E-Line Media, known for developing games Never Alone (2014) and The Endless Mission (2019), has added their latest installment to their discography. Beyond Blue is a single-player adventure that takes deep sea enthusiasts into an immersive journey. Recently released, this title will be a great aquatic experience to fight the summertime heat.
Plot
Beyond Blue takes place in the distant future. Mirai, the main character, is a deep-water explorer that joined a newly formed research team. Using state of the arc technology, Mirai and her team is able to see, hear, and interact with aquatic life.
While discovering underwater environments, players must combat pollution and contamination to help save the planet. Advisory over families of whales and various other animals occur as well.
At night, Mirai stays in her advanced submarine. In the chambers, the conversation helm is placed at the front. Before every dive, Mirai reaches out to her colleagues and sister. E-Line Media allow users to answer conversations in variations and this creates a fascinating plot tree to grow.
To go along with the storyline, E-Line Media casted excellent voice actors to execute a solid narrative. The game did a stellar job placing emphasis on detail and emotion with the dialogue. The whole cast is filled with creditable actors, ranging in many famous TV shows and movies, names include:
- Anna Akana (Antman)
- Ally Maki (Toy Story 4)
- Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Hotel Rwanda)
- Mira Furlan (Lost, Babylon 5)
Gameplay
Gameplay is the bread and butter of this title. Beyond Blue provides a diverse and wide-open map, allowing individual exploration to steal the game. Not only is the world spacious, but it is also detailed-oriented and visually pleasing.
The plot never reveals the location of the map, players should assume it is placed on the more tropical side, geographically speaking. The map looks similar to the continent of Africa, but that it is my personal speculation.
Throughout the game, Mirai will log her adventures on a daily dive. Each level is a new “dive” and she will provide great narrative to help the user to stay accustomed to the story. The premise of each dive is fairly simple: Mirai will follow steps directed by colleague André, while also scanning wildlife to add to her catalog of information.
There is a vast amount of sea life in Beyond Blue. It is quite impressive to see how accurate and informative this video game is. For those who love marine biology, users will be amazed on how realistic the environments are.
My Personal Experiences
This title has a slow burn. The story is slow paced at first, but it is still engaging enough to keep on gaming. At times, I thought the plot was trying too hard to be complex, but I did not play this game for a deep narrative.
I personally love open world games. Although Beyond Blue is a not a full fledged installment to the genre, I really appreciated the expansive setting. I found myself wondering aimlessly in the deep ocean for hours at a time. Peaceful to say the least.
After completing the title, I can say I learned a great deal about aquatic habitats. E-Line developed a great deal of interactive sea life, but also displayed numerous dictionary clips about the subject at hand. If you are a gamer with kids, this title is family friendly to all.
Lastly, I was oddly impressed with the soundtrack. In Mirai’s chambers, there is an iPod hooked up to the submarine’s “stereo”. Going on Mirai’s iPod, you can find a indie playlist consisting of Miles Davis, The Flaming Lips, The Edisons, and other deep cuts. Although the playlist has little correlation to the story of the game, it is interesting to see the music selected.
The Final Verdict
There are a lot of high points present, but the game has drawbacks: the controls are ergonomically faulted, and the scanning functions feel choppy. Because of these issues, it rounds out the game to be respected, but with fallbacks very noticeable.
The price for this title is appropriate at $19.99. I think the retail value reflects what you will get out of this game. For those looking for a more action-packed story, Beyond Blue is not for you.
However, if you are a gamer looking for a slow paced, aesthetically pleasing project, this game will be right up your alley. Simplicity is a nice word to reflect Beyond Blue, and it proves that sometimes “less is more.”
Final Score: 7 out of 10
Check Out the Beyond Blue Launch Trailer:
Beyond Blue is Available Now on PC via Steam, Xbox One, and PS4
For more information, please visit: https://www.beyondbluegame.com/
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PlayStation 4 Review
Video games have played an essential role in my life since my parents purchased me my very own GameCube. Countless years and games later, I still have appreciation and love for the gaming community and culture. My passion for a variety of games has kept me close to many friends and roommates over the years. Starting in the fall, I will be embarking on my final year at Michigan State University. I am very excited to see what this year full of gaming will pertain.
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