Beyond Blue Review (PS4)

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key review info
  • Game: Beyond Blue
  • Platform: Playstation 4
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  • Reviewed on:
Beyond Blue key art

It is said that humanity knows more about outer space than it does about the depths of the oceans. Even if this may be an overstatement, we have to admit that our knowledge is pretty limited when it comes to the giant blue spots of our planet. The dev team that already impressed us with Never Alone, decided to make an interactive documentary to expand our knowledge about the cradle of life. Read on to find out if Beyond Blue proves to be a game worth the dive.

Since the release of Never Alone in 2014, we were convinced that for E-Line Media it is crucial to include educational value in their games. After presenting the culture of iñupia in their debut game, they chose a new topic to broaden our horizons: an interactive documentary to present the secrets of the oceans in a manner inspired by the most spectacular docuseries. The result is Beyond Blue, part videogame, part documentary, which treats its subject with respect, offers a very relaxing and informative experience, but fails to become memorable.

The events of the game are presented from the point of view of a marine biologist, Mira, involved in deep-sea exploration. Along with her two colleagues who play a support role and with whom you can interact only through audio logs, the objective of the expedition is to study and map the fauna of the ocean. A special role is played by a humpback whale family, but during your forages into the beating blue heart of our planet, you will encounter and study many other species from fish to octopi and even sharks.

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The story itself is pretty basic and serves as a reason to put on the diver suit and explore the hidden beauties of the depths. A questionable choice was to include also some personal drama of the main character, Mira Furlan, who next to the perils of the ocean has to face some tough times being away from her home and loved ones. This inclusion supposedly had the role to offer some depth to the character development, but actually does not add anything relevant to the entire experience. The actors Mira Furlan of Lost and Babylon 5 renown, Hakeem Kae-Kazim who stars in Black Sails and Ally Maki heard in Toy Story, along with the YouTuber Anna Akana did a good job when it comes to voice acting, managing to add some dynamics to the gameplay which is pretty static.

Your only task in the game is to explore different underwater locations. Since there are no limitations you can explore at your own pace without having to worry about your oxygen supply or a pesky timer. Your only actual tasks are to use some underwater buoys to find your main points of interest and scan all the animals you encounter. The data you collect can be reviewed in a submarine which serves as your HQ in between the levels of the game. Aboard the submarine you can also view short videoclips made in collaboration with BBC Studios and OceanX Media, you can enjoy very atmospheric tunes and listen to audio logs from your colleagues or interact through audio calls with your sister.

There is no combat, no stress, no pressure. Beyond Blue manages to convey a very relaxing atmosphere and manages to educate its audience about the oceans without turning into a boring biology classroom. It manages to convey scientific fascination and the desire to protect our environment. Still, it does not manage to become memorable, mainly due to its short length and no replay value. The eight levels can be finished in roughly two hours. After that you can return to each location in free dive, scanning the animals you may have missed, but there is no real motivation to do that.

The visual style of the game is absolutely stunning and manages to convey the sense of wonder which comes with the discovery of the deep. The models are detailed, the environment looks colorful and the movement of the character is pretty smooth. There are two minor shortcomings when it comes to visual representation. The first is that you cannot break the surface of the water. Even when you dive into shallow areas and you swim just below the surface, you cannot peak above the water.

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The second aspect that feels a bit unfortunate is that the producers chose to limit the game at 1080p and 30 fps when clearly the ocean world would have looked even more stunning in 4K. Looking at the engine I am sure this task could have been handled by the current consoles. The soundtrack contributes heavily to the immersive atmosphere of the game. Beyond Blue features next to an original score, tracks from Miles Davis, The Flaming Lips, and The Edisons, just to name a few of the more well-known artists. One thing that could have been improved is the balance, the volume of dialogues and documentary video clips is often problematic.


The Good

  • Excellent concept
  • Relaxing gameplay
  • Spot on soundtrack

The Bad

  • Too short
  • Lacks any real depth
  • Sound balance issues

Conclusion

Beyond Blue is a commendable effort and project, but it is too short to manage to fulfill its purpose. Also although educational, the game does not present any information which you didn’t already see in all the docuseries available. The information about most of the animals resumes to short trivia like information, the only details being offered only about the whales.

Despite these shortcomings, Beyond Blue is a game everyone should experience. It is ideal for younger audiences and can be the perfect family activity. The price tag is a bit steep compared to what the game offers, but after a discount Beyond Blue should be considered by everyone who wants to relax and escape into a beautiful world for a couple of hours.

story 6
gameplay 7
concept 9
graphics 7
audio 8
multiplayer 0
final rating 7
Editor's review
good
 
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Beyond Blue screenshots (22 Images)

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