This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. We do know that there might be some famous voice-over talent in the final product, though - we should hear more about that this week.Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We already know that the game will take us from the conventionally pretty ocean blues down into worlds with semi-solid lakes and thermal vents, but what we don't know is exactly what biological anomaly brings Mariah and the team down into the depths in the first place - and what consequences may arise from their study. This will play out in the game's scanning and photography sections too Mariah might be able to snap some pics of a turtle at a distance, but the turtle will bounce if she gets right up in its face.Īll in all, we're very excited to see where this interesting concept leads. Zimmerman, a sailor himself since youth, hopes to dispel the idea that sea creatures are hostile by nature it's only when humans invade their space that they may get agitated. Players won't come across death states in the game not just because it would interrupt gameplay, but to avoid perpetuating the Hollywood myth - and for that matter, the Assassins Creed and GTA V myth - that every shark in the ocean is hell-bent on trying to kill a passing swimmer. We want to give people an experience that boosts their critical thinking – as well as entertain them for 7-10 hours."Įncouraging players to think critically, rather than trying to slam home a particular point, seems to be a deliberate choice on the part of the developers. "We're going to be very literal with the science in this", Zimmerman confirmed, "and that includes not assuming that scientific theories will still hold up 10, 15 years in the future. It's highly unusual to see any video game tackle the thorny issue of biased framing in scientific reporting whether the final game will do more than hint at the consequences remains to be seen, but it's encouraging that E-Line are going out of their way to paint a fair and accurate picture of biological study. This is where E-Line has apparently added an interesting wrinkle, though we weren't able to see it in our demo: Player decisions on how to portray the footage they capture may positively or negatively impact relationships with the crew and, crucially, the benefactors who have funded Mariah's research. She has a crew back in the sub who will be her guides and contact throughout, but the only time Mariah won't be concentrating on the creatures and plants before her are between missions. Thanks to rebreather tech allowing for a prolonged stay in the water, Beyond Blue's protagonist Mariah won't ever leave the water. These are the game's only nods to a little fictional world-building, and even then it's a highly accurate estimation of the future. Zimmerman said the team sought opinions from the scientific community: "If you had the moon-shot level budget, what would you want?" The most common answer was the ability to stay underwater for longer - 30 days if possible - and to advance drone tech to be smaller and more nimble. As such, the game is set 10 to 15 years in the future, with subtle but significant advances in technology allowing the divers - and the player - the chance to explore the more inaccessible depths of the sea. Movement is fluid and logical throughout the game's beautiful expansive spaces, and a highly stripped down interface gives the player more room to immerse themselves in their surroundings.Īlthough it's a game focused on presenting the oceans as they are today, the team were also eager to show off where ocean study may take scientists in the future. Perhaps because of its grounding in realistic human exploration of the seas, Beyond Blue handles surprisingly well for the human player too.
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