Beyond Eyes is what a lot of people would label as a "walking simulator". It has limited storytelling and gameplay and thus is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. The story is told via text that shows up on screen from time to time. The general gist of it is that Rae, a young girl, was rendered blind by an accident. In her despair, she encounters a cat who visits her regularly. Naming him Nani, he doesn't return one day. Rae steels her resolve and sets out into the world to find him.
Rae's blindness plays into the game as everything is white until you get close to it to reveal its nature via Rae's imagination, her memories of how things were and input from her sense of hearing, touch and smell. In this aspect, it's a little bit like the first level of The Unfinished Swan, however, it can get confusing when you can't see far into your surroundings. Sound also plays a visual element as you can "see" farther objects that are making sounds like seagulls when they are squawking. A neat effect is the usage of the Dualshock 4's speaker so it feels more intimate and personal when you hear Rae's footsteps much closer to you than expected.
Scenery will morph around you as what you thought was one thing, will then dawn on you is another as Rae approaches it and gets a better idea of what it was. Beyond Eyes has simple controls, the only gameplay is moving Rae, and a button to interact with certain objects. The gameplay is so barebones that there is no tutorial and no handholding of any sort. Rae's walking speed is terribly slow, which is frustrating. It is understandable within the context of the game since Rae is blind, but as a player of a game, it just serves to artificially lengthen the game.
It doesn't help that Rae keeps getting blocked by obstacles, which makes the slow pace every slower. While Rae will go through various environments such as suburban areas, forests and beaches, they are all boxed in, so even though the environment looks huge and brimming with exploration potential, it's actually very limited. However, the revelation after you've explored everything and advanced the chapter in how these paths were interconnected is nifty.
The game likes to divert you on long detours, forcing you to walk a full wide circle to get to the place that was just a little bit ahead of you before, in order to get past an "obstacle". There's not much interaction with objects, just a few predetermined ones linked to Trophies, such as feeding ducks and cows. Beyond Eyes has a neat visual aesthetic, the game looks pretty and artwork-like. The soft music matches the atmosphere perfectly. Unfortunately, the game does not do enough to keep you emotionally invested for the majority of the game. It is only the bittersweet ending that partially pulls the player back in.
It's a short game, with six chapters but lasting only 2-3 hours on the first playthrough with limited replay value, Beyond Eyes can feel a bit overpriced for what you get. Overall, Beyond Eyes is a simple game and while the concept is good, the execution is bland and the major problem is the slow walking speed. If Rae could walk a bit faster and not get caught against objects as often, then it would make the game more bearable. As it is, it is relaxing and has some charm, but is a very average "game", since there's barely any gameplay or story, you really just play it for the atmosphere.
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