Genre: Adventure
Developer: Tiger and Squid
Publisher: Team17 Digital Ltd

Beyond Eyes' surreal, pastel landscape is a bit reminiscent of Sega's PlayStation 3 classic "Valkyria Chronicles"-- except that it materializes a mere few yards from the player as it's explored, simulating what the world might be like for its blind protagonist. And the trick works, as the player finds himself apologizing at the screen for knocking into fences and trees.

It's often said that the hearing of blind people becomes "enhanced" due to their disability. Whether or not that's true, as the game's title implies, the developers did focus on their works' aural qualities, and it shows: sound effects are vivid and crystalline. Simple piano melodies do a good job of directing the game's more tense or emotional moments.

This title requires the use of an analog stick and a single button, and latter of which is pressed perhaps four times in the entire game. In this way, the player can focus on the experience rather than the controls. The levels cleverly guide the player, while reusing enough static geometry to leave a constant hint in the player's mind: "did I just go 'round in a circle?"

Beyond Eyes is an interesting idea, but there isn't much of a game surrounding it, making the whole thing feel like a fifteen dollar tech demo. Additionally, the title requires too much suspension of belief: why are there not more people around? Wouldn't one of them approach and try to help a blind, fumbling child who has no adult escort? And during this walking simulator's ultimate conclusion, the character makes an implausible logical leap, rendering the moment emotionally flat.