Beyond Blue Reviews
More games like Beyond Blue should be out there: Even if it cannot unfold it's complete potential, it's a mighty, worthwile and teaching game about the world's oceans, wales and dangers that are threatening the world's most important ecosystem. Beyond Blue is a shortish experience but it's worth every minute.
Review in German | Read full review
Beyond Blue is an educational science simulator. The core of the game is based in actual science by actual real world experts. Whether it be all the animal facts and ocean design or the 17 mini-documentaries called Ocean Insights, Ocean Insights are short videos taken from Blue Planet II that give insight from real experts. This game isn’t fast and it isn’t hard, but it was never intended to be. It is intended to showcase and highlight the wonders of the ocean.
I feel the game would have been a lot more interesting had the developers decided to focus more on the game’s educational and explorational aspects instead of a linear story-based structure. It’s a game that makes the act of looking for marine animals in order to learn more about them really enjoyable. Too bad there’s also a somewhat uninteresting plot in here; one that only drags the experience down.
Although Beyond Blue might not stand out from a gameplay perspective, it hits all the right spots as a remarkable educational tool about the planet’s underwater world.
Beyond Blue has a familiar objective when it comes to educational games focusing on the ocean, but it approaches the objective with a novel narrative. It will certainly appeal to any aspiring marine biologists or those looking for something more educational when it comes to ocean exploration games. If you’re looking for a way to relax alongside gentle giants in their (virtual) natural habitat and want to possibly learn something along the way, look no further than Beyond Blue.
My heart feels full playing Beyond Blue. An adventure of exploration as much as anything else, but complemented by a story with some surprising hooks. Ultimately, though, it’s just about looking out at sea, taking in the stunning visuals appreciating what’s in view, and that all I needed Beyond Blue to be and precisely what I’ve been looking for in a game between intense experiences.
Beyond Blue is a balanced game that walks on a fine line between a fun experience, and an educational one.
Review in Persian | Read full review
There’s something strangely endearing with Beyond Blue that’ll keep you playing through to the end. The simplicity of its scan/travel gameplay loop does become tiresome by the end but the calming, meditative state of exploring the ocean and watching these creatures in their natural habitat is worth persevering for. The story has some nice emotional beats too and the characters each have their own motivations and a decent level of depth. It may not be as good as Subnautica or Abzu but it does have the edge over those games when it comes to educational content. For that alone, Beyond Blue is well worth playing through and a reminder of how precious and beautiful our watery world really is.
An aquatic adventure that tells a powerful story, carries an important message and teaches as well as entertains, Beyond Blue is an excellent game.
Whether you're looking for a chill, non-violent ocean adventure or an educational product for kids, Beyond Blue does both surprisingly well. Just don't expect an action-packed experience.
Beyond Blue is a calm, immersive and deeply didactic proposal, with a very simple gameplay that encourages us, little by little, to fall into their networks. Thanks to a visual section that portrays with great beauty the marine environments and their animals and a very remarkable voice casting, it is impossible not to fall exhausted at your feet. Of course, the proposal is short, because in about 3 hours (something more if we investigate in depth its scenarios) we will have realized its history. E-Line knows how to blur, like few others, that fine line that separates the didactic from the playful: a video game as rich in knowledge as it is absorbing in its playable part.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Beyond Blue is a very interesting narrative experience, which exposes the great disseminating power that video games can have, a field little explored in them, and that places us in front of one of the most beautiful and unknown environments on our planet.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
In summary, Beyond Blue captures the sense of adventure via exploring the depths of the ocean better than any marine themed game that I’ve played. The sense of scale, detail and realism is such an incredible feat. Other than the exploration, I also enjoyed the aspects of the game spent with Mirai within her submarine, but I wished that this part of the game had been expanded further to help pad the game out a little more. E-Line Media has accomplished their goal of creating a beautifully engaging game, whilst also acting as an educational tool with the compelling Ocean Insight documentaries. If you have any interest in nature, in particular marine wildlife, then there is no better game than Beyond Blue.
Beyond Blue is neither fish nor whale and remains in every respect a trial dive, which as a game as well as an interactive documentary only scratches the surface of the possible. It's not about exploring and getting to know this fascinating habitat by yourself, but, as in underwater tourism, about grazing spot by spot and scanning as many animals as possible on the way. I appreciate the work that goes into Beyond Blue. But the bottom line is that it's just a trial dive with an omnipresent guide.
Review in German | Read full review
Beyond Blue serves as an educational piece as well as a great opportunity to relax and enjoy the depths of the ocean through technology that is fresh and exciting. I would like to see plenty of more content in the game though if possible.
As expected, there's some beauty in Beyond Blue, but it falls flat on the creative and narrative side.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Beyond Blue takes you to the very depths of Davy Jones' Locker for a serene experience of our ocean's natural beauty - but players be warned, this swimming simulator is heavy on the sea critters, light on gameplay. Wait for a sale, unless you're a marine biology enthusiast.
Beyond Blue is a concise experience. You can finish it in about two to three hours, and you can 100% it in less than five. While I really enjoyed all of the educational value that the game provides, if you don’t happen to be interested in the real-world ocean, there isn’t any reason for you to play this game.
The problem is there is no urgency to play, no intense draw. Beyond Blue is just not riveting. It does not pas the “is it fun” Test.