Beyond Eyes paints a colorful picture of a blind girl
Beyond Eyes, a game about guiding a young blind girl through her environment, is currently seeking €10,000 (approximately $13,513) on Indiegogo. If the game is funded, developer Sherida Halatoe anticipates a summer 2014 release on PC, Mac and Linux.
Beyond Eyes began as a graduation project while Halatoe attended Utrecht School of Arts, but Halatoe says in her pitch video that she "couldn't let it go." The story centers on Rae, a girl who lost her sight in a fireworks accident, and has since become a recluse. Rae doesn't interact much with the outside world, preferring to stay in her quiet garden with a stray cat she names Nani. When Nani disappears, Rae goes searching.
Since Rae is blind, the world appears white and empty. When Rae senses an object through her remaining senses, colors will bloom through the object, painting it in like a watercolor picture. Players will take on the role of caretaker and guide for Rae as opposed to playing as her, and Halatoe warns that "A player who forces [Rae] into dangerous situations finds himself with a scared, distrustful girl who will refuse to do his bidding until he regains her trust."
Funding Beyond Eyes at the €3,000 level will net you another game, as Halatoe writes that she will create a "short game" that can feature up to two characters and two environments.
