![]() ![]() ![]() I don’t doubt that Beyond Blue could be used as an educational tool for adults and children alike. ![]() ![]() They’re a great addition to a game that does an excellent job of educating the player on our oceans. These videos range from information on the ocean to various life forms that exist there. The game also comes with plenty of informative videos to unlock during your playthrough as well. Exploring at your own pace without being prodded by annoying characters. This is probably the most enjoyable way to play Beyond Blue. Upon completion of the game, you do get a free dive mode, where you can visit previous areas of the game you have dived in. Beyond Blue is roughly three hours long, but as a game, you get the whole experience within the first hour. The opening dive and the midnight dive (done whilst the ocean is dark) are the game's set pieces, but the rest of the game struggles to inspire like you’d hope it could. The game consists of eight dives, which basically act as levels. The problem is, they give away far too much, far too quickly. I believe their gameplay took a back seat so the ocean life could be centre stage - and they were spot on to make that the focus. I’m reluctant to say E-Line Media took the easy route with the gameplay design. The issue with Beyond Blue is, that while it doesn’t dive in quality, it doesn’t ascend either. It starts strong, pacing the introduction of its mechanics well. After a couple of hours of scanning whales and swimming to various beacons, you can’t help but think the game needed a second gear. That first dolphin encounter, the whale song and chasing an octopus through an underwater cave are all great moments in the game's opening. The early portions of Beyond Blue entrances the player with these majestic creatures that dwarf them. Unfortunately, that accuracy comes at the sacrifice of an engaging experience. In a game that bases a lot of its focus on the understanding and signals of marine life, it was important that behaviour was portrayed correctly. Although graphically, it doesn’t blow you away, the behaviour of the whales and other animals you spend a lot of time interacting with is done with care. The experience feels genuine and the human to wildlife interaction we see really magnifies that feeling. There’s a natural feel to everything you see and do, whether that’s two dolphins interacting with one another or the protagonist reacting to the creatures around her. Although the accessible parts of the ocean are relatively small, the game does a great job giving the ocean scale. The ability to swim with whales, dolphins and a host of underwater wildlife is something the game thrives in. For me personally, it’s a balance it gets wrong throughout the game.įor marine life lovers, Beyond Blue is a captivating experience. Beyond Blue is forced to balance that self-reflection of the ocean and our treatment of it with gameplay and a character narrative that feels unnecessary. Although often finding the gameplay tiresome and sometimes frustrating, Beyond Blue’s dedication to teaching the player about the oceans and the wonderful creatures that live there provokes a lot of self reflection. Through a combination of live action clips and in-game storytelling, Beyond Blue uses the art of videogames to educate the player on the sea and the creatures that inhabit it. From beautiful games like ABZU to the survival savagery of Subnautica and the chaotic action of Maneater, there’s so much diversity that ocean games often fail to deliver to ocean lovers.īeyond Blue takes a realistic and caring approach to our oceans. That difference always makes it difficult to prepare yourself for the ocean. Whether focusing on the realism of the ocean or letting our imaginations loose on the big blue, everyone's take on the underwater world is different. That lack of understanding translates over to the videogames we play. A part of our world that is almost incomprehensible to many of us who share the planet with it. Reviews // 21st Jun 2020 - 3 years ago // By Adam Kerr Beyond Blue Review ![]()
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