyond the confines of her safe space and ultimately it’s this that motivates our young girl to begin to explore and relearn how to function in a world she’s become use to using her sight in at the expense of her hearing.
Sound is her new ally and as she hears things in the environment her mind begins to paint in the world in a beautiful pastel coloring that is very striking to witness. I’ve not seen quite the same color palette used in a game before since OKAMI and in Beyond Eyes it’s even closer to a watercolor painting.
The game basically boils down to a follow the leader endeavor with the cat pulling you along throughout the world all the while forcing you to tackle the important task of re-learning how not only to listen, but more importantly how to hear.
Tackling themes like this are extremely difficult in any medium and more so in a video game as there is a component that ultimately needs to be served beyond just expression and emotion; games need to have a core gameplay element that motivates the player to continue.
In attempting to tackle all these gargantuan ideas and express them the game succeeds as a window into what it may be like to simply exist in a world you’ve been used to and then turned upside down by the loss of a basic sense we all take for granted, but as a game that core element, that “hook” that drives us all to continue in a game just isn’t there. Wandering around and witnessing the way the world reacts to the girl as well as how she reacts to the world quickly wears off as you simply walk around, very slowly following your friend.
The idea of expression is realized but this is still a game and while I can appreciate the theme and the art style and the overall tone of the game, there simply isn’t enough “game” after all those elements are successfully achieved.
